Rice-bran albumin (RBAlb), which shows higher tyrosinase-inhibitory activity than other protein fractions, was hydrolyzed with papain to improve the bioactivity. The obtained RBAlb hydrolysate (RBAlbH) was separated into 11 peptide fractions by RP-HPLC. Tyrosinase inhibition and copper chelation activities decreased with increasing retention times of the peptide fractions. RBAlbH fraction 1, which exhibited the greatest activity, contained 13 peptides whose sequences were determined by using LC-MS/MS. Most of the peptide sequences contained features of previously reported tyrosinase-inhibitory and metal-chelating peptides, especially peptide SSEYYGGEGSSSEQGYYGEG. RBAlbH fraction 1 showed more effective tyrosinase inhibition (IC = 1.31 mg/mL) than citric acid (IC = 9.38 mg/mL), but it was less effective than ascorbic acid (IC = 0.03 mg/mL, P ≤ 0.05). It showed copper-chelating activity (IC = 0.62 mg/mL) stronger than that of EDTA (IC = 1.06 mg/mL, P ≤ 0.05). These results suggest that RBAlbH has potential as a natural tyrosinase inhibitor and copper chelator for application in the food and cosmetic industries.

Summary Effect of rice bran protein extract (RBPE) on enzymatic browning inhibition in potato puree was studied by colour measurement and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) inhibition. RBPE inhibited browning in potato puree and showed a higher per cent potato PPO inhibition at pH 4.0 and 5.0 than those at pH 3.0, 6.0 and 7.0 (P ≤ 0.05). RBPE heated to 40 and 60 °C had browning inhibition in potato puree and per cent potato PPO inhibition at a similar extent to unheated RBPE (P > 0.05). Browning inhibition and per cent potato PPO inhibition of RBPE were decreased when it was heated to 80 °C (P ≤ 0.05). RBPE inhibited browning in potato puree higher than 5, 10 and 20 mm ascorbic acid and 5 and 10 mm citric acid (P ≤ 0.05). Regarding the kinetics study, RBPE exhibited a mixed‐type inhibition for potato PPO. Therefore, RBPE has a potential to be used as a natural antibrowning agent in the potato industry.

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