Research project
CruSHH - Crustacean Shell protein-derived Peptides for Hearth Health
- Start date: 1 April 2022
- End date: 31 March 2023
- Value: £21,290
- Partners and collaborators: Pennog Limited
- Primary investigator: Dr Christine Bosch
- Co-investigators: Dr Alan Hernandez Alvarez
- External co-investigators: Dr Jonathan Hughes, Pennog Limited
- Postgraduate students: Dr Xiao Zhao
This project aims to explore the potential of waste material from the seafood processing industry to be converted into functional products that can benefit hearth health. With increasing numbers of obesity and chronic metabolic disease in the population, posing a huge burden to the health system, there is clearly a scope for development of functional products that could contribute to prevent and/or alleviate some of these conditions.
The proposed approach is based on the utilization of residual protein from shell waste through targeted protein breakdown. This process will yield, depending on the conditions, a number of peptides which are small protein fragments. Small peptides have been shown to exert a range of biological properties, which include anti-microbial activities as well as human health related effects e.g. to lower blood pressure, blood lipids and glucose. As part of the project, protein breakdown will be explored under different enzymatic reaction conditions, with subsequent biochemical screening of samples for biological activities i.e. properties to reduce blood pressure.
Impact
Through our project, we will demonstrate a feasible approach to utilize protein remainders from shell waste which are at present not utilized, to generate a valuable source of bio-functional peptides that can be developed into biopharmaceutical health applications. This is a highly innovative approach that will contribute to improve sustainability, resilience and productivity in the seafood sector.