20.500.12556/RUL-180955 Lactoferrin and its enzymatic hydrolysates as natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents for food preservation Lactoferrin (Lf) and Lf-derived peptides are multifunctional milk components with poten tial applications in food preservation due to their antibacterial and antioxidant properties. In this study, the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of bovine lactoferrin and Lf-derived peptides obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis with pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin were evaluated. Antibacterial activity was assessed against four foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, andLatilactobacillus sakei), while antioxidant activity was determined using four complemen tary assays. Lf showed stronger antibacterial activity than the corresponding hydrolysates against all tested strains, while the hydrolysates notably inhibited Listeria monocytogenes and Latilactobacillus sakei. Both Lf and its peptides showed lower antioxidant capacity than Trolox, although native Lf and its peptides markedly inhibited lipid peroxidation. Lf peptides demonstrated greater antioxidant activity in the superoxide scavenging and FRAP assays. Low-molecular-weight peptides (<10 kDa) contributed most to antioxidant activity, while mass spectrometry analysis revealed peptide sequences rich in hydrophobic and electron-donating amino acid residues, providing mechanistic insight into the observed activities. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of lactoferrin and its enzymatic hydrolysates as natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents for food preservation. lactoferrin lactoferrin peptides enzymatic hydrolysis antibacterial activity antioxidant activity food preservation laktoferin laktoferinski peptidi hidroliza laktoferina protimikrobna aktivnost antioksidativna učinkovitost true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2026-03-20 12:00:23 2026-03-20 12:00:32 2026-03-23 03:51:30 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 20 str. iss. 6, art. 1052 Vol. 15 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno apc 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 2026-01-01 577.112:579.2 2304-8158 10.3390/foods15061052 271962115 RAZ_Gruden_Spela_2026.pdf RAZ_Gruden_Spela_2026.pdf 1 9A6B24FCE49D9310D7C654D7276B6CA1 4764a7d9a5860f16d98dcca300c59098ec3d434bd6e0d1e632cc7b9490c1376d 5311fe40-244c-11f1-b0ab-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=230979 https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/15/6/1052 1 edc3beb2-244b-11f1-b0ab-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=230978 Biotehniška fakulteta Medicinska fakulteta 0 0 0