Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the fungicidal effect of low-temperature plasma generated by gas phase surface discharge on the spores of Penicillium expansum. Methods: Two strains (CICC 40658 and F-LPH10-06) of P. expansum were used to investigate their growth and patulin-producing characteristics in potato dextrose broth medium. Low-temperature plasma generated by gas phase surface discharge sterilizer was developed and used to study the effect of treatment time, power supply voltage and initial spore concentration on its fungicidal effect against P. expansum. Furthermore, the morphological changes of P. expansum spores were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The biomass (dry weight) of P. expansum CICC 40658 and F-LPH10-06 were 28.6 and 128.7 mg after 14 days of culture, respectively. The concentration of patulin produced by P. expansum F-LPH10-06 was 147.97 mg/L at the end of incubation, which was nearly 162 times higher than that produced by CICC 40658 (912.40 μg/L). CICC 40658 at an initial concentration of 3.4 × 106 spores/mL could be completely killed after 21 min treatment by low-temperature plasma generated by gas phase surface discharge. For F-LPH10-06 (1.5 × 106 spores/mL), a reduction of 4.58 lg(spores/mL) was observed after treatment for 30 min. In addition, the fungicidal effect was enhanced with the increase in discharge voltage or decrease in initial spore concentration after the same treatment time. SEM observation showed that the morphology of spores changed after treatment, which may be related to the charged particles with high energy and reactive oxygen species produced during high voltage discharge. Conclusion: Low-temperature plasma generated by gas phase surface discharge has strong fungicidal effect against P. expansum, which may provide an important theoretical basis for the development and application of low-temperature sterilization technology.

Specific climate and environmental conditions in different regions are the key factor that affects microbial community structure and metabolism as well as the formation of flavor components in Fu brick tea (FBT). Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of fermentation in three representative producing regions (Shaanxi, Hunan and Zhejiang province) on the quality of FBT produced from the same raw tea materials in the same time. The results indicated that there were significant differences in sensory evaluation. The number of “golden flora” in FBT from Shaanxi and Hunan were higher than that in FBT from Zhejiang, but Hunan and Zhejiang FBT had a slight grassy and astringent taste. The major chemical components revealed that Hunan FBT had the highest contents of polyphenol, ester catechins, total catechins and caffeine, Zhejiang FBT had the highest amounts of free amino acids and theanine, while Shaanxi FBT had the highest content of organic acids. A total of 57 volatile aroma compounds were identified from FBT produced in three regions. Furthermore, terpene alcohol, olefinic aldehydes and ketone could improve the arohid aroma of FBT significantly (P < 0.05). All results indicated that the diversity of microbial communities associated with fermentation and the direction and function of microbial metabolism will be beneficial for the quality of FBT.

Nine isothiocyanate flavors were selected to evaluate their antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes by measuring the diameter of inhibition zone. Besides, the structure-activity relationship for these compounds was further investigated. The highest inhibitory effect of sulfur-containing flavors was screened to investigate its impact on the expression of the thermostable nuclease (nuc) gene of S. aureus as determined by real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The results showed that benzyl isothiocyanate (BZITC), phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), 3-methylthiopropyl isothiocyanate (MTPITC) and isoamyl isothiocyanate (IAITC) had better inhibitory effect against the two Gram-positive bacteria, and the inhibitory effect followed the descending order of BZITC ≈ PEITC > MTPITC > IAITC. Among the nine isothiocyanate flavors, BZITC showed the highest inhibitory effect against S. aureus with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.61 mmol/L compared to 4.88 mmol/L for L. monocytogenes. At sub-inhibitory concentrations, BZITC markedly decreased the expression of the virulence factor nuc in S. aureus (P < 0.01). These results suggested that the presence of benzene ring may enhance the antibacterial activity of isothiocyanate flavors, and play an important role in the inhibitory effect of virulence factor gene nuc expression of BZITC in S. aureus.

The antibacterial activity of 4-hexylresorcinol against the spoilage bacteria Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Shewanella putrefaciens and Aeromonas salmonicida from Pacific white shrimps and its effect on the quality of Pacific white shrimps was assessed in this study. The results of Oxford cup method and the growth inhibition curves for the bacteria indicated that 4-hexylresorcinol showed a strong inhibitory effect on the three spoilage bacteria. The determination of electrical conductivity and flow cytometric analysis showed that 4-hexylresorcinol led to increased permeability of the cytoplasmic membrane of S. putrefaciens cells. When 0.25 mg/mL 4-hexylresorcinol was applied in shrimps, melanization was inhibited according to the low melanosis score and high whiteness value during cold storage at 4 ℃. However, a significant inhibitory effect on the increase of psychrotrophic bacterial counts and total volatile basic nitrogen was only observed in the first 4 days in comparison with the control. At the end of storage, the bacterial count of 4-hexylresorcinol-treated samples was 0.14 (lg(CFU/g)), which was higher than that of the control. These results showed that though 4-hexylresorcinol was effective in inhibiting the growth of the three spoilage bacteria in vitro, it was preferred to be used as a melanosis inhibitor for shrimps rather than as an inhibitor against the growth of spoilage bacteria in shrimps.

In this paper, myofibrillar protein from grass carp was artificially oxidized in hydroxyl radical-generating system with H2O2 concentrations of 0.1, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 mmol/L, and the effect of oxidization on the structural characteristics and gel properties of myofibrillar protein was investigated. The results showed that the carbonyl content increased significantly (P < 0.05) after oxidization by 111.35% compared to the initial value when the concentration of H2O2 was 10.0 mmol/L. With the increase in H2O2 concentration, the total thiol group level, free thiol group level, and free amine content decreased significantly (P < 0.05), while bityrosine content and surface hydrophobicity increased significantly (P < 0.05). The sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) result showed that hydroxyl radical oxidation could induce the crosslinking and aggregation of protein molecules, thereby forming aggregates with molecular mass higher than 200 ku. The above results indicated that the thiol group, tyrosine and tryptophane residues of myofibrillar protein were modified after hydroxyl radical oxidation, thus leading to a significant change in protein structure. In addition, the gel properties of myofibrillar protein were also influenced by oxidation, the network structure of the gel was damaged, and the portable water in the gel was converted to free water. These changes finally induced apparent decreases in the gel strength and water-holding capacity.

In this study, cyclodextrin-functionalized curcumin-loaded silver nanoparticles (Ag@β-CD@Cur) were prepared with silver nanomaterials and its anticancer activity was also studied. The surface morphology, particle size and stability of Ag@β-CD@Cur were detected by transmission electronic microscopy and Zetasizer Nano. Moreover, the effect of Ag@β-CD@Cur on morphological and viability changes of HepG2 cells were detected by phase-contrast microscopy and (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay. Moreover, the population of apoptotic cells was detected by flow cytometric analysis. The experimental results showed that Ag@β-CD@Cur was obtained as highly pure, uniformly sized silver nanoparticles with a smooth surface. The average size of Ag@β-CD@Cur was 2 nm. Moreover, Ag@β-CD@Cur had good stability in water for 30 days. After treatment of HepG2 cells with Ag@β-CD@Cur for 24 h, apoptosis characteristics appeared such as cell swelling and cell nuclei pyknosis. At the same time, the cell viability reduced to 24% of the control group. Further flow cytometric analysis showed that the population of apoptotic cells increased from 2.5% (control) to 51.0%. The results demonstrated that after nanoparticlization, curcumin has stronger anticancer activity, which will provide a technical means and theoretical data for curcumin nano-formulation.

