Fermented protein hydrolysates: biological activities and applications

• Food proteins are a potential source for the production of bioactive peptides . • Biopeptides may be released by several types of microorganisms through fermentation. • Biopeptides exhibit several health benefits which enlarge their application areas. • In silico studies may resolve the problem of production/purification of peptides. Protein hydrolysates are potential sources of diverse bioactive peptides possessing numerous biological activities. Several processes have been developed to produce biopeptides, including biological and chemical approaches. Fermentation of food protein substrates to produce biopeptides using proteolytic microorganisms is an alternative tool to enzymatic and chemical processes. As they offer promising health benefits and resolve diverse health diseases, production, purification , bioactivity and bioavailability of food-derived fermented bioactive peptides represent the great interest of the current review. Furthermore, the potential applications of bioactive peptides in foods and nutraceuticals are reported. Future developments and challenges of fermented protein hydrolysates and peptides are also reviewed.