The effects of a high level (30%, m/m) of different cereal brans (wheat, triticale and oat) added to wheat flour on dough rheological properties, and gluten composition and secondary structure were studied. The results showed that addition of cereal bran, rich in dietary fiber, resulted in a remarkable increase of water-absorbing capacity and breakdown viscosity, a distinct decrease of setback viscosity and in general an increase of dough development time and stability time, which were dependent on cereal varieties. Moreover, an increase in gliadin and glutenin of 24.7%–73.0% and a reduction in disulfide bond content of 26.0%–35.5% were found. β-Sheet was the predominant secondary structure of gluten proteins, and addition of wheat and triticale brans led to the conversion of β-turn to β-sheet. The scanning electron microscopy showed that addition of cereal bran destroyed the compact and uniform microstructure of gluten. Together these findings indicated that bran addition could result in changes in gluten composition and secondary structure, leading to the deterioration of dough rheological properties and the final product quality.

In order to produce high-quality freeze-dried products and simultaneously reduce energy consumption for cost saving during the freeze drying process, the effect of osmotic dehydration (OD) and ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration (UOD) pretreatment on the eutectic point, melting point and temperature of Agaricus bisporus during freezing and freeze-drying and the texture, microstructure, color and nutritional quality of freeze-dried product were investigated. The results showed that 45 min UOD treatment, compared to the fresh treatment, reduced freezing time by 21.24% and freezedrying time by 28.62%. Moreover, this treatment retained more titratable acids, proteins and polyphenols than did 120 min OD treatment. Meanwhile, the hardness and rehydration ratio of 45 min UOD treatment were higher than those of 120 min OD treatment, and its microstructure was more similar to that of fresh samples.

This study evaluated the physicochemical and functional properties of water-soluble dietary fiber (SDF) prepared by ultrasonic-assisted cellulase hydrolysis of defatted rice bran. The SDF, with a high purity of (79.52 ± 0.07)%, had low protein and ash contents of (7.82 ± 0.13)% and (5.71 ± 0.11)%, respectively. The SDF had good physical and chemical properties; its water-holding capacity was (3.16 ± 0.15) g/g, oil-holding capacity (0.99 ± 0.08) g/g, swelling capacity (1.39 ± 0.12) mL/g, and water-binding capacity (4.18 ± 0.10) g/g. It was also found that the SDF had cation exchange capacity, and its solubility was positively proportional to temperature. Fourier transform infrared spectral analysis indicated the presence of some associated hydrogen bond in the SDF. Scanning electron microscopic analysis confirmed its high purity. Furthermore, the SDF exhibited strong antioxidant capacity in a concentration-dependent manner, which was determined to be 20.27% and 58.97% in the scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6- sulphonate) radicals at 10 mg/mL, respectively.

Reduced pressure plasma was used to modify soybean protein isolate (SPI) and the effect of exposure duration to 100 W plasma on the solubility, emulsifying activity index, rheological properties, thermal behavior, and surface roughness of SPI was studied in this work. The results indicated that exposure to 100 W reduced pressure plasma for 150 s resulted in the highest solubility, emulsifying activity, and water adsorption capacity of up to 572.83 μg/mL, 0.584 m2/g and 12.675 g/g, which were 35%, 15%, and 48% higher than those of the untreated control respectively. The highest oil adsorption capacity of 2.071 mL/g was observed at an exposure duration of 300 s, which was 12% higher than that of the control. Reduced pressure plasma treatment slightly decreased the initial viscosity of SPI solution, but did not affect its thixotropy or shearthinning behavior. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis revealed slightly decreased thermal stability and scanning electron microscope observation indicated increased surface roughness in plasma-treated SPI. Therefore, reduced-pressure plasma treatment could improve the solubility, emulsifying activity, water adsorption capacity, and oil adsorption capacity of SPI and hence has a great potential in the modification of SPI.

Phenolic components were sequentially extracted from Morchella angusticeps Peck using solvents with different polarities. As a result, ethyl acetate extract, methanol extract and water extract were obtained, and the phenolic components were identified by high performance liquid chromatography. Then, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of the extracts were determined, and the correlation between phenolic contents of the extracts and antioxidant activity was investigated. The results revealed that the total polyphenol content of M. angusticeps Peck was approximately 20.109 mg/g. The highest content of polyphenols (14.478 mg/g) was detected in the water extract, followed by the methanol extract (5.443 mg/g), and the ethyl acetate extract had the lowest content of polyphenols (0.188 mg/g). Orientin was the most abundant in all three extracts. The DPPH radical scavenging capacity of the water extract was the strongest, the methanol extract possessed the highest ABTS radical scavenging capacity, and ethyl acetate extract exhibited the highest ORAC value. An excellent correlation between ABTS radical scavenging activity or ORAC value and polyphenol contents was observed.

In order to elucidate the kinetic characteristics of the enzymatic hydrolysis of whey protein that had been subjected to ultrasound-ionic liquid (UIL) treatment, the effects of initial substrate concentration, enzyme concentration and hydrolysis time on the degree of hydrolysis of whey protein were studied, and a kinetic model for the hydrolysis of whey protein by alcalase was established. In addition, the effect of UIL treatment was evaluated on antioxidant activities of whey protein hydrolysates such as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, Fe2+ chelating activity and reducing power. Results showed that UIL treatment changed the kinetic model for enzymatic hydrolysis of whey protein. After UIL treatment, the critical enzyme concentration was decreased by 43.1%, suggesting that UIL treatment could promote the enzymatic hydrolysis of whey protein. Antioxidant assays showed that UIL treatment caused a 14.4% increase in the DPPH radical scavenging activity and a 28.4% increase in the Fe2+ chelating capacity of whey protein hydrolysate. Moreover, the reducing power was improved after UIL treatment. Size exclusion chromatography analysis showed that UIL treatment significantly increased the > 1-5 ku fraction from whey protein hydrolysate by 12.2% compared to untreated whey protein (P < 0.05).

