Evaluation of antioxidant and ACE inhibitory peptides in rice bran protein hydrolysate using non‐targeted UHPLC‐QTOF‐IMS profiling, MALDI‐TOF‐TOF‐MS/MS, and molecular docking study

Summary In the present study, rice bran protein (RBP) from the PB1121 variety was hydrolysed using trypsin and subjected to non‐targeted IMS profiling to identify antioxidant and antihypertensive amino acids in the resulting RBP hydrolysates. The hydrolysate was then separated into three fractions using ultrafiltration, and each fraction was tested for antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activities. The ACE activity was assessed using the tripeptide hippuryl‐histidyl‐leucine (HHL) as a model peptide via HPLC‐DAD. The fraction with the molecular weight (>3000 Da) displayed the strongest antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activity. This fraction was further divided into five fractions using gel Sephadex G‐25, and the greatest levels of antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activity were found in fraction F3B. Fraction F3B was then fractionated using HPLC, and the fraction with ACE inhibitory activity (IC 50 of 43 mg mL −1 ) was analysed using MALDI‐TOF‐TOF mass spectrometry to determine its exact molecular mass and amino acid sequence. The amino acid sequence FMKSK (phe‐met‐lys‐ser‐lys) with a Mw of 655.376 Da was detected, and the molecular docking investigation revealed that FMKSK suppresses ACE by forming strong hydrogen bonds with the active pockets of human ACE. These findings suggest that rice bran contains bioactive peptides with antioxidant and ACE inhibitory effects, making it a promising raw material for the production of beneficial products.