REVIEW article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutrition and Food Science Technology
Can Artificial Intelligence Uncover the Bioactive Peptides' Benefits for Human Health and Knowledge? A Narrative Review
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health and Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- 2College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University Department of Integrative Agriculture, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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The intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and food science has opened new frontiers in understanding the "dark matter" of food, the vast array of unidentified bioactive compounds that influence human health. This narrative review examines how AI, particularly machine learning and deep learning, is revolutionizing the discovery, characterization, and application of bioactive peptides and amino acids derived from food sources, both plant-and animal-based. These compounds exhibit diverse health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, and antimicrobial properties, yet their complexity and the limitations of traditional methods have hindered comprehensive study. AI-driven approaches, such as predictive modelling, molecular dynamics simulations, and natural language processing, are accelerating the identification of bioactive peptides, optimizing extraction processes, and enabling personalized nutrition strategies. The integration of AI with omics technologies (e.g., nutrigenomics, proteomics) further enhances our understanding of how these peptides modulate physiological pathways. However, this is not without challenges and limitations, such as data quality, model interpretability, and persistent gaps in interdisciplinary collaboration. Additionally, the review highlights the lack of standardized databases and concerns about the use of AI, including the need for ethical approvals and protocols aligned with privacy laws, particularly in the context of personalized nutrition guidance. This review synthesizes current advancements, identifies research gaps, and underscores the transformative potential of AI in functional food development and precision nutrition. By addressing these challenges, AI can unlock the full therapeutic potential of food-derived bioactive compounds, providing innovative solutions to global health challenges such as non-communicable diseases. The findings advocate for robust interdisciplinary efforts to bridge computational and nutritional sciences, paving the way for scalable, evidence-based applications in health and wellness.
Keywords: Bioactive compound, Bioactive peptides, Food sources, artificial intelligence, Machinelearning, deep learning, Health & Knowledge Benefits, databases
Received: 03 Sep 2025; Accepted: 26 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Al Shareef, Fathelrahman, Osman, Gebiso and Platat. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Raeda Mohammed Hamed Osman
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.