In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action of calcium sulphite in the clarification of sugar cane juice on the basis of the morphology and structure of calcium sulphite particles. The results revealed that the surface of calcium sulphite particles showed a porous and loose structure, leading to better removal of colloidal particles suspended in sugar cane juice. The kinetic data were described better by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption isotherm was fitted with the Temkin model and thermodynamic parameters suggested that the adsorption process was a spontaneous and endothermic process. Furthermore, the calcium sulphite particles were thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in order to further understand the mechanism of calcium sulphite adsorption and trapping in sugar juice clarification.

Quercetin is of high interest in pharmaceutical industry due to its antioxidant activity and potential therapeutic effects on airway inflammation and cardiovascular diseases. However, the application of quercetin is limited due to its low water solubility and poor stability. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are macrocyclic molecules able to form inclusion complex with guest molecules, effectively enhancing their solubility, stability and bioavailability. In order to overcome the defect of quercetin, we prepared inclusion complexes of quercetin with three different cyclodextrins such as β-CD, G-β-CD and G2-β-CD. The phase solubility study showed that there was a linear relationship between the solubility of quercetin and the molality of CDs, and G-β-CD performed the best among three cyclodextrins in terms of increasing the solubility of quercetin. In order to confirm the formation of inclusion complex, some analytical techniques were applied, such as ultravioletvisible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry. The results revealed that the inclusion complex was formed as expected and the thermal stability of the guest molecule was improved. Furthermore, molecular docking showed that the ring C of quercetin was inserted into the hydrophobic cavity of G-β-CD during the inclusion process.

In order to explore the impact of thermal processing on the structure of egg white allergens, four major allergens in hen’s egg white were heated under different conditions of temperature and time. Circular dichroism, ultraviolet and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to detect the spatial structure of allergens. Results showed that ovotransferrin was unstable to heat, and its molecular structure was unfolded, with the aromatic residues and hydrophobic groups exposed on the molecular surface after heating. The secondary structure of ovalbumin became more ordered, ultraviolet absorbance value decreased, and surface hydrophobicity increased when it was heated slightly; however, with increasing temperature and heating time, ovalbumin became unordered and aggregated. The secondary structure of ovomucoid was relatively stable, and its molecules were unfolded after mild heating, leading to increased absorption and fluorescence intensities, and then aggregated partly after further heating. The secondary structure of lysozyme became disordered with the aromatic residues and hydrophobic groups gradually exposed after heating, but with increasing degree of heating, part of lysozyme became aggregated. The present study may provide a theoretical basis for studying the effect of heating on the allergenicity of egg allergens.

In this paper, the effect of addition of rice bran wax (RBW) to third-grade rice bran oil (RBO) on the formation and crystallization kinetic parameters of oleogel was studied. The results showed that addition of 4% RBW showed gelling behavior in RBO at 25 ℃. The hardness of oleogels showed an increasing trend with the increase of RBW content and was not changed significantly after 30 days of storage. With the increase of RBW content, solid fat content of oleogels increased. And the crystal structure of oleogels mainly consisted of β’ crystal. The crystals of oleogels with 4% and 7% RBW were formed in floc shape. When the content of RBW was increased to 10%, the crystal of oleogels changed into a long dendritic shape and the spatial distribution density increased. As the oleogels had only one crystal peak, the Avrami equation model was used to study the crystallization kinetics and a good linear relationship was obtained (R2 = 0.934 31), indicating that Avrami equation could be applied to simulate the crystallization process of oleogels. The Avrami exponent n obtained by fitting the data was 1.396 83, suggesting the simultaneous occurrence of instantaneous nucleation and one-dimensional and two-dimensional crystal growth.

The effect of guar gum on gelatinization and rheological properties of Castanea henryi starch was investigated. The results showed that the peak viscosity and final viscosity of the starch paste increased concentration-dependently with the addition of guar gum. Similarly, the onset gelatinization temperature (To), peak gelatinization temperature (Tp) and endothermic enthalpy (ΔH) were improved with the addition of guar gum, resulting in prolonged gelatinization process and greater heat absorption. The starch solution with added guar gum was a non-Newtonian flow with significant shear thinning and superior viscoelastic properties. The scanning electron microscope images showed more fillings in the holes on the surface of mixed gels of guar gum and C. henryi starch, less holes and more even distribution of holes compared with pure starch gels.

Pulsed light was used for the inactivation of Bacillus subtilis NG-2 and its spores. Morphological characteristics of the irradiated cells and spores were explored by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope, the leakage of intracellular contents was determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, and intracellular calcium ion concentration and nonspecific esterase activity were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that the optimal pulsed light parameters were determined as 5 cm and 5 cycles/s for distance and flash frequency, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, the total number of bacterial colonies was killed by more than 50% and 99.98% at 15 and 40 s of irradiation time, respectively. The structures of the cell and spore wall were damaged, and intercellular nucleic acid, proteins, diethyl 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate, Ca2+ and non-specific esterase activity were decreased after irradiation. The findings may provide a theoretical basis for the industrial application of pulsed light.

Proteins isolated from defatted cashew nut flour by salt extraction method (CNSPI) and alkaline extraction and subsequent isoelectric precipitation method (CNPI) were evaluated to compare their structural (molecular weight, secondary structure, amino acid composition), micromorphological and functional (solubility, foaming capacity and foam stability, emulsifying activity index and emulsion stability) properties. The results showed CNSPI and CNPI differed significantly in structure, micromorphology, and functional properties. CNSPI exhibited significantly higher protein content, better solubility and emulsifying properties compared with CNPI, while the foaming properties were lower. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the preparation methods had no impact on the primary structure of protein isolates. The nutritive value of protein isolates was evaluated by amino acid composition analysis. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that CNSPI exhibited a massive flaky microstructure while CNPI appeared in an irregular shape as a combination of only a few globules and some flaky plates. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy demonstrated that β-sheet was the major secondary structure in CNSPI and CNPI. CNPI had relatively more random coil (29.3%) and less α-helix (11.9% vs. 27.0%) than CNSPI, which was possibly because alkaline treatment destroyed protein structure and consequently changed functional properties. Under neutral pH condition, the foaming capacity of CNPI was 119.00%, and the emulsion capacity could reach 30.14 m2/g.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate protein conformation changes in pasteurized milk (65 ℃/30 min and 80 ℃/15 s), yoghurt (95 ℃/5 min) and ultra-high temperature sterilized milk (137 ℃/5 s) in comparison with raw milk as a control. The aim was to examine the effect of heat treatments on the secondary structure of milk proteins. The results showed that heat treatments could cause interactions between milk proteins, resulting in damage to the spatial structure of milk proteins and intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Different heat treatment conditions could result in different degrees of red shift of milk protein amide Ⅰ bands to lower wavenumbers, suggesting that intermolecular hydrogen bonds were formed between hydrophobic amino acid residues exposed during denaturation. Meanwhile, the secondary structure composition of milk proteins changed significantly after heat treatments; α-helix content decreased significantly (P < 0.05), random coil content increased significantly (P < 0.05), and both β-sheet and β-turn content decreased after an initial increase, indicating that the ordered structure was partially transformed to random coil. Protein aggregation occurred after thermal denaturation, and β-sheet and β-turn played an important role in the formation of heat-induced protein aggregates.

