Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 Aug 18;14(8):1011.
doi: 10.3390/antiox14081011.

Bioactivities Derived from Dry-Cured Ham Peptides: A Review

Noelia Hernández Correas  1 , Andrea M Liceaga  2 , Adela Abellán  1 , Beatriz Muñoz-Rosique  3 , Luis Tejada  1
Affiliations
Review

Bioactivities Derived from Dry-Cured Ham Peptides: A Review

Noelia Hernández Correas et al. Antioxidants (Basel). .

Abstract

Dry-cured ham is a traditional food in the Mediterranean diet, which, in addition to its sensory qualities, is a natural source of bioactive peptides generated during the curing process through the action of endogenous enzymes on muscle and sarcoplasmic proteins. These low-molecular-weight peptides have attracted growing interest due to their multiple bioactivities, including antihypertensive, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects described in vitro, in vivo, and in preliminary human studies. The identification of specific sequences, such as AAPLAP, KPVAAP, and KAAAAP (ACE inhibitors), SNAAC and GKFNV (antioxidants), RHGYM (antimicrobial), and AEEEYPDL and LGVGG (dipeptidyl peptidase-IV and α-glucosidase inhibitors), has been possible thanks to the use of peptidomics techniques, tandem mass spectrometry, and bioinformatics tools that allow their activity to be characterized, their digestive stability to be predicted, and their bioavailability to be evaluated. This review article summarizes current knowledge on the bioactivities of peptides derived from dry-cured ham, advances in their functional characterization, and challenges associated with their application in functional foods and nutraceuticals, with the aim of providing a comprehensive overview of their potential in health promotion and chronic disease prevention.

Keywords: ACE-inhibitory activity; DPP-IV inhibitor; antioxidant activity; bioactive peptides; dry-cured ham; functional foods; proteolysis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Properties of dry-cured ham. Processing conditions that affect palatability and bioactive profile. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 1 July 2025).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Network map summarizing the peptides identified in Spanish dry-cured ham (pink) and their associated bioactivities (green). Graph created with Graph Commons.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Techniques used for the encapsulation of bioactive peptides. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 10 August 2025).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Hersleth M., Næs T., Guerrero L., Claret A., Recchia A., Dinnella C., Monteleone E. Consumer Perception of Dry-Cured Ham—A Cross-Cultural Study in Italy, Norway and Spain. J. Sens. Stud. 2013;28:450–466. doi: 10.1111/joss.12068. - DOI
    1. Zhou G.H., Zhao G.M. Biochemical Changes during Processing of Traditional Jinhua Ham. Meat Sci. 2007;77:114–120. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2007.03.028. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Guo X., Wang Y., Lu S., Wang J., Fu H., Gu B., Lyu B., Wang Q. Changes in Proteolysis, Protein Oxidation, Flavor, Color and Texture of Dry-Cured Mutton Ham during Storage. LWT. 2021;149:111860. doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2021.111860. - DOI
    1. Toldrá F., Gallego M., Reig M., Aristoy M.-C., Mora L. Bioactive Peptides Generated in the Processing of Dry-Cured Ham. Food Chem. 2020;321:126689. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126689. - DOI - PubMed
    1. del Olmo A., Calzada J., Gaya P., Nuñez M. Proteolysis and Flavor Characteristics of Serrano Ham Processed under Different Ripening Temperature Conditions. J. Food Sci. 2015;80:C2404–C2412. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.13078. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources