Z. Karami - Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz ۵۱۶۶۶۱۶۴۷۱, Islamic Republic of Iran.
S. H. Peighambardoust - Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz ۵۱۶۶۶۱۶۴۷۱, Islamic Republic of Iran.
J. Hesari - Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz ۵۱۶۶۶۱۶۴۷۱, Islamic Republic of Iran.
B. Akbari-Adergani - Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, Food and Drug Organization, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran ۱۱۱۳۶-۱۵۹۱۱, Islamic Republic of Iran.

The antioxidant capacity of wheat germ protein hydrolyzed by Alcalase was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The optimum hydrolyzing parameters were found at temperature of ۵۲.۲۸°C, time ۲۳۳ minutes, and E/S ۱.۴۶ %. The amino acids profiles of intact and hydrolyzed proteins showed that Wheat Germ Protein Hydrolysate (WGPH) had higher percentage of hydrophobic amino acids than that of intact protein. WGPH prepared in optimum condition was fractionated by RP-HPLC. The obtained fractions were subjected to ABTS assay for antioxidant capacity evaluation. The fraction with higher antioxidant value was then exposed to further analysis by LC-ESI/MS/MS. The sequences of the peptides were found to be TVGGAPAGRIVME (۱۲۵۷.۶۶ Da) and GNPIPREPGQVPAY (۱۴۹۴.۷۷ Da).

ABTS assay, Amino acids profiles, Bioactive peptides, RSM.