The interaction between food ingredients is one of the research focuses in food science. ε-Polylysine (ε-PL),
as a food additive, is a cationic polyelectrolyte with excellent antimicrobial properties, and it can interact with anionic
polymers such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-Na) to affect its antimicrobial properties and the stability of related
food systems. In this study, the effects of degree of substitution (DS) and molecular weight of CMC-Na on the interaction
between ε-PL and CMC-Na as indicated by turbidity, Zeta potential and particle size were investigated. Results revealed that
the electrostatic interaction between ε-PL and CMC-Na mainly depended on the molar ratio of cationic amino groups in ε-PL
to carboxyl anion groups in CMC-Na. In addition, both DS and molecular weight of CMC-Na exerted a serious impact on
the interaction between ε-PL and CMC-Na and the effect of DS was more significant.

The effect of adding different amounts of short-chain inulin (I) to maize distarch phosphate (MDP) on its gel
textural properties, Brabender viscosity properties, gelatinization and phase transformation properties, swelling power and
solubility was determined by a texture analyzer, a Brabender viskograph, and a differential scanning calorimeter. The results
showed that the addition of inulin increased the strength, adhesion force, hardness, chewiness, resilience, onset gelatinization
temperature (To), peak temperature (Tp), endset temperature (Tc) and solubility of MDP. Compared with MDP, the chewiness,
hardness and resilience of I:MDP (3:7) mixture increase by 33%, 145% and 650%, respectively, To and Tp of the mixed paste
increased by 5.06% and 5.10%, respectively. On the other hand, inulin addition decreased the peak viscosity, breakdown
value, retrogradation value and endothermic value of MDP. Compared with MDP, the peak viscosity, breakdown value and
retrogradation value of the I:MDP mixture decreased by 73.43%, 87.35% and 79.32%, respectively. Generally, inulin can
enhance the stability and strength of MDP gel, increase gelatinization temperature, viscosity and stability of MDP paste, and
restrain starch retrogradation.

The dietary fibers prepared from pomace as a byproduct obtained in the production of Creasus humilis juice
and wine were comparatively evaluated for their physicochemical properties and structures by Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and x-ray diffraction analysis. The results indicated that the contents of soluble
dietary fibers in the two dietary fibers were 12.54% and 19.83%, water-holding capacity were 5.35 g/g and 6.43 g/g, swelling
capacity were 1.93 mL/g and 2.14 mL/g, water-binding capacity were 4.52 g/g and 5.18 g/g, and cation exchange capacity
were 0.18 mmol/g and 0.25 mmol/g, respectively. Both samples had characteristic absorption peaks, such as C＝O, O—H
and C—H. Morphological and structural analysis showed that the structure of the dietary fiber from fermented pomace
(obtained in the production of Creasus humilis wine) was looser and significant diffraction peaks were observed at 2θ =
14.30°, 15.13° and 32.25°. Moreover, its degree of crystallinity was higher.

The effect of six cooking methods on changes in fat components of cultured hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser baerii ×
A. schrenckii) was studied with respect to fat and cholesterol contents, lipid oxidation parameters and fatty acid profiles. All
cooking treatments, steaming, pan frying, microwave roasting, oven roasting and pressure frying, decreased the ratio of n-3
to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in samples. The n-3/n-6 ratio of pressure fried samples was the highest (0.85),
followed by the steamed samples (0.83), and the oven-roasted samples exhibited the lowest level (0.73). The retention of
cholesterol was the highest in steamed and pressure fried samples with no significant difference between both treatments.
The acid value increased while the peroxide value decreased after all cooking treatments, which correlated significantly to
cholesterol contents of the treated samples. These results suggest that the relatively smaller change of PUFA and cholesterol
in pressure cooking may be explained by less oxidation in sealed pressure cooker during heating.

In order to explore the effect of spray drying temperature on the solubility of yak milk powder, solubility
characteristics of yak milk powder produced at different inlet/outlet temperatures (130/56, 150/64, 170/73, 190/81, and
210/90 ℃) were measured and analyzed through correlation and cluster analysis. The results demonstrated that spray drying
temperature had significant effect on solubility characteristics of yak milk powder (P < 0.05). Yak milk powder produced
at 170/73℃ had high hydration capacity, bulk density and solubility and small repose angle and dispersion time, showing
better solubility than those produced at other spray drying temperatures. The cluster analysis could be used to distinguish the
solubility of yak milk powder produced at different spray drying temperatures, thereby providing a theoretical reference to
distinguish the quality of yak milk powder produced by spray drying.

The physical and chemical quality of Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera) grape berries was investigated, and the
aroma components of Cabernet Sauvignon berries from grapevines cultivated under rain-shelter and conventional conditions
were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that the rain-shelter cultivation could increase the contents
of reducing sugar, total phenolics and tannins in grape berries, but reduce total anthocyanins content when compared with
the conventional cultivation. Thirty-one and 26 aroma compounds, including high alcohols, esters, fatty acids, terpenes and
norisoprenoids, were detected in rain-shelter and conventionally cultivated grapes, respectively. The total content of aroma
components including high alcohols, esters, aldehydes, acids and volatile phenols in rain-shelter cultivated grapes was higher
than that in the conventionally cultivated ones, with a significant increase observed in the contents of 2-hexenal, hexanol and
(E)-2-hexen-1-ol. Ethyl hexoate, hexyl acetate, nonanal, 1-octen-3-ol, octanoic acid and n-decanoic acid were the unique
characteristic aroma constituents detected in rain-shelter cultivated grapes. These results suggested that the mode of rainshelter
cultivation promotes in the biosynthesis of aroma compounds in grapes.

The antimicrobial peptide was obtained from the body wall of Apostichopus japonicas and its activity was
evaluated. The crude peptide was extracted from the body wall with 5% acetic acid and subjected to bioassay-guided
fractionation for antimicrobial activity. The purification was completed by ultra-filtration and chromatographic separation
with macroporous resin. A turbidimetric method was applied to evaluate the inhibitory activity of each sample against
bacteria including Escherichia coli, Salmonella eternitidis, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. By using Tricine-sodium
dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Tricine-SDS-PAGE), the molecular weight of the purified antimicrobial
peptide was measured. The results showed that three components with different molecular weights < 1 kD, 1–5 kD and 5–10 kD
were obtained after ultra-filtration. The component with molecular weight of < 1 kD had the strongest antibacterial activity, and
then it was chosen for further chromatographic separation with macroporous resin column. The subcomponent F3 with the highest
antimicrobial activity was obtained and its molecular weight was identified as 4.35 kD.

Three different starch sources including japonica rice flour, maize flour and taro-maize flour were used for
preparing Zhahaijiao, a Chinese traditional fermented chili product, by spontaneous lactic acid fermentation, and changes
in the flavor quality of Zhahaijiao during the fermentation process were studied. Results showed that the contents of total
acid and free amino acids in Zhahaijiao made with different starches significantly increased (P < 0.01), and the content of
salt slightly increased with the extension of fermentation time. The content of total acid increased slowly after 15 days of
fermentation, and the content of free amino acids increased slowly after 30 days of fermentation. The content of free amino
acids in Zhahaijiao made with japonica rice flour increased rapidly during the fermentation process and was apparently
higher than that in Zhahaijiao made with two other starches after fermentation for 60–90 days (P < 0.01). The contents
of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in Zhahaijiao remained at higher levels after 15–45 days of fermentation, but were
relatively low on the 60th day of fermentation, in dependent of the type of starch used. The content of total soluble sugar
(TSS) gradually declined; the TSS levels of Zhahaijiao made with japonica rice flour and maize flour were relatively low
after fermentation for 60 days, while Zhahaijiao made with taro-maize flour dropped to a lower level after only 15 days
of fermentation. Therefore, different starches can affect the formation of the favor quality of Zhahaijiao. Based on taste
qualities of Zhahaijiao including sourness, pungency, umami, saltiness and slight sweetness, the optimal fermentation time is
30 days, and extended fermentation time can adversely impact its pungency degree and sweet taste quality.

The effect of three different blanching methods including microwave, steam and hot water treatments on the
quality of pumpkin leaves was studied by analyzing peroxidase (POD) activity, the contents of vitamin C, soluble protein
and oxalic acid, and color. Results showed that POD activity was obviously inhibited by all three blanching methods. The
relative residual POD activity was decreased to 7.10% after 60 s of steam blanching. The hot-water blanching showed that
POD activity was influenced more obviously by blanching temperature, which was significantly inhibited at 95 ℃ and
decreased to 4.85% after treatment at this temperature for 60 s. Relative residual POD activity of pumpkin leaves fell to
5.05% after microwave blanching at 480 W for 50 s. Hot water blanching retained the highest contents of vitamin C and
soluble protein, followed by microwave blanching and steam blanching. Lower content of oxalic acid, maximum value of
L* and minimum value of a*, confirming the best color of pumpkin leaves, were obtained by hot water blanching. Hot water
blanching for 60 s at 95 ℃ is the most appropriate way for pumpkin leaves. These results can lay a technical basis for deep
processing and utilization of pumpkin leaves.

Tannin in persimmon tree bark was ultrasonically extracted. The crude extract was purified by organic solvent
extraction and macroporous resin adsorption. The free radical scavenging activity of tannin samples with different purities
was studied using two different systems. The extraction yield of tannin in the crude extract was 5.6%. The optimum
conditions for purifying the crude extract with HPD-500 macroporous resin were as follows: a sample containing 1.2 mg/mL
tannin was loaded onto the column at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min and eluted with 60% ethanol at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min.
The purity of the crude extract was 5.6%, which was increased to 19.4% after macroporous resin purification. After ethyl
acetate extraction of the crude extract, the extract phase was purified to a purity of 11.5%. After further purification by
macroporous resin adsorption, the purity of the raffinate and extract phases was increased to 47.4% and 53.3%, respectively.
The crude extract and the resulting purified samples exhibited maximum percentage (69.07%, 92.96%, 80.19%, 94.02%
and 94.05%, respectively) of DPPH radical scavenging activity at 1 mg/mL with an IC50 value of 0.68, 0.13, 0.52, 0.12 and
0.11 mg/mL, respectively. The maximum percentage scavenging (43.04%, 83.00%, 73.99%, 94.68% and 96.23%,
respectively) of ·OH by the tannin samples with different purities at 0.9 mg/mL was obtained.

The objective of this study was to isolate anthocyanins from Solanum nigrum L. fruits by silica gel column
chromatography and identify them by UV-visible spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray
ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS). Acid hydrolysis was applied for the identification
of glucosides. Three anthocyanins were identified for the first time in Solanum nigrum L. fruits. Only delphinidin-3-
succinylarabinoside was detected in fraction I (the purity was 94%), while both cyanidin-3-galactoside (the purity was
45.67%) and cyanidin-3-acetylgalactoside (the purity was 13.97%) were found to be present in fraction II. The presented
method is simple and reliable to isolate and identify the anthocyanins from Solanum nigrum L. fruits.

