The effect of adding different proportions of transglutaminase (TG) on the structure and digestive characteristics of high-moisture pea protein extrudates prepared with a twin-screw extruder was investigated. The macrostructure and microstructure of the extrudates were characterized by measuring texture and texturization degree as well as using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The structural properties and nutritional value were evaluated by measuring rheological properties, protein solubility and digestive properties. These results showed that addition of appropriate amounts of TG (0.25%–­1.00%) promoted the cross-linking between pea protein molecules, forming a dense network structure, increasing the digestibility of extrudates and promoting the release of free amino acids. However, addition of excess TG (2%) inhibited the fiber formation and digestive properties of extrudates. The extrudate with 1.00% of TG had higher texturization degree and nutritional value. This study demonstrated that high-moisture extrusion combined with addition of TG can improve the structure and digestive characteristics of plant protein-based meat analogs.

Restructuring of plant proteins by extrusion can form plant-based meat products with similar quality characteristics to animal meat. As a beneficial complement to animal meat, plant-based meat products are of great significance to realize high-value utilization of proteins and guarantee efficient supply. However, the current plant-based meat products still have some prominent problems such as insufficient elasticity, loose structure and poor juiciness, and are mostly used in the form of minced meat in meatballs, meat patties, dumplings and other meat products, which cannot fully meet the demands of Chinese consumers yet. Enzymatic modification technology, which is safe, efficient, green and useful to modify protein structure and improve product texture and flavor, has been widely used in the research and development of meat products, and is also promising for application to plant-based meat products. This paper summarizes the differences in chemical structure and functional properties between animal and plant proteins, analyzes the mechanism and application in meat products of enzymatic modification of protein structure, and reviews the latest progress in the application of enzymatic modification combined with extrusion to plant-based meat products. We anticipate that this review will provide a reference for the development and quality improvement of new plant-based meat products in China.

Plant-based meat products are new bionic foods for which industrial standards were formulated recently, and have tended to replace meat products in taste and flavor. The most common plant-based meat product is the one produced from soybean protein by the use of processing technologies such as extrusion, which has a meaty mouthfeel and flavor. Mouthfeel and flavor are important factors determining whether meat analogs can be accepted by consumers, and flavor is one of the first signals received by consumers. The market prospect of meat analogs is determined by whether the flavor is accepted by consumers. This paper introduces the flavor sources of soybean protein-based meat analogs, summarizes the effects of different processing factors on the flavor substances of soybean protein-based meat analogs, and discusses the retention mechanism of the flavor substances of soybean protein-based meat analogs, which will provide a basis for the research and development of the flavor of soybean protein-based meat analogs.

As a common foodborne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes is a major threat to the safety of fruit juice. In this study, The activity and action mechanism of antimicrobial peptide zp37 in inhibiting L. monocytogenes in fruit juice were studied by measuring its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and analyzing its growth curve, membrane potential, membrane integrity, cell microstructure, cell aggregation rate, DNA binding, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level after zp37 treatment. The results showed that the MIC value of antimicrobial peptide zp37 against L. monocytogenes was 16 μg/mL, and the growth of L. monocytogenes was significantly inhibited by zp37 at concentrations greater than 4 MIC. After treatment with the peptide at 8 MIC concentration for 1 h, L. monocytogenes was almost completely killed. The peptide at 2 MIC concentration kept the number of L. monocytogenes in strawberry, kiwifruit and apple juice below the detection limit for seven days. After treatment with zp37, the cell membrane permeability of L. monocytogeneswas increased, the membrane potential was lost, the cell membrane integrity was destroyed, the cell surface became obviously sunken and deformed, and cell aggregation occurred. The results of fluorescent labeling showed that zp37 could simultaneously act on the cell membrane and cytoplasm of L. monocytogenes. In the cytoplasm, when zp37 concentration was greater than one-fourth of the DNA concentration, they could bind significantly and even DNA was precipitated. In addition, zp37 induced L. monocytogenes to produce ROS in a positive dose-dependent manner. The above results showed that antimicrobial peptide zp37 had anobvious inhibitory effect on L. monocytogenes in fruit juice, which can provide a scientific basis for the application of antimicrobial peptides as biological preservatives in fruit juice.

The physicochemical, nutritional, flavor and sensory properties of seven highland barley varieties endemic to Tibet and highland barley wine from each of these varieties were determined, and based on them the correlation between highland barley varieties and highland barley wine quality was determined by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the percentage of essential amino acids in high barley wine was higher than in highland barley. CCA showed that the total amino acids, γ-aminobutyric acid, β-dextran and total polyphenol in different varieties of highland barley were similar. The difference in nutritional composition among highland barley varieties was small, but it was increased due to microbial conversion of nutrients during wine brewing, making it possible to select a highland barley variety suitable for wine production. Through analysis of nutrients such as proteins, amino acids, γ-aminobutyric acid and total phenolics in highland barley and its wine, the variety ‘Zangqing 2000’ was found to be most suitable for wine production, followed by ‘Longzihei’, ‘Qianzhihei’ and ‘Zangqing 25’. Finally, based on multidimensional indicators of highland barley wine such as nutritional, flavor and sensory properties, ‘Zangqing 2000’ was considered as the best variety for wine production, followed by ‘Gouzhihei’, ‘Longzihei’ and ‘Zangqing 25’. This study will provide a basis for the development of highland barley wine.