In order to evaluate the antioxidant activity and components of spine grape peel, crude extract from spine grape peel was prepared by ultrasonic assisted extraction with acidified methanol as the extraction solvent and separated by macroporous resin adsorption to obtain five main fractions (I–V). Spine grape peel showed high contents of total phenolics (1.836 mg/g mf), total flavonoids (0.874 mg/g mf), VC (3.567 mg/g mf), total condensed tannins (3.578 mg/g mf) and total anthocyanins (2.970 mg/g mf) . The antioxidant activity of the methanol extract as evaluated by means of 1,1-diphenyl- 2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was 22.325, 17.595 and 26.487 μmol TE/g mf, respectively. Among 5 fractions, the watereluted fraction I contained the highest contents of phenolics, flavonoids, VC, tannin and anthocyanins (0.876, 0.116, 1.577, 1.576 and 1.330 mg/g mf, respectively) and presented the best antioxidant activity (3.636, 10.109 and 13.415 μmol TE/g mf for DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS+· scavenging activity and FRAP, respectively). Significant correlations were observed between antioxidant activity and anthocyanins, tannin and VC contents, which suggested that these compounds might be the major antioxidants contributing to the observed activity. Therefore, spine grape peel is a promising source of antioxidants and can be used as a dietary supplement for health promotion.

Different blueberry cultivars and maturity are important for blueberry color, quality, phytochemical components and physiological functions. The sensory quality, phytochemical properties, antioxidant activity and phytochemical components of four different blueberry cultivars (‘Anna’, ‘Baldwin’, ‘Gardenblue’ and ‘Plolific’) harvested at three different dates (Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ) were investigated. The correlations of the investigated parameters with cultivar and maturity were investigated by the statistical approach of principal component analysis (PCA). Results indicated that both cultivar and harvesting date affected the analyzed parameters and cultivar had a more significant effect on VC content and antioxidant activity. PCA scatter plots showed that the blueberry samples could be clearly classified. From both nutritional and physiological points of view, ‘Anna’ and ‘Baldwin’ were the best cultivars for processing and the extraction of active phytochemicals. These results can provide a theoretical guideline for the breeding, processing and application of blueberry.

The effects of storage temperature and time on the retrogradation kinetics and Tg’ (glass transition temperature of the maximally freeze-concentrated state) of different wheat starches (normal wheat starch, wheat A-starch, and wheat B-starch) were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fully gelatinized wheat starches were stored at ?18, ?5, 4 and 22 ℃ for 3–21 d respectively; retrogradation degree (RD), Tg’ and unfrozen water content of wheat starches were determined. The results showed that no retrogradation occurred for wheat starches stored at ?18 ℃. The RD of wheat starch stored at 4 ℃ was greater than at ?5, and 22 ℃. As indicated by DSC analysis, the Tg’ of wheat B-starch was higher than that of wheat A-starch. The results revealed that there was a significant difference in retrogradation kinetics between A- and B-starch with the former having a greater RD. The unfrozen water content had a great impact on the Tg’ of wheat starch.

Egg curd was made from liquid whole egg with added konjac glucomannan (KGM), and the effect of KGM addition on the hardness, elasticity, yield, water-holding capacity, color, digestibility and sensory quality of egg curd was studied. Our results showed that with an increase in KGM addition, the hardness of egg curd increased firstly, reaching the maximum value with the addition of 0.16% KGM, and then decreased. Similarly, the product yield and water-holding capacity decreased after an initial increase, reaching the highest values with the addition of KGM of 0.12%. The addition of KGM lightened but not significantly the color of egg curd and reduced protein digestibility. Furthermore, there were differences in the volatile components of the fermentation products of KGM addition group and protein group as well as considerable differences in the concentration of compounds of the same class. The quality of egg curd with 0.12% KGM was the best in terms of both sensory evaluation and overall acceptability.

In order to provide a theoretical basis for growth regulation and efficient cultivation of Tremella fuciformis, the effects of different cultivation temperatures on seven extracellular enzyme activities at various growth and development stages and nutritional quality characteristics of Tremella fuciformis were studied. Meanwhile, the relative importance of seven extracellular enzymes for the nutritional quality of Tremella fuciformis was discussed by correlation analysis and path analysis. The results showed that the changes in the activity of extracellular enzymes of the same type were similar and the changes in all enzyme activities tested were stepwise in the appropriate temperature range. Comparative study revealed that the dry biological efficiency, polysaccharide content and protein content of mature Tremella fuciformis were the highest at (23.0 ± 0.5)℃ among seven cultivation temperatures, which were 35.67%, 21.51% and 8.53%, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that the average activity of all extracellular enzymes except carboxymethyl cellulase was positively correlated with dry biological efficiency and polysaccharide content, and protein content was positively correlated with the average activity of all seven extracellular enzymes. Further, path analysis showed that protease was a key factor for the nutritional quality of Tremella fuciformis. Collectively, these results indicated at (23.0±0.5)℃, the activity of key extracellular enzymes was higher and the nutritional quality of Tremella fuciformis was the best. Therefore, (23.0 ± 0.5)℃ can be recommended for industrial cultivation of Tremella fuciformis.

From commercially available apple pectin, pH-modified and heat-modified pectin were prepared through pH modification and high-pressure steam treatment, respectively. The physical and chemical properties of native and modified apple pectin were investigated, and further, their antioxidant activity was examined. The results showed that galacturonic acid contents of pH-modified and heat-modified pectin increased from (683.92 ± 4.51) mg/g to (910.61 ± 1.08) and (780.19 ± 5.68) mg/g, respectively, and the degree of esterification was reduced from (77.26 ± 1.20)% to (35.48 ± 1.90)% and (33.67 ± 1.28)%, respectively as compared to the native one. The molecular weight of pectin reduced and the contents of polyphenol and protein were reduced (to less than 3 and 7 mg/g, respectively) after modification. The scavenging activity of all three apple pectins against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, 2,2’-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt and superoxide anion free radicals was enhanced with their increasing concentration, and pH modification could contribute to improving the antioxidant activity of pectin, which may be related to its increased galacturonic acid content.

This study aimed to investigate the hypolipidemic potential of Bifidobacterium animalis LPL-RH, B. longum TTF and Lactobacillus plantarum LPL-1. The cholesterol-lowering ability and bile salt hydrolase activity were determined. Then, the effect of probiotic intervention on blood lipids in high-fat diet fed SD rats was examined. The results showed that the cholesterol removal rates of B. animalis LPL-RH, B. longum TTF and L. plantarum LPL-1 were 23.8%, 24.5% and 20.9%, respectively, with no significant differences among them. All three probiotics had bile salt hydrolase activity. The assays in vivo showed that intervention with LPL-RH, TTF and LPL-1 decreased serum cholesterol by 17.3%, 11.4% and 10.1%, triglycerides by 19.1%, 16.8% and 11.5%, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 24.0%, 20.0% and 10.0%, and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 10.3%, 5.2% and 1.7% in hyperlipidemia rats, respectively. In summary, the three strains have the potential to be developed as lipid-lowering probiotics, with B. animalis LPL-RH having the best lipid-lowering ability.

Purpose: To explore the protective effect of neoagarotetraose against over-exhaustion-induced gut injury by RNA-seq analysis. Methods: Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal control group, over-exhaustion model group (both the groups were gavaged with saline), over-exhaustion plus fructooligosaccharide (FOS) group (positive control), and over-exhaustion plus neoagarotetraose (NAT) group. After sixteen days of administration, colon tissues from the mice in each group were collected, and then RNA was extracted for RNA-seq analysis. Results: Over-exhaustion resulted in significantly increased expression of zinc finger proteins Zfp521 and Zmynd8, associated with inflammation and tumor proliferation (P < 0.01), and significantly reduced expression of tumor suppressors Casz1 and Zfp346 (P < 0.05). NAT could relieve over-exhaustion-induced gut injury by downregulating the expression of zinc finger proteins related to tumor proliferation and upregulating the expression of tumor-suppressing zinc finger proteins. Conclusion: NAT can protect against over-exhaustion-induced gut injury in mice and prevent the occurrence of tumors.

In the present study, the anti-aging effect of sea buckthorn seed extracts (SBSE) obtained by ethanol extraction and macroporous resin purification was evaluated using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism and its underlying mechanism was discussed as well. The effect of different concentrations of SBSE was investigated on the lifespan, reproductive capability, heat and oxidative stress defense of C. elegans. In order to explore the anti-aging mechanism of SBSE at the gene level, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the expression levels of related genes were determined. The results indicated that SBSE could significantly prolong the lifespan of C. elegans (P < 0.05), and reduce the accumulation of lipofuscin. Meanwhile, the number of C. elegans offsprings treated with 0.05 mg/mL of SBSE (246.40 ± 21.11) was significantly bigger than the control (205.80 ± 20.42) (P < 0.05). SBSE could significantly enhance the heat and oxidative stress defense (P < 0.05). Furthermore, SBSE increased the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, down-regulated the pro-aging gene expression levels of age-1 and daf-2, and up-regulated the anti-aging gene expression levels of sir-2.1. Therefore, SBSE possess an anti-aging effect by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes and changing the expression of aging-related genes.

To study the impact of a high-fat diet supplemented with different doses of banana resistant starch (RS) on the diversity of gut Actinobacteria in obese C57BL/6J mice, 40 mice were randomly divided into five groups, which were fed a conventional diet (CONV), a high-fat diet (HF) alone, supplemented with 5% (5% RS + HF), 10% (10% RS + HF), and 15% (15% RS + HF) of RS, respectively. After 8 weeks of dietary intervention, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was used to monitor the changes in the composition of gut Actinobacteria in mice. The amounts of fecal Bifidobacterium were compared among the five groups of animals by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cluster analysis of the DGGE profiles showed that the HF group was significantly different from the other 4 groups. All the RS groups tended to form a cluster without obvious boundaries. In addition, the diversity and abundance of Actinobacteria in the 5% RS + HF and 15% RS + HF groups were significantly lower than in the CONV and HF groups (P < 0.05) and also lower than in the 10% RS + HF group. PCR results suggested that the high-fat diet could highly significantly reduce the number of gut Bifidobacteria (P < 0.01), which, however, was very significantly increased by supplementation of 10% and 15% RS (P < 0.001). Hence, we concluded that resistant starch can restore the diversity of gut Actinobacteria in obese mice, and significantly promote the growth of Bifidobacteria in a dose-dependent manner.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of yogurt fermented by a mixed culture of Lactobacillus plantarum NDC75017 and Streptococcus thermophilus on D-galactose (D-Gal)-induced brain damage in rats. Wistar rats were divided into six groups, including normal control, negative control, low-, medium- and high-dose yogurt, and D-Gal + VE (positive control) groups. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in rat serum and brain tissue, body weight, and the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in rat brain were tested. Histopathological examination with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to analyze the extent of brain damage. The results showed that compared with the negative control group, all doses of the yogurt enhanced SOD, GSH-Px and CAT activities, and decreased MDA and NO concentrations as well as iNOS activity in rat brain. The yogurt at high dose was the most effective in enhancing SOD and GSH-Px activities, resulting in an increase of 67.8% and 22.8% compared with the negative control group, respectively (P < 0.05). Moreover, brain CAT activity in the high-dose yoghurt group was comparable to that in the positive control group (P > 0.05). In rat brain, MDA level declined with increasing dose (P > 0.05), closest to that of the normal control group at high dose. At the same time, all doses of the yogurt also reduced NO level and iNOS activity. Conclusion: Yogurt co-fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum and Streptococcus thermophilus can protect the rat brain against D-Gal-induced oxidative damage by improving antioxidant enzymes activities in serum and brain tissue, reducing MDA and NO concentrations and iNOS activity, and decreasing the expression of caspase-9 and caspase-3, which was also confirmed by HE staining results.

Objective: We used Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism to study the anti-aging effect of purple sweet potato extract (PSPE) and to elucidate its possible mechanism. Methods: C. elegans were fed with NGM culture medium containing different concentrations (70, 140, 280 μg/mL) of PSPE, and the effect of PSPE on the lifespan, the activity of antioxidant enzymes, the expression of related genes and the resistance to acute oxidative stress were determined. Results: PSPE could markedly prolong the lifespan of C. elegans, increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), up-regulated the gene expression levels of daf-16, ctl-1, sod-3 and sir-2.1, and down-regulated the expression levels of age-1 and daf-2. At the same time, it could extend the survival time under H2O2, juglone and paraquat stress. Conclusion: PSPE could slow down the aging process of C. elegans, increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes, promote the expression of antioxidant genes, and enhanced the resistance to oxidative stress induced by H2O2, juglone or paraquat.

The present study was intended to investigate the enzymatic preparation and antithrombotic activity of anticoagulant peptides from Perinereis aibuhitensis (PAAP). The optimum enzyme was determined based on anticoagulant activity. Ultrafiltration, anion-exchange chromatography, gel chromatography and reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography were used sequentially to separate and purify peptides with the strongest anticoagulant activity from the protein hydrolysate of Perinereis aibuhitensis, named as PAAP. Then, the acute toxicity of PAAP was determined. Furthermore, the antithrombotic activity of PAAP was observed by carrageenan-induced tail thrombosis in mice, FeCl3-induced arterial thrombosis in rats and platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Alkaline protease was selected as the optimal protease to digest Perinereis aibuhitensis. An anticoagulant peptide was then obtained after separation and purification, and identified as Pro-Val-Glu-Arg-Lys. The anticoagulant activity of PAAP could reach up to (1 320.0 ± 20.3) U/g. The maximum tolerance dose of PAAP was 11.0 g/(kg·d) without the occurrence of abnormality and death in mice. The in vivo experiments also showed that PAAP could prevent the formation of carrageenan-induced tail thrombosis in mice, FeCl3-induced arterial thrombosis in rats and platelet aggregation induced by ADP. Thus PAAP has an antithrombotic effect.

Objective: To screen for lactic acid bacteria with excellent probiotic and antioxidant properties and to study their anti-aging effect on D-galactose-induced aging mice. Methods: Three strains of lactic acid bacteria with high antioxidant activity were isolated from yak yogurt in the Tibetan Plateau, and their probiotic properties in vitro were evaluated in terms of tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal fluid and bile salts and hydrophobic ability. The best strain was further selected and fed to the aging model mice. The probiotic properties in vivo were evaluated by organ indexes, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in brain tissue and serum of rats from each treatment group. Results: Lactobacillus plantarum XM5 had strong resistance to simulated gastrointestinal fluid and bile salt, and also had high hydrophobic ability. Intake of L. plantarum XM5 could effectively alleviate the oxidative damage in rat brain induced by D-galactose, significantly increase GSH-Px activity in liver, GSH-Px and T-SOD activities and T-AOC in serum and significantly reduce MDA content in liver, brain tissue and serum (P < 0.05). Conclusion: L. plantarum XM5 has great potential for application due to its excellent antioxidant properties.

To study the protective effect of mulberry juice concentrate on oxidative injury in the kidney of rats, an aging rat model was established by injection of D-galactose (D-Gal) and the experimental rats were divided into six groups, including normal control, negative control, positive control group (D-Gal + VE), D-Gal + mulberry juice concentrate low-, middle- and high-dose groups. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in liver homogenate, nitric oxide (NO), urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Scr) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum, and the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein (Bax) gene in kidney were measured. Besides, hematoxylin-eosin stained kidney sections were histopathologically examined. The results showed that compared with the negative control group, mulberry juice concentrate at middle and high doses could significantly increase the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and T-AOC in renal tissue (P < 0.05), decrease MDA level in renal tissue, serum BUN and Scr levels and repress the increase in serum NO (P < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the expression of Bax was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), and the best result was observed at high dose, where GSH-Px activity was 150.33 U and serum Scr and BUN were 34.54 μmol/L and 8.96 mmol/L, respectively, which were close to the levels of the positive control group (P > 0.05), and serum NO was 29.78 μmol/L, which was similar to that of the blank control group (P > 0.05). Histopathological examination showed that compared with the model group, the symptoms of kidney injury in the treatment groups were obviously alleviated, especially in the middle- and high-dose groups, where few renal tubular epithelial cells were loose and pale, without obvious congestion or bleeding. In summary, mulberry juice concentrate has a good protective effect on D-Gal-induced oxidative stress in the kidney of rats.