The feasibility of using Fisher’s discriminant analysis to distinguish different varieties of black tea and tea cream
produced by different methods was investigated. Protein, total sugar, thearubigins, theaflavin, theabrownin and 9 mineral
elements were used as the variables for discriminant analysis of different varieties of black tea and tea cream made from
broken Diangong tea. The results showed that Fisher’s discriminant analysis is reliable in discriminating all tested samples.
Fisher discriminant analysis is helpful to reduce interference from subjective factors in the process of sensory evaluation,
avoiding ambiguity and uncertainty and ensuring the stability and reliability.

The volatile components of green pepper stored in refrigerator at (4 ± 1) ℃ for different periods were evaluated
by head space solid-phase micro extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Soluble solid
content, weight loss ratio and vitamin C content and were analyzed to probe into the relationship of pepper freshness and its
volatile components. The results showed that green pepper could be kept fresh at (4 ± 1) ℃ for 15 days. The characteristic
odor components of fresh green pepper were hexyl octanoate, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal and 3-octanone, whereas those of rotten
green pepper were -myrcene, -phellandrene, (E)- -famesene, 2-propenoic acid, 3-phenyl-ethyl ester, hexadecanoic acid,
ethyl ester and n-decanoic acid with variation thresholds of 6.54, 13.47, 32.78, 7.74, 9.10, and 17.13 μg/L, respectively.
These results can provided a theoretical basis for judging the freshness of pepper by changes of the volatile components and
accordingly for developing smart refrigerator to monitor the freshness of green pepper.

The objective of the present study was to explore the effect of ultra high pressure and heat treatments on the
digestibility in simulated intestinal and gastric fluids and eating quality of golden scallop. The ultra high pressure sterilization
of golden scallop was investigated with respect to pressure, temperature and holding time. Besides, the sterilization
efficiency of golden scallop subjected to different durations of boiling was evaluated. The digestibility, texture properties
color and water-holding capacity of golden scallop subjected to both treatments were compared in order to find the optimal
sterilization conditions. Results showed that the microorganisms in golden scallop were completely killed under 500 MPa
pressure treatment at 30 ℃ for 30 min, 400 MPa pressure treatment at 40 ℃ for 30 min, 600 MPa pressure treatment at
40 ℃ for 20 min, or heat treatment for 5 min or more. Ultra high pressure treatment significantly improved the
digestibility, and the amount of amino acids produced from the hydrolysis of golden scallop was maintained at higher
level under 500 MPa pressure treatment at 30 ℃ for 30 min or 400 MPa pressure treatment at 40 ℃ for 30 min than
untreated samples. Hardness and chewiness under 400 MPa pressure treatment at 40 ℃ for 30 min revealed the
smallest changes compared with the untreated samples; at the same time, springiness was significantly improved. Ultra
high pressure treatment brightened the color of golden scallop compared with the untreated controls. Water-holding
capacity under 400 MPa pressure treatment at 40 ℃ for 30 min was increased twice. On the other hand, heat treatment
led to the lowest water-holding capacity, only 6.25%. Therefore, golden scallop subjected to 400 MPa pressure
treatment at 40 ℃ for 30 min had the best digestibility and eating quality.

The traditional Chinese sauerkraut obtained by natural fermentation was analyzed by polymerase chain reactiondenatured
gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) to monitor the dynamic change of lactic acid bacteria during the
fermentation process. Meanwhile, the bacterial diversity index was calculated, and the representative bands were cloned
and selected to be sequenced for the construction of a phylogenetic tree based on their sequences. The results indicated that
the highest bacterial species diversity was found on the 40th day of fermentation. Lactic acid bacteria was abundant during
the fermentation process, and lactobacillus was the dominant population, including Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus
rhamnosus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus coryniformis, Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus
salivarius, and Lactobacillus iwatensis. Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus pentosus were the predominant lactic acid bacteria
in the early stage of fermentation, while Lactobacillus plantarum was the predominant strain in the middle and late stages.

To test the stimulatory effects of three ingredients of Rhizoma gastrodiae on the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide
(EPS) by Grifola frondosa in submerged culture, gastrodin (GA), p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HA) and p-hydroxylbenzaldehyde
(HBA) were separately added at various concentrations into the culture medium. The EPS concentration in the culture
supernatant was determined by phenol-sulphuric acid assay. The results showed that all three additives had an effective
stimulatory effect on mycelial growth and EPS production. Among them, the addition of p-hydroxylbenzaldehyde at 0.15 g/L
exhibited the best effect, although slightly inferior to 7% (V/V) of the 75% ethanol extract of R. gastrodiae. Furthermore,
kinetic analysis suggested that the EPS production curves with 0.15 g/L p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 7% (V/V) of the
R. gastrodiae extract over the entire fermentation process were substantially same, producing significantly more EPS than
the blank group from the 7th day onwards (P < 0.05). As determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC),
dynamic changes in the concentration of p-hydroxylbenzaldehyde during the fermentation process showed that on the 5th
day, p-hydroxylbenzaldehyde was completely absorbed and EPS began to accumulate in large quantity. Therefore, Grifola
frondosa could utilize p-hydroxylbenzaldehyde to promote the biosynthesis of EPS.