This study was conducted in order to explore the influence of different milks on the stability of infant formula milk powder. The physicochemical properties of infant formula milk powders made from goat milk and cow milk such as moisture content, water activity (aw), glass transition temperature (Tg), lactose crystallinity, solubility, color, protein composition, total fatty acid and the composition of surface free fatty acids were analyzed. The surface components were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the surface morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that goat milk infant formula powder had good physicochemical properties. Compared with cow milk infant formula powder, goat milk infant formula powder had lower moisture content, aw, chroma and Tg, but similar crystallinity and solubility. Fatty acid composition analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that in both infant formula powders, unsaturated fatty acids accounted for a higher percentage of the total fatty acids, while saturated fatty acids accounted for a higher percentage of the surface free fatty acids. The results of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that the content of β-casein in goat milk infant formula powder was higher, and the difference in casein content affected the surface components of milk powder. Consistently, the XPS results showed that goat milk infant formula had a relatively low fat content and a relatively high protein content in the surface composition, which could explain the more agglomerated and denser particles of cow milk infant formula powder observed by SEM. The above results indicated that the physicochemical properties and surface composition of infant formula powders made from different milks are different due to the difference in casein composition, affecting the stability of infant formula powder.

Pea starch (PS) was treated by high-pressure homogenization (HPH) at different pressures (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 MPa) three times for 30 min each in order to investigate the effect of HPH treatment on rheological properties and multiscale structure of starch. The results showed that the viscosity and thixotropy of PS initially increased and then decreased with increasing homogenization pressure. The frequency scanning results showed that the storage modulus G’ and loss modulus G” of PS gels were significantly increased after HPH treatment, and the viscosity and elasticity of PS gels were best after 40 MPa treatment. The G’ and G” curves of PS gels showed a turning point in the temperature range of 70–75 ℃. HPH treatment changed the granular morphology, crystal structure and short-range ordered structure of PS. Cracks, pits and holes appeared on the surface of PS granules after HPH treatment, and the particle size distribution changed. Through analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, it was found that the proportion of amorphous region of PS increased after 100 MPa treatment, and HPH treatment increased the ratio between peak areas at 1 047 and 1 022 cm-1 (R1 047/1 022) and the short-range ordered structure of PS. 1H Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy showed that the α-1,4 glycosidic bond and α-1,6 glycosidic bond in PS were damaged, and the branching degree of PS was reduced. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the application of HPH in the regulation of starch rheological properties and multiscale structure.

In order to investigate the effects of electrical stunning on slaughter stress and post-slaughter meat quality in pigeons, meat-type pigeons aged 28 days under the same feeding conditions were chosen and subjected to electrical stunning with different voltages (50–90 V) before slaughter (0 V as control), and blood biochemical indexes and meat quality indexes were determined after slaughter. Results showed that the postmortem blood levels of creatine kinase (CK), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in pigeons with electrical stunning decreased compared with those in the control group without electrical stunning, and reached the lowest value at an electrical voltage of 60 V. The blood corticosterone (CORT) concentration firstly decreased and then increased with the increase in stunning voltage, and was significantly higher at voltages greater than 70 V than in the control group, indicating increased stress levels at slaughter. Electrical stunning had no significant impact on the postmortem pH of breast meat. Compared with the control group, the brightness value (L*) of pigeon breast meat at 24 h after slaughter slightly decreased while the redness value (a*) increased. The drip loss, cooking loss and shear force of pigeon breast meat were relatively low at voltages of 60–70 V, suggesting good water-holding capacity and tenderness. In conclusion, electrical stunning at 60–70 V can effectively reduce the slaughter stress and improve the meat quality of pigeons after slaughter, which is beneficial for the welfare slaughter of meat-type pigeons.

In this work, we established a HepG2 cell model of hypercholesterolemia in order to investigate the cholesterol-lowering activity and underlying mechanism of sterols. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and cholesterol regulation-related proteins were measured in HepG2 cells treated with nothing, simvastatin as a positive control or sterols. The results showed that the four sterol compounds tested could reduce TC and TG levels and mitigate the increase of lipids levels and lipid metabolism disorder in hypercholesterolemic cells. Moreover, they reduced the biosynthesis and absorption of cholesterol, decreased cholesterol esterification and promoted cholesterol excretion to the intestine by down-regulating the expression of Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1), acetyl-coenzyme A acetyltransferase 2 (ACAT2), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase (HMGCS1) and sterol-regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBP2), and up-regulating the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter G5/8 (ABCG5/8). We concluded that sterols improve lipid levels in hypercholesterolemic cells by affecting the expression of proteins related to cholesterol absorption and metabolism.

Selenized whey protein isolate (Se-WPI) was prepared by dry heating and its physicochemical properties such as organic selenium percentage, selenate stability, digestibility, and 77Se-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) characteristics as well as anti-prostate cancer activity were evaluated. The results showed that the content of organic selenium in Se-WPI prepared by heating at 80 ℃ for 24 h at pH 3.0 was 2.09%. According to the results of 77Se-NMR and selenate stability, selenium in Se-WPI existed in the form of selenite ester. The biological activities of WPI were improved after selenization. The digestibility of Se-WPI was significantly improved. Like sodium selenite (SS), Se-WPI also showed inhibitory activity against the proliferation of human prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP and DU145, and it could promote the apoptosis of LNCap cells in terms of the cell cycle, apoptosis and caspase-3 activity. In addition, Se-WPI could also inhibit the adhesion of cancer cells to basement membrane components. These results can provide a basis for further research on the anticancer mechanism of organic selenium compounds.

