Utilizing Hydrolyzed Whey Proteins in a Flavored Dairy Beverage for Carrier Antihypertensive Peptides

In this study, hydrolyzed whey was obtained using pancreatin as the proteolytic enzyme, and its antihypertensive activity was evaluated. The hydrolysis was carried out for 7 h, and the resulting products were analyzed for antihypertensive in vitro activity by inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). The hydrolysate demonstrated a 42 ± 3.38% ACE inhibition after 7 h of hydrolysis, indicating the effective release of bioactive peptides. Electrophoresis analysis revealed peptides with molecular weights below 6.5 kDa, consistent with known antihypertensive peptides. The hydrolysate was then incorporated as a functional ingredient into a dairy beverage. However, the beverage’s ACE-inhibitory activity was lower, reaching only 11.88 ± 0.26% inhibition. However, the dairy beverage retained low-molecular-weight peptides. Despite the lower antihypertensive activity in the final product, the results highlight the potential of hydrolyzed whey as a functional ingredient for developing functional dairy beverages. For that reason, the research aimed to evaluate the potential of a dairy beverage prepared with whey hydrolyzed by pancreatin as a carrier of antihypertensive peptides.