The bioconversion conditions for the production of D-3-phenyllactic acid from phenylpyruvic acid (PPA) using
whole cells of Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)/pET-28a-ldhD were studied. Using Plackett-Burman design, buffer pH, substrate
concentration and temperature were selected as the factors with significant influence on substrate conversion efficiency out
of 6 factors. Subsequently, the optimization of the three factors was carried out using Box-Behnken design and response
surface analysis. Results indicated that the optimal bioconversion conditions that provided the maximum molar conversion
efficiency of PPA (65.32%) during 30 min were buffer pH 7.0, substrate concentration 42 mmol/L, and temperature 38 ℃,
cell concentration 20 g/L and glucose concentration 20 g/L. Under these conditions, 119 mmol/L (19.75 g/L) of D-PLA with
a productivity of 4.94 g/(L·h) was obtained after 4 h transformation with intermittent PPA feeding.

A dominant spoilage bacterium designated as CMRC BC-1 from emulsified sausages sterilized at medium
temperature was isolated and identified. The inhibitory potency of 7 common preservatives on the spoilage bacterium was
evaluated by cylinder-plate method and microtiter plate assay. The results showed that the aerobic plate count of emulsified
sausages sterilized at medium temperature had exceeded the relevant national standards on the 25th day of storage at 25 ℃.
The isolate was identified as Bacillus coagulans according to the results of morphological, physiological and biochemical
tests and 16S rDNA sequence alignment. The percent inhibition of the strain by 0.1 g/L nisin was 99.05%, demonstrating that
nisin had a remarkable inhibitory activity on the strain. Six other preservatives except potassium sorbate also had definite
inhibitory effect on the strain with the maximum addition, respectively.

In the present study, changes in the bacteria composition of sweet potato sour liquid during the natural
fermentation process were investigated by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE).
Total bacterial DNA was extracted from the samples, and the touch down PCR was applied to amplify the V3 region of 16S
rDNA for identification based on DGGE fingerprints. The specific gel bands were excised, then sequenced and analyzed
by comparison with the GenBank database. Results showed that the representative bacteria during the fermentation process
of sour liquid were identified as Leuconostoc, Acinetobacter, Reyranella, Pantoea, Cronobacter, Spiriiium which belong
to Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, respectively. Flavobacterium belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes and Chroococci
belonging to the phylum Cyanobacteria were also involved. The coefficient of similarity showed that the similarity of
bacterial community in sweet potato sour liquid ranged from 88.5% to 71.4%.

β-D-xylosidase of electrophoretic purity was obtained from leak after homogenization, buffer extraction,
ammonium sulfate fractionation precipitation, CM-Sepharose ion-exchange and Superdex-200 gel filtration chromatography.
Our results showed that the specific activity of β-D-xylosidase was 18.25 U/mg, purification fold was 12.59, and recovery
rate was 1.83% after purification. The relative molecular weight of β-D-xylosidase was approximately 123.02 kD, in which
the subunit molecular mass was 61.51 kD. Enzymatic properties of β-D-xylosidase showed that the optimal temperature and pH
were 65 ℃ and 4.0, respectively. It was relatively stable in the range of 25–55 ℃ and pH 3.0–5.0, respectively. Furthermore,
its Km was 0.28 mmol/L under the optimum conditions. The activity of β-D-xylosidase could be inhibited by methanol, ethanol,
isopropanol and sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium salt (SDS) as well as Ag+, and activated by Mn2+ and Co2+.

Bacterial populations of three samples of Maotai-flavored Daqu in Zunyi, Guizhou province were studied.
Principal component analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between bacterial population and Daqu. The 454 FLX+
platform was used to sequence the 16S rDNA gene V3–V5 region of the bacteria. The high quality sequences were clustered
by similarity (0.97), and used to calculate the relative content of bacteria. Through principal component analysis, we
analyzed the bacterial population of Daqu. Results showed that 6 phyla and 49 genera were detected from three samples,
and the Firmicutes were the most dominant phylum. Thermoactinomyce (34.40%), Bacillus (31.40%) and Scopulibacillus
(13.60%) were dominant in Daqu MT01, accounting for 79.40% of the total bacterial population. Thermoactinomyce (34.80%)
and Bacillus (49.00%) were dominant in Daqu ZJ01, accounting for 84.80%. Only Thermoactinomyce (66.10%) was
dominant in Daqu ZX01. Principal component analysis (PCA) suggested that MT01 and ZJ01 were the nearest in distance,
and ZX01 was a little far. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the judgment of Daqu quality.

This work reports on the selection and optimization of culture conditions and medium components as well as their
levels for improved production of protease by Bacillus licheniformis with Enteromorpha prolifera as a carbon source by the
combined use of single factor method, Plackett-Burman design and response surface methodology (RSM). Initial medium
pH, Enteromorpha prolifera concentration and NaH2PO4 concentration were identified as the most significant factors that
influence protease production. The levels of the three factors were optimized using RSM to be 6.66, 4.65% and 0.027 4%,
respectively. Under the optimized conditions, the predicted values of protease activity was 66 354.70 U/g protein and an
average value of 66 966.37 U/g protein was obtained from three replicate experiments, which was 3.68 times higher than that
before optimization.

