Fermented milk and soybean products naturally have high nutritional value and many health-promoting effects, which may be attributed to the release of bioactive peptide sequences. Peptides and peptide fractions with bioactive properties (e.g. immunomodulatory, hypocholesterolemic, anti-hypertensive) have been isolated from fermented dairy products and in many traditional fermented soy foods.
Among bioactive food peptides, those with anti-hypertensive activity have received special attention owing to the high prevalence of hypertension in Western countries. Peptide fractions have been reported to decrease systolic blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats and in mild hypertensive human volunteers.
This chapter reviews the current literature on bioactive peptides released during fermentation of milk and soybean, with a special focus on peptides relevant to cardiovascular health.