This study aims to investigate whether Bacillus coagulans BC2000 can improve the ameliorative effect of ellagic acid (EA) on insulin resistance caused by a high-fat diet in mice and the relationship between BC2000 and gut microbiota remodeling. Fifty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups: a low-fat diet group (LFD), a high-fat diet group (HFD), a high-fat diet with EA group (HFD + EA), a high-fat diet with EA and Bacillus coagulans BC30 group (HFD + EA + BC30), and a high-fat diet with EA and Bacillus coagulans BC2000 group (HFD + EA + BC2000). After intervention for 10 weeks, physiological and biochemical indexes and inflammatory cytokine levels were measured. In addition, histological examination of the liver and epididymal adipose tissues was performed, and the microbial community structure in cecal contents was analyzed. The results showed that the combination of BC2000 and EA improved obesity and reduced fat cell hypertrophy and liver steatosis in high-fat diet-fed mice, and significantly reduced the plasma levels of insulin, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and insulin resistance index as well as the plasma levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Zonulin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the combination of BC2000 and EA improved the gut microbiota by increasing the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Lactobacillus and decreasing the relative abundance of Desulfovibrio. Taken together, Bacillus coagulans BC2000 enhances the role of EA in regulating glucolipid metabolism and insulin resistance by modulating the gut microbiota. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of Bacillus coagulans BC2000 as a probiotic in foods.

The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism by which hawthorn proanthocyanidins (HPC) inhibit cell proliferation and promote apoptosis in Huh-7 cells. Huh-7 cells and Traf6-overexpressed Huh-7 cells were cultured routinely at HPC concentrations of 0, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 μg/mL. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to detect the inhibitory effect of HPC on the proliferation of Huh-7 cells and Traf6-overexpressed Huh-7 cells. The mRNA expression of the tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 6 (Traf6), nuclear factor kappa-B p65 (NF-κB p65), Bax and caspase-3 genes were evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The protein expression of Traf6, NF-κB p65, Bax and caspase-3 were tested by Western blotting. Double staining with Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide (PI) was used to test and calculate the apoptosis of Huh-7 cells. Treatment with HPC at concentrations higher than 20 μg/mL could inhibit Huh-7 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent way (P < 0.05). The over-expression of Traf6 promoted the proliferation of Huh-7 cells．Compared with the control group, HPC at 40 μg/mL significantly decreased the relative mRNA and protein expression of Traf6 and NF-κB p65 (P < 0.05), increased the relative mRNA and protein expression of Bax and caspase-3 (P < 0.05), and promoted Huh-7 cell apoptosis (P < 0.05). We concluded that HPC induce apoptosis in Huh-7 cells by down-regulating the Traf6/NF-κB signaling pathway.

To explore the structure of longan polysaccharide and its effect on macrophages, a homogenous polysaccharide (named LP) was isolated and purified from longan pulp by ethanol fractional precipitation, and the structure of LP was characterized by gel permeation chromatography with laser light scattering (GPC-LLS), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Meanwhile, its effect on the phagocytic capacity of macrophages and the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. The results showed that LP was a heteropolysaccharide with a weight average molecular mass of 8.42 × 105 Da composed of glucose, galactose, mannose, mannuronic acid, arabinose and rhamnose at a molar ratio of 98.70% : 0.57% : 0.35% : 0.09% : 0.20% : 0.12%. NMR spectroscopic analysis showed the backbone chain structure of LP to be 6)-α-Glcp-(1→6)-α-Glcp-(14)-α-Glcp-(-1. LP at 50, 100, 200 μg/mL promoted the phagocytic capacity of macrophages and increased the secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. The phagocytic capacity of LP-induced macrophages increased by 95.61% compared with the untreated control group. TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 secretion in macrophages challenged by LP at 50, 100 and 200 μg/mL were 2.38, 10.51 and 10.67 times higher than those in the control group, respectively. These results showed that LP had an activating effect on macrophages, which can provide a scientific basis for the deep processing of longan fruit.

