Bioactive peptides identified in pea and faba bean after in vitro digestion with human gastrointestinal enzymes

We investigated the digestive peptide profiles of pea and faba bean proteins to evaluate possible bioactive peptides (BAPs), and to test immune-modulating properties of selected peptides using in vitro cell model. More than 400 unique peptides were released upon gastrointestinal digestion of pea and faba bean proteins and identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Among these, 24 peptides were potentially bioactive as predicted by in silico analysis. Also, up to 275 recognized BAPs and eight known allergens were identified within the peptide sequences of the digests. Four selected peptides significantly decreased the IL-8 response in Caco-2 cells, with a specific pea peptide, DKPWWPK, reducing the IL-8 response up to 40 % during IL-1β induction. Combined with other nutritional benefits, the immune-modulatory properties of legume proteins point to a regular introduction of legumes in the diet, as they represent a still scarcely exploited food category, especially in the Nordic countries.