The changes in the structure and properties of rice glutelin after alkali treatment were explored. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), automatic amino acid analyzer, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), surface hydrophobicity analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and deamidization analysis were applied to elucidate the structure of rice glutelin, and solubility, emulsifying properties and foamability were determined to clarify the change of its properties. The results from SDS-PAGE and DSC showed that rice glutelin was denaturated completely, when the concentration of sodium hydride was 0.08 mol/L or higher, causing considerable degradation of subunits and the formation of macromolecular aggregates. When pH was 12.0 or higher, glutelin solubility increased significantly and reached 80% at pH 13.0. Alkali at high concentration above 0.1 mol/L caused deamidization, leading to a significant increase of glutamate content in the glutelin molecule, and the degree of deamidization was correlated with solubility and surface hydrophobicity. Results from SEM showed that alkali treatment led to the degradation and more loose structure of rice glutelin. Appropriate alkali treatment improved the emulsifying properties and foamability of rice glutelin, and the optimum condition was treatment of rice glutelin for 120 min with 0.5 mol/L NaOH solution, but excessive alkali treatment could destroy its emulsification properties and foamability. Proper alkali treatment changed the structure of rice glutelin and accordingly improved its solubility, emulsifying properties and foamability, which is expected to be effectively utilized in food or related fields.

In this paper, the single-molecule morphology of polysaccharides extracted from Nostoc sphaeroides Kütz. was studied by atomic force microscopy. As a result, the polysaccharides were found to consist of flexible and rigid molecular chains and mainly exist in the form of flexible long chain with multi-branches, rigid chains with less or without branches and a divergent structure composed of three intertwined chains. Besides, a single helix for some of the branch chains was also found. The polysaccharides mainly existed in the conformation with abundant branches whose length was generally about 200–600 nm, the diameter of single molecules was within 1.0 nm, and the height of intertwined chains was about 1.3–2.3 nm. The rheological properties showed that the polysaccharides could form a weak gel, indicating that the polysaccharide molecules could be only slightly crosslinked. All rheological properties confirmed that the polysaccharides had multiple flexible branches.

In this paper, the characteristics of pepsin-soluble collagen from the body wall of Stichopus japonicus (sjPSC) and the skin of Oreochromis niloticus (onPSC) were comparatively studied. The results showed that ultraviolet and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopic measurements of onPSC and sjPSC were quite similar. Both PSCs contained mainly α- and β-chains as indicated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The electrophoretic patterns of these two collagens under non-reducing and reducing conditions were quite similar, suggesting that reduction of disulfide bonds did not occur in these two collagens. Glycine was the dominant amino acid in both sjPSC and onPSC, accounting for approximately (344.57 ± 2.16)‰ and (353.00 ± 4.84)‰ of the total amino acid residues, respectively. More glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine, valine, isoleucine and tyrosine were observed in sjPSC when compared with onPSC (P < 0.05). However, more L-hydroxy proline, L-proline, leucine, phenylalanine, histidine and lysine were observed in onPSC (P < 0.05). Peptide maps of both PSCs digested by V8 and α-chymotrypsin were completely different, suggesting some differences in their structure, especially in terms of glutamic acid, aspartic acid and hydroxyproline residues.

In this paper, the heat transfer during mutton roasting using an electric tube heater coupled with infrared radiation was analyzed in order to the optimal processing parameters for the quality characteristics of “scorched outside but tender inside”. During the roasting process, the temperature distribution was measured by infrared imaging technology, and the relationship between internal temperature and roasting temperature and time was analyzed based on thermodynamic parameters and three-dimensional unsteady heat conduction model. Water loss and protein denaturation were examined by a differential scanning calorimeter. The effect of infrared radiation power on roast mutton quality was evaluated as well as the effect of smearing oil on the surface of meat on heat conduction. Results showed that the roasting process could be divided to two stages. The first stage lasted for 5 min at 85–140 ℃, where the heat was transferred from the exterior to the interior, facilitating the development of aroma and flavor substances, and heating was stopped when the internal temperature reached 60 ℃ followed by smearing oil on the meat surface and cooling. At the second stage, a 2.0 kW shortwave infrared tube heater was used to heat for 2 min, quickly increasing the surface temperature to 120 ℃; the Maillard reaction was more complete due to the high heat flux and low penetrability of shortwave infrared radiation, leading to the generation of coking film barrier layer, reduced water loss from the meat interior and increased temperature difference between the surface and interior of mutton. Finally, the quality characteristics of “scorched outside but tender inside” could be achieved through accurate control of roasting temperature, time and method, which together with understanding the underlying thermodynamic mechanism may provide a basis for the research and development of industrial meat roasters.

This work aimed to investigate the changes of polysaccharides in terms of physicochemical properties and biological activities during the drying of longan pulp. Polysaccharides from longan pulp at different drying stages were isolated. The proximate composition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic characteristics and molecular weight distribution of polysaccharides were analyzed, and their antioxidant, antitumor and immunostimulatory activities were evaluated in vitro. With the increase of drying time, the physicochemical characteristics of longan pulp polysaccharides (LP) showed significant changes. The mass ratio of neutral sugar to protein, the molar ratio of glucose to mannose and free amino group content were decreased, the typical amide bands in the infrared spectrum were diverse, and new fractions with relative high molecule weight were formed at the advanced stage of drying process according to the high-performance size-exclusion chromatogram. The evaluation of in vitro biological activities indicated that various activities of LP such as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power increased after 12-60 h drying of longan pulp, inhibitory effects against tumor cells (HepG2 and SGC7901) and immunostimulating effects on nitric oxide production and tumor necrosis factor-alpha secretion in macrophages increased after 12–24 h drying of longan pulp. But the activities decreased after more than 60 h drying. These changes in activities might be related to the Maillard reaction between polysaccharides and proteins in longan pulp during drying. The results can be useful for the processing of dried longan pulp with high quality.

Pseudomonas fluorescence SBW25 is a specific spoilage organisms (SSOs) that plays a leading role in the spoilage of salmon. Salmon meat and sterile fish sauce were chosen as growth media for Pseudomonas fluorescence. The modified Gompertz equation and Belehradek equation were used for fitting kinetic models to predict the growth of P. fluorescence SBW25 at different temperatures. At the same time, the impact of protease activity in sterile fish juice on the growth kinetic parameters was explored, and the applicability of the models was evaluated. Results showed that the coefficients of determination (R2) of the modified Gompertz equations for shelf life prediction at all temperatures tested were up to 0.999, suggesting that the modified Gompertz model is suitable to describe microbial growth in salmon and sterile fish sauce. The maximum specific growth rate (μmax) increased and the lag phase of growth was shortened with the temperature increasing for both media. The R2 values of the Belehradek models between temperature and the square root of μmax and lag phase duration in sterile fish sauce were up to 0.930 3 and 0.988 7, respectively, which were much higher than those in fish meat. In sterile fish sauce, protease activity and μmax at the same growth phase showed the same trend of change. The degree of deviation and accuracy of the Belehradek equation for sterile fish sauce at different temperatures were close to 1.00. The Belehradek model for SSOs growth in sterile fish sauce could reflect the shelf life of salmon at different temperatures.