Objective: To investigate the effects of supplementation of Antarctic krill oil (KO) on muscle plasma membrane injury and functional recovery in mice after exhaustive exercise, and to explore the possible mechanism by which KO supplementation promotes muscle plasma membrane injury repair. Methods: Sixty male C57 mice aged eight weeks were randomly divided into a soybean oil control group (BOC), a soybean oil plus exercise group (BOE), a krill oil control group (KOC) and a krill oil plus exercise group (KOE). The mice in the KO groups were intragastrically adminsitered with 200 mg/(kg mb·d) of KO for four weeks, and those in the BO groups were given an equal amount of soybean oil. Thereafter, the mice in the exercise groups were subjected to one-time exhaustive treadmill exercise. Six mice in each group were tested for grasping force immediately (0 h), 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after exhaustive exercise, and the rest were sacrificed 2 h after exhaustive exercise. The activities of serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured by colorimetric assays. The integrity of mouse quadriceps muscle plasma membrane was detected by Evan’s blue dye (EBD) staining. The fatty acid composition of mouse quadriceps muscle plasma membrane was detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The fluorescence polarization degree, microviscosity and fluidity of mouse quadriceps muscle plasma membrane were measured by fluorescence polarization method. Result: 1) After four and three weeks of intervention, the body mass of mice in the KO groups was significantly lower than that of mice in the BO groups (P < 0.05). 2) The exhaustive exercise time of mice in the KOE group was significantly longer than that in the BOE group (P < 0.01), and the grasping force of limbs in mice in the KOE group was significantly higher than that in BOE group at 2, 6, 24 and 48 h after exhaustive exercise (P < 0.05). 3) The serum activity of CK and LDH in mice in the KOE group was significantly lower than that in the BOE group (P < 0.01 and 0.05, respectively). 4) The area of EBD positive muscle fibers in mic from the KOE group was significantly smaller than that in mice from the BOE group (P < 0.05). 5). Compared with the BOC group, the concentration of the unsaturated fatty acid C18:3 in skeletal muscle plasma membrane was significantly decreased in the BOE group (P < 0.05). Compared with the KOC group, the concentrations of the saturated fatty acids C9:0, C10:0, C12:0, C18:0 and C20:0 and the concnentration of the unsaturated fatty acid C20:2 in skeletal muscle plasma membrane were significantly decreased in the KOE group (P < 0.05). The concentrations of the unsaturated fatty acids C22:5, C22:6 (DHA) and C24:5 in skeletal muscle plasma membrane were significantly higher in the KOE group than in the BOE group (P < 0.05). 6) Compared with the BOC group, the fluidity of skeletal muscle plasma membrane in the BOE group was significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the fluidity of skeletal muscle plasma membrane in the KOE group was significantly higher than that in the BOE group (P < 0.01). Conclusion: KO supplementation for four weeks can improve exhaustive exercise performance in mice, enhance the fluidity of skeletal muscle plasma membrane, accelerate the repair of skeletal muscle plasma membrane after exhaustive exercise, and promote the recovery of skeletal muscle function during delayed onset muscle soreness.

Objective: To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of live and pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila on serum uric acid levels and inflammation in hyperuricemic mice. Methods: An Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mouse model of hyperuricemia was established by oral administration with potassium oxonate and hypoxanthine combined with dietary supplementation with 20% of yeast extract for three weeks. The mice in the treatment groups were gavaged with live and pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila, separately. Blood and tissue samples were collected to measure serum uric acid concentration as well as liver xanthine oxidase activity and to analyze renal and intestinal pathology by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Results: Both live and pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila could reduce the concentration of serum uric acid in mice to a certain extent, and down-regulate the activity and protein expression of hepatic xanthine oxidase (XOD), thereby reducing the production of uric acid in the liver. Histopathological analysis showed that both the kidney and intestinal tract of mice in the model group were damaged, including glomerular atrophy, inflammatory cell infiltration in renal interstitium, and shortened intestinal villi. Treatment with Akkermansia muciniphila alleviated these symptoms. Akkermansia muciniphila intervention could also down-regulate Toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4) and Caspase-1 in the kidney and intestine, thereby inhibiting the expression of interleukin (IL-1β) and effectively alleviating the inflammatory responses in mice. This study shows that Akkermansia muciniphila can be used to improve hyperuricemia in mice, and pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila also exhibits the same effect. These findings can lay a theoretical basis for developing probiotics and probiotic-related products for improving hyperuricemia in the future.

Objective: To explore the effect of Auricularia auricula melanin on the physiology and intestinal flora of mice with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Methods: A total of 45 male Kunming mice aged 24 days were randomly divided into two groups: control (15 animals) and model (30 animals). The control group was given a normal diet and deionized water. The model group was given a low-iron diet and ultrapure water for two weeks to induce IDA, and then was randomly divided into two groups with 15 animals each: IDA and IDA-M. The IDA and IDA-M groups were given the low-iron diet and ultrapure water and gavaged with 0.2 mL of A. auricula melanin solution at a dose of 200 mg/(kg mb·d) and an equal volume of ultrapure water for another three weeks, respectively. The mice in all groups were weighed every week. At the end of the experiment, routine blood test was carried out and the composition of the intestinal flora in each group of mice were measured by high-throughput sequencing. Results: After two weeks of feeding, the body mass of mice in the model group decreased significantly compared with that of the mice in the control group (P < 0.05). After three weeks of intervention with melanin, compared with the IDA group, the body mass of the mice in the IDA-M group increased significantly (P < 0.05), and the anemia symptoms such as leukocyte count, erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and mean corpuscular volume returned to the normal level, suggesting that A. auricula melanin alleviates IDA. IDA could cause intestinal flora disorder and significantly change the diversity indices of the intestinal flora (Shannon, Chao1, Ace and Simpson index) (P < 0.05). Compared with the IDA group, the diversity indies and the overall structure of the intestinal flora in the IDA-M group were significantly improved (P < 0.05). At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria decreased significantly, the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia increased significantly, and all of them returned to the normal level. At the genus level, A. auricula melanin increased the relative abundance of the dominant bacteria, significantly increased the relative abundance of the beneficial bacteria Alistipes and Akkermansia (P < 0.05) and decreased the relative abundance of the pathogenic bacteria Parabacteroides and Bacteroides (P < 0.05). Conclusion: A. auricula melanin can alleviate the symptoms of IDA in mice by increasing body mass and improving routine blood indices, and it can also increase the diversity of the intestinal flora and the relative abundance of the dominant microflora and beneficial bacteria, and decrease the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria.

