In this paper, we provided an overview of applied and approved projects from the National Natural Science
Foundation of China (NSFC) in the field of food science in 2015. The characteristics and difference in the number of applied
and approved projects, applicant institutions and project distribution in different sub-disciplines were compared among
the general program, funds for young scholars and funds for less developed regions in the field of food science during
2014–2015. The results of peer review and project innovation were analyzed. Meanwhile, some problems existing in project
application were also discussed.

In this study, crude extract rich in cystine proteinase inhibitors (CPIs) from silver carp eggs was prepared by
homogenization, acidification and ultrafiltration. After purification by an array of chromatography on Sephacryl S-100,
SP-Sepharose Fast Flow, Blue Sepharose 6 Fast Flow and ConA Sepharose 4B, two high-molecular-weight (HMW) CPIs, a-2
and a-1 with or without absorption on ConA, were obtained. They were purified by 102.62 and 274.28 folds, with recoveries
of 2.02% and 1.42% respectively. Through analysis by TSK G2000 SWXL gel filtration HPLC and identification by
SDS-PAGE and reverse zymography, both part of a-1 recovered by HPLC and a-2 showed a single band on electrophoresis
with molecular weight of 139 and 92 ku, respectively. Both of them could inhibit cysteine protease (papain and silver carp
cathepsin L) but not serine protease (trypsin and chymotrypsin). From the characteristics, inhibitory activity and glycoprotein
features, a-1 and a-2 may be the different forms of kininogens in silver carp eggs.

The space of ultrasonic bath was divided according to height and position into high and low ultrasonic irradiation
surface each with five sections such as P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5. The effects of ultrasonic-assisted extraction parameters
including solvent type and locally ultrasonic positions on the stability and antioxidant capacity of caffeic acid under different
ultrasonic irradiation surfaces (at 6 cm and 14 cm high from the bottom) were comparatively analyzed in the present study.
The results showed that caffeic acid was markedly degraded in low irradiation surface (P < 0.05). However, ultrasonic
energy had no significant impact on the stability of caffeic acid in high irradiation surface. The type of solvent was one of
the key factors in determining the stability of caffeic acid and 80% ethanol was the optimal solvent. In the meantime, the
ultrasonic energy distribution was uneven and dynamic in the local positions, and the content of caffeic acid was decreased
significantly in P4 or P5 of ultrasonic bath (P < 0.05). Moreover, the antioxidant activities of caffeic acid as determined by
DPPH, FRAP and ABTS methods exhibited a big difference. Simultaneously, the position of P5 greatly affected antioxidant
activity of caffeic acid evaluated by DPPH and FRAP methods, and of its degraded products had much higher antioxidant
activity. Additionally, antioxidant capacity of caffeic acid as determined by ABTS method was positively correlated with
its content, but DPPH free radical scavenging capacity had a negative correlation. These findings indicated that appropriate
ultrasonic energy could change greatly the stability of caffeic acid and simultaneously enhance its antioxidant capacity in
low irradiation surface.

S. thermophilus grx02, a strain sensitive to ofloxacin, was used as starter culture to produce fermented milk, and
the effect of residual ofloxacin on the growth curve of the strain and the texture and rheological behavior of fermented milk
was studied. The results showed that the growth rate of S. thermophilus grx02 was markedly decreased when the amount
of residual loxacin was 1.0 μg/mL. At the same time, the adhesiveness, gumminess and chewiness of fermented milk were
also reduced remarkably. When the residual amount of ofloxacin rose to 0.5 μg/mL, the storage stability and rheological
properties of fermented milk changed significantly, and the gel stability and resistance to mechanical movement and
temperature variations also declined (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that the residual amount of ofloxacin in raw milk
used for the processing of fermented dairy product should be lower than 0.5 μg/mL.

In order to examine the impact of ultra high pressure (UHP) on the enzyme activity and conformational change of
papain, infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to analyze structural and specific amino acid changes
in UHP-treated papain. The results showed that compared with untreated sample, UHP treatments at various pressure had
a significant effect on papain activity (P < 0.05). After being treated with 200 MPa, at 37 ℃ for 20 min, the activity of
papain reached the maximum level, indicating a 6.8% increase compared with the untreated one. The infrared spectroscopic
showed that there was a poor relationship between papain activity and conformation. The fluorescence spectroscopic analysis
suggested that the exogenous fluorescence intensity of papain treated with 200 MPa at 37 ℃ for 20 min reached the minimum
level (2 023) at an excitation wavelength of 228 nm. There was an excellent correlation between papain activity and fluorescence
intensity. Therefore, papain activity was negatively related to the exposure degree of hydrophobic amino acids.

Objective: The changes of fat content, lipid oxidation products and fatty acid composition during the processing
of stewed pork belly in brown sauce were analyzed in order to provide a reference for future study on flavor, nutrition and
texture of stewed pork in brown sauce. Methods: Crude fat content, peroxide value (POV), thiobarbituric acid reactive
substance (TBARS) value and fatty acid composition were measured during the whole processing procedure (raw material,
deep frying, stewing (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min) and the final product). Results: Fat content of pork belly decreased
significantly (P < 0.05) during the whole processing procedure, by 12.14% when comparing the final product with the
raw meat. POV reached the peak level after stewing for 30 min followed by a decline, while TBARS increased gradually
(P < 0.05). The content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) revealed a significant increase (P < 0.05) during the
whole process, while the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) significantly decrease (P < 0.05), and there was no
significant difference (P > 0.05) in the content of saturated fatty acids (SFAs). Conclusion: A decline in fat content, moderate
lipid oxidation and a series of changes in fatty acid composition occur during the processing of stewed pork in brown sauce.

High pressure processing (HPP) as a non-thermal processing technology has broad prospects in the meat
industry. The effects of high pressure levels (100 – 400 MPa) on the properties of chicken breast myosin gel containing
0.5% (m/m) sodium alginate (SA) and 0.2% (m/m) calcium chloride (CaCl2) (M-SA-CaCl2) were investigated. The surface
hydrophobicity, reactive sulfhydryl content, rheological properties and gel microstructure of M-SA-CaCl2 were analyzed in
order to understand the mechanism of the changes in the gel properties. The results showed that the water-holding capacity (WHC)
of M-SA-CaCl2 was significantly (P < 0.05) increased with elevating pressure while the gel strength was decreased. These changes
could result from the significant (P < 0.05) increase in the surface hydrophobicity and reactive sulfhydryl content, weakened
thermal gelation ability of M-SA-CaCl2, and reduced protein aggregation within mixed gel after HPP treatment.

The interaction of ergosterol with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy
and molecular docking. The fluorescence spectral results showed that BSA fluorescence was quenched regularly with the addition
of ergosterol; the quenching mechanism may be a static fluorescence quenching process; the thermodynamic parameters calculated
by Van’t Hoff equation indicated the major role of hydrophobic interaction in the binding process. Consistent results were obtained
from the molecular docking. Hydrophobic interaction was the major interaction, and the binding site of ergosterol on BSA was in
a hydrophobic binding pocket, and the binding was a spontaneous process. In addition, the detailed binding mode of ergosterol and
the conformation of the surrounding residues were shown in docking results.

An efficient and large-scale isolation method for tangeretin from Chen-Pi (aged tangerine peels) has been
developed successfully. The transformation of tangeretin to 5-demethyltangeretin was performed in acidified alcohol solution
with high conversion efficiency. The structures of both isolated tangeretin and 5-demethyltangeretin were confirmed by MS
and 1H NMR. Both compounds exhibited strong inhibitory activity against LX-2 human hepatic stellate cells, with an IC50
of 150 μmol/L for tangeretin and 12.5 μmol/L for 5-demethyltangeretin, indicating the increased potency via the conversion
from tangeretin to 5-demethyltangeretin.

The optimal shucking conditions of squilla by ultra-high pressure (UHP) treatment were determined by examining
the effects of pressure (100-500 MPa) and holding time (1-20 min) on squilla meat yield, shucking time and water holding
capacity (WHC). The drip loss, texture and color variation of peeled squilla as a function of shucking conditions were
assessed. Results showed that compared with traditional manual shelling technique, the shucking time was reduced by 55%,
and meat yield was increased 26.28% when squilla was treated at 350–400 MPa for 8 min; meanwhile, WHC of shelled
squilla was 31.82%, drip loss rate －6.56%, color variation 12.46, hardness 214.396 g, springiness 0.891, chewiness 101.020
and cohesiveness 0.526. Therefore, using ultra-high pressure treatment, both shucking efficiency and texture properties of
squilla can be improved.

The effect of whey protein added in batters on quality attributes of deep-fried battered and breaded fish nuggets
including oil and water content, pick-up value, texture, color, microstructure, and transfer of oil during frying was
investigated in this study. The results showed that when 4% of whey protein was added in batters, the deep-fried battered
and breaded fish nuggets had better sensory quality, lower fat content in crust, and higher water content in fish nuggets.
Moreover, the structure of crust was compact and the pores in fish nuggets were significantly less, smaller and distributed
evenly. Moreover, Sudan red dying level was lighter. Therefore, whey protein added in batters can prevent oil absorption
during deep-fat frying and result in a significant reduction of oil content in battered and breaded fish nuggets (P < 0.05).

Furan is a food contaminant that can be detected in a number of heated foods, especially in canned foods.
Carbohydrates can generate furan by thermal degradation or Maillard reaction with amino acids. In order to explore the
effects of different amino acids on the generation of furan in glucose and galactose model systems, a series of amino acids
(glycine, serine, threonine and glutamic acid) were added to these model systems, which were afterwards heated in oil
bath at 121 ℃ for 30 min to simulate the sterilization of canned foods. Headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
(HS-GC-MS) was applied to detect the content of furan. The results demonstrated that the addition of a small amount of
glycine (≤ 5 mg), an extremely amount of serine (1 mg), and a large amount of threonine and glutamic acid (50 mg) could
significantly increase the formation of furan in glucose model system, while for the galactose model system, the addition of
all examined amino acids at large amounts (50 mg) showed promotion effect on the generation of furan. Among four examined
amino acids, threonine showed the most significant promotion effect on the generation of furan in glucose model system (P < 0.05).
As for galactose model system, both glycine and threonine could significantly increase the formation of furan.

In this study the dorsal and abdominal muscles of turbot were divided into upper and lower portions to explore
differences in physicochemical properties, texture, histological characteristics and processing properties. The results showed
that the contents of moisture and crude protein were significantly different in four fish muscles with moisture content being
higher in upper back muscle and lower in lower abdominal muscle, and crude protein being higher in lower abdominal
muscle than three other muscles (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in fat and ash contents among various
muscles (parts). The shear force of upper back muscle was the highest while lower abdominal muscle had the highest
hardness. Chewiness and hardness were positively correlated with each other. The Van Gieson (V-G) staining results showed
there was no difference in structure between upper and lower back muscle, and between upper and lower abdominal muscle.
Back muscle was much tighter than abdominal muscle and the former exhibited smaller gap between muscle fibers. There
were some differences in heating rate and the time that elapses until the internal temperature reaches a stable value. As the
steaming time was extended, weight loss and water loss increased and both indices of abdominal muscle were higher than
those of back muscle. The shear force of both back and abdominal muscles dropped at first and then remained stable with no
difference observed between them (P > 0.05). This study can provide theoretical support for quality control of turbot muscle
products and better utilization of turbot muscle resource.

Solution culture experiments were carried to explore the relationships between nitrate contents, parameters
relevant to photosynthesis and key enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism in ten bok choy varieties (Brassica chinensis L.)
by setting NO3-/NH4+ ratio as 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0. The results showed that six out of ten bok choy varieties investigated
indicated an increase in total dry weight respectively by 12.66%-76.88% and 17.98%-95.07% at NO3-/NH4+ ratio of 75:25
and 100:0 compared with that at NO3-/NH4+ ratio of 50:50, though total dry weight of the Tianjin and Datouqingjiang
varieties decreased firstly and then increased whereas the Xianggang Chunxiu Tianbaicai 236 and Zhengwangda 88 varieties
exhibited an initial increase followed by a decrease with increasing NO3-/NH4+ ratio. Nitrate contents of leaves and roots
of bok choy rose, while those of petiole increased initially and then decreased. Moreover, the decreasing order of nitrate
contents was petiole (3 882.62–5 448.81 mg/kg) > leaf (2 004.86–4 146.50 mg/kg) > root (505.39–2 188.68 mg/kg).
Increasing NO3-/NH4+ ratio could result in an increase in nitrate contents of leaves and roots of most bok choy varieties and
an initial increase and then decrease in petiole. Significantly negative correlation was observed between nitrate reductase (NR)
and nitrate content in leaves of bok choy, while there was significantly positive correlation between nitrite reductase (NiR)
and glutamine synthetase (GS). Nitrate content of bok choy leaves decreased with an increase in net photosynthetic rate (Pn)
and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), while enhancing along with an increase in transpiration (Tr).

In order to explore the effect of different thermal treatments on the contents of carotenoids in fresh sweet corn,
changes in the contents of common carotenoids in Jingtian 5 corn kernels during branching treatments for producing quickfrozen
corn and during pre-cooking and sterilization for producing canned corn were determined using HPLC. Results
showed that the contents of eight common carotenoids in steam-blanched corn were higher than in boiling water-blanched
corn at the same blanching time point. The carotenoid contents in both blanching treatments decreased with the extension of
blanching time. For canned corn, shortening the pre-cooking time from 20 min to 5 min resulted in higher total carotenoid
contents and a gradual increase in all carotenoids except for α-cryptoxanthin. However, when the pre-cooking time exceeded
20 min, no significant change in the total content of carotenoids was found. After 10 min of sterilization, the total content
of carotenoids significantly increased followed by a great decline with the extension of sterilization time, and similar trends
were observed for changes in the contents of individual carotenoids.

The suitability for processing black tea of the state-level excellent tea cultivars Zhongcha 302 and Zhenong 117
which were introduced from Zhejiang province to Sichuan province was investigated in comparison with Fudingdabaicha
as the dominant cultivar mainly used for producing black tea in Sichuan province based on chemical composition and
sensory characteristics. The results showed that spring and summer shoots of two cultivars contained abundant watersoluble
substances, tea polyphenols and catechin ranging from 37.19% to 42.19%, from 20.27% to 29.50%, and from
132.95 mg/g to 157.76 mg/g, respectively, which were present in significantly lower amounts in Fudingdabaicha. The ratio
of polyphenols to amino acids ranging from 4.25 to 9.81 was higher than that of the control, suggesting that both introduced
cultivars are suitable for processing black tea. Black tea produced from the two cultivars contained abundant quantities of
internal substance with characteristic components including tea polyphenols and catechin ranging from 11.81% to 19.61%
and from 18.69 mg/g to 39.13 mg/g, respectively. Moreover, the contents of theaflavins (TFs) and thearubigins (TRs) in
the tea infusions were high, ranging from 0.63% to 0.74% and from 8.66% to 9.90%, respectively and the ratio of TR
to TF ranged from 12.97 to 14.03, providing the material basis for the strong taste and red color of tea infusion. Totally
50 aroma constituents were detected in Zhongcha 302 and Zhenong 117, including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters,
alkenes, alkanes and unknown compounds, among which alcohols were the most dominant compounds with relative contents
of 64.06% and 67.23% in Zhongcha 302 and Zhenong 117, respectively. The contents of major aroma constituents such as
linalool, its oxidation products, and geraniol were significantly higher than those of Fudingdabaicha. The sensory quality of
Zhongcha 302 was similar to that of Zhenong 117 and both were significantly better than Fudingdabaicha.

Rabbit rear leg meat was investigated for changes in physical and chemical qualities after deodorization with a
brewer’s yeast extract having alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity under different
conditions. The results showed that the samples deodorized at 25 ℃, pH 7.0 with a solid/liquid ratio of 1:2 for 50–60 min
had the lowest thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values and sensory evaluation values. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) values
were the lowest and changed slowly during treatment for 50–60 min at 15–30 ℃ and pH 6.5–7.5 with a solid/liquid ratio of
1:0.5–1:2. Treatment for 50 min at 30–40 ℃and pH 8.0 with a solid/liquid ratio of 1:1 had little impact on color of rabbit
meat. Both cooking loss and shear values were the lowest when the treatment was proceeded for 60–70 min at 25 ℃ and pH
8.0 with a solid/liquid ratio of 1:2.5. The solid to liquid ratio had only a slight impact on physicochemical properties of rabbit
meat. Based on comprehensive consideration of physical and chemical indicators it can be concluded that the best conditions
for deodorization of rabbit meat with the extract were 25 ℃, pH 8.0, a solid/liquid ratio of 1:2 and 50 min.

Desorption and adsorption isotherms of freeze-dried cherry tomatoes were determined by gravimetric method at
water activities ranging from 0.11 to 0.90 at 25 ℃ based on sorption theory. The glass transition temperatures at different
moisture contents were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fitted with the Gordon-Taylor equation.
Results indicated that the desorption and adsorption isotherms belonged to type III behavior and the hysteresis loop in the
water activity range of 0.23 to 0.76 was type H3 according to the classification method proposed by the International Union
of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Both the GAB and Peleg models were suitable for fitting the moisture absorption
isotherm of freeze-dried cherry tomatoes. The glass transition temperature of freeze-dried cherry tomatoes significantly
decreased with increase in moisture content, and glass transition curve was well fitted with the Gordon-Taylor equation.
A comparison of product stability criteria based on the concepts of water activity and glass transition temperature revealed
that there was a considerable discrepancy in the temperature related to stability criteria predicted by the concepts of water
activity and glass transition.

Rice Cd-binding protein (RCBP) was obtained from high-Cd rice using alkali extraction, thermal denaturation
and ethanol precipitation. Physicochemical characteristics including UV absorbance, amino acid composition, molecular
weight and secondary structures were investigated. The results showed that all the alkali-extractable protein (AP), thermally
denaturated protein (TP) and ethanol-precipitated protein (EP) had the maximum absorption peak at 210 nm and similar
amino acid composition. The 94-kD protein was completely removed and the 5 094-kD protein was decreased by the thermal
denaturation. Moreover, the ethanol precipitation resulted in a further reduction of the 50-kD and 14-kD proteins. The major
secondary structures of AP were α-helical and β-turn, while β-sheet and β-turn were found in TP. On the other hand, β-sheet
and β-turn were predominant in EP. These results indicated that thermal denaturation and ethanol precipitation could be used
to separate RCBP from AP.

The purpose of this study was to explore the changes in functional properties of myofibrillar protein in frozen
rabbit meat during pending process after thawing. Rabbit rear legs and longissimus dorsi muscles were frozen for 7 days
at −18 ℃. Thereafter, the meat samples were taken out, thawed in 20 ℃ water until the internal temperature reached
0 ℃, and then kept in the water for another 7 h. The solubility, A-SH and T-SH contents, emulsification properties, surface
hydrophobicity, rheological properties and gel properties of rabbit meat myofibrillar protein were found to gradually
decrease with the extension of storage time in water, especially significantly at 4 h (P < 0.05). On the contrary, surface
hydrophobicity steadily rose especially significantly at 4 h (P < 0.05). Elastic modulus (G’) value of myofibrillar protein also
gradually declined during the heating process, and gel-forming capability of rabbit meat myofibrillar protein decreased.

The main physical-chemical properties of oil-tea camellia seed oil during the refining process were measured
and the changes of nutritional components were analyzed in order to explore the effect of the refining process on the quality
of oil-tea camellia seed oil. The results showed that the crude oil had the highest acid value, which was 0.746 mg/g. The
alkalized oil had the lowest acid value of only 0.037 mg/g. The acid value during alkali refining revealed a significant
decrease by 95.04%. The dehydrated oil had the highest peroxide value of 5.81 meq/kg. On the contrary, the deodorized oil
had the lowest peroxide value of only 2.22 meq/kg. The peroxide value throughout the whole refining process was decrease
by 61.79%. From crude oil to deodorized oil, the contents of tea polyphenols, α-tocopherol and squalene gradually decreased
from 54.698 5 μg/g, 251.337 0 mg/kg and 136.680 0 mg/kg to 25.134 1 μg/g, 101.301 0 mg/kg and 89.140 0 mg/kg,
respectively. Some changes were also observed in fatty acid composition and contents. Monounsaturated fatty acids were
decreased by 0.188%, while saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids were increased by 0.029% and 0.089%, respectively.
The refining process of oil-tea camellia seed oil can reduce acid value and peroxide value to the national standards for edible
oil. At the same time, there are losses in tea polyphenols, α-tocopherol and squalene during the refining process. So it is very
important to choose appropriate refining conditions to achieve a balance between safety and nutrition.

In order to explore the in vivo digestion properties of scale gelatin from the Yellow River carp Cyprinus carpio
haematopterus Temminck et Schlegel , a two-stage in vitro digestion model system (sequential treatment with pepsin for
2 h at pH 2.0 followed by pancreatin for 2 h at pH 7.5) was used to simulate the process of human gastrointestinal (GI)
digestion to determine the digestibility of fish scale gelatin at 37 ℃. The change in hydrolysis degree of Yellow River carp
scale gelatin (YSG) during simulated GI digestion was studied and its antioxidant activities (hydroxyl, superoxide and DPPH
free radical scavenging capacities, reducing power, lipid peroxidation inhibition activity, and metal chelating activity) were
investigated through in vitro models. The results showed very low digestive power of pepsin on the α chain and β chain of
YSG compared with pancreatin. The final degree of hydrolysis from GI digestion was 16.9%. The antioxidant activity of fish
scale gelatin was correlated with the degree of hydrolysis.

Frozen rabbit hind legs and Longissimus dorsi muscle were selected as experimental materials to investigate the
changes in physicochemical indicators and total viable count during pending process after thawing. The results showed
that as the immersion time in water at 20 ℃ increased, pH, cooking loss, drip loss, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N),
total number of colonies and thiobarbituric acid value showed a gradual upward trend and performed a significant increase
between 3-4 h . Sensory evaluation and shear value showed a downward trend with a significant change between 3-4 h,
and reached the minimum level at 7 h. L* and a* values decreased, but b* value increased. Based on physical and chemical
properties and eating quality, the time of pending process after thawing should not exceed 3 h.

In order to explore the effect of pig breed and feed on meat quality traits, two different pig breeds including two-way
crossbred black pigs fed on traditional feed or complete formula feed, and three-way crossbred pigs fed on complete formula feed
were compared for differences in mineral contents, texture and flavor compounds of pork hindquarter and tenderloin. It was found
that pork from two-way crossbred pigs fed on traditional feed contained the most abundant selenium and had the largest hardness,
while pork from two-way crossbred pigs fed on complete formula feed was the most tender. Raw and cooked pork from the three
groups had obvious differences in flavor which could be discriminated by electronic nose.

The changes in albedo cell wall substances such as water-soluble pectin (WSP), cellulose (CEL), hemicellose (HC)
and lignin and related enzyme activities such as pectinesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG) and cellulase (Cx) in Kiyomi
fruits during 120–300 days after flowering were explored and correlated with albedo fracture toughness. The results showed
that the contents of WSP, CEL, HC and lignin decreased during the later stages of maturation; the activities of PG and Cx
increased, whereas the opposite trend was observed for PME activity. Low levels of CEL, HC and lignin and high contents
of WSP were beneficial to reduce the fracture toughness of albedo in Kiyomi fruits. The key hydrolases affecting albedo
fracture toughness in Kiyomi during 210–300 days after flowering were PG and Cx.

In order to understand whether phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of whole citrus fruit powder (WCFP)
decrease after granulation, the impact of granulation on nutritional value of WCFP was evaluated. The phenolic composition
and contents of WCFP from four citrus species were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
The antioxidant activities of all samples were evaluated by ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), 1,1-diphenyl-2-
picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) free radical
scavenging methods. The contents of total phenolics and flavonoids did not significantly change after WCFP was granulated
(P < 0.05). Among phenolic compounds detected in the study, only obvious change in naringin content was observed, and
the content of naringin in both Australian orange and grapefruit decreased significantly after granulation. However, the
content of naringin in lemon increased. The antioxidant tests in vitro showed that all values were consistent with each other,
in spite of using ABTS, DPPH and FRAP methods. No significant differences were observed between WCFP powder and
granules (P < 0.05). These results suggested that granulation at 35–40 ℃ did not result in significant reduction in phenolic
compound contents and antioxidant abilities of WCFP, and maintained the nutritional quality of WCFP. Therefore, as a good
micromachining technology, granulation can enable effective utilization of whole citrus fruit.

In order to investigate the effect of reaction conditions on the formation of volatile compounds from Maillard
reaction of glucose and phenylalanine/alanine, the generated volatile compounds at different reactant ratios and reaction
time were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicated that: 1) the effect of reaction
time on the formation of volatile compounds from glucose/phenylalanine and glucose/alanine model systems were similar.
With increasing reaction time, the yields of aliphatic and aromatic compounds, furans, organic acids, pyridines, pyrroles,
furanones and carbocyclic compounds increased, while the yield of pyranones increased at first and decreased afterwards;
2) the effects of reactant ratio on the formation of volatile compounds from glucose/phenylalanine and glucose/alanine
model systems were different. As the content of amino acid increased in glucose/phenylalanine model system, the yield of
aromatic compounds increased and aliphatic compounds decreased, while the opposite trend was observed in glucose/alanine
model system. The yields of pyrazines, organic acids, pyranones, pyridines, pyrroles, carbocyclic compounds and furanones
increased with increasing amino acid content in both model systems.

In this study, response surface methodology based on Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the culture
conditions for the production of the bioactive metabolite antroquinonol in solid-state fermentation of Antrodia camphorata.
The optimal culture conditions were determined as inoculum amount of 296.80 mg/kg, Triton X-100 concentration of
1.10 mL/kg and coenzyme Q0 concentration of 0.23 g/kg. Under these conditions, the maximum predicted yield of
antroquinonol was 865.85 mg/kg, which was in good agreement with the experimental value of 865.32 mg/kg. Therefore, the
established model could be used for predicting the culture conditions of Antrodia camphorate for antroquinonol production.
After optimization, the yield of antroquinonol was increased 232.09% when compared with the control (260.57 mg/kg).

In this study, the total protein profiles of Lactobacillus plantarum FS5-5 with salt tolerance grown in media
with NaCl concentrations of 0, 3, 6, and 9 g/100 mL to the middle logarithmic phase were established and compared by
sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and six different protein bands were selected for
analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (AB Sciex 4000 QTRAP®LC/MS/MS). Results showed that
6, 11, 9, 4, 15 and 15 proteins were contained in bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively. Totally 45 proteins were identified.
These proteins could be divided into 4 groups including 25 proteins involved in protein synthesis, 10 proteins associated
with metabolism, 8 proteins associated with nucleotide synthesis, and 2 proteins with unknown functions. The differential
expression of these proteins could lead to bacterial protein synthesis, energy metabolism and DNA replication, and
eventually enable Lactobacillus plantarum FS5-5 to better survive in salt stress environment.

The antitumor efficacy and mechanism of the polypeptide mixture from bay scallop were studied by CCK-8 assays
using inverted microscope and fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). The results showed that different concentrations
of the polypeptide mixture from bay scallop (4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 mg/mL) could suppress the growth of human hepatocellular
carcinoma cells HepG2, and the growth inhibitory rate increased with increasing concentration of the polypeptide mixture.
After treated with the polypeptide mixture at a dose of 12 mg/mL, the morphology of HepG2 cells was changed, showing
cell shrinkage, decreased transparency and nuclear chromatin pyknosis as well as the appearance of apoptotic bodies. To
conclude, the polypeptide mixture from bay scallop can induce apoptosis of HepG2 cells.

Bacterial strains from naturally fermented Meixiang fish, a traditional Chinese fish product, were isolated and
screened for their suitability to produce Meixiang fish as starter culture. Meanwhile, the influence of three selected strains
inoculated singly or in combination (1:1:1) on the quality of fermented fish. The results showed that Tetragenococcus
halophilus, Staphylococcus xylosus and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, all of which can meet the requirements for fish
fermentation, were separated from the naturally fermented fish. Compared to those fermented and not fermented with each
of the three strains, the fermented fish produced with their combination had the highest overall sensory acceptability and the
best chewiness and elasticity, and inhibited the generation of histamine and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N). This study
can provide reference for targeted inoculation, manual control and large-scale industrial production of Meixiang fish.

To assess the risk of antimicrobial resistant gene transfer from foodborne Lactobacillus strains to human
pathogens or opportunistic pathogens, we performed the detection of the resistant genes of erythromycin, vancomycin
and fluoroquinolones in resistant Lactobacillus strains. Erythromycin resistant gene msrC was shown in the plasmids
of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii, while negative results were
obtained for vancomycin and fluoroquinol ones. Filter mating was carried out at a donor/recipient ratio of 10:1 with
Staphylococcus aureus and E. faecalis as the recipients and L. delbrueckii the donors, respectively. In L. delbrueckii and
S. aureus mating pair, only one exconjugant was obtained, and the average gene transfer frequency of L. delbrueckii to
E. faecalis was 2.2 × 10-2, indicating that the mobile resistant gene from lactobacilli could disseminate to pathogens. The
growth rate of exconjugants was lower than the control, so exconjugants might be washed out more easily than their
susceptible counterpart when antimicrobial selective pressure was absent. The transfer of msrC from L. delbrueckii to
E. faecalis was not observed in gnotobiotic rats. Accordingly, lactobacilli widely used in foods now may not increase the
antimicrobial resistance in pathogens, thus threatening public health severely.

Dekkera bruxellensis is one of the major spoilage microorganisms in wines. In order to detect Dekkera
bruxellensis in wines rapidly and accurately, the separation and detection efficiency of Dekkera bruxellensis using differential
medium (DBDM) and Wallerstein nutrient (WLN) medium were compared. A specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
assay was also used to further testify the results. The results showed that both DBDM and WLN could be useful to detect
Dekkera bruxellensis in wines, while DBDM was more selective to identify Dekkera bruxellensis accurately when combined
with the specific PCR. The application of DBDM combined with the specific PCR to investigate the infection of Dekkera
bruxellensis in wines from five major producing regions in China showed that among the investigated regions, Dekkera
bruxellensis spoilage was found in wines from three regions including Hebei, Shandong and Jilin, especially in the wines
aged in oak barrels. Therefore, the Chinese wine industry should pay much attention to the issue of Dekkera bruxellensis
spoilage.

The production process of polypeptide and soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from soybean meal with solid-state
fermentation by Mucor was investigated and optimized with response surface methodology. After optimization, the optimal
process conditions were determined as 20 g of soybean meal in a 250 mL shake flask with the addition of 3.0% xylose (g/g
soybean meal), 0.3% KH2PO4, 0.1% Tween-80 and 0.39% CaCl2 as the nutrient supplements, initial water content of 52.7%,
pH 5.68, fermentation temperature of 27 ℃ and fermentation time of 3 days. Under these conditions, the yield of polypeptide
and SDF could reach 16.1% and 18.5%, respectively. The experiment results show that the production process is feasible.

This study aims to explore the effects of initial pH of culture medium and different illumination wavelengths on
the contents of carotenoids including β-carotene and lutein from Dunaliella salina during culture. In experiments, media
with different pH values were prepared and used to culture Dunaliella salina for 105 days. Under the illumination of white
(full wavelengths), red (630 nm) and blue light (430 nm), medium with pH 7 was applied to culture Dunaliella salina for
40 days. Dunaliella salina culture density was then determined while β-carotene and lutein contents were assessed from
culture liquid. Data obtained from the experiments suggested that: 1) Dunaliella salina was able to adjust the environmental
pH to neutral. After 105-day culture, an increased Dunaliella salina culture density was observed from culture liquids with
original pH 10–13, pH 1–3 and pH 4–9 while the maximum Dunaliella salina culture density was counted at pH 4 (1 851 cell
counts/mL). Higher β-carotene (0.489-0.561 mg/mL) and lutein (0.610-0.700 mg/mL) contents were observed from culture liquids
with original medium pH 7–9, while higher β-carotene (0.603-0.730 ng) and lutein (0.897-0.979 ng) contents were seen from
single cells with original medium pH 11-13; 2) Dunaliella salina culture density could increase under illumination at the full-range
wavelength, red (630 nm) and blue light (430 nm) after 40-day culture. Both red and blue lights were able to induce increased
contents of β-carotene (0.589 ng) and lutein (0.524 ng) from single cells while blue light was the most effective.

Primary factors affecting protoplast formation and regeneration of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus
thermophilus were investigated using orthogonal array design to obtain fusants with bacteriophage resistance and superior
fermentation performance. The results showed that the optimal preparation conditions for L. bulgaricus protoplasts
were achieved by treatment with 1.0 mg/mL lysozyme for 30 min at 36 ℃ in the presence of hypertonic solution
with phosphate buffer and mannitol. Under these conditions, the protoplast formation and regeneration rates reached
(89.02 ± 2.31)% and (4.62 ± 0.22)%, respectively. The protoplast formation and regeneration rates of bacteriophage-resistant
S. thermophilus were up to (99.15 ± 0.23)% and (5.79 ± 0.17)% after treatment with 0.1 mg/mL lysozyme for 30 min in
the presence of hypertonic solution with Tris-HCl buffer and sucrose. The fusion rate of protoplasts between L. bulgaricus
and S. thermophilus reached (1.85 ± 0.12) × 10-6 after infusion for 2 min at 40 ℃ in the presence of 400 g/L PEG6000,
0.01 mol/L CaCl2 and 0.02 mol/L MgCl2. The performance of the fusant is stable and it is applicable to yoghurt production.

In order to obtain the gene encoding single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody against atrazine, the amino
acid sequence of scFv was deduced by DNAStar software and its physical and chemical properties, and secondary and
tertiary structures of its encoding protein were analyzed according to bioinformatics online websites. The results showed that
the full-length scFv gene had 744 bp and encoded 248 amino acids. The relative molecular weight of scFv was 26 061.9, and
the antibody had isoelectric point (pI) of 7.81 and belonged to alkaline and stable protein. The predicted secondary structure
comprised 17 α-helices, 85 extended strands, 19 β-turns and 127 random coils. The mimic tertiary structure model of scFv
indicted that all six complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of light chain variable (VL) and heavy chain variable (VH)
region contributed to the antigen-binding sites. This research can lay the foundation for further studies on the expression,
purification and bioactivity of genetically engineered antibodies.

In order to further understand the relationship between the expression of APA1 and hydrogen sulfide production in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, synonymous mutations were introduced into APA1. The sequence of APA1 gene was cloned from
S288c by PCR, connected with EGFP gene, and inserted into pY16 vector. The vector was used for synonymous mutations,
and mutations of APA1-1/2/3/4 were obtained. According to the sequencing results, the mutations were correct. Synonymous
mutations of APA1-1/2/3/4 were successfully acquired and could be used for further studies. Therefore, one-step sitedirected
mutagenesis is an effective method. The fluorescence intensity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae YS59 transformed with
pY16TEF1-EGFP-APA1-1/2/3/4 with fluorescence microscope confirmed that APA1 and EGFP were co-expressed.

To select lactic acid bacteria stains for okra fermentation, single and mixed inoculums of two species of lactic
acid bacteria (Leuconostc mesenteroides and Lactobacillus plantarum) were investigated by measuring pH, total acid,
viable cell counts, volatile components and sensory evaluation of fermented okra juice. Lactobacillus plantarum when
inoculated singly grew rapidly in okra juice and reached nearly 107 CFU/mL and pH 4.5 after 24 h fermentation, whereas
Leuconostc mesenteroides alone was not useful for acid production during fermentation of okra juice. Fermentation with
a mixture of Leuconostc mesenteroides and Lactobacillus plantarum (2:1, V/V) fast reduced the pH to less than 4.5 (high
acid) and resulted in a large number of living lactic acid bacteria (108 CFU/mL). GC-MS results showed that fermented okra
juice was more conducive to producing flavor compounds through mixed-culture fermentation compared with pure-culture
fermentation. Sensory evaluation results also showed that mixed-culture fermentation of okra juice was more desirable
than single-strain fermentation. The best inoculum for okra juice was the 2:1 mixture (V/V) Leuconostc mesenteroides and
Lactobacillus plantarum. The optimal fermentation parameters were determined as 5%, 35 ℃ and 72 h for inoculum amount,
incubation temperature and fermentation duration, respectively .

In this work, Plackett-Burman design and response surface methodology were applied to optimize the solid
medium containing soybean hull and distillers’ grains to produce cellulase by Neurospora crassa. Meanwhile, the
monosaccharide composition of fermentable sugars from the degraded product under optimal culture medium was analyzed
by gas chromatography. The results showed that the optimal medium was composed of 64% soybean hull, 34% distillers’
grains and 2% ammonia sulfate. Under the optimal condition, the activity of cellulase significantly was improved by
141.88%, from 1.17 IU/g to 2.83 IU/g, and the yield of reducing sugar was increased by 81.74%, from 9.91 g/100 g to
18.01 g/100 g compared to that obtained with the unoptimized medium. The major monosaccharide components of the
resulting fermentable sugars were glucose and xylose, respectively.

