Antioxidant activity of peptides from Amaranthus mantegazzianus: A prelyminar study on the isolation of active fractions

TIRONI, V. A.; AÑÓN, M. C

Rosario

Conferencia; 1 Conferencia Latinoamericana- ICC 2007 – ICC International Conference on Cereals and Cereal Products Quality and Safety; 2007

ICC

Amaranth seeds –an american pseudocereal- present a high protein content (15 – 17 % d.b.), having these proteins a very good aminoacidic balance. In Argentina, amaranth seems to be a promissory culture due to their agronomic advantages. The presence in the seeds of compounds with fisiological activities –lectins, poliphenols, saponins, tripsin’s inhibitor- has been confirmed (Guzman-Maldonado and Paredes López, 1998). However, very few information about the biological activity of amaranth peptides is available, as has been demonstrated in other foods such as milk, eggs and soy. Peptides obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of soy proteins showed antihypertensive, antitrombotic and antioxidant activities (Gibbs et al, 2004). The present work shows results about the antioxidant activity of peptides from Amaranthus mantegazzianus and some approaches performed in order to isolate active fractions.