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Functional and Nutritional Potential of Chickpea Protein Hydrolysates: A Systematic Review and Plant-protein Network Analysis.

Noelia M Rodríguez-Martín·José Carlos Márquez-López·María-Soledad Fernández-Pachón·Justo Pedroche
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Abstract

Chickpea is a protein-rich legume increasingly explored as a substrate for functional plant-based ingredients. Chickpea protein hydrolysates (CPHs) and chickpea-derived peptides (CPs), obtained through enzymatic hydrolysis or simulated gastrointestinal digestion, may provide technological and biological properties while supporting the valorization of chickpea fractions and by-products. This review integrates a network analysis of title-abstract terms from 5,728 unique Scopus and PubMed records on plant protein hydrolysates with a systematic review of 72 studies focused on CPH production, peptide characterization, bioactivity, and translational gaps. The evidence indicates that CPHs and CPs show promising antioxidant, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer-related activities, mainly supported by biochemical assays, cell models, and animal studies. However, heterogeneous hydrolysis protocols, incomplete peptide characterization, inconsistent bioactivity methods, limited scale-up evidence, and the absence of human intervention trials restrict translation. Future studies should prioritize standardized protocols, mechanistic validation, bioavailability, sensory and regulatory assessment, food-matrix validation, and clinical trials.

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CicerProtein HydrolysatesHumansPlant ProteinsNutritive ValueAntioxidantsAnimalsHydrolysisBioactive Peptides, DietaryFunctional FoodCicer arietinumBibliometric mappingBioactive propertiesEnzymatic hydrolysisPlant-based ingredientsPreclinical evidenceSimulated gastrointestinal digestionJournal ArticleSystematic ReviewReview

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Noelia M Rodríguez-Martín, José Carlos Márquez-López, María-Soledad Fernández-Pachón, Justo Pedroche. 2026-09-02. Functional and Nutritional Potential of Chickpea Protein Hydrolysates: A Systematic Review and Plant-protein Network Analysis.. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-026-01568-z

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Animals subjectAntioxidants subjectHumans subjectJournal Article subjectJournal Article; Systematic Review; Review resourcePlant Proteins subjectSystematic reviews study

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