KSP: Sensor-guided enzymatic protein hydrolysis and separation technologies for tailored biomanufacturing of bioactive peptides

Enzymatic protein hydrolysis (EPH), i.e. protease catalysed breakdown of proteins into peptides and amino acids, is a biotechnological solution recognized as a central element of the circular bioeconomy in the food industry. This technology bears a huge potential to transform food processing by-products to a revenue stream. Bioactive peptides are one of the potential high-end products that can be produced using EPH. Such specialized bioactive peptides (i.e., small chains of amino acids) can have application as health promoting ingredients or supplements. State-of-the-art EPH process, currently used in the food industry, is a crude transformation of by-products into unrefined mixtures of large proteins, smaller peptides and amino acids. The inherent complexity of crude protein hydrolysates, containing thousands of peptide fragments, calls for optimization of the process towards tailored properties. With a central aim of advancing the EPH process, the project TailoTides takes an interdisciplinary approach for refining tailored bioactive peptide from underutilized agricultural and marine biomasses (i.e., poultry by-products and Calanus finmarchicus). The project led to the identification of various health promoting properties for peptides isolated from poultry by-products and Calanus finmarchicus. Among the bioactive properties identified are positive effects on blood pressure, blood glucose as well as skeletal muscle health. Among the notable findings is the discovery of bioactive peptide fractions with dual blood glucose and blood sugar regulating effect. This peptide fraction was isolated from industrial byproduct of poultry processing. Use of analytical technologies enabled optimization of the EPH process and increase yield of the bioactive peptide fractions. Likewise, peptides isolated form Calanus finmarchicus was demonstrated to increase muscle protein synthesis and promote glucose uptake into muscle cells. This is an interesting effect considering healthy muscle increase and blood glucose regulation. In addition to optimization of the EPH process, the project led to development of membrane filtration technology as a downstream processing for up-concentration of the health promoting peptides. The project has resulted in a total of eight scientific publications and several other communication outputs (popular science articles, conference presentations etc.). Moreover, in addition to a yearly consortia meeting, we have organized a successful workshop (on commercialization of bioactive peptides) and open seminar with more than 60 participants. The project had the final consortia meeting on September 13 2024. The postdoctoral candidate successfully finished her term in the project and is currently hired as a scientist at the host institute Nofima. Overall, the project was successfully implemented and potential exploitation of results and findings is underway.

The project TailoTides had several outcomes both in the scientific and industrial front. In the scientific front, for example, we have developed a new strategy for bioactivity-guided optimization of enzymatic protein hydrolysis. The generic aspect of this method is expected to be transferred to other biotechnological processes (e.g. fermentation). Similarly, on the industrial front, we have worked on industrially relevant raw-materials and have disclosed new potential application areas (through identification of bioactive ingredients) for poultry by-products and Calanus finmarchicus. The project resulted in knowledge that will have both short- and long-term impact on the EPH industry in general. For example, we have discovered potential health promoting peptides from poultry byproducts that can find application as nutraceuticals. Particularly, our findings related to dual blood glucose and blood pressure reducing effect of these peptides is commercially attractive. We intend to explore such commercialization aspect of the scalable bioactive peptide fraction isolated from poultry by-product. In this regard, we have sent a qualification application to the research council (354476) and received feedback. We intend to re-send the application after attending to the inputs.

Enzymatic protein hydrolysis (EPH) is a biotechnological solution well-recognized as a central element of the circular bioeconomy mobilization in the food industry that can potentially transform food processing by-products to revenue streams. Bioactive peptides are one of the potential high-end products that can be produced using EPH. However, in order to realize this potential, a number of technological barriers are yet to be solved and EPH has to be transformed from a traditional crude hydrolysate production platform to a tailored biomanufacturing process. TailoTides combines bioactivity-guided enzymatic protein hydrolysis, advanced water filtration technologies and sensor technologies for tailored production of bioactive peptides from underutilized agricultural and marine biomasses (i.e., poultry by-products and Calanus finmarchicus). With a focus on health promoting bioactive peptides towards selected cardiometabolic diseases, TailoTides aims at: -Discovery of bioactive peptides based on advanced in vitro screening tecnologies -Development of tailored enzymatic protein hydrolysis process for production of potent hydrolysates -Development of industrially-relevant separation and refining process based on advanced technologies from water treatment sector. -Development of sensor and bioanalytical technologies for a controlled and optimal production of the desired bioactive peptides. TailoTides represents a highly cross-disciplinary project which brings cutting-edge science in biotechnology, molecular biology, analytical chemistry, sensor technology and separation technologies together with industrial experience in EPH. A successful implementation of results from TailoTides is expected to generate new scientific knowledge that can potentially transform and set new standards to the current practices in EPH industry.