Edible mushrooms are popular with consumers due to their rich nutrition, tasty and health benefits. Fresh edible mushrooms are usually placed at room temperature in the market. Fresh mushrooms are readily infected with exogenous microbes for their rich nutrition, tender surface structure and lack of a protective structure. In this paper, fresh mushrooms of Flammulina valutipes, Pleurotus eryngii, and Hypsizygus marmoreus were studied. The exogenous bacterial number, species and community diversity were analyzed as a function of storage time at ambient temperature. Results showed that the amount of exogenous bacteria in F. valutipes, P. eryngii and H. marmoreus increased significantly by 29, 417 and 4 116 times, respectively. Besides, the abundance of different exogenous bacteria also changed during the storage period of 5 days, with the highest increase of Pseudomonas spp. in H. marmoreus and decline of Lactococcus spp. in F. valutipe being observed. According to Shannon index, exogenous bacterial diversity of F. valutipe was significantly lower than that of P. eryngii, and H. marmoreus. Principal component analysis results showed that the microbial community structure was similar at different times of storage within each species, and H. marmoreus and P. eryngii showed some similarities, while differences between F. velutipes and the other two species were observed.

Six kiwi wines were fermented from whole fruits and juices of Actinidia deliciosa ‘Hayward’ and ‘Xuxiang’ and A. chinensis ‘Hort 16A’. The polyphenol contents and antioxidant activity of kiwi wines were investigated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry. The results showed that total phenol contents in kiwi wines ranged from 676.80 to 1 172.63 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/L, total flavonoids, flavanols and proanthocyanidins were 109.11–484.33, 116.25–738.47 and 365.33–1 421.67 mg catechin equivalent (CE)/L, respectively, and total monomeric anthocyanin was 52.16–59.56 mg cyanidin-3-O-glucoside chloride equivalent (CGE)/L. Both fermentation methods and varieties influenced the contents of polyphenols. Overall, wines fermented from whole fruits had higher contents of polyphenols that those produced from juices, expect that the total phenol contents in ‘Xuxiang’ and ‘Hort 16A’ wines and the total monomeric anthocyanin content in ‘Hayward’ wine were lower. This finding illustrated that bioactive compounds including flavonoids from pomace could be dissolved into wine during fermentation. Antioxidant activity of kiwi wine was significantly positively correlated with total phenol content (P < 0.01). Gallic acid (17.32–74.08 mg/L), chlorogenic acid (4.85–49.82 mg/L) and (+)-catechin (15.89–47.79 mg/L) were the dominant individual phenols in kiwi wine.

This study investigated the effects of the basic physicochemical indexes and rapid visco-analyze (RVA) pasting properties of rice flour, and the crystalline characteristics of rice starch on the sensory quality and texture characteristics of pressed type fresh rice noodles. The results showed that the amylose content of rice flour had a significantly (P < 0.05) or highly significantly (P < 0.01) positive correlation with the sensory quality and texture parameters except adhesiveness and springiness of rice noodles, and the amylopectin content of rice flour was significantly (P < 0.05) or highly significantly (P < 0.01) negatively correlated with the sensory quality and texture parameters except adhesiveness and springiness of rice noodles. However, both crude protein content of rice flour except for a significantly positive correlation with resilience and fat content of rice flour had no significant correlation (P > 0.05) with the gel texture and eating quality of rice noodles. The crystallinity RX and RI obtained by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed no significant correlation (P > 0.05) with the gel texture and eating quality of rice noodles. The peak viscosity, trough viscosity and final viscosity of RVA pasting parameters showed a significantly (P < 0.05) or highly significantly (P < 0.01) positive correlation with the sensory quality and partial texture parameters except springiness and adhesiveness of rice noodles. There was a negative but not significant correlation (P > 0.05) between breakdown and the sensory score and texture parameters except for a significant negative correlation with the adhesiveness of rice noodles. Setback showed a significantly positive correlation with the sensory score and texture parameters including hardness, gumminess and chewiness, resilience of rice noodles. Thus, amylose and amylopectin contents and RVA pasting properties parameters of rice can be used as key indicators to predict the eating quality of pressed type fresh rice noodles.

This study evaluated the sensory quality, microstructure, textural properties, and staling properties of Chinese steamed bread with konjac glucomannan (KGM) (0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%), and attempted to account for the mechanism underlying the effect of KGM on these properties of Chinese steamed bread. We found that after the addition of KGM, the layered structure of steamed bread became fractured, and the whole gluten network structure became less clear, while dough elasticity and hardness were considerably increased, probably because KGM was adhered to the surface of the protein gluten during the process of gluten network formation, and destroyed inter-molecular cross-linking between protein molecules. The results of sensory evaluation indicated that the quality of steamed bread with the addition of 0.5% KGM was the most desirable and similar to that of the control without added KGM, suggesting that it is possible to produce low glycemic index steamed bread with the addition of 0.5% KGM. Therefore, the addition of KGM can lead to changes in the sensory quality and textural properties of steamed bread.

Vanilla essence oil microcapsules were prepared with jackfruit seed starch as the shell material by four physical methods including saturated water solution method (SWSM), paste method (PM), ultrasonic method (UM), and spray-drying method (SDM). They were comparatively evaluated in terms of product yield, microencapsulation efficiency, loading, slow release capacity, storage stability and other physicochemical properties. The data we obtained showed that product yields range from 74.34% to 92.06%, microencapsulation efficiencies ranged from 68.90% to 74.49%, and loadings varied between 21.27% and 26.71%. SDM showed the maximum yield (92.06%) and microencapsulation efficiency (74.49%) among the four methods, while the minimum yield and microencapsulation efficiency of 74.34% and 68.90%, respectively were obtained by PM. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results showed that vanilla essence oil could be embedded by the four methods successfully. All four microcapsules showed no significant color differences and were uniformly spherical in shape. The microcapsules prepared by SDM showed the biggest particle size (around 600 nm), whereas those prepared by SWSM exhibited the smallest particle size (around 200 nm). The SDM microcapsules showed the best thermal stability but the lowest slow-releasing potential and storage stability, and the retention rate of vanillin and peroxide value were 49.11% and 14.24 mmol/kg after 50 and 15 days of storage, respectively. Overall, compared to the other three methods, SWSM was the best method for preparing vanilla essence oil microcapsules.

