Safety considerations on food protein-derived bioactive peptides

Bioactive peptides derived from food proteins are continuing gain the momentum as an important constituent of functional food ingredients and nutraceuticals. Although there is a burgeoning body of literature about preparation, characterization and activity study of food-derived bioactive peptides and several bioactive peptides have been commercialized, there is lack of systemic review on the safety of food protein derived bioactive peptides. This article reviews the possible formation of allergenic and toxic peptides from their parent proteins, as well as hazardous compounds during protein extraction, protein pretreatment, and bioactive peptides preparation. The impacts of administration dosage (including frequency) and length of bioactive peptides on safety are discussed. Finally, the challenges in researching the safety of bioactive peptides are also presented. Potential toxic and allergenic peptides, often showing biological activities, may be released during hydrolysis of food proteins. Amino acid racemization, peptide modification/derivation including the formation of iso-peptide bonds, and Maillard reaction may occur during protein extraction, sample pretreatment, and peptide preparation. The safety of bioactive peptides can also be affected by administration dosage (including frequency) and length of use. It is expected that this review can facilitate the development of effective strategies to address the safety concerns of food protein-derived bioactive peptides.