Feathers, burdensome waste from the poultry industry, can be a cheap source of keratin, a protein with excellent physico- chemical, biological, and mechanical properties. Acid and alkaline hydrolyses are usually adopted for isolation of keratin from its natural resources. This study aimed at assessing the statistically significant effect of input variables in the alkaline hydrolysis of keratin from chicken feathers on the process...

Protein derived bioactive peptides not only serve as nutrients but can also exert drug-like activity, e.g. antidiabetic, antihypertensive, or antimicrobial, to name a few. Most biopeptides have beneficial effects on health that make them attractive for nutraceutical applications. The majority of bioactive peptides have been obtained from food proteins, but protein-rich by-products generated by agriculture...

Total mercury levels in different feather types (down, contour, tail and flight) in Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo L.) were determined using CV-AAS. Feathers from Great Cormorants inhabiting the Vistula Lagoon ecosystem have an average Hg level of 7.14 ± 3.99 (μg/g w.w.). Age-dependent concentrations of Hg were statistically significant (ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.0001). There were also significant differences in Hg levels...

Background: Keratin is among the most abundant structural proteins of animal origin, however it remains broadly underutilized. Objective: Bioinformatic investigation was performed to evaluate selected keratins originating from mass-produced waste products, i.e., chicken feathers and pig hair, as potential sources of bioactive peptides. Methods: Pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, and subtilisin were used for in silico keratinolysis...