Tuna peptides possess significant bioactivity but are limited by their persistent fishy odor. This study employed mild oxidation with medical-grade hydrogen peroxide (3% H2O2) to deodorize tuna peptides. The optimal parameters determined through single-factor and orthogonal experiments were 798 mmol/L H2O2, 35 °C, and 20 min. Under these conditions, the sensory score decreased markedly from 5 (very strong odor) to 2.48 (slight odor). Solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) analysis confirmed the complete removal of key odorants such as octanal and heptanal, along with a 44.8–54.7% reduction in other volatile compounds. Importantly, the treated peptides retained substantial antioxidant activity, with 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging rates of 91.5% and 78.3%, respectively. Successful incorporation of the deodorized peptides into a moisturizer demonstrated effective and lasting odor reduction. The proposed method offers an efficient, mild, and industrially viable strategy to expand the application of tuna peptides in functional cosmetics and foods.
Tong et al. (Fri,) studied this question.