Evaluation of bioinformatics prediction of metal chelating activity of peptides derived from potato, seaweed and microbial proteins in omega-3 enriched mayonnaise

With consumers increasingly seeking natural, health-promoting additives, the food industry is turning to bio-derived antioxidants to replace synthetic chelators. This study evaluates the bioinformatically predicted metal-chelating activity of peptides derived from potato, seaweed, and microbial proteins. Seventeen peptides were selected for their high Predicted Metal Chelating (PMC) scores and parent-protein abundance and then tested at 75 ppm for their ability to inhibit lipid oxidation in fish-oil-enriched mayonnaise. Oxidative stability was tracked by measuring lipid hydroperoxides and secondary volatile oxidation products over 4-weeks storage. Physical stability remained unchanged upon peptide addition. Principal component analysis revealed that shorter peptides with lower isoelectric points exhibited higher PMC scores and were associated with reduced oxidation, indicating their predictive value and enhanced oxidative stability. Peptides with higher PMC scores were generally shorter, had lower isoelectric points and correlated with reduced oxidation product formation. No clear effect of protein sources on metal-chelating activity was observed.