Identification and characterization of novel umami peptides from pea hydrolysate by virtual hydrolysis

In recent years, as awareness of healthy eating has grown, consumer demand for natural food additives has risen sharply. Pea protein umami peptides are rich in various amino acids, offering not only umami flavor but also significant nutritional value. Compared to other umami agents, they are more natural and safe. However, research on the extraction of umami peptides from peas remains relatively limited. In this study, Expasy PeptideCutter virtual hydrolysis and computer-aided screening were employed to prepare umami peptides. Protease hydrolysis and high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that the polypeptides were predominantly under 3 kDa. Gel filtration chromatography purified four components (F1, F2, F3, F4), with F1 exhibiting the best umami taste per electronic tongue and sensory evaluations. Eighteen umami peptides were identified by LC-MS, including PGSVQEINRL, KAKLSSGDV, PDSRIQDD, GHPVAITA, LQKF, and VDRL. The critical amino acid residues for binding these umami peptides to receptors are Asn150, Ser148, Arg277, and Thr149. The identified peptides exhibited predominantly umami and sweet flavors, with minimal bitterness or undesirable notes, the future can be used in the food field, as a base material or auxiliary materials to make condiments.