Microencapsulated Savinase Hydrolysate of Ultrafiltered Camel Whey Proteins: Bioactivities, In Vitro Digestion and Application

Camel acid whey, an under-exploited dairy by-product, was valorised as a source of bioactive peptides for meat preservation. Whey proteins were concentrated by ultrafiltration (15 kDa) and hydrolysed with Savinase® to a degree of hydrolysis of 12%. Hydrolysis markedly enhanced antioxidant activity and conferred antibacterial activity, whereas the native concentrate was inactive. The hydrolysate was spray-dried with maltodextrin–gum arabic; the 70:30 blend gave higher encapsulation efficiency (89.5%) and yield (76%) than the 50:50 blend (82.5% and 68%). During in vitro digestion, peptides released from these microcapsules showed progressively increasing antioxidant activity, reaching 189% of the initial β-carotene bleaching inhibition. In raw beef patties stored at 4 °C for 8 days, the microcapsules (10 mg/g) limited free fatty acid release, metmyoglobin accumulation, pH increase and water activity compared with the untreated control. Encapsulated camel whey hydrolysate is a promising clean-label ingredient for fresh meat preservation.