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News|Articles|April 29, 2026

UPLC-HRMS Metabolomics of Gourami Hydrolysates Reveals Protease-Driven Bioactive Peptide Profiles

Author(s)John Chasse
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Key Takeaways

  • Enzyme-driven fish protein hydrolysis is being leveraged to generate smaller peptides and amino acids with potential antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antimicrobial functionality while improving ingredient performance in food matrices.
  • A time-course design (0–240 min) combined commercial papain versus bromelain treatment with UPLC-HRMS metabolite profiling to resolve dynamic biochemical changes during hydrolysis.
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Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS) was used to profile metabolomic changes during papain- and bromelain-mediated hydrolysis of gourami fish proteins. Distinct time- and enzyme-dependent profiles revealed differences in proteolysis and metabolite release, highlighting strategies to optimize bioactive peptide production and enhance the nutritional functionality of fish-derived food products.

Breaking down fish proteins with enzymes is getting more attention because it can improve on their nutritional value and create beneficial compounds that may support health. Researchers recently investigated the metabolomic consequences of gourami (Osphronemus goramy) meat hydrolysis using two commercial proteases (enzymes that break down proteins into smaller polypeptides or single amino acids by hydrolyzing peptide bonds), papain and bromelain. Hydrolysis was conducted over 0-240 min, and the resulting metabolites were profiled using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS). A paper based on their efforts was published in Food Chemistry.1

Why Are Researchers Interested in Using Enzymes to Break Down Fish Proteins?

Using enzymes to break down fish proteins is getting more attention because it can make seafood more nutritious and improve how it functions in foods. Fish is already high in protein and has a good balance of amino acids, making it a great source for producing beneficial compounds that may help with things like fighting oxidation, lowering blood pressure, and protecting against microbes.2-7

Gourami, a popular and valuable freshwater fish in Southeast Asia, could, in the opinion of the research team, be studied more to see how enzyme treatments might improve on the product and expand its use in health-focused foods. While the flesh of the fish is nutritious, there has been little research on modifying it with enzymes, especially using advanced methods to better understand the changes happening inside it.1,8-10

What Fundings Did the Research Yield?

Multivariate statistical analyses revealed a clear separation of hydrolysates by enzyme type and reaction time. “Enzymatic hydrolysis with papain and bromelain,” write the authors of the paper,1 induces distinct metabolomic changes in gourami meat, reflecting enzyme-specific effects on proteolysis, energy metabolism, lipid mobilization, and functional biopeptide release. Bromelain leads to more comprehensive protein and cellular breakdown, while papain may offer a more targeted release of bioactive peptides.”

“These findings,” the authors conclude,1 “provide crucial insights into optimizing enzymatic hydrolysis conditions for functional food applications and enhancing the nutritional quality of fish-based products.”

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References

  1. Anggraeni, A. S.; Noviana, I. M. P.; Windarsih, A. et al. A Metabolomics Approach to Commercial Protease Enzyme Hydrolysis of Gourami Meat. Food Chem. 2026, 515, 149320. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.149320
  2. Honrado, A.; Miguel, M.; Ardila, P. et al. From Waste to Value: Fish Protein Hydrolysates as a Technological and Functional Ingredient in Human Nutrition. Foods 2024, 13 (19), 3120. DOI: 10.3390/foods13193120
  3. Nemati, M.; Shahosseini, S. R.; Ariaii, P. Review of Fish Protein Hydrolysates: Production Methods, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity and Nanoencapsulation. Food Sci Biotechnol. 2024, 33 (8), 1789-1803. DOI: 10.1007/s10068-024-01554-8
  4. FitzGerald, R. J.; Murray, B. A.; Walsh, D. J. Hypotensive Peptides from Milk Proteins. J. Nutr. 2004, 134 (4), 980S-988S. DOI: 10.1093/jn/134.4.980S
  5. Kangsanant, S.; Murkovic, M.; Thongraung, C. Antioxidant and Nitric Oxide Inhibitory Activities of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Protein Hydrolysate: Effect of Ultrasonic Pretreatment and Ultrasonic-Assisted Enzymatic Hydrolysis. Int. J. Food Sci. Tech. 2014, 49 (8), 1932-1938. DOI: 10.1111/ijfs.12551
  6. Kristinsson, H. G.; Rasco, B. A. Fish Protein Hydrolysates: Production, Biochemical, and Functional Properties. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2000, 40 (1), 43-81. DOI: 10.1080/10408690091189266
  7. Suo, S. K.; Zheng, S. L.; Chi, C. F. et al. Novel Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptides from Tuna Byproducts-Milts: Preparation, Characterization, Molecular Docking Study, and Antioxidant Function on H2O2-Damaged Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells. Front Nutr. 2022, 9, 957778. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.957778
  8. Hicks, C. C.; Cohen, P. J.; Graham, N. A. J. et al. Harnessing Global Fisheries to Tackle Micronutrient Deficiencies. Nature 2019, 574 (7776), 95-98. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1592-6
  9. Chalamaiah, M.; Dinesh Kumar, B.; Hemalatha, R. et al. Fish Protein Hydrolysates: Proximate Composition, Amino Acid Composition, Antioxidant Activities and Applications: A Review. Food Chem. 2012, 135 (4), 3020-38. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.06.100
  10. Kristinsson, H. G.; Rasco, B. A. Fish Protein Hydrolysates: Production, Biochemical, and Functional Properties. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2000, 40 (1), 43-81. DOI: 10.1080/10408690091189266

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