The carcass undergoes a series of complicated physiological and biochemical processes driving the muscle to meat conversion after slaughter. Studying rigor development and postmortem aging is expected to provide theoretical supports for meat quality improvement and processing. Six crossbred rams (Small-tailed Han sheep × Beijing native sheep breed) were slaughtered, and both longissimus dorsi muscles (n = 12) from each carcass were excised and stored at 4 ℃ for 0.5, 2.0, 6.0, 12.0, 24.0, 48.0, 72.0, 120.0 and 168.0 h to determine pH, ATP content, sarcomere length, shear force, myofibril fragmentation index (MFI), protein degradation and μ-calpain activity. During the conversion of muscle to meat, pH initially decreased and then remained not changed significantly at 24 h postmortem (P > 0.05). Shear force first increased until reaching a maximum value at 24 h after slaughter and then decreased. Sarcomere length was first shortened until reaching a minimum value at 48 h and then extended gradually. ATP content was initially increased, then decreased and finally tended to be stable. The 80 kD subunit of μ-calpain degraded almost completely disappeared at 24 h, and a 78 kD subunit was formed firstly and then degraded completely at 48 h after slaughter. Desmin and troponin T as the substrates of μ-calpain were degraded during ageing and intact proteins were scarcely be observed at 168 h. In conclusion, the development of rigor mortis in longissimus dorsi started at 2 h postmortem and reached a peak at 24 h, and it began to disappear at 48 h. The meat tenderness was improved greatly after the complete disappearance of rigor mortis.

A novel water-soluble polysaccharide (LKY-I) was isolated from Lobaria koorkauae Yoshim sequentially through ultrasonic-assisted water extraction, ethanol precipitation, DEAE-52 ion-exchange chromatography and gel permeation chromatography. Its molecular weight distribution and purity were determined by gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) separation with dextran-based Sephadex G-100. The chemical structure of LKY-I was studied by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography (GC), periodate oxidation, Smith degradation, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The antioxidant activity was evaluated by measuring reducing power and radical scavenging capacities against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) free radicals (ABTS+·) in vitro. The growth inhibitory effect of LKY-I on tumor cell HepG-2, HCC827 and MCF-7 was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The results revealed that the weight-average molecular mass (Mw) of LKY-I was 61 598 D, and its polysaccharide content was 88.91%. GC results showed that LKY-I contained five monosaccharides, including rhamnose (Rha), xylose (Xyl), mannose (Man), glucose (Glu), and galactose (Gal), with a molar ratio of 1.1:2.0:46.5:28.5:20.5. FT-IR analysis showed that LKY-I had characteristic absorption peaks and its monosaccharide residues existed in the form of pyran ring. Periodate oxidation, Smith degradation and NMR revealed that there were 24.68% (1→6) and (1→) glycosides bonds in LKY-I; meanwhile, LKY-I had a D-glucopyranose ring containing mannose residue, including α and β configurations. The scavenging activity of LKY-I against DPPH free radicals and ABTS+· increased with increasing its concentration from 250 to 10 000 μg/mL, with the highest inhibition percentages of 44.12% and 24.74%, respectively at a concentration of 10 000 μg/mL. At 10 000 μg/mL, the FRAP value was 0.071 17 mmol/L, which was equivalent to 100 μg/mL of VC (0.072 31 mmol/L). The inhibitory effect of LKY-I on the proliferation of cancer cells was gradually increased with increasing its concentration from 125 to 2 000 μg/mL. When the concentration was 2 000 μg/mL, the percentage inhibition of tumor cell HepG-2, HCC827 and MCF-7 proliferation was nearly 50%, indicating that LKY-I has potent antitumor activity.

The aim of this study was the isolation, purification, monosaccharide composition and anticancer activity of polysaccharide fractions from Hongyang kiwi fruits. Crude polysaccharides were obtained through water extraction. Column chromatography was applied to isolate and purify polysaccharide fractions. High performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) was carried out to test the purity and molecular masses of the fractions. Monosaccharide composition of the purest polysaccharide fraction was tested by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and its characteristic functional groups were identified by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The in vitro growth inhibitory effect of the pure polysaccharide fraction on lung cancer cell NCI-H460, breast cancer cell MCF-7, liver cancer cell HepG2, gastric cancer cell SGC7901, and colorectal cancer cell HT29 were determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Four fractions (ACP-1, ACP-2, ACP-3 and ACP-4) were isolated from the crude polysaccharides. ACP-3 was the purest fraction with a molecular mass of 2 663 kD. The monosaccharide composition analysis indicated that ACP-3 consisted of L-rhamnose (17.78%), D-galacturonic acid (25.25%), D-galactose (25.45%), L-arabinose (20.51%), D-glucose (6.14%), D-mannose (2.13%), D-xylose (1.03%), D-glucuronic acid (0.97%) and D-fucose (0.74%). The characteristic absorbance of functional groups was observed in the FT-IR spectrum of ACP-3 fraction. The half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of ACP-3 against NCI-H460, MCF-7, HepG2, SGC7901 and HT29 cell lines were 0.646, 0.310, 0.642, 0.281 and 0.575 μmol/L, respectively. ACP-3 showed a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of all tested cancer cell lines.

The physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity of Cucurbita moschata Duch. powder with different particle sizes were investigated. The results showed that the samples with smaller particle size had higher protein and fat contents and a narrower range of total amino acid contents of 16.58–17.12 mg/g. The contents of total sugar and reducing sugar increased first and then decreased, and the contents of Fe, Zn and Mn decreased with the decrease in particle size. Smaller particle size resulted in lower density, water-holding capacity, and expansibility, but higher moisture absorption, brightness, and yellowness. Total phenol content decreased with the decrease in particle size, but β-carotene increased. As incubation time prolonged, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity of Cucurbita moschata Duch. powder was enhanced, and the percentage scavenging reached 94.94% after one hour of incubation with Cucurbita moschata Duch. powder with a particle size of 100–200 mesh. The highest percentage of superoxide anion radical scavenging activity of Cucurbita moschata Duch. powder of 37.62% was observed at a particle size of 100–200 mesh.

Purpose: To ascertain the effect of different winemaking technologies on the quality of dry white wine made from ‘Guankou’ grapes. Methods: The volatile and phenolic composition of ‘Guankou’ white wines made with different skin contact treatments: skin contact before fermentation (FbSC) and fermentation on skins (FoS) was determined. The sensory evaluation was also carried out. A wine fermented without any skin contact was used as control. Results: The pH of FbSC and FoS wines increased and the titratable acid content decreased as compared with control. At the same time, the levels of total phenolics (TP), total flavonoids (TF), total flavanols (TFA), and individual phenolics in FoS wine increased significantly but the total concentration of aroma compounds decreased significantly in comparison with FbSC and control wines (P < 0.05). Compared with the control wine, there was a significant decrease in acids and esters and a significant increase in alcohols and terpenes in FbSC and FoS wines (P < 0.05). Sensory analysis results showed a significant shift from the sensory attributes of fresh fruits of the control wine towards dried fruit, honey and riper fruit notes in the skin contact treatments. The quality of skin contact wine was much better than that of the control one. Conclusion: Skin contact treatments can improve the quality of ‘Guankou’ white wine.