The ameliorative effect of chitooligosaccharides (COS) on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced injury in hepatic cells was evaluated. An oxidative stress injury model was established by stimulating L-02 cells with H2O2, and the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential and related genes (IL-6 and TNF-α) were analyzed. The results showed that COS could improve the proliferation activity, and suppress the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and the increase in ROS level in H2O2-injured L-02 cells (P < 0.05). Single cell nano biochemical analysis showed that COS treatment balanced the fluctuation of ROS level in the cells. In addition, COS improved the transcription levels of genes related to inflammation (IL-6 and TNF-α), apoptosis (Caspase 3, Caspase 9, Bax and Bcl-2) and oxidative stress (Nrf2 and HO-1), thereby antagonizing apoptosis and oxidative stress. Conclusively, COS possess protective effects on H2O2-induced injury in L-02 cells, which lays a theoretical foundation for the application and development of COS.

Monocyte-mediated inflammatory responses play a key role in the progression of atherosclerosis. Anthocyanins are polyphenolic flavonoids that are abundant in various dark-colored vegetables, fruits and cereals, which possess a wide range of biological activities. Cyanidin-3-O-β-glucoside (Cy-3-g) is an important anthocyanin monomer. The current study aimed to explore the effects of black rice-derived Cy-3-g on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in Tohoku hospital pediatrics-1 (THP-1) as well as its possible mechanism of action. Crude anthocyanins from black rice were obtained by extraction with ethanol-hydrochloric acid solution and macroporous resin adsorption and purified by medium-pressure liquid chromatography with UV detection. Cy-3-g with a purity greater than 96.5% was obtained. THP-1 monocytes were sequentially incubated with different concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 μg/mL) Cy-3-g for 4 h, and LPS (50 ng/mL) for additional 48 h. The levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the culture were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the mRNA expression levels of the genes encoding IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Moreover, the protein expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB p65 and inhibitor of NF-κB (IκBα) were detected by Western blot. The LPS-induced increase in the relative mRNA expression levels and release levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in THP-1 cells was significantly inhibited by all concentrations of Cy-3-g tested (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). Cy-3-g at 0.25 and 0.50 μg/mL significantly blunted the inhibitory effect of LPS on IL-10 mRNA expression (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). Cy-3-g at 0.10, 0.25 and 0.50 μg/mL significantly mitigated the inhibitory effect of LPS on IL-10 release (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively), but had no significant influence on LPS-induced promotion of IL-8 mRNA expression and release levels (P > 0.05). Cy-3-g at 0.25 and 0.50 μg/mL significantly inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of TLR4 and NF-κB p65 (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively), suppressed the expression of phosphorylated IκBα and NF-κB, and inhibited LPS-induced IκBα degradation. Bay11-7082, a specific inhibitor of NF-κB, significantly decreased the release of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells (P < 0.001), but had no synergistic effects with 0.50 μg/mL Cy-3-g (P > 0.05). Black rice-derived Cy-3-g exerts a protective effect on LPS-induced inflammatory injury of THP-1 monocytes possibly through down-regulating the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

In this study, the effect of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis HFY14 (LLSLHFY14) isolated from naturally fermented yak yoghurt in Hongyuan county of Sichuan in improving renal function in mice with lupus nephritis induced by norphytane was investigated. The effects of different doses of LLSLHFY14 on immune indexes such as interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-12 were measured. Then, renal histopathology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, and the relative mRNA and protein expression of IL-4, IL-1β and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) in renal tissue were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot. The results showed that LLSLHFY14 could increase thymus and spleen indexes in mice with lupus nephritis. LLSLHFY14 could inhibit the decrease in IL-2, IL-12, total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) and the increase in interferon gamma (IFN-γ), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), immunoglobulin G (IgG), serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) in the serum of mice with lupus nephritis. LLSLHFY14 could also reduce the positive rate of anti-double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (dsDNA) antibodies in mice caused by norphytane. Pathological examination showed that LLSLHFY14 could restore glomerular morphologic integrity and inflammatory infiltration in mice with lupus nephritis. Furthermore, LLSLHFY14 could up-regulate the expression of IL-4 and down-regulate the expression of IL-1β and TGF-β in the kidney. It can be concluded that LLSLHFY14 significantly improves renal function in mice with lupus nephritis in a positive concentration-dependent way. The effect of LLSLHFY14 at high concentration (109 CFU/kg) is close to that of prednisone. This study lays a foundation for further utilization of lactic acid bacteria in naturally fermented yak yogurt.

