An overview of the production of biologically active peptides from plant materials using microbial fermentation

Introduction. Biologically active peptides (BAPs) possess high physiological activity and are valuable for the creation of functional foods. Microbial fermentation is a gentle and effective alternative to chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis for obtaining BAPs from plant materials. The goal of the research was to review current data on the production of BAPs from high-protein plant materials using microbial fermentation for their subsequent use in the food industry. The objective. The objects of the study were high-protein plant raw materials (cereals, legumes, oilseeds) and the proteolytic systems of lactic acid bacteria. The methods included a systematic search and analysis of scientific publications (2021-2026) in the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and eLibrary databases on the profile of microbial fermentation of plant proteins. The results and discussion. The resources and chemical composition of promising oilseeds, legumes, and cereals were analyzed. The three-component proteolytic system of lactic acid bacteria (cell-envelope proteinases, transport systems, intracellular peptidases), which ensured the destruction of stable globular proteins, was considered in detail. Information on the identified peptides demonstrating antioxidant, hypotensive (ACE inhibition), and anti-inflammatory activities was systematized. Microbial fermentation was shown not only to release target peptides but also to improve organoleptic properties, serving as an effective technological method for modifying plant materials without the use of harsh chemical reagents. Conclusion. Microbial fermentation was confirmed to be a highly effective method for producing bioactive pharmaceutical ingredients with a broad spectrum of physiological effects. The review results substantiated the potential of using fermented plant substrates as functional ingredients and served as a theoretical basis for developing a technology for producing bioactive pharmaceutical ingredients from hemp seeds and isolates to create new alternative plant-based beverages with targeted functional properties.

1. Fermentation affects the antioxidant activity of plant-based food material through the release and production of bioactive components / Zhao Y.-S. [et al.] // Antioxidants. 2021. Vol. 10, No 12. Art. 2004. DOI: 10.3390/antiox10122004.

2. Bioactive peptides: synthesis, sources, applications, and proposed mechanisms of action / Akbarian M. [et al.] // International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022. Vol. 23, No 3. Art. 1445. DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031445.

3. Review on plant-derived bioactive peptides: biological activities, mechanism of action and utilizations in food development / Fan H. [et al.] // Journal of Future Foods. 2022. Vol. 2, No. 2. P. 143-159. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfutfo.2022.03.003.

4. Hong, H., Wu, J., Yan, X. Bioavailability of bioactive peptides derived from food proteins across the intestinal epithelial membrane: a review / Xu Q. [et al.] // Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2019. Vol. 86. P. 399-411. DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2019.02.050.

5. Tavano O.L. Protein hydrolysis using proteases: an important tool for food biotechnology // Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic. 2013. Vol. 90. P. 1-11. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcatb.2013.01.011.

6. Mora L., Toldrá F. Advanced enzymatic hydrolysis of food proteins for the production of bioactive peptides // Current Opinion in Food Science. 2023. Vol. 49. Art. 100973. DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2022.100973.

7. High angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of Alcalase-digested green soybean (Glycine max) hydrolysates / Hanafi M.A. [et al.] // Food Research International. 2018. Vol. 106. P. 589-597. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2018.01.030.

8. Antibacterial peptides produced by Alcalase from cowpea seed proteins / Osman A. [et al.] // Antibiotics. 2021. Vol. 10, No. 7. Art. 870. DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10070870.

9. Research progress on fermentation-produced plant-derived bioactive peptides / Zhao L. [et al.] // Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2024. Vol. 15. Art. 1438947. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1438947.

10. Bioactivities and ACE-inhibitory peptides releasing potential of lactic acid bacteria in fermented soy milk / Undhad Trupti J. [et al.] // Food Production, Processing and Nutrition. 2021. Vol. 3, No. 1. Art. 10. DOI: 10.1186/s43014-021-00056-y.

11. Investigating structure, biological activity, peptide composition and emulsifying properties of pea protein hydrolysates obtained. Art. 125375. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125375.

12. Krasnoshtanova A.A., Shults L.V. Obtaining and evaluating functional properties of protein isolates and hydrolysates from plant raw materials // Chemistry of plant raw materials. 2022. No. 4. P. 299-309. DOI: 10.14258/jcpim.20220410952. [In Russ.]

13. The rise of processed meat alternatives: a narrative review of the manufacturing, composition, nutritional profile and health effects of newer sources of protein, and their place in healthier diets / Gastaldello A. [et al.] // Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2022. Vol. 127. P. 263-271. DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2022.07.005.

14. Biopeptides from vegetable proteins: new scientific evidences / Montesano D. [et al.] // Current Opinion in Food Science. 2020. Vol. 31. P. 31-37. DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2019.10.008.