In this paper, calcium-binding collagen polypeptide (CP-Ca) was synthesized by liquid-state reaction between collagen polypeptide prepared in our laboratory from pigskin gelatin and calcium gluconate, and the effect of CP-Ca on improving bone mineral density (BMD) in rats was investigated. Totally 120 female SD rats were equally divided into 10 groups: control group (deionized water by gavage), low-, middle- and high-dosage CP-Ca groups (139.28, 278.55 and 557.10 mg/(100 g·d)), low-, middle- and high-dosage CaCO3 groups (25, 50 and 100 mg/(100 g·d)), and low-, middle- and high-dosage CP + CaCO3 group (139.28 mg /(100 g·d) CP + 25 mg/(100 g·d) CaCO3, 278.55 mg/(100 g·d) CP + 50 mg/(100 g·d) CaCO3, 557.10 mg/(100 g·d) CP + 100 mg/(100 g·d) CaCO3). All rats were fed on a basic diet and deionized water. The body weight and length of the rats were recorded weekly. A three-day calcium metabolism experiment was carried out in the fourth week to estimate the apparent absorptivity of calcium. Serum calcium (SCa), serum phosphorusand (S-P), and alkaline phosphatese (ALP), BMD and bone calcium content were measured. The rat femurs were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that CP-Ca at middle and high dosages and CP + CaCO3 at high dosage could significantly promote body weight gain (P < 0.05), and the effect of CPCa was more apparent. CP-Ca and CP + CaCO3 had obviously lower ALP activity than the control group (P < 0.05). CP-Ca and CP + CaCO3 both at middle and high dosages significantly raised BMD compared to the control group (P < 0.05), and CP-Ca was more effective at the high dosage. At all dosages tested, CP-Ca and CP + CaCO3 resulted in higher Ca bioavailability than CaCO3. CP-Ca could activate osteoblasts on the surface of bones, increase the density of bones and reduce bone calcium loss. Meanwhile, SEM revealed that CP-Ca and CP + CaCO3 could prevent and improve osteoporosis caused by long-term calcium deficiency. CP-Ca was highly soluble, exhibited good dissociation ability, and was rich in calcium and polypeptides so than it can be used in functional foods and health products to prevent osteoporosis and improve BMD.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the intervention effect of Lycium barbarum juice (LBJ) on the metabolism of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) by analyzing the activity of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1 (UGT1) and metabolic detoxification profile in the liver of rats exposed to DEHP. Methods: Sixty Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 20 each): control group, DEHP group and LBJ group. The DEHP and LBJ groups were administered with normal saline and LBJ respectively by gavage once daily for 7 consecutive days after receiving a single dose of 3 000 mg/kg mb DEHP dissolved in sesame oil. The control group was treated with normal saline for 7 days after receiving the same volume of sesame oil of. Urine samples were collected for 24 hours daily during the experimental period. Totally 5 rats were sacrificed randomly in each group after 1, 3, 5 and 7 days of exposure. The activity of UGT1 was determined by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit while the contents of mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) in serum and urine and phthalic acid (PA) in urine were detected by high performance liquid chromatography. Results: The activity of UGT1 in the LBJ group significantly increased on the 5th day compared to the DEHP and control groups (P < 0.05). The content of serum MEHP in the LBJ group decreased significantly, whereas the contents of urine MEHP and PA increased compared to DEHP group. Conclusion: LBJ can promote the metabolism and excretion of DEHP through improving the activity of UGT1, making it a healthcare product or functional food against the potential hazard of phthalate esters (PAEs) or other poisonous chemicals.

In order to quantify the dietary exposure of the population of Jiangsu province to cadmium from crayfish (Procambarus clarkia), the cadmium content of crayfish was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Further, on the basis of the analytical data obtained and taking into account the dietary intake of cadmium in the population of Jiangsu province, the dietary exposure to cadmium from crayfish and the health risk associated with dietary cadmium exposure were evaluated by point estimate and probabilistic assessment. The results showed that the average cadmium content of 705 crayfish samples was 0.068 mg/kg, and two (0.28%) of them were found to exceed the maximum allowable limit. The results of point estimate indicated that the mean, 75 quantile and 90 quantile of the estimated dietary chronic to cadmium from crayfish accounted for 0.07%, 0.05%, and 0.32% of provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI), respectively. The results of probabilistic assessment showed that the mean, 75 quantile and 90 quantile of the estimated dietary cadmium intake accounted for 0.08%, 0.10% and 0.21% of PTMI and dietary cadmium intake was safe for 91.6% of people in Jiangsu. Overall, the dietary exposure of the population of Jiangsu province to cadmium from crayfish was at a safe level, and the total dietary intake of cadmium will not increase by long-term consumption of crayfish.

The antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of water-soluble polysaccharide from jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) pulp (JFP-Ps) were investigated. The effect of JFP-Ps on the proliferation of normal mouse spleen lymphocytes, antioxidant capacity (total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity) and malonic dialdehyde (MDA) contents, as well as the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were detected by culturing mouse spleen lymphocytes in vitro in the presence of different concentrations of JFP-Ps. The results showed that JFP-Ps at 80 and 160 μg/mL significantly (P < 0.05) increased lymphocyte proliferation, and it at 40 μg/mL and above enhanced T-AOC, GSH-Px, SOD and CAT activities and reduced MDA content. Moreover, JFP-Ps at 40, 80 and 160 μg/mL significantly increased the secretion of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-1β in spleen lymphocytes (P < 0.05). These results indicate that JFP-Ps exerts immunomodulatory effect likely by inducing lymphocyte proliferation, enhancing antioxidant activity and increasing the secretion of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-1β.

The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of ethanol extract from sesame sauce (SSE) on 2,2’-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced oxidative stress in pig renal epithelial LLC-PK1 cells. LLC-PK1 cells were incubated with different concentrations of SSE (10–100 μg/mL) for 24 h, and then exposed to AAPH (1 mmol/L) for 4 h. Cell viability was determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay (TBARS) and DCFHDA assay, respectively. The activities of cellular antioxidant enzymes including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione S-transferase (GST), γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS) and glutathione (GSH) were measured by colorimetric assay. In addition, the mRNA levels of these antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GSH-Px and CAT) were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. SSE was able to increase cell viability, and decrease ROS and MDA level, as well as increase the activities and mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes (CAT、SOD and GSH-Px) compared with the control group. SSE treatment also increased the activity of γ-GCS and GSH levels in AAPH-treated LLC-PK1 cells. These results suggested that SSE showed a protective effect against AAPH-induced oxidative stress in LLC-PK1 cells through inhibiting lipid peroxidation, deceasing ROS levels, and increasing the activity of the endogenous antioxidant system.