The dominant bacteria isolated from grape surface (Vitis vinifera cv. Kyoho) were identified as Escherichia coli and Kocuria and inactivated by treatment with gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO2) prepared by the indirect reaction between NaClO2 and dry ice, and the effects of ClO2 gas on bacterial inactivation were evaluated by measuring the logarithmic reduction of total bacterial counts. Meanwhile, during storage at 4 ℃ for 30 days, the color parameters, fruit hardness, percentage mass loss and total soluble solid (TSS) content of artificially inoculated grapes were measured to evaluate the effect of ClO2 gas on the quality of grapes. The results showed that ClO2 gas had a good inactivating effect on Escherichia coli and Kocuria inoculated on surface of grapes. When the cumulative concentration of ClO2 was increased from 131 to 599 μL/(L·h), the logarithmic reduction of Escherichia coli increased from 1.6 (lg(CFU/g)) to 3.5 (lg(CFU/g)), and the logarithmic reduction of Kocuria increased from 1.0 (lg(CFU/g)) to 4.5 (lg(CFU/g)). During 30 days of storage, the color of grapes treated with ClO2 gas did not obviously change compared with that of the untreated control group. The softening and mas loss were obviously inhibited and the consumption of soluble solids in grapes treated with the high cumulative concentration of ClO2 was obviously reduced after storage at 4 ℃ for 30 days compared with that in the control and low cumulative ClO2 concentration groups. Additionally, the residual ClO2 on grapes treated by ClO2 gas was less than 0.4 mg/kg during storage at 4 ℃ for 30 days. The ClO2 gas treatment method is convenient, efficient, and low cost, which can effectively kill bacteria and improve the quality of grapes. This study provides a technical basis for the application of ClO2 gas to fruits and vegetables.

In this research, we investigated the effects of treatment with different concentrations (10, 50 and 100 μmol/L) of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on postharvest browning of ‘Chuliang’ longan fruit (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) during storage at (20 ± 1) ℃ and 85% relative humidity. The results showed that compared with the control fruit, MeJA treatment effectively reduced pericarp browning index, pericarp cell membrane permeability and pulp breakdown index in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, 100 μmol/L MeJA maintained higher contents of total phenols and flavonoids, reduced the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and increased the activity of peroxidase (POD) and phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL) in the pericarp. MeJA treatment could effectively reduce the rate of superoxide anion production and H2O2 content, enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, and improve antioxidant capacity. Therefore, it is concluded that 100 μmol/L MeJA treatment can inhibit postharvest phenolic metabolism and increase antioxidant capacity in longan fruit, thus delaying pericarp browning and prolonging its storage.

In order to investigate the quality changes of Crassostrea gigas during cold storage at 0 and 4 ℃, the changes in the visual appearance of different tissues (adductor muscle, mantle, gills and visceral mass) during cold storage were observed. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was used to analyze the changes of total proteins in oyster tissues. The degradation of myosin heavy chain (MHC), actin, paramyosin (PM) and tropomyosin (TM) in adductor muscle was identified by Western blotting. The activity of endogenous serine protease and cathepsin B was measured using fluorescent spectrum. The quality change of adductor muscle during cold storage was evaluated in terms of its pH, K value and texture properties. The results showed that during cold storage, the texture of adductor muscle changed from tight to soft. Western blotting showed that MHC in adductor muscle began to degrade on days 3 and 1 for 0 and 4 ℃, respectively, indicating that low temperature is beneficial to reduce the rate of protein hydrolysis. However, PM, TM and actin did not change obviously. The activity of serine protease and cathepsin B in adductor muscle first rose and then decreased during cold storage. After cold storage for 11 days, the pH decreased from an initial value of 6.79 to 6.52 and 5.84 for 0 and 4 ℃, respectively. The K value exceeded the second degree of freshness range (40%) on days 9 and 5 for 0 and 4 ℃, respectively. The hardness and chewiness of adductor muscle peaked on day 1 and then decreased gradually, and elasticity decreased with storage time. The degradation of MHC in adductor muscle was most remarkable and closely related to the deterioration of oyster quality during cold storage. This study can provide a theoretical reference for oyster cold storage and preservation.

Low-temperature freezing is the oldest, most extensively and most cost-effective method of preserving meat, During freezing, frozen storage and thawing, eighty percent of the water in meat undergoes two phase transitions from water to ice to water, and ice crystals are formed and then melted, which will cause damage to muscle cells, resulting in oxidization of muscle protein and fat, a decrease in water-holding capacity, color darkening, tissue collapse and a reduction or even loss of nutritional value. The current review summarizes the formation and growth (nucleation, growth and recrystallization) of ice crystals based on the dynamic transformation from water to ice to water, analyzes the morphological change in ice crystals induced by different temperatures and degrees of supersaturation and the dynamic transformation from water to ice to water during freezing-thawing. This review focuses on the mechanism by which the transformation from water to ice to water causes deterioration of the microstructure, water-holding capacity, oxidation stability (fat oxidation, protein oxidation and conformational change) and sensory quality (texture, color and flavor) of frozen meat. Finally, some emerging freezing technologies (ultrasound freezing, high-pressure freezing, electromagnetic freezing and adding cryoprotectant) used to improve the quality of frozen meat are briefly introduced. This review is expected to provide a scientific theoretical basis for improving the quality of frozen meat and its industrial production.

