Enzymatic mungbean meal protein hydrolysate (eb-MPH) is a novel natural flavour/antioxidant source. A 15% bromelain (w/w) concentration with a hydrolysis time of 12 h was the optimum conditions to produce eb-MPH, which showed the greatest antioxidant activities and sensory characteristics. eb-MPH was composed of oligopeptides that had low molecular weight (< 10 kDa) as well as surface hydrophobicity and high content of hydrophobic amino acids. eb-MPH contributed to DPPH (80) and ABTS (95%) scavenging activities and to savoury/sweet flavour volatile compounds (3-methyl-butanal, furfural and benzaldehyde), bouillon odour, sweet odour, chicken odour, meaty odour, moderate bitter taste and umami. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) showed that 72.87% of the total variance confirmed the correlation between DH, S0, DPPH, ABTS, sensory characteristics and volatile flavour compounds. These results suggested that eb-MPH can be used as a natural food flavouring agent and antioxidant.
Keywords: Bromelain; Flavour/antioxidant peptide; Mungbean meal; Protein hydrolysate.