The β-glucosidase-producing capacity of strains LJ-G1 and LJ-Q2 isolated from the feces of vegetarians was
measured using 4-nitrophenol-β-D-glucoside (pNPG) as substrate and compared with that of Aspergillus niger. The
fermentation conditions for β-glucosidase production by the selected strain were optimized using combination of single factor
method and response surface methodology. The results showed that both intestinal strains were able to produce β-glucosidase,
and LJ-Q2 had higher β-glucosidase-producing capacity than LJ-G1. LJ-G1 and LJ-Q2 had higher β-glucosidase-producing
capacity than Aspergillus niger in 64 h of fermentation. The optimal fermentation conditions for β-glucosidase production
were determined as follows: culture medium pH, 8.0; temperature, 38 ℃; and time, 38 h. The experimental value of
β-glucosidase activity produced under the optimized conditions was 1.70 IU/mL. The fermentation process could convert
39.4% of soybean isoflavones into aglycones.

Objective: To induce the expression of recombinant glycosidase using D-lactitol instead of isopropyl-β-Dthiogalactoside
(IPTG). Methods: Single-factor experiments were performed to discuss the effect of D-lactitol concentration,
induction time and temperature on the expression of recombinant glucosidase and consequently select three appropriate
levels for each of the three variables. Subsequently, the levels of these variables were optimized by regression analysis and
response surface methodology. Results: The optimal induction conditions were determined to be induction at 34 ℃ for
7.0 h with 1.0 mmol/L lactitol. Conclusion: D-Lactitol can replace IPTG as an ideal inducer for the production of
recombinant proteins in genetically engineered strains with the efficient promoter of lac and its derivatives.

In order to synthesize a novel and effective artificial paclobutrazol antigen, succinic anhydride method was used
to modify the structure of paclobutrazol. Paclobutrazol hapten (PAC-HS) with an active carboxyl group was obtained, and
conjugated separately with BSA (bovine serum albumin) and OVA (ovalbumin) by carbodiimide method. Immunogen
and coating antigen were obtained and designated as PAC-HS-BSA and PAC-HS-OVA, respectively. The hapten was
characterized by mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Ultraviolet
spectrophotometry was applied to determine the artificial paclobutrazol antigen. The coupling ratios of the conjugates were
determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS). The results
suggested that paclobutrazol antigen was successfully synthesized, which will greatly facilitate antibody production and
immunoassay development.

The nattokinase-producing genetically engineered strain, Bacillus licheniformis BL10 (pP43SNT-SsacC) was
used in this study, and the synthetic complete medium composition for nattokinase production by the strain was optimized
using combination of single factor and orthogonal tests. The maximum nattokinase activity of 25.59 FU/mL, which was
6 times higher than that (4.27 FU/mL) before optimization, was obtained using a medium consisting of 30 g/L glucose, 30 g/L
NaNO3, 20 g/L sodium glutamate, 15 g/L sodium citrate, 0.5 g/L MgSO4·7H2O, 1.5 g/L K2HPO4·3H2O and 0.5 g/L CaCl2 at
pH 7.2. The specific activity of nattokinase in the synthetic complete medium was improved by 3 folds when compared with
that in semi-synthetic medium. In the present study, both the activity and purity of nattokinase were improved obviously by
using the optimized synthetic complete medium.

Eight strains of facultative anaerobic bacteria with higher capacity to produce protease were isolated and screened
from high-quality liquor pit mud. Out of the 8 strains, 3 strains producing higher endopeptidase, aminopeptidase and
carboxypeptidase activities including HDS4, HDS6 and HDS8 were selected and identified by morphological, physiological
and biochemical properties and 16S rDNA sequence analysis as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Bacillus
thuringiensis. Mixed-culture fermentation with the 3 strains yielded an increase of 8.907%, 6.181% and 8.781% in
endopeptidase, aminopeptidase and carboxypeptidase activities compared with single-culture fermentation, respectively.

Ginger is an important economic crop with high medicinal and nutritional value. Diseases caused by pathogenic
bacteria in ginger have negative impacts on its growth and storage postharvest quality, and often result in significant profit
reduction. In the present study, a novel bacterial pathogen, Salmonella enterica, was isolated from postharvest rhizomes
in Rongchang, Chongiqng city. The bacterium was identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis, and morphological,
physiological and biochemical tests. After being inoculated with S. enterica, ginger leaves were found to suffer from
chlorosis and wrinkle and water and secretion appeared on the surface of rhizomes. Analysis of the population dynamics of
S. enterica indicated that the bacterium colonized and grew well on ginger rhizomes. Biochemical analyses indicated that
S. enterica activated antioxidant enzyme activities including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase in host tissues.
These results reveal that S. enterica has the capacity to parasitize ginger.

Lactobacillus reuteri with antimicrobial activity against Penicillium as spoilage bacteria in yoghurt was screened
and the major antimicrobial substances produced by the dominant strain were determined by exclusion tests. Then, the
dominant strain was applied as an adjunct culture to fermented milk. Meanwhile, physical and chemical properties and
sensory quality of the yoghurt as well as the antiseptic effect of the dominant strain on it were studied. Results showed
that Lactobacillus reuteri CICC6121 was the dominant strain against Penicillium. The antimicrobial substance in cellfree
supernatant was reuterin. CICC6121 did not show any antagonism against Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Streptococcus
thermophilus during yoghurt fermentation. The physicochemical properties and sensory quality of yoghurt inoculated and
not inoculated with CICC6121 were nearly the same. During 21 days of cold storage, CICC6121 could inhibit the growth of
Penicillium significantly and avoid yoghurt spoilage via contamination.