Objective: To investigate the effect of green tea polyphenols (GTP) on the serum level of uric acid in fructoseinduced hyperuricemic rats, and explore the potential mechanism. Methods: Rats were fed with 10 g/100 mL fructose solution for 8 weeks to induce hyperuricemia. Meanwhile, allopurinol (API) at 4 mg/(kg·d) and GTP at 75, 150 or 300 mg/ (kg·d) were intragastrically administered separately to the rats once daily during the fifth to eighth week. Uric acid level in serum was examined by the phosphotungstic acid method. Meantime, the activity and expression of xanthine oxidase (XOD) in liver were tested. In addition, the expression of urate transporter (UAT), urate-anion transporter (URAT) 1 and glucose transporter (GLUT) 9 in kidney were analyzed. Results: 150、300 mg/(kg·d) GTP significantly decreased the serum level of uric acid in fructose-induced hyperuricemic rats (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). At the same time, 150、300 mg/(kg·d) GTP markedly reduced the activity and expression of XOD in the live of hyperuricemic rats (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Finally, GTP markedly enhanced UAT expression and reduced the expression of URAT1 and GLUT9 in the kidney of hyperuricemic rats (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Conclusion: 150、300 mg/(kg·d) GTP can decrease the serum level of uric acid in fructose-induced hyperuricemic rats through both reducing uric acid production and promoting uric acid excretion.

Fermented milk benefits human health in many respects. Gln-Glu-Pro-Val (QEPV) is a peptide produced through enzymatic hydrolysis of the milk-derived peptide Gln-Glu-Pro-Val-Leu. QEPV elicits immunomodulatory effects on lymphocytes as a bioactive peptide. In this research, the transepithelial transport of QEPV was investigated in vitro and in vivo by using the Caco-2 cell monolayer model and mouse models. Results showed that QEPV exhibited good stability and it could integrally cross the Caco-2 cell monolayer in vitro. A limited transepithelial transport rate was observed at the concentration of 3.00 mg/mL in the Caco-2 cell monolayer model. Besides, QEPV was not detected in Caco-2 cells by both flow cytometry (FCM) and ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Therefore, QEPV could be absorbed as a bioactive peptide via the paracellular pathway in vitro. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that QEPV could be absorbed by mice via gastrointestinal and peritoneal routes. QEPV was less efficiently absorbed from the intestine than from the peritoneal cavity.

The modified Gompertz equation was applied to fit a kinetic model for mold growth in corn stored at different temperatures. Further, a second-order model using the modified linear Arrhenius-Davey equation was established to describe the influence of temperature on the specific growth rate and lag phase of molds in corn. The model was validated by additional experimental data. The results showed that the model had a high coefficient of determination (R2), of 0.959 and 0.994 for specific growth rate and lag phase, respectively. The obtained bias factors of the model were 0.951 and 0.927, respectively, and its accuracy factors were less than 1.082. Furthermore, its mean square errors (MSEs) (0.009–0.027) were low. The current study proved that the Arrhenius-Davey model can better describe and predict the influence of storage temperature on the growth rate and lag phase of molds in corn.

In order to obtain the optimal sterilization conditions for fresh beef with a cold plasma system, where beef color is not significantly impacted, the sterilization efficiency and redness (a*) value were optimized as a function of voltage, treatment time and O2 percentage using a combination of one-factor-at-a-time method and response surface methodology with a Box-Behnken design. A quadratic polynomial regression equation to predict the two response variables was fitted. The results showed that cold plasma could effectively reduce the total viable count of beef, and a voltage of 72 kV, a processing time of 86 s and an atmosphere consisting of 35% O2, 35% CO2 and 30% N2 were found to be the optimal conditions to obtain a higher sterilization efficiency of 93.75%, agreeing with the predicted value (94.04%). The optimization model proposed in this study can provide a useful guideline for practical application of cold plasma as a sterilization technology.

Intelligent indicator films based on natural anthocyanins from roselle were developed for real-time monitoring of pork freshness. Three kinds of composite films were prepared by using binary combinations of starch, chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol as the solid substrate. The mechanical properties, water content, microstructure and color stability of the composite films were characterized and compared. The results showed that the chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/roselle anthocyanins composite film had the highest tensile strength (98.28 MPa), and the starch/polyvinyl alcohol/roselle anthocyanins (SPR) composite film had the highest elongation at break (88.16%), lowest water content and greatest color stability. Scanning electron microscopic photographs showed that the composite films had different microstructures. Finally, the SPR film was selected to indicate the freshness of pork stored at 25 ℃. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) value of pork samples increased over time. In particular at 36 h, the TVB-N value was higher than 15 mg/100 g, indicating the occurrence of pork spoilage. Accordingly, the color of the SPR composite film changed into mauve and eventually into brown (at 60 h) with the increase of TVB-N. Overall, these results can help develop intelligent indicator films for monitoring pork freshness.

The effect of slurry ice made with Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (GBLE) or bamboo vinegar (BV) on the quality of pomfret (Pampus argenteus) during ice storage was investigated in this paper. Fresh pomfret were transported to the laboratory within 30 min, washed and then divided into 3 groups randomly, which were treated with slurry ice made with 1% (V/V) GBLE, 1% BV, and salt solution (as control), respectively. Thereafter, the fish were stored at 4 ℃. Sensory evaluation and physicochemical properties (texture profile analysis, electronic conductivity, pH, K value, thiobarbituric acid, total volatile basis nitrogen (TVB-N)), microbiological analysis (aerobic plate count, Pseudomonas count, Shewanella count) and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance were used to evaluate the quality of Pampus argenteus at different storage times. The results obtained showed that treatment with slurry ice made with GBLE and BV could well maintain the sensory quality and texture properties of fish, delay the increase in electronic conductivity, pH, K value, TVB-N and microbial numbers and reduced the rate of lipid oxidation. The storage life of pomfret treated with slurry ice made with GBLE and BV could be extended from 9–12 d to 15–16 d and 17–18 d, respectively.

The factors related to the quality deterioration of pomegranate peel during storage at different temperatures were investigated using multivariate analysis. One-way analysis of variance and principal component analysis showed that peel browning, water loss, cell senescence and color deterioration could be effectively inhibited during storage at 6 ℃. Correlation analysis, partial least squares regression and path coefficient analysis indicated that peel browning index was positively correlated with cell membrane permeability and malondialdehyde content (P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with firmness, water content, total phenol content, anthocyanidin content and L* (P < 0.01). The water content of pomegranate peel had a direct and negative impact on peel browning index, and cell membrane permeability indirectly and positively affected peel browning through water content and a*.