The fermentation conditions for dextranase production by Penicillium aculeatum F1001 were optimized using
a Box-Behnken design with response surface methodology. The optimal fermentation conditions were determined as
follows: peptone 3 g/L, dextran T70 14 g/L, and medium loading, 85 mL in a 250-mL flask. Under these conditions,
dextranase activity was 453 U/mL, indicating an 88% improvement over that before optimization. The changes in dextranase
activity, pH and protein content during the fermentation process verified that dextranase activity reached its highest level at
84 h, when the pH was 3.9.

In the current study, the expression of lycopene beta-cyclase (LYC-B) gene was inhibited during ripening through
virus-induced silencing (VIGS) technique and the corresponding impact on major pigments and volatile compounds in
purple tomato fruits was analyzed. The results showed that LYC-B gene silencing could increase the content of lycopene in
purple tomato fruits. Tomato volatile compounds detected by headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) coupled
with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that LYC-B gene silencing could increase the content of
6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, which is derived from carotenoids. The release of (E)-2-octenal, hexanol, (E)-2-heptenal, methyl
salicylate and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol was also increased. In addition, LYC-B gene silencing could increase the contents of lycopene
and some major volatile compounds, thus improving the nutritional and flavor quality of tomato fruits.

Four hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against SD01, namely 6F, 6D, 7E and 4F,
were generated by immunizing BALB/c mice using wild-type strain SD01 of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli (Aac) as
the immunogen. Ascites antibody titers were 1:102 400, 1:102 400, 1:25 600, and 1:51 200, respectively. Ascites were
purified using saturated ammonium sulfate precipitation and Protein-G affinity chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide
gelelectrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis showed high antibody purity. The titers of purified mAbs
(2 mg/mL) were 1:12 800, 1:6 400, 1:3 200, and 1:6 400, respectively. The subclass of mAbs was IgG2 a. Indirect enzymelinked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that four hybridoma cell lines had different binding capacity to eight strains
of Aac and three species of non-Aac plant pathogens. 6F could bind six strains of Aac, 6D and 4F could bind eight strains
of Aac, 7E could bind five strains of Aac. 6F and 4F had cross-reaction with two of the three species of non-Aac plant
pathogens, and 6D and 7E had no cross-reaction with all the three species of non-Aac plant pathogens.

In the production of fruit vinegar, the key step is to obtain acetic acid from alcohol by Acetobacter fermentation.
Available information has shown that the yield of acetic acid is affected by the starter culture, the fermentation environment
and alcoholicity. In this study, mulberry fruit wine was used as the raw material to brew fruit vinegar. Acetobacter
pasteurianus W6, isolated from Solid-State Vinegar Grains of Zhenjiang Hengshun, was used as the starter culture. Response
surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the fermentation conditions of mulberry fruit vinegar by analyzing
their effects on acetic acid production. The results demonstrated that the optimal conditions for mulberry fruit vinegar
fermentation were temperature of 32.5 ℃, initial alcoholicity of 7.5% (V/V), inoculum size of 10% (V/V), and shaking speed
of 160 r/min. Under these conditions, the yield of acetic acid was 5.85 g/100 mL. The experiments showed that W6 strain
was very active in producing acetic acid.

The aim of the present study was to observe the effect of Cf-LCB on the proliferation and differentiation of
3T3-L1 preadipocytes and to investigate the possible underlying mechanism. The effect of Cf-LCB on the proliferation
of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was evaluated by MTT assay. After using differentiation cocktail to differentiate 3T3-L1
preadipocytes, the effect of Cf-LCB on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was evaluated by oil red O-staining
and determining TG content. mRNA expression levels of key genes associated with differentiation and WNT/β-catenin
signal pathway in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were measured by qRT-PCR. Expression levels of key proteins in WNT/β-catenin
signal pathway were measured by Western blotting. Results showed that Cf-LCB significantly inhibited the proliferation of
3T3-L1 preadipocytes, prevented the formation of lipid droplets in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes and down-regulated C/EBPα
and PPARγ. The mRNA expression of FZ1, LRP6 and β-catenin was distinctly enhanced by Cf-LCB, suggesting activation
of WNT/β-catenin pathway. The increased protein expressions of key factors in WNT/β-catenin pathway including LRP6,
total and nuclear β-catenin further demonstrated that Cf-LCB could markedly suppress the proliferation and differentiation of
3T3-L1 preadipocytes by activating WNT/β-catenin pathway.

Objective: To assess the influence of Lactobacillus acidophilus on intestinal mucosal immunity in a mouse
model of stress induced by auto-activity restriction. Methods: Male health BALB/c mice were divided into 4 groups. In
normal control group (NC), the mice received balanced diet and water and were left undisturbed in their cages. In NC
plus Lactobacillus acidophilus (NC + LA) group, the mice were given a suspension of LA with 108 CFU/d per mouse
through intragastric administration under normal control condition. In stress group (S), the mice were subjected to stress
induced by auto-activity restriction for 3 h per day. In stress plus LA (S+LA) group, the mice were given a suspension of
LA with 108 CFU/d per mouse through intragastric administration under stress condition. After 15 days, mice from each
group were sacrificed. CD4+T, CD8+T and CD11c+ dendritic cells (CD11c+ DCs) in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN),
interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels in colon tissue, total secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) level in
small intestine were analyzed by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Under NC
condition, the proportions of CD4+T cells and CD11c+ DCs in MLN (CD4+T cell: P < 0.01, CD11c+ DC: P < 0.05), small
intestinal sIgA level and IL-10 level in colon tissue (sIgA, IL-10: P < 0.05) were enhanced by LA and IL-17 level in colon
tissue was decreased (P < 0.05), but the proportion of CD8+T cells in MLN was not significantly varied (P > 0.05). After
auto-activity restriction, the proportions of CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells and CD11c+ DCs, and the levels of IL-10 and small
intestinal sIgA were decreased (CD4+T cell, CD11c+ DC, IL-10, sIgA: P < 0.01, CD8+T cell: P < 0.05). Interestingly, the
proportion of CD4+T cells and CD11c+ DCs, the levels of IL-10 and small intestinal sIgA were increased, and the level of
IL-17 was decreased by LA under stress condition (P < 0.05), but the proportion of CD8+T cells was not significantly affected
(P > 0.05). Conclusion: LA administered to mice subjected to auto-activity restriction enhances the proportions of
CD4+T cells and CD11c+ DCs in MLN, up-regulates the levels of IL-10 in colon and total small intestinal sIgA, and downregulates
the level of IL-17 in colon, thereby modulating their intestinal mucosal immunity under stress condition.

