Fish-bone peptides (FBP) with a high affinity to Ca were isolated using hydroxyapatite affinity chromatography, and FBP II with a high ratio of phosphopeptide was fractionated in the range of molecular weight 5·0–1·0kDa by ultramembrane filtration. In vitro study elucidated that FBP II could inhibit the formation of insoluble Ca salts in neutral pH. In vivo effects of FBP II on Ca bioavailability were further examined in the ovariectomised rat. During the experimental period, Ca retention was increased and loss of bone mineral was decreased by FBP II supplementation in ovariectomised rats. After the low-Ca diet, the FBP II diet, including both normal level of Ca and vitamin D, significantly decreased Ca loss in faeces and increased Ca retention compared with the control diet. The levels of femoral total Ca, bone mineral density, and strength were also significantly increased by the FBP II diet to levels similar to those of the casein phosphopeptide diet group (no difference; P>0·05). In the present study, the results proved the beneficial effects of fish-meal in preventing Ca deficiency due to increased Ca bioavailability by FBP intake

Paracellular 45Ca absorption and temporal systolic blood pressure (SBP) measurements were recorded in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) ratsfed on casein (C) and soya-bean-protein isolate (S) diets, containing 20 (H), 5 (M) and 0.5(L)g Ca/kg. Similar measurements were also taken in SHR rats only fed on C-M and S-M dietssupplemented with 30 g caseinophosphopeptides (CPP)/kg. Absorption of 45Ca fromthe ileal loop was equivalent in both SHR and WKY animals and largely affected by the level ofdietary Ca. In addition, animals fed on C diets exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) greater ileal absorption of 45Ca compared with S-fed animals. This result was attributed to the presence of CPP and a greater (P < 0.05) proportion of soluble 45Ca inthe contents of the ileum. Animals fed on S diets supplemented with CPP confirmed this finding.The SBP of SHR rats was higher (P < 0.01) than WKY controls after 9–10 weeks of age. The temporal pattern of observed hypertension was independent of dietary influence in the SHR. The severity of hypertension in SHR rats was affected only by dietary Ca deficiency, and not byCa supplementation or CPP enhancement of Ca bioavailability. These findings suggest that trypticdigestion products of casein in milk can enhance Ca bioavailability by increasing Ca solubility; however, this action had no effect in reducing hypertension in SHR.