Crispy duck legs were stored at different constant temperatures (5 and 30 ℃) and relative humidities (50%, 70% and 90%) for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h, respectively. Meanwhile, moisture content, water activity, shear force, and microstructure of crispy duck legs were measured. The aims were to analyze the effect of moisture migration on the crispness of crispy duck legs during storage and transportation to investigate the underlying mechanism of crisp deterioration. The results showed that during storage at 5 ℃, a decrease of the moisture content in skin was firstly presented followed by an increase, tending to a constant value after 6 h. Water activity of skin increased to reach a plateau after 6 h. However, water activity of meat first decreased rapidly from 0 to 2 h and then slowly after 4 h. Shear force of skin increased from 0 to 6 h and then decreased quickly. During storage at 30 ℃, moisture content of skin increased at first and then decreased, and the changes in water activity and shear force were similar to those observed at 5 ℃. Moisture content and water activity of skin increased with an increase of relative humidity; at the same time, shear force increased and crispness decreased. Only a few big pores in skin were observed just after being fried, and the amount of pores with smaller diameter increased with the migration of moisture. The findings indicated that temperature and relative humidity significantly influenced moisture migration between skin and meat during storage and transportation of crispy duck. The slow moisture migration rate observed at 5 ℃ resulted in low moisture content and water activity in duck. Moisture content and water activity in duck skin increased with an increase of relative humidity. Furthermore, the microstructure of skin was destroyed due to the continuous moisture migration among skin, meat, and the environment, resulting in an increase of shear force and a decrease of crispness.

In order to study the effect of ultra-high pressure treatment on the quality of freshly dead Portunus trituberculatus, changes in sensory scores, pH, color difference, myofibrillar protein content, sulphydryl content, surface hydrophobicity and Ca2+-ATPase activity were determined after high pressure treatments. Results showed that sensory scores, pH and whiteness of P. trituberculatus did not significantly change at 150, 200 and 250 MPa compared with the control group (P > 0.05), but significant changes occurred at 300 and 350 MPa (P < 0.05). Moreover, at the higher pressures crab muscle was slightly cooked, producing a unique flavor of cooked crab. At all pressures except 250 MPa for myofibrillar protein content and except 150 and 200 MPa for Ca2+-ATPase activity, both parameters significantly changed (P < 0.05). No significant change was observed in sulfhydryl content of crab myofibrillar protein at 150 and 200 MPa (P > 0.05), whereas surface hydrophobicity was significantly increased (P < 0.05) compared with the control group. Taking into account both sensory scores and biochemistry properties of myofibrillar protein, the quality of P. trituberculatus didn’t significantly changed at 150, 200 or 250 MPa, which can provide a theoretical basis for further studying the effect under ultra-high pressure on the storage quality of P. trituberculatus.

Alternaria spp. is the most important pathogen causing tomato diseases. Rotten tomatoes not only bring huge financial loss, but also accumulate mycotoxins in the lesion and surrounding tissues. Due to the restriction of processing technology, tomato products were also contaminated by mycotoxins, which could result in carcinogenesis, teratogenesis and mutagenesis, thereby causing a potential threat to human and animal health. This review summarized the contamination of Alternaria toxins on tomato and tomato-derived products in domestic and aboard, and the control of Alternaria and its mycotoxin, in order to provide the reference for reducing the safety risk on tomato and its products.

Non-thermal plasma is able to induce the production of highly active species such as hydroxyl radical (OH·), hydroperoxyl radical (HO2?), superoxide anion radical (O2-·), and atomic oxygen radical anion (O-), and it has a distinctive effect on degrading and modifying biopolymers. The generation and properties of low temperature plasma are described in this review. This article also reviews recent progress in the application of low temperature plasma in the degradation and modification of biopolymers. In addition, the mechanisms of degradation and modification of polysaccharides, proteins and other polymers by low temperature plasma are also summarized.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the main components responsible for the flavor of foods. The analysis of VOCs in foods, which can reveal a lot of information about some properties of foods, represents an easy and convenient means for studies in food science and technology and has become an important direction in the field of food analysis. Proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), an important technique to detect trace amounts of VOCs, has many advantages including high sensitivity, short response time, no need for pretreatment, and easy operation, which can allow the determination of the absolute concentration of VOCs within several minutes and consequently the real-time monitoring VOCs changes in foods, facilitating effectively food safety supervision, food quality control, and the development of new products. This paper presents the working principle, basic structure and development of PTR-MS. Meanwhile, the current state of the art in the study and application in food field of PTR-MS in the full-scan mode and for the real-time monitoring VOCs is elaborately described. Finally, prospects for its future development are discussed.

L-theanine (γ-glutamylethylamide), a unique non-protein-derived amino acid in tea, has a broad range of bioactivities, such as improving food flavor, releasing pressure and enhancing the efficiency of anticancer agents. Herein, the physiological and pharmacological activities of L-theanine and its applications in food, health and medical industries are summarized with focus on the enzymatic synthesis of L-theanine. Moreover, directions for future research are also discussed in the hope of providing a guideline for the large-scale industrial production of L-theanine.

Pulsed light (PL) is a non-thermal sterilization technology which uses instantaneous high intensity broad spectrum pulsed light emitted by a xenon lamp for microbial decontamination. PL treatment can inactivate a wide variety of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms which are present on a solid surface, in gases or in transparent liquids including bacteria, spores, fungi, fungal spores, viruses and protozoa, and has the advantages of low energy consumption, high bactericidal efficiency, and low negative impact on the product quality and nutrition. This paper reviews the working principle of a PL generator, the mechanism and affecting factors of microbial inactivation by PL, and recent advances in the application of PL in the sterilization of vegetables and fruits and food packaging materials and in water treatment.

Generalized artificial antibodies include aptamers, recombinant receptors, molecularly imprinted polymers and polypeptides. Artificial antibodies are significantly advantageous over conventional antibodies in terms of their ease of industrial production, low cost, ease of storage and reutilizability. In food safety detection, the most widely used technique is enzyme-linked assay based on artificial antibody. This paper reviews the benefits and drawbacks of applying aptamers, receptor, molecularly imprinted polymers and polypeptides in enzyme-linked assay, as well as the prospect of artificial antibody in enzyme-linked assay for food safety detection.