15. Protein from oat: structure, processes, functionality, and nutrition / Mäkinen O.E. [et al.] // Sustainable Protein Sources. Academic Press. 2024. P. 121-141. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-323-91652-3.00006-X.

16. Chandran A.S., Suri S., Choudhary P. Sustainable plant protein: an up-to-date overview of sources, extraction techniques and utilization // Sustainable Food Technology. 2023. Vol. 1, No. 4. P. 466-483. DOI: 10.1039/D3FB00003F.

17. Oilseed proteins: properties and application as a food ingredient / Kotecka-Majchrzak K. [et al.] // Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2020. Vol. 106. P. 160-170. DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2020.10.004.

18. Rodrigues I.M., Coelho J.F., Carvalho M.G.V. Isolation and valorisation of vegetable proteins from oilseed plants: methods, limitations and potential // Journal of Food Engineering. 2012. Vol. 109, No. 3. P. 337-346. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2011.10.027.

19. Kaur R., Ghoshal G. Sunflower protein isolates: composition, extraction and functional properties // Advances in Colloid and Interface Science. 2022. Vol. 306. Art. 102725. DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2022.102725.

20. Yano H., Fu W. Hemp: a sustainable plant with high industrial value in food processing // Foods. 2023. Vol. 12, No. 3, Art. 651. DOI: 10.3390/foods12030651.

21. Oilseeds beyond oil: press cakes and meals supplying global protein requirements / Arrutia F. [et al.] // Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2020. Vol. 100. P. 88-102. DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2020.03.044.

22. Антонов Е. В. Посевные площади в России в 2014-2023 гг.: структура и факторы динамики // Региональные исследования. 2025. № 1 (87). С. 29-51. DOI: 10.5922/1994-5280-2025-1-3.

23. Agriculture in Russia. 2025: statistical digest [Electronic resource] / Federal State Statistics Service. URL: [https://rosstat.gov.ru/folder/210/document/13226] (https://rosstat.gov.ru/folder/210/document/13226) (date of access: 31.05.2026). [In Russ.]

24. Amaranth seed oil composition / Nasirpour-Tabrizi P. [et al.] // Nutritional Value of Amaranth. London: IntechOpen, 2020. P. 131-164. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.91381.

25. Production of plant protein from seeds and cake of industrial hemp: overview of processing methods for food industry / Aleksanochkin D.I. [et al.] // Food Systems. 2024. Vol. 7, No. 2. P. 188-197. DOI: 10.21323/2618-9771-2024-7-2-188-197.

26. Bioactive peptides from fermented foods: production approaches, sources, and potential health benefits / Peres Fabbri L. [et al.] // Foods. 2024. Vol. 13, No. 21. Art. 3369. DOI: 10.3390/foods13213369.

27. Guo Q., Chen P., Chen X. Bioactive peptides derived from fermented foods: preparation and biological activities // Journal of Functional Foods. 2023. Vol. 101, Art. 105422. DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2023.105422.

28. Sarker A., Chakraborty S., Roy M. Dark red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) protein hydrolysates inhibit the growth of oxidizing substances in plain yogurt // Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 2020. Vol. 2. Art. 100062. DOI: 10.1016/j.jafr.2020.100062.

29. Development of fortified breads enriched with plant-based bioactive peptides derived from the chia (Salvia hispanica L.) expeller / Ozón B. [et al.] // Foods. 2023. Vol. 12, No. 18. Art. 3382. DOI: 10.3390/foods12183382.

30. Identification of potential inhibitory peptides of enzymes involved in the metabolic syndrome obtained by simulated gastrointestinal digestion of fermented bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds / Jakubczyk A. [et al.] // Food Research International. 2017. Vol. 100. P. 489-496. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2017.07.046.

31. Antioxidant activities of rapeseed peptides produced by solid state fermentation / He R. [et al.] // Food Research International. 2012. Vol. 49, No. 1. P. 432-438. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2012.08.023.

32. Production and characterization of bioactive peptides in fermented soybean meal produced using proteolytic Bacillus species isolated from kinema / Kumari R. [et al.] // Food Chemistry. 2023. Vol. 421. Art. 136130. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136130.

33. Peptide production through enhanced solid-state fermentation of soybean meal with Bacillus subtilis SBM_1: fermentation process and product characteristics / Liu D. [et al.] // Industrial Crops and Products. 2024. Vol. 219. Art. 119184. DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.119184.

34. Peptidomic analysis of antioxidant and ACE-inhibitory peptides obtained from tomato waste proteins fermented using Bacillus subtilis / Moayedi A. [et al.] // Food Chemistry. 2018. Vol. 250. P. 180-187. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.01.033.

