Two novel peptides identified in peanut protein could make strong umami flavour and its enhancing abilities, according to a study.
From the South China University of Technology, researchers claim that they have identified novel peptides in peanut protein waste that could elicit “intense umami and umami-enhancing effects”.
The team has discovered and purified two novel taste peptides from peanut hydrolysate after treating it with crude protease extract. The peanut hydrolsate is produced from defatted peanut meal – a major byproduct of peanut oil production.
Professor Mouming Zhao, leading the researchers, said: “On the basis of the results obtained from this work, more work is needed to synthesize the purified peptide and clarify relationships between structure and taste of these peptides”.
The Umami taste was discovered by a Japanese scientist, Kikunae Ikeda, in 1908, and made a savoury, mouthfulness or monosodium glutamade (MSG)-like taste, which is evidently different from sweet, sour, salty and bitter.
These substances are naturally found in a wide variety of foods such as meat, cheese, seafood and vegetables, whilst many peptides, which are created by enzymatic hydrolysis or fermentation from plant and animal proteins, have also been understood to elicit intense umami taste properties.
Zhao and the team removed the peanut hydrolysate from Aspergillus oryzae H 3.042 – discovering that certain extracts elicited “intense umami and umami-enhancing effects”.
To identify the peptides responsible for such effects, the team assessed the taste profiles, amino acid and organic acid composition of the hydrolysate after they were separated and filtered.
The team said: “The results revealed that peanut hydrolysate was mainly low molecular weight compounds. Fractions of 1-3kDa and below 1 kDa prominently contributed to the umami taste and umami-enhancing effect”.
Using further purification and sensory evaluation techniques, the Chinese researchers identified and obtained two novel peptides: one umami flavour peptide.