Surfactin was used as a surfactant to form docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich algae oil emulsion. It was found that oil-in-water (O/W) DHA-rich algae oil emulsion without added cosurfactant or any other additive where the aqueous phase was 0.8% surfactin had better physical stability at 4 and 37 ℃ than emulsions formed with other surfactants. DHA-rich algae oil emulsion with surfactin had significant advantages (P < 0.05) in turbidity, particle size, Zeta potential, and rheological properties than those with Tween-80-glycerol or other food-grade surfactants. Oxidation stability of DHA-rich algae oil emulsion with surfactin was also excellent after treatment at high temperature or during storage time at room temperature. The peroxide value remained at low level, which was (1.635 ± 0.202) meq/kg after storage at 37 ℃ for 60 days.

Structural changes, fluorescence characteristics, binding mechanism and thermodynamic features of gluten and linoleic acid composite system in rice dreg protein were studied using fluorescence quenching spectroscopy, 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The fluorescence spectral results showed that the endogenous fluorescence of gluten was significantly quenched by linoleic acid and the mechanism of fluorescence quenching was static quenching. The major driving force was hydrophobic interactions. Meanwhile, the ANS fluorescence, UV-Vis absorption and CD spectral data showed that the secondary and tertiary structure of gluten were changed by the addition of linoleic acid. A significant increase in α-helix structure content was observed and protein stability was enhanced. This study will provide a theoretical basis for the production of high-purity protein and innovative protein product systems.

Strong gluten, middle-strong gluten and middle gluten wheat were used as raw materials to obtain whole wheat flour by dry debranning process, and the effect of different debranning degrees on the quality of wheat kernel, whole wheat flour and Chinese steamed bread was evaluated. The results showed that the ash content, hardness index and thousand kernel weight of wheat kernels were decreased with increasing debranning degree by 0.17%, 1.0–1.5 and 1.74–1.82 g, respectively, whereas the volume weight was increased by 22.0–23.4 g/L. The contents of ash and damaged starch in whole wheat flour were decreased by 0.12%–0.14% and 1.0–2.1 UCDc, respectively; insoluble dietary fiber and total dietary fiber were decreased by 0.38%–0.49% and 0.13%–0.17%, respectively, while soluble dietary fiber was increased by 0.22%–0.33% with increasing debranning degree. Besides, the pasting properties of whole wheat flour were increased with increasing debranning degree, the stability time was prolonged by 0.3–0.7 min, and the degree of softening was decreased by 9–25 FU. The hardness, gumminess and chewiness of steamed bread were decreased by 732–1 114 g, 335–549, and 147–346 respectively, and the springiness and resilience were increased by 0.030–0.031, and 0.049–0.066, respectively. At the same time, the overall sensory score and L* value of steamed bread were increased, indicating that debranning treatment can significantly improve the rheological properties of whole wheat flour, and efficiently improve the quality of steamed bread.

In this paper, the effect of ethanol on Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan was investigated by culturing it in a medium with different concentrations (4, 40 and 400 mmol/L) of ethanol. The results showed that 400 mmol/L ethanol could significantly extend the median lifespan by 11.76% and the mean lifespan by 15.78% (P < 0.05). The expression of lifespan-related genes (age-1, pdk-1, akt-1 and let-363) was detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to explore the potential molecular mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that ethanol induced lifespan extension in C. elegans could be due to the suppressed expression of the above four genes and consequent regulation of the downstream genes in both the insulin/IGF signalling (IIS) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways.

In order to investigate the potential risk of retail chicken products in transmitting antibiotic resistance (AR) encoding genes, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim resistant (Sul/Trir) bacteria were isolated from 13 chicken products, including nine chicken meat samples and four giblet samples, purchased from five supermarkets and local markets. The Sul/Trir resistance genes were mapped by Southern blot analysis. Sul/Trir bacteria were detected in all chicken samples. The prevalence of Sul/Trir bacteria ranged from 2.0 × 102 CFU/g to 1.0 × 107 CFU/g, accounting for 1.42%–82.00% of the total cultivable bacteria. Multi-drug resistance was observed for all 297 Sul/Trir isolates, and the positive rates of AR genes including sul1, sul2, tetA, tetB, tetC, tetE, tetG, tetL, tetM and intI were 11.33%, 32.81%, 6.64%, 12.89%, 2.73%, 6.25%, 9.38%, 18.75%, 39.84% and 28.52% respectively. Escherichia sp., Pedobacter sp., Staphylococcus sp., Enterococcus sp., Sphingobacterium sp. and Acinetobacter sp. were identified as hosts for AR genes. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Sul for most isolates was higher than 512 μg/mL. Furthermore, a plasmid harboring sul2 gene was found in one Sul/Trir isolate by Southern blot hybridization. In conclusion, retail chicken products can be a potential avenue transmitting antibiotic resistant bacteria and AR genes.

Capsicum annuum L. and corresponding soil samples were collected from different karst areas of Guizhou province (Xiazi town, Zunyi city and Huaxi county, Guiyang city). The concentrations of 13 heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Tl, Co, Sb, Sn and Mn) in plants and soil samples were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The bioconcentration factors in Capsicum annuum L. were calculated. The results showed that average Cd concentration in soil was 9.33% higher than the Farmland Environmental Quality Evaluation Standard for Edible Agricultural Products (HJ/T 332?2006), and the percentage of samples whose Cd concentration exceeded the standard was 57.89%. Cd concentration in Capsicum annuum L. from Zunyi was higher than the Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods (GB 2762?2012), and the percentage of samples whose Cd concentration exceeded the standard was 85.71%. Cr concentrations in only two samples from Huaxi were over the standard limit, which were 15.36% and 12.18%, respectively. Besides, bioconcentration factors (BCF) for 13 heavy metals in Capsicum annuum L. showed a decreasing order of Cd > Cu > Zn > Hg > Sn > Tl > Mn > Sb > Ni > Co > Cr > As > Pb. The BCF of Cd in Capsicum annuum L. was 1.138, and the BCF of Pb was 0.001 9. Furthermore, the concentrations of Co, Ni and Sn in Capsicum annuum L. were significantly positively correlated with their contents in soil (P < 0.05). However, for the other elements, there were no significant correlations between their contents in Capsicum annuum L. and soil (P > 0.05). The provisional weekly intakes of Cr and Cd through the consumption of Capsicum annuum L. were much lower than the provisional tolerable weekly intakes for sensitive populations recommended by the WHO, and had no harmful effects on human health. Because of high Cd background values in karst areas of Guizhou province, attention should be paid to Cd enrichment in Capsicum annuum L. during the process of cultivation.