Objective: To investigate the influence of different concentrations of lactose-sweetened beverage on serum
glucose, lipid and uric acid levels in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: Rats were given free access to tap water, 50,
100, 150 g/L lactose-sweetened beverage for eight weeks, respectively. The indexes including food intake, beverage
consumption, calories intake and body weight were measured at different time points during the experiment. Serum samples
were harvested for determining the levels of blood glucose (GLU), uric acid (UA), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC),
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Results: Compared with
the control group, the total energy intake reduced significantly; moreover, the body weight in the 1st and 2nd week decreased
with statistical difference in the rats provided with 150 g/L lactose (P < 0.05). The GLU level in the treatment groups was
higher than that in the water control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The serum uric acid level in 50 and 100 g/L lactose groups
decreased significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), while the rats given access to 150 g/L lactose-sweetened beverage showed a
temporary increase of uric acid level in the 1st week (P < 0.05). The TG level in 100 g/L lactose group elevated significantly
in the 6th week (P < 0.05). A significant increase in TG level of rats given 150 g/L lactose was detected from the 1st week to
the 3rd week (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In addition, the TC level increased significantly in the 2nd, 3rd and 7th week during this
experiment (P <0.05 or P < 0.01). A significant increase in LDL-C level was observed in the treatment groups (P < 0.05 or
P < 0.01). Conclusion: Diverse influence on serum glucose, lipid and uric acid level can be exerted by different
concentrations of lactose-sweetened beverage. The dose of lactose intake should be restricted in the application process.

Objective: To study the hypoglycemic activity of avicularin and guaijaverin in guava leaves. Methods: Reversedphase
high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was used to determine the content of avicularin and guaijaverin
in guava leaves in different months of the year. The fat cell model was established to evaluate hypoglycemic activity of
the ethanol extract of guava leaves, avicularin and guaijaverin respectively. Western blotting was used to analyze GLUT4
expression on the fat cell membrane. Free fatty acids as another index were also determined using a fatty acid kit. Results:
The contents of guaijaverin and avicularin in guava leaves showed great difference in different months, and guava leaves
had higher contents and hypoglycemic activity both between June and September. The guava leaf extract, guajava and
avicularin could all significantly promote GLUT4 protein expression on the fat cell membrane and significantly inhibit the
release of free fatty acids. Conclusion: Guaijaverin and avicularin are the major bioactive components in guava leaves with
hypoglycemic activity and inhibitory capacity against free fatty acid release.

Objective: To investigate the possible hepatoprotective activity of Aloe vera against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced
liver damage and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: The acute AFB1-intoxicated rat model was established by intragastric
administration of AFB1 at the dose of 2.0 mg/kg. The hepatoprotective effect of Aloe vera on AFB1-intoxicated rats was evaluated
by measuring body weight, serum markers and histopathological examination. And the mechanisms involved were elucidated
by measuring the levels of lipid peroxidation and antioxidants in livers. Results: The treatment of Aloe vera effectively inhibited
the body weight loss in AFB1-intoxicated rats, and significantly reduced serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), glutamic
oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin (TBIL) levels. In addition, Aloe vera was shown to
be effective in improving hepatic histopathological changes, lowering malondialdehyde (MDA), and elevating the levels of reduced
glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). These
results suggest that Aloe vera can remarkably enhance the antioxidant and detoxifying capacities of AFB1-intoxicated rats, and
possesses a potent protective effect against AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity.

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of grape seed oligomeric proanthocyanidins extract (GSOPE) and
catechin (C) against cisplatin (DDP)-induced nephrotoxicity in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells and its effect on
anticancer activity of DDP in human lung cancer A549 cells. Methods: HEK293 cells and A549 cells were cultured in vitro.
The protective effects of GSOPE and catechin at various concentrations on DDP-induced HEK293 cells and their synergistic
interaction with DDP against A549 cells were evaluated by MTT assay. Results: GSOPE at 16 mg/L could significantly
protect DDP-induced HEK239 cells from death (P < 0.05), and the protective effect was better than that of other groups.
GSOPE at 16 mg/L could also significantly enhance DDP-induced A549 cell death (P < 0.05). On the other hand, catechin
had no influence on DDP-induced HEK293 cell death. Conclusion: In vitro, GSOPE, rather than catechin, can protect
DDP-induced nephrotoxicity and can enhance DDP-induced lung cancer cell death.

Objective: To investigate the proliferative and protective effects of γ-oryzanol on L02 cells. Methods: The model
of oxidative damage was established on L02 cells induced by H2O2. Cell viability, the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA)
and glutathione (GSH), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and the level of ROS were
assayed on L02 cells treated with γ-oryzanol at various concentrations in vitro. Results: The cell viability was enhanced
significantly, and the levels of ROS and MDA were decreased significantly, whereas the content of GSH and the activities of
CAT and SOD were significantly increased by 0.1–0.4 mmol/L γ-oryzanol treatment after H2O2-induced oxidative damage
in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion: γ-Oryzanol can effectively attenuate H2O2-induced oxidative damage at a dose of
0.1–0.4 mmol/L and maintain the normal physiology of the cells.