Food preservatives are widely used in the food industry for their broad antibacterial spectrum and strong antibacterial properties. While the effects of dietary food preservatives on the gut microbiota and host health have been studied, a systematic review is lacking. In this paper, the latest research on food preservatives and the gut microbiota is reviewed. It has been found that food preservatives affect lipid metabolism, immunity and intestinal inflammation by altering the diversity of the gut microbiota and regulating the abundance of conditioned pathogens and beneficial bacteria. The future research trends are also discussed. Through this review, we hope that the ‘food preservatives-gut microbiota-host health’ chain can arouse the attention of researchers and readers, and provide a new perspective for the existing safety evaluation system of food preservatives, which may be of guiding significance for the maintenance of human health.

With the advantages of rapidity, simplicity and low cost, immunoassay technology plays an important role in monitoring pesticide residues. Nanomaterial-based fluorescent immunosensors have attracted the attention of researchers due to high sensitivity and specificity in recent years. In this paper, the recent progress in research on fluorescen immunosensors is reviewed. We summarize the principles, characteristics and application status of enzyme-based fluorescent immunoprobes, nanomaterial-based fluorescent immunoprobes, nanozyme-based immunoprobes and nano-scaffold type immunoprobes. We also discuss future prospects for the application of fluorescent immunosensors in pesticide detection. It is expected that this review will provide a reference for the development and application of fluorescent nanoprobes in the detection of pesticide residues in foods.

Goat milk and dairy products have attracted more and more consumers’ attention because of their rich nutritional value and positive health benefits. Goat milk, the milk of the goat as a minor dairy species. Compared with cow milk, goat milk has higher dry matter content, better digestibility, and lower allergenicity, and is a good source of many bioactive ingredients. Therefore, goat milk can be used to manufacture health products suitable for various populations as a carrier of functional ingredients such as prebiotics and probiotics. This article reviews the cutting-edge research on the nutritional composition, functional properties and processing of goat milk, with a particular focus on the role and mechanism of action of goat milk products in the prevention and alleviation of various diseases. We hope that this review will provide a reference for the development of high-value goat milk products.

Malignant tumor seriously endangers human life and health. Radiotherapy is currently one of the most common treatments for malignant tumor. However, ionizing radiation (IR) can cause radiation resistance of tumor cells and damage normal tissue cells, thereby limiting the clinical application of radiotherapy. Natural polyphenols not only can improve the radiosensitivity of tumor cells, but also can alleviate the negative effects of IR on the body, thus playing an important role in tumor treatment. Dysregulation of non-coding RNA plays an important role in the occurrence and development of many diseases. In recent years, studies have found that the anti-tumor and radiosensitization effects of polyphenols are associated with non-coding RNA regulation. In this context, this paper reviews the anti-tumor and radiosensitization effects of natural polyphenols and their mechanisms, especially from the perspective of non-coding RNA regulation, in order to provide new ideas for the intervention and treatment of tumors and other diseases, as well as the development of food products for special medical purposes.

Food safety incidents caused by pesticide residues are threatening the life and health of people. At present, pesticide residues in food samples are miscellaneous, low and unknown to testing personnel and thus difficult to detect. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop high-throughput and non-targeted for the detection of pesticide residues in food samples. Chromatography-mass spectrometry has been widely used in the field of pesticide residue detection because of its advantages of high separation and identification efficiency as well as high-throughput and non-targeted nature. This paper summarizes the literature on high-throughput and non-targeted detection of pesticide residues in food samples by chromatography-mass spectrometry in the past 10 years. The current status of multi-pesticide residue detection in food samples is briefly described. Besides, this paper focuses on the application of chromatography-mass spectrometry in the detection of pesticide residues in food samples from the perspectives of the development of multidimensional chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry, the improvement of sorbent materials and sample pretreatment techniques, and the optimization of chemometric algorithms. Some suggestions for the problems existing in this field of research are put forward aiming to provide a new reference for the application of chromatography-mass spectrometry in the detection of multi-pesticide residues in food samples.

Water-holding capacity is an important quality attribute of fresh meat. It is closely related to eating quality attributes such as tenderness, juiciness and color. Water-holding capacity also affects the mass of meat when marketed. Therefore, water-holding capacity has a focus of attention in the meat industry. This paper reviews the fundamental theory of the water-holding capacity of meat and its recent developments. A brief introduction is given to the microstructure of muscle and water distribution in muscle. The roles of electrostatic forces, osmotic pressure, and capillary forces in the water-holding capacity of meat are summarized, and the methods used for water-holding measurement are reviewed. Finally, the latest research progress on the water-holding mechanism in meat is discussed with a focus on net charge and microstructure. This comprehensive review will provide a theoretical basis for meat research and production.

In order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the trend of research on the viable bacteria but non-culturable (VBNC) state in bacteria, 836 pieces of research literature in this field published during the period from 1994 to 2021 retrieved from the Web of Science core collection database were comparatively analyzed in terms of the number of literature, publishing time, authors’ institutions, publication sources, research directions and keywords using bibliometrics. A knowledge map of keywords for visual analysis was obtained by Cite Space 5.8 software. The results showed that: from 1994 to 2021, the annual number of articles published on bacterial VBNC state showed a relatively stable growth trend, and the 836 articles, produced by 1 528 research institutions in 67 countries or regions, are published in 355 publications; from 1994 to 2021, the top 10 countries produced 88.04% of the total literature volume; from 2011 to 2021, China ranked first in the number of publications in the world; and the number of research papers on bacterial VBNC state has always been at the forefront of the fields of microbiology, infectious diseases, biochemistry and molecular biology. The key words of Escherichia coli, VBNC, nonculturable state, survival and resuscitation are hot topics in the research area of bacterial VBNC state. In the future, more efforts are still needed in research on the VBNC state of bacteria, which will provide an important reference for food safety and the development and utilization of microorganisms.

