The present invention relates to a purified antioxidant polypeptide, a
method of isolating and purifying said polypeptide, and method of
enhancing antioxidant properties of a composition comprising addition of
said polypeptide to the composition. The antioxidant is formulated alone
as a nutritional supplement or is combined with other consumable
products, such as foods, beverages, vitamins, herbal extracts, or other
antioxidants. The present invention also relates to methods for
identifying and quantifying the antioxidant polypeptide in food and
beverages.