ABSTRACT

Bioactive compounds derived from various natural sources have attracted growing interest in the food and pharmaceutical industries in view of their potential to be exploited in many industries. They can †nd applications in nutraceuticals promoting health, in special dietary preparations preventing microbial infections in humans and farm animals, in biopreservation of foods and feeds, as well as in pharmaceutical preparations replacing synthetic drugs. This review focuses on antimicrobial proteins and peptides derived from animal sources, namely bovine colostrum and milk and hen

CONTENTS

3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 49 3.2 Enzyme-Based Antimicrobial Proteins .................................................... 51

3.2.1 Lactoperoxidase ............................................................................... 51 3.2.2 Lysozyme .......................................................................................... 52

3.3 Nonenzymatic Antimicrobial Proteins ....................................................53 3.3.1 Immunoglobulins ............................................................................53 3.3.2 Complement System ........................................................................ 59 3.3.3 Lactoferrin .........................................................................................65 3.3.4 Other Proteins ..................................................................................68