The aim of this study is to explore the protective effects of royal jelly (RJ) harvested at different time points on
bromobenzene-induced oxidative damage in mice. The 48 h RJ and 72 h RJ were fed to Kunming mice by gavage, each of
which was used to set up a high dose group at 9 g/(kg·d) (48 h RJ-H and 72 h RJ-H), a moderate dose group at 3 g/(kg·d)
(48 h RJ-M and 72 h RJ-M) and a low dose group at 1 g/(kg·d) (48 h RJ-L and 72 h RJ-L), respectively. At the same time, a
control group was set up. Each mouse in the experimental groups was given RJ at a dose of 10 mL/kg, while the control group
mice were given the same amount of distilled water. The mice were fed royal jelly daily by oral gavage for 45 days, and then
given bromobenzene oil at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg (10 mL/kg) by gavage. After 22 h, liver weight and malondialdehyde (MDA)
content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and total antioxidant capacity
(T-AOC) in blood and liver tissue of each mouse were detected. Results showed that preventive administration of RJ had no
significant effect on body weight, liver weight or liver coefficient in bromobenzene-challenged mice (P > 0.05). The level of
serum MDA in the mice from all groups except the 48 h RJ-L group was significantly reduced compared to that in the blank
control group (P < 0.05). Administration of moderate and high-dose RJ caused a significant elevation in the levels of serum
SOD activity and GSH-Px content, and the mice from all groups administered with RJ showed significantly increased levels
of serum T-AOC than the blank control group (P < 0.05). In addition, oral gavage of RJ resulted in a significant reduction in
the levels of MDA, GSH-Px and T-AOC in liver tissue (P < 0.05). The level of SOD activity in liver tissue of the mice from
all groups except the 48 h RJ-L group exhibited a significant increase compared with those from the blank control group
(P < 0.05). Therefore, both 48 h RJ and 72 h RJ have protective effects on bromobenzene-induced oxidative damage in mice.

Proximate nutritional components and amino acids in fruit bodies of Pleurotus eryngii cultivated in
different culture media were studied. The nutritional value of proteins was evaluated and compared by the wellrecognized
method worldwide. Results showed that the percentage of essential to total amino acids ranged from 46.4% to
49.5%. Fruit bodies of P. eryngii cultivated in medium 7, with sawdust as the sole carbon source (55%), had the highest
crude protein content (20.62%) and nutritional index (18.5), while fruit bodies from culture medium with both corncob and
sawdust as carbon source (55%) had the highest amino acid score (95.0), chemical score (62.5) and score of ratio coefficient
of amino acid (41.94). Furthermore, essential amino acid index and biological value were higher in fruit bodies from culture
medium 1, with relatively lower content of nitrogen source (22%). The addition of cornmeal or soybean meal could improve
the nutritional value of proteins. Overall, these results can provide theoretical basis for achieving high quality and quantity of
P. eryngii in bottle cultivation.

Using 1H NMR-based metabolomic approach combined with metabolomics pathway analysis (MetPA), the
metabolic influence of Shanxi aged vinegar (SAV) on rats was carried out. The results indicated that metabolomic profiles of
SAV-treated rats differed greatly from those of normal controls, with a significant change observed in α-glucose, β-glucose,
lactate, citrate, malic acid, lipid, and hippurate. Four pathways including synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies and
metabolism of starch, sucrose, citrate cycle and methyl butyrate were regarded as the targeted metabolic pathways according
to MetPA. The results suggested that the metabolic alteration induced by Shanxi aged vinegar in rats was mainly involved
in energy metabolism, glucose metabolism and lipid pathways. This study revealed the effect of Shanxi aged vinegar on
metabolomic profiles of rats in a holistic way, which can lay the foundation for assessing anti-fatigue, hypoglycemic and
hypolipidemic functions of Shanxi aged vinegar.

Objective: To study the protective effect of polydatin on oxidative stress damage induced by cadmium in the
testis of mice. Methods: Forty male mice were randomly divided into five groups including negative control group, cadmium
(Cd) group, and polydatin-protected groups (25, 50 and 100 mg/(kg·d) polydatin). Oxidative stress damage was induced
by 2 mg/kg cadmium chloride on the testis in mice from the Cd group and polydatin-protected groups on the 1st day of the
experiment. On the same day, the mice treated with cadmium except those from the Cd group were subjected to intragastric
administration of polydatin at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/(kg·d). The experiment lasted one week. Testis organ coefficient,
the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the contents of MDA and 8-hydroxy-
2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were examined on testis in each group. Moreover testis tissue morphology was examined by
HE. Results: Testis organ coefficient was decreased, and pathological observations of testis exhibited serious damage with
degeneration, necrosis and decreased number of seminiferous cells in mice from the Cd group, while testis organ coefficient
was enhanced. The damage was slighter in the testis of mice treated with polydatin. Compared with the control group, the
activities of SOD and GSH-Px were decreased remarkably, and the contents of MDA and 8-OHdG were enhanced in the
testis of mice from the Cd group (P < 0.01). However, compared with the Cd group, testis organ coefficient and the activity
of SOD were enhanced significantly in the testis of mice treated with 50 and 100 mg/(kg·d) polydatin (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01),
and the activity of GSH-Px was enhanced significantly in the testis of mice treated with 25, 50 and 100 mg/(kg·d) polydatin
(P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Moreover, the levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were decreased significantly in the testis of mice treated
with 25, 50 and 100 mg/(kg·d) polydatin (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Conclusion: Polydatin has ameliorative effect on testis lipid
peroxidation, and can act as a protector to inhibit DNA damage induced by cadmium.

With the aim of exploring the free radical scavenging potential of perilla oil (PO) as a functional food ingredient,
the antioxidant effect of PO on ethanol-induced oxidative stress in mice was investigated. The mice were subjected to oral
administration of PO at the doses of 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/(kg·d) for 30 days and the antioxidant activity was evaluated
by the determination of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and protein carbonyl
(PC). The results showed that MDA contents in the normal control (NC) group, and 100, 200, and 400 mg/(kg·d) PO
groups were decreased by 46.08% (P < 0.01), 17.28% (P < 0.05), 25.12% (P < 0.05), and 48.16% (P < 0.01), respectively,
when compared with the model control (MC) group. SOD activity in 100 mg/(kg·d) PO group was significantly increased
(P < 0.01). GSH levels in 100 and 200 mg/(kg·d) PO groups were remarkably increased (P < 0.01). PC content in
100 mg/(kg·d) PO group was obviously decreased (P < 0.05). Therefore, due to its effect on MDA, SOD, GSH and PC, PO
has obvious antioxidant activity on ethanol-induced oxidative stress in mice, and 100 mg/(kg·d) may be an optimal dosage
for antioxidant effect. The antioxidant effect of PO is highly correlated with decreased accumulation of MDA and PC,
increased SOD activity, and increased GSH level.

Peanut protein is an ideal raw material for food processing, but it is also a food allergen causing high mortality
and serious harm to human health. This article reviews the effects of processing methods on peanut allergenicity. Meanwhile,
methods for evaluating peanut allergenicity both in vitro and in vivo are summarized. This study will hopefully provide
guidance for the development of hypoallergenic or non-allergenic peanut products.

Plant polysaccharides have immune-regulatory function and can be widely used in medical and health food
industries as immunomodulatory agents. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), as one of the nuclear factors regulating gene
transcription, plays a critical role in the regulation of multiple genes in macrophages. Many studies have shown that plant
polysaccharides induce immune response of macrophages through NF-κB signaling pathway. This review describes the
composition and regulation of NF-κB signaling pathway as well as the mechanism of NF-κB activation by the plant
polysaccharide-mediating receptor on the surface of macrophages. This review can provide a reference for further study of
plant polysaccharides.

Liposomes, in which amphiphilic lipids such as phospholipid bilayer encapsulate the aqueous phase, are
cell membrane-like closed delivery system. Because of their unique properties such as protection, delivery, targeting
and controlled release, liposomes have shown great application potential in food, medicine, cosmetics and agriculture.
This article gives a brief introduction to the characteristics of liposomes with special focus on the recent progress in the
application of liposomes in the fields of lipids, food antioxidants, enzymes, proteins, vitamins and minerals. In addition, an
overview of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of liposomes in the fields of food science and nutrition is also proposed.