Peanut and rapeseed with different contents of plastic impurities (polypropylene (PP) woven bag and polyethylene (PE) bag) were collected, and crude oils were obtained from the two oilseeds by solvent extraction and pressing, respectively. The contents of six phthalates acid esters (PAEs) in crude oils were detected, and the influence of plastic impurities in plant oilseeds on the contents of PAEs in crude oil was studied. The results showed that the contents of PAEs in crude oil increased with increasing contents of plastic impurities in peanut and rapeseed. The average contents of PAEs in crude peanut and repeseed oil without plastic impurities were 1.130 and 0.503 mg/kg, respectively. The average contents of PAEs in peanut oil and rapeseed oil samples from oilseeds containing 0.5% of PP woven bag impurities were 1.538 and 0.684 mg/kg, respectively, which were 1.36 and 1.36 times higher than that in the corresponding control oils (extracted from oilseeds without plastic impurities), respectively. In the case of oilseeds containing 0.5% of PE bag impurities, the average contents of PAEs were 2.810 and 1.556 mg/kg in peanut and rapeseed oil, respectively, which were 2.49 and 3.09 times higher than that in the control oils, respectively. The contents of PAEs were 2.245 and 0.851 mg/kg in peanut and rapeseed oil from oilseeds with 1.0% of PP woven bag impurities respectively, which were 1.99 and 1.69 times higher than that in the control oils, respectively. The average contents of PAEs were 3.391 and 2.121 mg/kg in peanut and rapeseed oils from oilseeds with 1.0% of PE bag impurities, respectively, which were 3.00 and 4.22 times higher than that in the control oils, respectively. Oilseeds with PE plastic bags caused higher risk of PAEs pollution in oils than with PP plastic woven bags, and the solvent extracted oil had higher risk of pollution than the one obtained by pressing.

This study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of green tea polysaccharides (GTP), black tea polysaccharides (BTP) and oolong tea polysaccharides (OTP) in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The monosaccharide compositions of GTP, BTP and OTP were analyzed using gas chromatography, and the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the effects of three tea polysaccharides (TPs) on the proliferation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The cell cycle was determined by flow cytometry. The preadipocytes were differentiated into adipocytes using the traditional “cocktail” method and the differentiation rate was measured based on absorbance. The triglyceride (TG) content was measured to analyze lipid accumulation in adipocytes using the phosphoric acid oxidase peroxidase (GPO-PAP) method. The expression of transcription factors related to adipocyte differentiation was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The inhibition of the proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by three TPs were significantly different (P < 0.05). With the addition of 100 μg/mL TPs, the differentiation rates were (62.00 ± 6.61)% (GTP), (82.95 ± 4.25)% (BTP) and (97.24 ± 5.80)% (OTP). In addition, GTP, BTP and OTP could regulate the cell cycle, and the proportions of G0/G1 phase cells after 5 days were (68.52 ± 2.28)%, (67.11 ± 1.68)% and (59.69 ± 1.35)%, respectively. Further investigation of the total RNA extracted from the differentiated preadipocytes revealed that the addition of TPs (100 μg/mL) could regulate the expression of related cytokines. In this study, the inhibitory effect of GTP was more significant than those of BTP and OTP. Up-regulation of of adiponectin (ADP) expression activated the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway, which regulates the expression of related adipocyte factors, and ultimately leading to inhibition of TG synthesis and 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation.

Purpose: To investigate the antioxidant effect of oligopeptide extracted from Panax ginseng grown in Jilin province (GOP) on rats with D-galactose-induced oxidative damage. Methods: In total, 90 specific pathogen free (SPF) male SD rats were randomly divided into 9 groups: control group, model group, whey protein group, and six GOP groups with different doses. The rats in all groups except the control group were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of 125 mg/kg D-galactose for 6 weeks. Then, the rats in the six GOP groups were gavaged with 0.062 5, 0.125 0, 0.250 0, 0.500 0, 1.000 0 and 2.000 0 g/kg mb GOP, respectively, while those in the control and model groups were gavaged with the same volume of distilled water. The rats in the whey protein group were gavaged with 0.250 0 g/kg mb whey protein. The administration lasted for 45 days. At the same time, the rats in all groups except the control group were injected with D-galactose 125 mg/kg mb uninterruptedly. Thereafter, the oxidative stress parameters in serum and liver tissue were determined. Results: The levels of lipid peroxide and protein peroxide in the GOP groups were significantly lower than those in the model group. Meanwhile, the antioxidant enzyme activities and the antioxidant levels significantly increased compared with the model group (P < 0.05), and the antioxidant effect of GOP was better than that of whey protein. Conclusion: GOP has an antioxidant effect on rats with D-galactose-induced oxidative damage.

Protein hydrolysate from visceral waste proteins of sea cucumber was prepared by hydrolysis with neutral protease, followed by ultrafiltration and freeze drying. The protein content in the protein hydrolysate was 73.02%, which was composed mainly of small peptides. The results of high performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that the relative molecular weight of the hydrolysate was mainly distributed in the range of 187–998 D, accounting for 77.9% of the total peak area. In vitro antioxidant experiments showed that the protein hydrolysate had significant antioxidant activity. The hydrolysate at various dosages (200, 400 and 800 mg/(kg·d)) could significantly reduce the malonaldehyde content in mouse livers, and also increase the activity of superoxide dismutase, and glutathione contents (P < 0.01). The results illustrated that the hydrolysate could effectively restore antioxidant indexes. The experiments of antifatigue activity proved that the hydrolysate had high antifatigue activity. All three dosages of the hydrolysate could significantly increase the exhaustive swimming time and liver glycogen contents of mice, and reduce the contents of lactic acid and urea nitrogen in the serum of mice (P < 0.01).

Objective: This work investigated the anti-fatigue and antioxidant effects of blueberry anthocyanins in mice. Methods: Mice were administrated with low, medium and high doses of blueberry anthocyanins by gavage for 30 days. After that, weight-loaded swimming time, rota-rod endurance time, and the levels of liver glycogen (LG), muscle glycogen (MG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood lactic acid (BLA), serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and liver total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxide dismutase (GSH-Px). Results: Compared with the blank control group, blueberry anthocyanins at all doses significantly prolonged weight-loaded swimming time and rota-rod endurance time (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), increased LG content (P < 0.05), decreased BLA, BUN and MDA contents (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and improved the activity of liver T-AOC, T-SOD and GSH-Px in mice (P < 0.05). Blueberry anthocyanins at medium and high doses could noticeably improve LDH activity and MG content in mice (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Blueberry anthocyanins have good anti-fatigue and anti-oxidant effects in vivo.

This experiment explored the effect of kidney bean sprout polyphenols on restoring the antioxidant system and D-galactose-induced liver injury in mice. Intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose solution was conducted to construct a mouse model of oxidative injury. Body weight, liver coefficient and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in serum were determined after 28 days of continuous administration of different doses (20、40、60 mg/(kg·d)) of kidney bean sprout polyphenols, and liver tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and examined for the degree of liver damage and recovery. Compared with the model control group, oral administration of kidney bean sprout polyphenols showed no significant differences in body weight or liver coefficient (P > 0.05); however, serum SOD and GSH-Px activities in the middle- and high-dose groups were increased significantly (P < 0.05), MDA concentration was decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the liver function indicators ALT and AST activities were reduced significantly (P < 0.05). Histopathological observation indicated that swollen hepatocytes were restored to normal by the administration of kidney bean sprout polyphenols and the number of intercellular bleeding points and inflammatory cell infiltration were reduced dose-dependently.

