showing antimicrobial activity (Almaas et al., 2011). The inhibition of
dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) by a whey protein hydrolysate
generated with food-grade pancreatic enzyme was also described
(Nongonierma & FitzGerald, 2013a).
Considering the great potential ofwhey as a source of bioactive peptides,
an effective knowledge on the production and characteristics of
these peptides would be very relevant. In addition, taking into account
that whey is an ingredient in several food formulations, a wheyderived
product rich in bioactive peptides would be an interesting
added-value product. The investigation on bioactive peptides generated
by enzymatic hydrolysis ofwhey has a great potential to generate novel
products and biotechnological processes. Therefore, this article presents
a current evaluation on the major biological activities associated with
hydrolysates of whey proteins and some specific bioactive peptides
derived from whey proteins.