Egg-derived peptides and hydrolysates: A new bioactive treasure for cardiometabolic diseases

Abstract Background: Structure and function of egg proteins have been widely studied and, probably because of its protein diversity and its different physiochemical properties, they have become an attractive source for the research of biologically active compounds. Scope and approach: This work reviews the scientific studies carried out on the production of bioactive peptides and/or protein hydrolysates from different egg structures and their potential for the treatment of several disorders mainly focus on cardiometabolic diseases. This review takes in consideration studies reporting peptides and hydrolysates that exert antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic and/or anti-diabetic activities in vitro or in vivo, paying special attention on those showing several simultaneous activities. Special attention has been paid on studies in which the effect of egg derived peptides and hydrolysates are tested in humans, as the European legislation demands to evaluate the activity of these ingredients through intervention studies and clinical trial to ensure the effectiveness and safety before they reach market. Key findings and conclusions: In summary, egg and its component structures present a great potential to obtain bioactive peptides with multifunctional properties, and could be of great interest for multifactorial diseases treatment such as metabolic syndrome and its related pathologies. However, more research in this field is needed, like animal and human studies in order to go deeper into the pathways by which these molecules exert their biological activity.