Journal of Nutraceuticals and Food Science

Food Preservatives

A protein typically includes 20 distinct Amino Acids (AA) bonded together by peptide bonds. The term "protein" is an Greek word "proteios," which means "primary". Protein is the most essential component of tissues in both animals and humans, thus this phrase is highly suitable in nutrition. Dietary protein has little nutritional benefit until it is hydrolyzed to AA, dipeptides, or tripeptides in the small intestinal lumen by proteases and peptidases. The nutritional value of dietary protein is therefore determined by its quantity, digestibility factors, and relative proportions of AA. Because neither nitrogen nor sulphur are produced in the body, AA supply nitrogen, hydrocarbon skeletons, and sulphur (essential components of life) that cannot be substituted by any other nutrients (including glucose and lipids). Glutathione, creatine, nitric oxide, dopamine, serotonin, RNA, and DNA are all necessary precursors for the production of proteins, peptides, and low-molecular-weight compounds (e.g., glutathione, creatine, nitric oxide, dopamine, serotonin, RNA, and DNA). The dietary protein is hydrolyzed by two enzymes viz. peptidases and proteases to generate AA, dipeptides, and tripeptides in the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract

Allen Taylor