Peptide fractions derived from chicken skin collagen showed ACE-inhibitory activity and reduced lipid accumulation in fat cells by up to 83%, even after simulated digestion.
83% lipid reduction in preadipocytesThe digested peptide fraction DF4 from chicken skin collagen dramatically reduced fat accumulation in pre-fat cells at 800 μg/mL
What the researchers found
Chicken skin collagen hydrolysate peptide fraction F4 and its digested form (DF4) showed strong ACE-inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 188.84 and 220.03 μg/mL, respectively — approximately 2-fold more potent than the smaller peptide fraction from post-digested hydrolysate (FDH, IC50 388.57 μg/mL).
For anti-obesity effects, DF4 at 800 μg/mL reduced lipid accumulation by 83% in preadipocytes. In differentiated adipocytes, both FDH and DF4 achieved 45–60% lipid reduction regardless of concentration. Nine peptides were identified as potential ACE inhibitors in the active fractions.
Why it matters
This research demonstrates that food-industry waste products (chicken skin) can be converted into bioactive peptides with dual health benefits — blood pressure management and anti-obesity effects. If these peptide fractions survive digestion and maintain activity, they could potentially be developed into functional food ingredients or nutraceutical supplements, adding value to poultry processing byproducts while addressing hypertension and obesity.
How the study worked
Chicken skin collagen was enzymatically hydrolyzed to produce peptide fractions of different molecular weights. These fractions were tested for ACE-inhibitory activity before and after simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The fractions were also tested on 3T3-L1 adipocytes (a standard fat cell model) to measure their effect on lipid accumulation in both preadipocytes and differentiated fat cells. Mass spectrometry was used to identify individual peptides in the most active fractions.
What this study cannot tell us
This is entirely an in vitro study — results from cell culture and simulated digestion cannot predict effects in living organisms. The 3T3-L1 cell line is a mouse model that may not perfectly represent human fat cell behavior. In vivo bioavailability of these peptides after oral consumption is unknown. The abstract contains what appears to be a formatting error in the IC50 comparison, making some specific numbers difficult to interpret precisely. No animal or human studies were conducted.
How to read the evidence
This is an in vitro laboratory study using cell culture and simulated digestion models. While it identifies promising bioactive peptides and provides mechanistic data, in vitro results frequently do not translate to in vivo effects. No animal or human studies were conducted.
When this study was published
Published in 2024, this is a very recent study in the active field of food-derived bioactive peptides. The findings represent current research methods and align with ongoing efforts to identify functional peptides from food waste.
The bigger picture
Food-derived bioactive peptides are an active area of research for managing cardiovascular and metabolic conditions through diet rather than drugs. This study contributes to the broader trend of identifying peptides from food processing waste streams that have functional health benefits. The dual ACE-inhibitory and anti-lipogenic activities make these peptides particularly interesting for metabolic syndrome, where hypertension and obesity often co-exist.
Questions still open
- Would these chicken skin collagen peptides retain their ACE-inhibitory and anti-lipogenic effects when consumed orally in animals or humans?
- How do these peptide fractions compare in potency to established ACE-inhibitor drugs like captopril?
- Could these peptides be commercially developed into functional food ingredients from poultry processing waste at scale?
Common questions
Could eating chicken skin help lower blood pressure or reduce fat?
What is ACE and why does inhibiting it matter?
Read the original research
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory hydrolysate and peptide fractions from chicken skin collagen, as modulators of lipid accumulation in adipocytes 3 T3-L1, after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion.
Food chemistry, 460(Pt 2), 140551
Citation
González-Noriega, Julio Alfonso; Valenzuela-Melendres, Martín; Hernández-Mendoza, Adrián; Astiazarán-García, Humberto; Islava-Lagarda, Thalia; Tortoledo-Ortiz, Orlando; Huerta-Ocampo, José Ángel; de La Garza, Ana Laura; Peña-Ramos, Etna Aída. (2024). Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory hydrolysate and peptide fractions from chicken skin collagen, as modulators of lipid accumulation in adipocytes 3 T3-L1, after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion.. Food chemistry, 460(Pt 2), 140551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140551