Objective: To study the protective effect of individual and combined selenium and VE on human umbilical vein
endothelial cell (HUVECs) with H2O2-induced oxidative damage. Methods: HUVECs cultured in vitro were divided into
normal control group, model control group and five treatment groups including L-Se-methylselenoeysteine (L-SeMSC)
group, sodium selenite (SS) group, VE group, L-SeMSC + VE group, and SS + VE group. The HUVECs were injured by
H2O2 after they were incubated for 24 h. The effects of all these treatments on cell viability were assayed by MTT. The
activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GSH-Px) and the content of MDA were determined. Results: Compared with
the model group, treatment with 0.1 mg/L SS, or 10 mg/L VE could increase the viability of HUVECs, reduce the content
of MDA, and increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GSH-Px). The combination of SS and VE exerted a
synergistic antioxidant effect at the cellular level, but L-SeMSC did not exhibit a significant difference when compared with
the control group. Conclusion: both SS and VE possess protective effect on H2O2-induced damage in HUVECs, and can
enhance cell antioxidant activity in a synergistic manner.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of konjac oligosaccharides (KOS), prepared by semi-drying enzymatic
hydrolysis, on the rat intestinal environment. Methods: The cecal contents, cecal parameters and small intestinal parameters
of Sprague-Dawley rats were measured to evaluate the safety of KOS after 30 days of dietary incorporation with KOS.
Results: KOS could significantly increase the moisture content of rat feces and the surface area of the cecum wall, the tensile
strength of the small intestine, the total amounts of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus and reduce
pH and moisture, volatile aldehydes and nitrogenous substances contents of the cecal contents. In addition, KOS inhibited
the growth of Escherichia coli and Bacterium fusiformis and increased the total amount of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
Conclusion: KOS can adjust the intestinal microflora, improve the intestinal environment and promote intestinal health as an
excellent prebiotic.

To explore the effect of inulin on immune modulation in mice, 100 BALB/c female mice were allocated to control
group, low-dose inulin group, mid-dose inulin group and high-dose inulin group, respectively. Then, the mice in three inulin
groups were orally administered with inulin at doses of 200, 400 and 600 mg/(kg·d) body weight, respectively. After 15 days
of consecutive administration, immune function indexes in these mice were detected. The results showed that inulin at both
mid and high doses could significantly enhance immune organ indexes, phagocytotic capacity of peritoneal macrophages, the
level of serum hemolysin, lymphocyte proliferation (SI value) and the level of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) (P < 0.05) or (P < 0.01),
indicating that inulin improves immune function in mice to some degree.

The antioxidant activity of Xiangxi vinegar was evaluated by determining the level of reactive oxygen species
(ROS), the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and cell
apoptosis in Caenorhabditis elegans. The results showed that Xiangxi vinegar had a remarkable antioxidant effect in
C. elegans. Compared with the control group (M9 buffer), the level of ROS in Caenorhabditis elegans treated with one-year
fermented, one-year aged Xiangxi vinegar and one-year fermented Xiangxi vinegar decreased significantly (P < 0.01) by
39.44% and 24.03%, respectively. The activities of GSH-Px, SOD and CAT in the first treatment group increased remarkably
(P < 0.01) compared with the control group, showing a 2-, 1.3- and 3-fold increase, respectively. The expression level of CED-3
in both Xiangxi vinegar treatment groups dropped significantly to 53.42% and 73.39% of the control group, respectively, whereas
the expression level of CED-9 in the treatment groups increased significantly (P < 0.01) 7 and 6 times, respectively. Therefore,
Xiangxi vinegar has strong antioxidant activity in C. elegans.

Developing environmentally friendly foods is an important part in the construction of an environmentally friendly
society. It is highly beneficial to eco-environment protection and human sustainable development. Through literature
analysis, this paper deeply discusses the environmental attribution of environmentally friendly foods and its effects on
environment protection in the food supply chain, as well as different food consumption movements initiated by developed
countries for environmentally friendly society. A lot of developed countries are intensively focusing on the consumption of
environmentally friendly foods, and have made significant achievements. Therefore, some suggestions are put forward for
developing environmentally friendly foods in China to alleviate the increasingly severe resource and environmental pressure.

Sensitive and quantitative determination of low molecular weight molecules is a major analytical task in
biomedical, food and environmental fields. Although sandwich ELISA exhibits high specificity and sensitivity, it takes
a long time and involves multiple incubation/washing steps. Moreover, the conventional sandwich immunoassay is not
suitable to detect small molecules because of the lack of two discrete binding sites. Recently, open-sandwich immunoassay
(OS-ELISA), phage anti-immune complex assay and idiotype-anti-idiotype reactions have been developed for the
noncompetitive detection of haptens. However, OS-ELISA, based on antigen-dependent stabilization of antibody variable
region to quantify various antigens, allows noncompetitive detection of small molecules with the applicability to a
homogeneous assay, requires only a single antibody recognizing one epitope and simple instrumentation and suitable for full
automation. In this paper, therefore, the principle, established methods, and signal amplification of this immunoassay are
reviewed. The potential application of open sandwich immunoassay for detecting small molecules is also discussed.

Polyphenols are important secondary metabolites widely distributed in the plant kingdom. They are well known asantioxidants which reduce ROS-induced damage and scavenge free radicals. The Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway is one of themost important pathways involved in preservation of antioxidant activity and defense against oxidative stress release in cells.This review outlines the composition and modulatory mechanism of the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. Plant polyphenolsenhance oxidative stress resistance, reduce apoptosis, provide nerve protection, resist aging and mitigate oxidative damagethrough the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. All these evidence suggests that plant polyphenols have great potentials to beutilized in foods and drugs.

