Low molecular weight (<5 kDa) peptides from mussels (Mytilus edulis) (MPs) and the peptides from clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) (CPs) were prepared through enzymatic hydrolysis by proteases (dispase, pepsin, trypsin, alcalase and papain). Both the MPs and the CPs showed excellent in vitro scavenging ability of free radicals including OH, DPPH and ABTS in the concentration range of 0.625–10.000 mg/mL. By contrast, the MPs hydrolyzed by alcalase (MPs-A) and the CPs hydrolyzed by dispase (CPs-D) had the highest antioxidant activities. Furthermore, MPs-A and CPs-D exhibited protective capabilities against oxidative damage induced by H₂O₂ in HepG2 cells in the concentration range of 25–800 μg/mL. Meanwhile, compared with the corresponding indicators of the negative control (alcohol-fed) mice, lower contents of hepatic MDA and serums ALT and AST, as well as higher activities of hepatic SOD and GSH-PX were observed in experiment mice treated with MPs-A and CPs-D. The present results clearly indicated that Mytilus edulis and Ruditapes philippinarum are good sources of hepatoprotective peptides.

Chlorella pyrenoidosa is an excellent source of protein, and in this research, we assessed the antioxidant and emulsifying effects of Chlorella protein hydrolysate (CPH) using neutral proteases and alkaline proteases, as well as the properties of CPH-derived krill oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. The CPHs exhibited the ability to scavenge several kinds of free radicals, including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), O₂⁻, hydroxyl, and ABTS. Additionally, the CPHs (5 mg/mL) scavenged approximately 100% of the DPPH and ABTS. The CPHs showed similar emulsifying activities to Tween 20 and excellent foaming activities (max FS 74%), which helped to stabilize the krill oil-in-water emulsion. Less than 10 mg/mL CPHs was able to form fresh krill oil-in-water emulsions; moreover, the CPHs (5 mg/mL) in a krill O/W emulsion were homogenous, opaque, and stable for at least 30 days. Based on their inhibitory effects on the peroxide value (POV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TRABS), the CPHs were found to be able to inhibit lipid oxidation in both emulsifying systems and krill O/W emulsions. Thus, the CPHs could improve superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities by 5- or 10-fold and decrease the high reactive oxygen species (ROS) level caused by the addition of H₂O₂ in vitro. In conclusion, health-promoting CPHs could be applied in krill oil-in-water emulsions as both emulsifiers and antioxidants, which could help to improve the oxidative and physical stability of emulsions.

Phenolipids such as alkyl gallates (A-GAs) have been approved by food industry as non-toxic antioxidant additives.