Objective: To investigate the effect of sodium selenite, resveratrol and their combination on the proliferation and apoptosis of lung cancer cell line A549 cells and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method was used to assess the individual and combined effects of sodium selenite and resveratrol on proliferation and survival of A549 cells. The cell apoptosis rate and cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry. Results indicated that sodium selenite and resveratrol had an antagonistic effect on A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, and the effect was very significant at a concentration ≥ 5 μmol/L for sodium selenite and ≥ 65 μmol/L for resveratrol (P < 0.01). The median lethal doses of (LD50) of sodium selenite and resveratrol for A549 cells were 4.759 and 45.24 μmol/L, respectively. However, when sodium selenite and resveratrol were used in combination, a synergistic effect was observed. The combination of low-dose sodium selenite and resveratrol inhibited A549 cells as effectively as high-dose sodium selenite, greatly reducing the cytotoxicity of high-dose sodium selenite. In addition, the combination of sodium selenite and resveratrol arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase and ultimately led to cell apoptosis.

Objective: This study is aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of chondroitin sulfate from sturgeon bone on the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Methods: Three representative colorectal cancer cells (Caco-2, HCT-116, and SW480) were used in this study. Cell growth and proliferation was tested by cell counting kit-8（CCK-8) method. Colorectal cancer cell line HCT-116 was used to further investigate the pro-apoptotic ability of sturgeon chondroitin sulfate. Cell cycle and apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry. Cell morphology was observed after cell staining. Apoptosis was evaluated by caspase-3 activity. Our study indicated that sturgeon chondroitin sulfate significantly inhibit the cell proliferation of Caco-2, HCT-116 and SW480 cells with a percentage suppression of 70.94%, 90.00% and 75.00%, respectively. After sturgeon chondroitin sulfate treatment, the G1/G0 phase increased to 88.56% and the S phase declined to 4.47%. Meanwhile, sturgeon chondroitin sulfate-treated cells exhibited morphological changes, nuclear pyknosis and cell fragmentation, and significantly increased apoptotic enzyme activity (1 645 IU/μg) with an apoptosis rate of 63.73%. Sturgeon chondroitin sulfate showed potential anticancer activity, which will make it a new functional food ingredient.

The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic effect of a recently discovered strain Lactobacillus casei Qian (LC-Qian) and geniposide on the prevention of ethanol-induced gastric injury in mice. LC-Qian (0.5 × 108 CFU/kg mb) was mixed with geniposide (50 mg/kg mb), and LC-Qian (0.5 × 108 CFU/kg mb) and geniposide (50 mg/kg mb) were also used separately to protect against HCl/ethanol induced gastric injury and to compare their preventive effects. LC-Qian combined with geniposide (the combination group) diminished the gastric lesion area and gastric secretion volume and raised the pH of the gastric juice to a level close of that of the control group and significantly different from that in the model group. The combination treatment was also able to decrease the serum levels of cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), motilin (MOT), substance P (SP), and endothelin-1 (ET-1) but increase the levels of somatostatin (SS) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) as compared to the model group. The combination group showed higher NO contents in serum, heart, liver, kidney and stomach in comparison to the model group, but their levels were lower than those in the normal group. As indicated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, the combination treatment could increase the mRNA expression levels of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), endothelial NOS (eNOS) and inhibitor kappa B-α (IκB-α), and decrease the mRNA expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase NOS (iNOS) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) as compared to the model group. These expression levels in the combination group were similar to those of the normal group. From these results, it can be concluded that the combination treatment has the best preventive effects against gastric injury and LC-Qian could enhance the preventive effect of geniposide against gastric injury. Therefore, this combination treatment could be used as a new way method for the prevention of gastric injury.

The objective of this manuscript was to research the residual effect of O2/CO2 modified atmospheres on quality preservation of broccoli during storage at (15.0 ± 0.5) ℃. Broccoli heads were treated with 40% O2 + 60% CO2 for 1, 2 and 3 days, respectively before storage in air. Air storage without pretreatment was used as control. The ethylene production and respiration rates, and chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, ethanol and acetaldehyde contents in broccoli were periodically measured during storage. The results showed that the shelf life of broccoli heads treated with 40% O2 + 60% CO2 for 1, 2 and 3 days was 6, 7 and 9 days, while the shelf life of the control group was only 4 days. At the same time, 40% O2 + 60% CO2 treatment for 3 days could inhibit ethylene production and respiration rate, and delay the decrease of chlorophyll and ascorbic acid contents, and completely block the accumulation of ethanol and acetaldehyde. This study indicated that O2/CO2 modified atmosphere packaging during transportation could effectively prolong the shelf life of broccoli during subsequent storage in air.

The study investigated the effect of glycerol monolaurate (GML) addition on the properties of soy protein isolate (SPI) composite film, and discussed the formation mechanism of GML-SPI film by several analytical techniques including Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that with the increase of GML addition, tensile strength and elongation at break increased at first and then decreased. Three other indicators including water vapor permeability, light transmittance and water solubility continuously decreased, while brightness and whiteness increased. FT-IR results showed that SPI and GML were bound mainly by hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic force or other secondary bonds. According to XRD and DSC results, the crystallinity and melting temperature of GML-SPI film were both increased due to the addition of GML. However, SEM pictures suggested that GML addition led to decreased internal voids in GML-SPI film. In addition, phase separation of GML and SPI in composite film could be observed when the amount of GML addition was larger than 0.8%. The study may provide a theoretical basis for the development and application of some new edible packaging materials such as soy protein isolate composite film.

The effect of postharvest treatment with 1 mL/L ethephon on the physiological and quality attributes of Ruan’er pear fruits during ripening at relative humidity of 85%–90% and (20 ± 3) ℃ was investigated. It was shown that postharvest ethephon treatment could elevate ethylene release and result in earlier occurrence of the respiration peak in fruits by 2 days, thus accelerating fruit ripening. After 16 days of ripening, the percentage weight loss of ethephon-treated fruits (5.4%) was significantly lower than that (6.1%) of the control group (P < 0.05). Ethephon treatment improved the color of pear fruits, but for the whole ripening process, the treatment had no significant effect on the firmness, reducing sugar, titratable acidity and stone cell contents of the fruits (P > 0.05).