In recent years, the events of arsenic contamination in foods arose frequently in China, which seriously threaten
human health and life safety and have gained high attention due to the harmfulness of arsenic. Although the traditional
analytical techniques enable detection of arsenic at low concentrations in foods, they have many shortcomings such as
expensive instruments, sophisticated sample pretreatment, high cost and professional operation. Thus, there is still the
necessity of developing a low-cost, simple and quick, accurate and efficient method for the detection of arsenic in foods.
Due to its characteristics such as simple operation, low detection cost, good selectivity, high sensitivity, rapid analysis and
continuous monitoring on-line in a complex system, biosensor technology is a new technology with long-term significance in
the field of food safety, and it is very suitable for rapid detection of arsenic contamination in food safety incident emergency
handling. In this article, the working mechanisms of biosensors based on E. coli, protein, DNA and aptamer as well as
the latest progress in their application for the detection of arsenic in foods are reviewed. Moreover, future applications of
biosensor technology in the field of food safety are also discussed.

The protective effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on brain function and the nervous system have
attracted a lot of attention. Numerous studies have illustrated the anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative and cardiovascular
protective effects of PUFAs, as well as the protective effects on brain function, particularly nerve cells. In this article,
we review the mechanisms of brain-protective effects of PUFAs in following fields: how PUFAs promote neurogenesis,
maintain nerve cell morphology and function, improve neurite growth; prevent neurodegeneration, depress nerve cell
apoptosis and regulate membrane fluidity, plasticity and telomere activity in neurons. This review provides a prospective
insight on nutritional studies of PUFAs against aging and/or diseases (such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease)
inducing brain disorders.

Comparative analysis of protein profile and content, immunocompetence profile and content, amino acid profile
and content, fatty acids profile and content in yak milk and other mammalian milk (ruminant, equine, camel and human)
was conducted. The results showed that yak milk had higher contents of amino acid, casein and immune globulin than other
mammalian milk, suggesting that it is a high-quality dairy product with high nutritional value.

Rhodococcus are gram-positive bacteria isolated from a variety of environments, such as soil and deep sea. They
belong to the family Nocardiaceae of the order Actinomycetales of the subclass Actinobacteridae of the class Actinobacteria
of the phylum Actinobacteria. The metabolic diversity of Rhodococci is associated with unique cell wall structure, large
genome size and the presence of circular plasmids which accommodate large sets of oxidases along with other enzymes,
which make these microbes highly competitive in the race to utilize energy and carbon sources derived from organic
compounds. This paper discusses the classification of Rhodococcus and explains the role of Rhodococcus in the degradation
of petroleum hydrocarbons, organic nitrile and mycotoxins. The existing studies suggest that Rhodococcus have good
bioremediation ability and can be widely used in environmental pollution and industrial and agricultural production.

Food fraud occurred since ancient times. In recent years, with the globalization and complication of the food
supply chain and increasingly competitive business, food adulteration and fraud driven by economic interests have been
intensified. This article summarizes the definitions of Economically Motivated Adulteration and Food Fraud in the United
States, compares the two concepts with other food protection concepts. The countermeasures taken by China and the United
States against economically motivated adulteration and food fraud are also compared. Moreover, four recommendations for
China to deal with these problems are proposed.

Peanut germplasm resources are very rich and diverse in China, and subunit composition, molecular structures
and functional properties are different in different peanut varieties. In this paper, the subunit composition of major peanut
protein components such as arahin, conarachin and albumin is overviewed. Herein, we provide a systematic review of the
recent progress made in the studies of the molecular structures of arahin and conarachin and the functional properties of each
subunit at the subunit level. In addition, some problems encountered in the research on peanut proteins are summarized and
the future research direction is proposed, aiming to provide a reference for researchers in this field.

Aspartate kinase (aspartokinase, AK) is a rate-limiting enzyme controlling the carbon and nitrogen flux into
the biosynthesis pathways of amino acids of the aspartic acid family in microorganisms. It is a key enzyme to determine
the ability to obtain aromatic aspartic amino acids. This article describes recent progress in understanding the importance
of aspartatekinase, the general structure of aspartatekinases from different species, features of their binding sites and their
regulatory mechanisms. Moreover, future research trends in this area are foreseen. The aim of this review is to provide
further understanding of the mechanism of metabolic regulation of aspartatekinase and accordingly promote the industrial
development of aspartic acid family amino acids.

Hogwash oil is mainly refined from restaurant waste oil, waste frying oil and waste animal fat. Its composition is
complex. Consumption of hogwash oil poses potentially serious health risks to consumers due to the presence of many toxic
compounds. As hogwash oil incidents occurred frequently in recent years, crackdown on illegal hogwash oil incidents has
been one of the key points of food safety regulation. Rapid and accurate detection techniques are of critical importance for
the identification of hogwash oil. The origin and harm of hogwash oil are briefly illustrated in this article, and the analytical
techniques used in the last 5 years to detect hogwash oil are deeply analyzed, including spectroscopy, chromatography,
electronic nose, electrochemical analysis, immunology and molecular biology techniques. In this review, the emphasis is
put on some emerging analytical techniques. The current status and future prospects of the detection techniques for hogwash
oil are discussed. In addition, the present situation of the industrial utilization of hogwash oil is summarized and evaluated,
aiming to provide references and ideas for reasonably addressing the problem of illegal hogwash oil.