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Foods
Special Issues
Development and Utilization of Marine-Derived Functional Proteins and Peptides
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Development and Utilization of Marine-Derived Functional Proteins and Peptides

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Foods of Marine Origin".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 3531

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yinan Du

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
Interests: development and utilization of proteins; functional hydrocolloids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jianan Yan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
Interests: food hydrocolloids; hydrocolloid-based systems for nutritional enhancement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Marine organisms provide a diverse and abundant source of proteins and peptides with unique functional properties. These aquatic-derived proteins or peptides, obtained from fish, shellfish, algae, and other marine sources, exhibit superior bioactivity, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition to their health-promoting potential, marine-derived proteins are also excellent carriers for the encapsulation and delivery of bioactive compounds, enhancing their stability and bioavailability in food and health applications. Their versatility and health-promoting potential make them ideal for use in functional food development, nutraceuticals, and therapeutic applications. Moreover, the sustainable use of marine proteins aligns with the increasing demand for eco-friendly resources in food and health industries, offering innovative ways to improve product functionality and nutritional value.

The Special Issue invites research and review papers focused on the discovery, extraction, and functional applications of aquatic proteins and peptides. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Innovative methods for the extraction and purification of aquatic proteins and peptides;
  • Structural and functional characterization of proteins and peptides from marine organisms;
  • Applications of marine-derived proteins or peptides in food processing, stabilization, and preservation;
  • Investigating the use of marine-derived proteins as encapsulating agents for the delivery of bioactive compounds.

Dr. Yinan Du
Dr. Jianan Yan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food processing
  • marine-derived proteins
  • bioactive peptides
  • functional foods
  • encapsulation
  • bioavailability
  • hydrocolloids
  • nutrients
  • sustainable protein sources
  • delivery systems

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 4575 KiB  
Article
Large Yellow Croaker Roe Protein Isolates/Gellan Gum Hydrogels Improve the Alleviating Effect of Curcumin on DSS-Induced Colitis
by Yi-Nan Du, Yi-Xu Wang, Jia-Nan Yan, Qian Zhang, Yu-Qiao Wang, Jiao Jia and Hai-Tao Wu
Foods 2025, 14(11), 1921; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14111921 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 260
Abstract
In this study, large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) protein isolates/gellan gum (PG) binary hydrogels with dense microstructure were used for embedding and delivery curcumin (Cur). The colitis-relieving effects of PG-Cur were further investigated using the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis [...] Read more.
In this study, large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) protein isolates/gellan gum (PG) binary hydrogels with dense microstructure were used for embedding and delivery curcumin (Cur). The colitis-relieving effects of PG-Cur were further investigated using the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) mouse model. Following PG-Cur treatment, weight loss, diarrhea, and shortening of the colon were significantly alleviated. Compared with the free Cur group, weight loss and colon length in the PG-Cur group increased about 1.05- and 1.12-fold. IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 levels in PG-Cur group were not significantly different from those of the normal mice, and the MPO and iNOS activities of the PG-Cur group were 29% and 20% lower than those in the Cur group, respectively. Moreover, fecal microbiota analysis of mice revealed that PG-Cur effectively restored gut dysbiosis in DSS-induced colitis, enriching beneficial bacteria while reducing harmful ones. Overall, the PG hydrogels have the potential to serve as carriers for oral curcumin formulations aimed at alleviating UC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Utilization of Marine-Derived Functional Proteins and Peptides)
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22 pages, 7155 KiB  
Article
In Slico Screening and In Vitro Identification of Hyperuricemia-Inhibiting Peptides from Trachurus japonicus
by Zexuan Xu, Miaoyu Gan, Weiliang Guan, Fang Tian, Yuxi Wang, Jinjie Zhang and Luyun Cai
Foods 2025, 14(3), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030524 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1089
Abstract
Hyperuricemia arises from imbalanced uric acid metabolism, contributing to gout and related chronic diseases. When traditional drugs are used to treat hyperuricemia, side effects are inevitable, which promotes the exploration of new bioactive compounds. Protein hydrolysates and peptides are gradually showing potential in [...] Read more.
Hyperuricemia arises from imbalanced uric acid metabolism, contributing to gout and related chronic diseases. When traditional drugs are used to treat hyperuricemia, side effects are inevitable, which promotes the exploration of new bioactive compounds. Protein hydrolysates and peptides are gradually showing potential in the treatment of hyperuricemia. This study investigated the uric acid inhibitory activity of peptides extracted from Trachurus japonicus using in silico and in vitro methods. We employed in silico virtual enzymolysis and experimental validation to identify bioactive peptides from Trachurus japonicus proteins. Four peptides (DF, AGF, QPSF, and AGDDAPR) were comprehensively screened by molecular docking and database analysis. After solid-phase synthesis, the inhibitory effects of these peptides on hyperuricemia were further verified in vitro and at the cellular level. The results showed that all four peptides have good hyperuricemia-inhibiting activities. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics revealed that peptides DF and AGDDAPR affect the production of uric acid by binding to the active sites of urate transporter 1 (URAT1), glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9), and xanthine oxidase (XOD), while peptides QPSF and AGF mainly influence the XOD active site, confirming that it is feasible to rapidly screen hyperuricemia-inhibiting peptides by molecular docking. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Utilization of Marine-Derived Functional Proteins and Peptides)
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22 pages, 5573 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Characterization of Calcium-Chelated Sea Cucumber Ovum Hydrolysate and the Inhibitory Effect on α-Amylase
by Xu Yan, Fengjiao Fan, Zijin Qin, Lijuan Zhang, Shuang Guan, Shiying Han, Xiufang Dong, Hui Chen, Zhe Xu and Tingting Li
Foods 2024, 13(24), 4119; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13244119 - 20 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1136
Abstract
α-amylase can effectively inhibit the activity of digestive enzymes and alter nutrient absorption. The impact of ovum hydrolysates of sea cucumbers on α-amylase activity was investigated in this study. The protein hydrolysates generated using different proteases (pepsin, trypsin, and neutral protease) and molecular [...] Read more.
α-amylase can effectively inhibit the activity of digestive enzymes and alter nutrient absorption. The impact of ovum hydrolysates of sea cucumbers on α-amylase activity was investigated in this study. The protein hydrolysates generated using different proteases (pepsin, trypsin, and neutral protease) and molecular weights (less than 3000 and more than 3000) were investigated. The results showed that all three different hydrolysates demonstrated calcium-chelating activity and induced a fluorescence-quenching effect on α-amylase. The sea cucumber ovum hydrolysate with a molecular weight of less than 3000 Da, isolated using trypsin, showed the most effective inhibitory effect on α-amylase, with an inhibition rate of 53.9%, and the inhibition type was identified as mixed forms of inhibition. In conclusion, the generation and utilization of protein hydrolysates from sea cucumber ovum as a functional food ingredient could be a potential approach to add value to low-cost seafood by-products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Utilization of Marine-Derived Functional Proteins and Peptides)
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