Summary
This review examines the barriers limiting the practical application of plant-derived peptides and proteins in functional food and pharmaceutical contexts, including poor bioavailability, anti-nutritional factors, and instability during gastrointestinal digestion. It systematically evaluates a range of enhancement strategies — including enzymatic hydrolysis, chemical and physical structural modifications, protease inhibitors, and colloidal delivery systems such as liposomes and nanoparticles — and their capacity to improve absorption and bioactivity. The paper provides a consolidated framework for researchers and product developers seeking to translate plant protein bioactivity into viable food or therapeutic applications.
UK applicability
Whilst this review is not UK-specific, its findings are broadly applicable to UK food and pharmaceutical industries, particularly given growing interest in plant-based protein ingredients and reformulation of functional foods to meet dietary and sustainability goals under UK food strategy frameworks.
Key measures
Bioavailability indicators; functional stability; physicochemical properties; anti-nutritional factor content; encapsulation efficiency of delivery systems (liposomes, emulsions, nanoparticles)
Outcomes reported
The review evaluates determinants of plant peptide and protein bioactivity and assesses the efficacy of strategies including enzymatic hydrolysis, structural modifications, absorption enhancers, and colloidal delivery systems for improving bioavailability and functional stability.
Topic tags
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