Trypsin from the intestine of common kilka (Clupeonella cultriventris caspia) was purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation (30–50% saturation), Sephadex G-75, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography with the purity of 30- fold and the yield of 12%. The molecular weight of trypsin was estimated to be 23.2 kDa based on sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The trypsin had optimal activity at pH 8.0 and 60°C using N-α- benzoyl-DL-arginine-ρ-nitroanilide hydrochloride (BAPNA) as a substrate and showed high stability in the pH range of 7.0–10.0. It was stable up to 50°C. Soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) and N-ρ-tosyl-L-lysine-chloromethylketone (TLCK) significantly inhibited trypsin activity (p < 0.05). Protein hydrolysate from common kilka muscle with different degrees of hydrolysis (DHs; 20, 30, and 40%) was prepared using the purified trypsin, and antioxidative activities were determined. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2’-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and ferrous chelating activity of hydrolysate increased with increasing DH up to 40% (p < 0.05). Therefore, trypsin from intestine of common kilka could be used as a processing aid for production of fish protein hydrolysate with antioxidative activity.
