Ultrasound-assisted enzymatic modification: An approach to enhance the quality and functionality of camel milk hydrolysates

This study evaluated the effects of ultrasound, enzymatic hydrolysis (using Alcalase, Papain, and α-Chymotrypsin), and their combination on camel milk casein hydrolysates (CMCH). Proximate analysis confirmed high protein content in casein powder, which was reconstituted for hydrolysis. Results showed that ultrasound treatment significantly increased the degree of hydrolysis across all enzyme groups, with α-chymotrypsin combined with ultrasound achieving the highest peptide release (27.7 % at 6 h). pH measurements revealed accelerated acidification in ultrasound-assisted hydrolysis, while SDS-PAGE confirmed extensive protein breakdown. Antioxidant assays (DPPH and ABTS) demonstrated markedly enhanced radical-scavenging activity in ultrasound-assisted hydrolysates, with CMCH-US- A (camel milk casein hydrolysates-ultrasound-assisted-alcalase) and CMCH-US-C (camel milk casein hydrolysates-ultrasound-assisted-α-chymotrypsin) showing the highest activities. FTIR analysis indicated enzyme-specific structural modifications, with alcalase producing the most pronounced secondary structure changes. Overall, ultrasound-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis effectively enhanced peptide release, antioxidant capacity, and structural modification of camel milk proteins, supporting its potential in functional food and nutraceutical applications.