Food proteins and their peptides play a significant role in the important biological processes and physiological functions of the body. The peptides show diverse biological benefits ranging from anticancer to antihypertensive, anti-obesity, and immunomodulatory, among others. In this review, an overview of food protein digestion in the gastrointestinal tract and the mechanisms involved was presented. As some proteins remain resistant and undigested, the multifarious factors (e.g. protein type and structure, microbial composition, pH levels and redox potential, host factors, etc.) affecting their colonic fermentation, the derived peptides, and amino acids that evade intestinal digestion are thus considered. The section that follows focuses on the mechanisms of the peptides with anticancer, antihypertensive, anti-obesity, and immunomodulatory effects. As further considerations were made, it is concluded that clinical studies targeting a clear understanding of the gastrointestinal stability, bioavailability, and safety of food-based peptides are still warranted.

2nd People's Hospital of Wuhu City Anhui Province China

African Genome Center Mohammed 6 Polytechnic University Ben Guerir 43150 Morocco

Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Wuhu City 241000 Anhui China

Department of Agroecosystems Faculty of Agriculture and Technology University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice Branišovská 1645 31a 370 05 České Budějovice 2 Czechia

Institute for Global Health Innovations Duy Tan University Da Nang 550000 Viet Nam; Faculty of Medicine Duy Tan University Da Nang 550000 Viet Nam

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