| Grant number: | 11/04179-0 |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Master |
| Start date: | August 01, 2011 |
| End date: | July 31, 2013 |
| Field of knowledge: | Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science |
| Principal Investigator: | José Alfredo Gomes Arêas |
| Grantee: | Marcelo Rodrigues Marques |
| Host Institution: | Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
Abstract The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is one of the main food crops of North and Northeast Brazil. Recent research has indicated that the protein of cowpea promotes the reduction of cholesterol levels in hamsters, possibly by the action of bioactive peptides coming from this legume. These peptides can act in many metabolic processes acting as inhibitors of HMG CoA reductase, a key enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. The presence of hypocholesterolemic peptides has been detected in plants such as soybeans, wheat, cress, rice and peas. However, there are no data about the existence of these peptides in cowpea. Although legumes have several bioactive capabilities, there has been increased consumption of processed foods over the consumption of whole pulses. Thus, the extrusion of cowpea seeds is presented as an alternative to incorporate the potential benefit of this type of pulse on human health, adding nutritional value, with functional and sensory properties. Thus, this study proposes the identification of hypocholesterolemic peptides after in vitro digestion of seeds of cowpea subjected to thermoplastic extrusion process. Samples of extruded cowpea obtained after in vitro digestion with enzymes, will be analyzed by a liquid chromatograph coupled to mass spectrometry with ion trap, allowing the identification of amino acid sequences by comparison of the fragmentation pattern. It is hoped that this research will identify sequences of hypocholesterolemic peptides after digestion of seeds of cowpea subjected to the extrusion process, producing data on the possible existence of these peptides in cowpea using the thermoplastic extrusion as a strategy for the incorporation of cowpea as a regular food and thereby minimize the deleterious effects of nutritional transition. | |
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