35. Biopeptide-rich fermented hemp seeds: boosting anti-inflammatory and immune responses through Lactiplantibacillus plantarum probiotic fermentation / Shan L [et al.] // International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2025. Vol. 290. Art. 138782. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138782.

36. Peptidomics reveals enhanced bioactivities of hempseed cake induced by solid-state fermentation / Feng X. [et al.] // Food Chemistry. 2026. Art. 149243. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.149243.

37. Identification and molecular mechanisms of novel antioxidant peptides from fermented broad bean paste: a combined in silico and in vitro study / Lin H. [et al.] // Food Chemistry. 2024. Vol. 450. Art. 139297. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139297.

38. Identification and virtual screening of novel anti-inflammatory peptides from broccoli fermented by Lactobacillus strains / Li Y. [et al.] // Frontiers in Nutrition. 2023. Vol. 9. Art. 1118900. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1118900.

39. Effects of fermentation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NCU116 on the antihypertensive activity and protein structure of black sesame seed / Du T. [et al.] // International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2024. Vol. 262. Art. 129811. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129811.

40. Study on preparation of chickpea peptide and its effect on blood glucose / Ma X. [et al.] // Frontiers in Nutrition. 2022. Vol. 9. Art. 988628. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.988628.

41. Fermented blend from sunflower seed press-cake and bovine sweet whey: protein breakdown during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion / Mendo S. [et al.] // Food Chemistry: X. 2024. Vol. 23. Art. 101745. DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101745.

42. Impact of different enzymatic processes on antioxidant, nutritional and functional properties of soy protein hydrolysates incorporated into novel cookies / Knežević-Jugović Z. [et al.] // Foods. 2023. Vol. 12, No. 1. Art. 24. DOI: 10.3390/foods12010024.

43. Bioactive peptides / Daliri E.B.-M. [et al.] // Foods. 2017. Vol. 6, No. 5. Art. 32. DOI: 10.3390/foods6050032.

44. Juillard V., Lopez-Kleine L., Monnet V. Proteolytic systems of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) // Reference Module in Food Science. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2021.

45. Ma, J., Xu, M., Agyei, D. Cell-envelope proteinases from lactic acid bacteria: biochemical features and biotechnological applications / Ji D. [et al.] // Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 2021. Vol. 20, No. 1. P. 369-400. DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12676.

46. Comparative genomics of the lactic acid bacteria / Makarova K. [et al.] // Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2006. Vol. 103, No. 42. P. 15611-15616. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0607117103.

47. Original features of cell-envelope proteinases of Lactobacillus helveticus: a review / Sadat-Mekmene L. [et al.] // International Journal of Food Microbiology. 2011. Vol. 146, No. 1. P. 1-13. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2011.01.039.

48. Fermentation of plant-based dairy alternatives by lactic acid bacteria / Harper A.R. [et al.] // Microbial Biotechnology. 2022. Vol. 15, No. 5. P. 1404-1421. DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14008.

49. Prevalence, genetic diversity, and technological functions of the Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis in sourdough: a review / Zhang G. [et al.] // Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 2019. Vol. 18, No. 4. P. 1209-1226. DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12459.

50. Study of extraction and enzymatic properties of cell-envelope proteinases from a novel wild Lactobacillus plantarum LP69 / Chen H. [et al.] // Catalysts. 2018. Vol. 8, No. 8. Art. 325. DOI: 10.3390/catal8080325.

51. The proteolytic system of lactic acid bacteria revisited: a genomic comparison / Liu M. [et al.] // BMC Genomics. 2010. Vol. 11. Art. 36. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-11-36.

52. Complete sequences of four plasmids of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris SK11 reveal extensive adaptation to the dairy environment / Siezen R. J. [et al.] // Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2005. Vol. 71, No. 12. P. 8371-8382. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.71.12.8371-8382.2005.

53. Technological and genomic analysis of roles of the cell-envelope protease PrtS in yoghurt starter development / Tian H. [et al.] // International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2018. Vol. 19, No. 4. Art. 1068. DOI: 10.3390/ijms19041068.

54. Emergence of a cell wall protease in the Streptococcus thermophilus population / Delorme C. [et al.] // Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2010. Vol. 76, No. 2. P. 451-460. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01018-09.

55. Survey on proteolytic activity and diversity of proteinase genes in mesophilic lactobacilli / Vukotić G. [et al.] // Microbiology. 2016. Vol. 85, No. 1. P. 33-41. DOI: 10.1134/S002626171601015X.

56. prtH2, not prtH, is the ubiquitous cell wall proteinase gene in Lactobacillus helveticus / Genay M. [et al.] // Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2009. Vol. 75, No. 10. P. 3238-3249. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.02395-08.