Antioxidant activity of catfish (

Protein hydrolysis using alcalase enzyme yields a high degree of hydrolysis, generating bioactive peptides with potential applications as nutraceuticals and functional food ingredients. Striped catfish (Pangasius sp.), characterized by its high protein and moderate fat content, represents a promising source of antioxidant peptides. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of striped catfish protein hydrolysates produced by alcalase hydrolysis and subsequently fractionated using ultrafiltration. Hydrolysis was conducted with alcalase at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3%, followed by ultrafiltration through a 3 kDa MWCO membrane. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH and ABTS assays. The highest degree of hydrolysis (43.37%) was observed at 3% enzyme concentration. The <3 kDa fraction exhibited strong antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 21.97 ppm (DPPH) and 3.28 ppm (ABTS). These findings demonstrate that ultrafiltration effectively produces smaller peptides with enhanced antioxidant activity.