An ecofriendly method, involving mild organic acids to hydrolyse delimed tannery fleshings (TF), has been developed. Combination of formic acid and propionic acid (1:1) was employed to obtain hydrolysates with higher degree of hydrolysis (DH). Better antioxidant properties were obtained by response surface method (RSM) using a factorial design. Effect of pretreatment involving steam cooking (80