Seafood is one of people’s favorite foods. With the rapid development of industry, the industrial emission of the
toxic elements Hg, Pb and As has been a threat to the safety of seafood. In this paper, Hg, Pb and As contents in seafood
from Europe (Italy and Norway), the Middle East (Turkey and Iran) and some coastal areas of China collected during
2005–2015 are compared. The results show that: 1) Hg content in some seafood from the Middle East and China’s coastal
areas exceeds the maximum allowable limit; 2) Pb content in most seafood from the Middle East is much higher than in that
from coastal areas in China and Europe, and bivalves have higher levels of Pb content than fishes; 3) As content in most
seafood from European (Italy and Norway) coastal areas is significantly higher than in that from other coastal areas and
exceeded the maximum allowable limit; 4) Hg content in all investigated bivalves from coastal areas in northern China is
higher than in those from coastal areas in southeast China.

Spoilage of fresh livestock meat and aquatic fish and shrimp is mainly caused by microbial growth during
logistics. In recent years, with the rapid development of molecular ecological techniques, many kinds of microbes have been
detected in fresh livestock meat and aquatic fish and shrimp, including Carnobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., Salmonella
spp., Pseudomonas spp., Leuconostoc spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, Listeria monocytogenes, yeasts, molds and so on.
This review summarizes common molecular biology techniques that were applied during 2010 to 2015 to microbial flora
in fresh livestock meat and aquatic fish and shrimp during logistics. Molecular ecological techniques including denaturing
gradient gel electrophoresis, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, high-throughput sequencing and realtime
PCR are also described to provide a reference for studying microbial flora in fresh livestock meat and aquatic fish and
shrimp during logistics.

Umami and kokumi peptides are very important to food flavor, and they impact food quality and consumer
acceptance. Both kinds of peptides widely occur in a variety of animal-derived foods, vegetables and fermented foods. This
review is focused on the origin, type, content, contribution to food flavor, structure-function relationship and molecular
basis of umami and kokumi peptides. In addition, the problems encountered in the research on the two kinds of peptides are
discussed and the future research direction is also proposed. This review will hopefully provide reference and guidance for
further studies of umami and kokumi peptides.

(–)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of the important catechins in tea, has been demonstrated to have
anticancer activity both in vitro and in vivo. The anticancer mechanism has been confirmed to be associated with cell
apoptosis, resistance to angiogenesis, regulation of cell cycles, retardation of cell transfer, and collaborative anticancer
effects. Unfortunately, EGCG has limited clinical applications due to its unstable characteristics in neutral or alkaline
environment, which stems from its “polyhydroxyl” structure. Previous studies have demonstrated that the anticancer activity
and stability of EGCG can be remarkably improved by molecular modification. The review summarizes the methods used for
molecular modification of EGCG and the anticancer effects and mechanisms of EGCG and its derivatives.

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), a class of carcinogenic and mutagenic organic compounds, are formed
from high-protein foods cooked at high temperature. Grilling, stewing, frying, deep-frying, and other thermal processing
methods can lead to the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in meat products. The inhibitory effect of exogenous
components on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in meat processing has gained extensive attention. In this
paper the current status of studies on the inhibition of the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in meat products by
exogenous components are reviewed.

Food contact materials contain many chemical agents including intentionally added substances (IAS) and
non-intentionally added substances (NIAS). It is impractical to obtain all toxicological data for IAS and NIAS, and also
unnecessary to assess the substances of low exposure level in food contact materials for less risk to human health. The
threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) concept, as a novel safety assessment strategy, can be used to assess the substances
with insufficient toxicological data and lower exposure level. This paper discusses the application of TTC to assess
substances (known and unknown) in food contact materials. Our research is conducted in compliance with TTC decision tree
proposed by the European International Life Sciences Institute specialists for the assessment of substances. For unknown
substances, a stepwise analytic method is applied to reach a conclusion whether safety concerns are required or not.
Difficulties in using TTC and problems to be solved are pointed out. This paper can provide the basis for risk assessment of
substances in food contact materials complete toxicological data about which is lacking.

The existence of sulfonamide (SA) residues in animal derived foods is an important food safety issue and the
detection of SAs is of great significance for protecting human health. The detection of SAs in a complex food matrix mainly
relies on an effective pretreatment method and precise instruments. This paper summarizes the background and current status
of research on veterinary sulfonamides, and reviews traditional and novel extraction techniques for sample pretreatment
and analytical methods for the determination of sulfonamide residues in foods. It is hoped that this review can provide a
reference for monitoring sulfonamide residues in foods.

With the development of fresh vegetables worldwide, the safety of fresh vegetable products, especially the
hazards of microbial contamination, is becoming a big issue. This article aims to review the hazards, detection and control
methods of microbial contamination in fresh vegetables. The hazards of microbial contamination can arise at any points in
the production chain of fresh vegetables from farm to mouth. Therefore, the detection and control methods for food-borne
pathogens in fresh vegetables need to be improved.

In order to provide reference for future studies and applications of irradiation in the preservation of fruits, the
effect of irradiation on physiological metabolism, sensory quality, nutritional components and processing quality of fruits
is reviewed. Meanwhile, the mechanism of electron beam technology for fruit preservation, the mechanism and process
conditions for the degradation of pesticide residues in fruits by irradiation, and the feasibility of using irradiation to reduce
fruit allergenicity are discussed. According to the physiological characteristics and storage characteristics of different types
of fruits, irradiation treatment in combination with other preservation technologies can reduce the cost and improve the
preservation efficiency of fruits.

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid that has very strong antioxidant activity, anticancer function, significant coloring
capacity and immunoenhancing activity. The biological activities of astaxanthin and its applications in food, cosmetics,
health products, aquaculture, medicine and other fields are summarized in this review, with focus on the current status of
fermentative production of astaxanthin. Moreover, the future directions of astaxanthin research are proposed. It is expected
that this review can provide a theoretical basis for in-depth exploration and comprehensive utilization of astaxanthin.

Amino acid-microelement chelates, the third generation of trace element supplement, with multiple biological
functions such as high bioavailability, good biochemical stability, strong disease resistance, less environmental pollution
and fast absorption, have broad prospects. This paper reviews the nutritional and physiological functions and application in
animal breeding of amino acid-microelement chelates, methods for evaluating their bioavailability and its influencing factors.

The objective of this paper is to review previous work on the microbiological risk assessment (MRA) of
Salmonella spp. in chicken products with respect to predictive microbiology, quantitative risk assessment (QRA) models
and software, and dose-response models. The weak points in MRA of Salmonella spp. in chicken products are described and
further research directions and hotspots are also discussed. This review can provide theoretical references for governmental
departments to make scientific decisions and for consumers to choose healthy diet.

Although proteases are widely applied in various fields, large-scale industrial application of proteases has been
restricted by many factors. Genetic engineering technology has been used for the cloning and expression of protease genes to
obtain the protease resources with high quality, high purity and high activity. The classification, structures and functions of
proteases, and strain screening for protease production are reviewed in this article. Meanwhile, the cloning, and prokaryotic
and eukaryotic expression of protease genes are discussed. Moreover, the future development in protease gene engineering
technology is also prospected.

Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have the function of preventing and treating joint diseases. This paper
gives a brief introduction to joint diseases and their pathological characteristics, with the emphasis on summarizing the
efficacy, mechanism and pharmacokinetic of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate for promoting bone health. In addition,
future prospects for the development of food-grade glucosamine-chondroitin sulfate which can strengthen bones and prevent
joint diseases as a replacement for traditional medication are explored.