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Dry-cured hams are a good source of bioactive peptides, whose stability to gastrointestinal (GI) digestion determines their bioaccessibility and thus their bioavailability to exert beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of in vitro GI digestion of dry-cured hams on the peptide profiles and their antioxidant activity. Results showed that the antioxidant activity decreased in the digested samples when measured by DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power methods, but increased when assayed by ABTS radical scavenging assay. Chromatographic and mass spectrometry analysis revealed changes in the peptide profiles and evidenced the degradation of proteins, mainly titin, by the digestive enzymes. The study of the peptide profiles before and after digestion of dry-cured hams would help to extend the knowledge about the influence of peptide characteristics on their antioxidant activity and resistance to hydrolysis by digestive enzymes, allowing a better understanding of the bioaccessibility of the bioactive peptides generated in dry-cured hams.

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides have been extensively studied as an alternative to synthetic drugs for the treatment of hypertension. Recent studies have shown that dry-cured ham is an important source of naturally generated bioactive peptides, especially showing ACE inhibitory activity. However, due to their excessive degradation by digestive and brush-border enzymes, it is not clear whether these peptides resist intestinal absorption and reach the blood stream where they may exert their antihypertensive effect. Therefore, dry-cured ham extracts and specific pure peptides naturally generated during the dry-curing process, showing ACE inhibitory activity, have been studied for their stability during transepithelial transport in a Caco-2 cell monolayer. The ACE inhibitory activity of transport samples was assayed, showing the highest values in apical samples at 15 min of incubation. In concentrated basal solutions, ACE inhibition values increased during transport for purified peptides, reaching values close to 70% for AAPLAP and KPVAAP at 60 min of cellular transport. Fragments generated by cellular activity were detected by using tandem mass spectrometry techniques, showing that AAATP, AAPLAP, and KPVAAP were hydrolysed during the transport, although KPVAAP was also absorbed intact. This study highlights the potential of intact dry-cured ham peptides as well as their fragments to be absorbed across the intestinal epithelium and reach the blood stream to exert an antihypertensive action.

In this study, orange seed proteins were hydrolyzed by Alcalase enzyme at different enzyme concentrations 1–3% (v/w) and hydrolysis times (2–5 h), to obtain bioactive peptides showing antioxidant, Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) -inhibitory, and hypoglycemic activities. The highest biological activities (p < 0.05) were achieved by using a hydrolysis time of 5 h and an enzyme concentration of 2%. Orange seed protein hydrolysate (OSPH) was prepared under these conditions, and peptides were isolated and purified by using size-exclusion chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. The fractions that showed the highest biological activities were analyzed by mass spectrometry in tandem, and a total of 63 peptide sequences were found. Moreover, the effect of simulated gastrointestinal digestion on the bioactivity of the fractions was studied, and the novel peptide sequences generated were also identified. Overall, despite there being some differences in the profile of peptide sequences obtained, the main results showed non-significant differences in the analyzed bioactivities after simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

Potassium and sodium salts of nitrite (E 249 and E 250) and nitrate (E 251 and E 252) are authorised for use under certain levels in several foodstuffs such as non-heat-treated, cured and dried meat products, other cured meat products, canned meat products and bacon. The key point in the use of nitrate and nitrite as preservatives is to find a balance between ensuring the microbiological safety of the ham and keeping as low as possible the level of nitrosamines in the final product. Nitrites and nitrates are authorised as additives for dry-cured ham in the Directive 2006/52/EC of 5 July 2006 that modifies previous Council Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners. The effect of nitrate and its reduction to nitrite in controlling the lipid oxidation process during the ham ripening is very important for the development of the characteristic cured flavour. The main benefits and drawbacks of the use of nitrites and nitrates in dry-cured ham and how these levels may affect its flavour are discussed in this manuscript.