The effect of treatment with a novel glucose oxidase at a concentration of 0.1% (m/m) produced by the marine bacterium Bacillus sp. CAMT22370 in liquid-state fermentation on the sensory quality, texture, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and total viable count (TVC) of Pacific white shrimps was evaluated as compared with sodium sulfite, phytic acid and VC. The results revealed that Pacific white shrimps exhibited more desirable appearance, especially in terms of low melanosis, when immersed into glucose oxidase solution for 5 minutes, as compared with the control group. In addition, the sensory score of the treated sample was more than 10 points after 120 h of storage at 4 ℃. Glucose oxidase treatment not only effectively prevented the browning of shrimps but also significantly preserved the color, odor, hardness, elasticity, chewiness and adhesiveness (P ＜ 0.05). Furthermore, TVB-N and TVC values were 20.40 mg/100 g and 4.41 (lg (CFU/g)) respectively, after this period of storage. These findings indicated the glucose oxidase from Bacillus sp. CAMT22370 had the potential to be used for the preservation of Pacific white shrimps.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of whey antioxidant peptides on the functional properties and quality of myofibrillar protein from refrigerated pork patties. The experiment was divided into 6 groups, including blank control group, 20% whey protein isolate group, 10%, 15% and 20% whey antioxidant peptide groups, and 0.02% BHA group. The changes in turbidity, Ca2+-ATPase activity, emulsion stability, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content, cooking loss rate, surface hydrophobicity and myofibrillar protein solubility were measured after 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 days of storage (4 ℃). The results showed that 15% whey protein hydrolysate with antioxidant activity was almost as effective as BHA in inhibiting the increase in the turbidity of pork myofibrillar protein and the decrease in Ca2+-ATPase activity, avoiding the generation of TVB-N, and suppressing the decrease in the emulsion stability and solubility of myofibrillar protein. Addition of 20% whey-derived antioxidant peptides could most effectively reduce the cooking loss of pork patties and block the increase in the surface hydrophobicity of myofibrillar protein, and its effect was similar to that of 0.02% BHA. Conclusion: Antioxidant peptides derived from whey protein have the potential for improving the functional properties and quality of myofibrillar protein from refrigerated pork.

The inhibitory effects of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) on gray mold decay caused by Botrytis cinerea in harvested strawberry fruits stored at (5 ± 1) ℃ and the possible mechanisms were investigated. The strawberry fruits were pretreated with 20 mmol/L BABA, inoculated with the spores of Botrytis cinerea, and then stored at (5 ± 1) ℃ for 12 days. The results showed that the fruits treated with BABA had significantly lower disease incidence and smaller lesion diameters than the control fruits. The fruits treated with BABA showed 9.2% higher activity of chitinase (CHI) and 54.9% higher activity of β-1,3-glucanase (GLU) than the control fruits at the end of storage. BABA-treated fruits showed 29.3% lower activity of polygalacturonase (PG) and 24.4% lower activity of cellulose (Cel) than the control fruits. BABA treatment upregulated the expression of FaCHI and FaGLU and downregulated the expression of FaPG and FaCel. Moreover, BABA damaged the plasma membrane integrity of B. cinerea spores and caused the leakage of protein and sugar from the pathogen mycelia in vitro. The results indicated that BABA could effectively inhibit gray mold decay in strawberry fruits, which may be related to increased defense-related enzyme activities in fruits, suppressed PG and Cel activities and direct fungitoxic property against the pathogen.

Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a progressive disease characterized by obesity accompanied by declining skeletal muscle mass and/or strength in aging populations, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. A large number of studies have shown that the body composition of the elderly could gradually change with age, even if the body weight remains at the same level, skeletal muscle mass and functions could decrease and fat deposition could increase mainly in muscle tissues and visceral organs, leading to increased accumulation of intramuscular fat, accelerated secretion of inflammatory phenomena, reduced level of growth hormones, deficient intake of nutrients, increased daily physical inactivity, degenerated neuronal function, and improved insulin resistance, which are highly associated with sarcopenic obesity. Based on the molecular underlying molecular mechanisms, protein synthesis and degradation, glucose and lipid metabolism and related cytokines in skeletal muscle are involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism during sarcopenic obesity. Exercise intervention, calorie restriction, and consumption of proteins, vitamin D, β-hydroxy-β-methyl-butyrate (HMB), creatine and whey protein can play an important role in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenic obesity. Although the number of population with sarcopenic obesity increases, the pathogenesis of sarcopenic obesity is inconsistently understood and inconsistent evaluation criteria and prevention and treatment strategies for this disease are used by researchers, causing great difficulties in studying sarcopenic obesity. In this article, we summarize and discuss the literature to date regarding the definition, pathogenesis and related signal pathways of sarcopenic obesity, as well as the corresponding prevention and treatment strategies (exercise or nutrition interventions), which will provide a novel insight into the prevention and treatment of sarcopenic obesity.

Fungi of the genus Alternaria spp. are one of the important plant pathogens that can produce a variety of mycotoxins. Alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) are two important Alternaria spp. toxins that can contaminate various agro-products including vegetables, fruits, grains and their processed products. In this paper, the structure, physicochemical characteristics and toxicity of AOH and AME, the factors affecting their formation, their chemical and biological synthesis pathways, and the current status of their contamination levels are reviewed. Future prospects for the formulation of maximum residue limit standards and for the rapid detection of AOH and AME are discussed.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important global food crop, which is rich in nutrients and bioactives. Cooking (boiling, steaming, frying and baking) is usually adopted for potato consumption. The physical, chemical and enzymatic modifications during cooking will alter the nutritional composition and bioactive properties of potato. In this paper, we review the effects of different cooking methods on the nutritional composition, bioactive composition and functional properties (antioxidant, anticancer and antidiabetic activities) of potato. We hope this review will provide a useful reference for the processing and comprehensive utilization of potato.

Fruit-vegetable film, a novel processed food produced from fruits and vegetables, is used as either a snack food or as an edible packaging material. Fruit-vegetable film is an improved value-added product that can retain the original aroma, color and nutrition of the fresh raw materials. In this paper, we summarize recent progress in the formulation and key processing parameters of fruit-vegetable film, and review recent studies to evaluate the sensory quality, nutritional characteristics and antimicrobial properties of fruit-vegetable film. Furthermore, problems existing in the processing and quality evaluation of fruit-vegetable film are analyzed, such as new product development, undesirable properties for use as packaging materials, and the need for further optimization of the crucial parameters for pulping and browning control and various solutions to the problems are proposed with the purpose to provide useful references for the research and application of fruit-vegetable film.

Cronobacter spp., which was formerly defined as Enterobacter sakazakii, is one of the main pathogenic bacteria that easily contaminates powdered infant formula (PIF) and can infect newborns and cause severe necrotizing enterocolitis, bacteremia and meningitis, with a high mortality rate of 40%–80%. This article reviews the commonly used methods for the phenotypic and molecular typing of Cronobacter spp. including biotyping, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry, serological typing, pulsed field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, random amplification of polymorphic DNA, ribotyping, special genotyping and whole-genome typing with the aim of providing a better understanding of these methods, which will offer a basis for revealing the phenotypic characteristics and genetic diversity of Cronobacter spp..

Antiviral drugs have been banned from being used in food-producing animals in many countries of the world. Long-term use of such drugs will cause a series of problems such as drug residues, animal poisoning and virus variation and, which will have a detrimental impact on human health. However, so far, the country has not yet promulgated a national standard for the determination of antiviral drug residues in foods. In this review, the major detection methods for antiviral drugs, including enzyme immunoassay, chromatography, spectroscopy, electrochemical sensor, and chip method are summarized and analyzed. We hope that this review will provide theoretical supports to promote the detection of antiviral drugs in foods.