The antibacterial activity of chelates formed by ferrous ions with peach kernel peptides with different molecular masses or peptides from other plant sources and chelates of ferrous, zinc, calcium or magnesium with peach kernel peptide were compared. Then, the structures of all chelates were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Results indicated that the antibacterial activity of low-molecular-mass peach kernel peptide-ferrous chelate (PKP3, < 5 000 Da) was stronger than that of high-molecular-mass peptide-ferrous ch...