Fuente: PubMed "royal jelly" Food Chem. 2026 Mar 27;514:149051. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.149051. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTQueen bee larvae (QBL), a by-product of royal jelly processing, represent a high-quality protein source that has not been fully utilized. In this study, the structural characteristics and antioxidant activities of QBL hydrolysates (QBLHs) produced using eight distinct proteases were investigated. The results showed that enzymatic hydrolysis altered the secondary and tertiary structure of QBL proteins and resulted in a looser and more irregular protein structure. Compared with other seven hydrolysates, Alcalase® 2.4 L FG hydrolysates possessed the strongest antioxidant activity, including with superior ABTS and •OH radical scavenging activity, Fe2+ chelating ability, ORAC, and protection against cellular oxidative stress. Two peptides HVPIFDRY and FPYQPPF, identified from Alcalase® 2.4 L FG hydrolysates, were shown to effectively mitigate AAPH-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells by Nrf2/NQO1/HO-1 pathway. These findings highlight the potential of Alcalase® 2.4 L FG hydrolysates as a promising natural antioxidant ingredient, facilitating QBL utilization as a functional protein resource.PMID:41950701 | DOI:10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.149051