The frequent outbreak of food safety incidents caused by foodborne pathogens have a huge impact on public health and social economy. Developing rapid and efficient detection methods is an effective means of ensuring food safety. CRISPR/Cas, composed of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein (Cas), is an immune system widely present in bacteria and archaea, which can effectively recognize and cut exogenous nucleic acids. Therefore, the rapid and efficient detection of pathogenic bacteria can be achieved by using the CRISPR/Cas system. This review introduces CRISPR/Cas systems with and without nucleic acid amplification, summarizes their application for detection of various foodborne pathogens, and discusses their advantages, limitations and future trends. This review will provide a reference for the establishment of more efficient detection methods to effectively reduce food safety problems caused by foodborne pathogens.

Foods are subject to deterioration caused by ice crystal formation and recrystallization during storage and transportation. At present, adding antifreeze is an effective means to delay the deterioration of frozen foods and maintain food quality. γ-Polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) is an anionic polypeptide polymer whose molecular chain contains a large number of carboxyl groups connecting water molecules through hydrogen bonds, which can reduce water migration, inhibit the growth of ice crystals, and thus has excellent antifreeze effect. Additionally, γ-PGA has the advantages of low salt, low calorie, and promoting mineral absorption, and can better meet consumer demands for reduced sugar, reduced fat, reduced salt foods than traditional commercial antifreeze. Based on the current status of γ-PGA research, this paper reviews the basic structure and antifreeze mechanism of γ-PGA and its application in the food industry in order to provide a theoretical reference for the development and application of food-grade γ-PGA antifreeze in the food field.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract whose pathogenesis is not yet clear and it tends to recurrent. The global prevalence of IBD has reached 0.3% and is increasing as a result of changes in living environment and dietary habits. Current treatments for IBD focus on anti-inflammatory drugs and intestinal immunomodulatory therapy, and recent studies on intestinal microorganisms have shown that the occurrence of IBD is closely related to changes in the intestinal flora and some intestinal microorganisms can alleviate IBD in various ways. In this paper, we review the application and action mechanism of the probiotic intestinal bacterium Bifidobacterium and its preparations in IBD treatment, expecting to provide a reference for the treatment of IBD by probiotics.

Food safety and quality are the basis and prerequisite for ensuring the harmonious and stable development of the modern economy and society. At present, foodborne pathogens, veterinary drug residues, genetically modified foods and adulteration cause or may cause food safety hazards. Metabolomics is an emerging technology that can be used to identify and monitor various trace food safety hazard factors by detecting the changes of small-molecule metabolites in organisms caused by exogenous disturbances, which will help to explore the metabolic mechanism. Furthermore, metabolites resulting from the degradation of food hazard factors can be potential biomarkers of food hazards, providing insights into the mechanism of action of foodborne pathogens and setting the stage for food quality and safety control. This review article describes targeted and non-targeted metabolomics, as well as the data acquisition and mathematical statistics methods commonly used for metabolomics. The recent progress in the application of metabolomics in the field of food quality and safety is summarized such as the detection of foodborne pathogens, veterinary drug residues, genetically modified foods, fresh produce quality, and meat adulteration. This review concludes with an outlook on the joint application of multi-omics technologies, which is expected to promote the wider application of metabolomics in the field of food safety and quality.

Lipids, one of the important nutrients in foods, are a complex class of biomolecules, which play key roles in the processing of different biomolecules. Lipids affect the quality, nutrition and hygiene of foods, and are directly related to the occurrence of many chronic diseases. As an emerging discipline in omics, lipidomics is widely used in multiple fields including food science. With the continuous development and improvement of detection technologies, lipidomics technology is also being updated. This paper mainly introduces lipid classification and functions as well as lipidomics and its application in food science in order to provide a reference for the application of lipidomics technology in food science.

Bioactive peptides can be obtained from plant, animal or marine sources. Bioactive peptides possess diverse biological activities such as antihypertension, antioxidant, antithrombosis, cholesterol-lowering, blood pressure-lowering, antibacterial, immune regulation, cell regulation, and mineral-binding properties. How to improve the conversion rate of proteins to peptides is always one of the difficulties in the research field of peptide. Ultra-high pressure technology is a novel non-thermal physical processing technology suitable for large-scale production, which has been widely used to the structural and functional characteristics of proteins, as well as the extraction and production efficiency of bioactive peptides. This review paper mainly focuses on the application of ultra-high pressure technology in protein modification and peptide preparation. The types, sources and biological activities of bioactive peptides prepared by ultra-high pressure technology are also summarized.

With the continuous improvement of people’s living standards, wine is widely loved by consumers in our country. In recent years, the Chinese wine market has grown stronger. However, at the same time, wine counterfeiting has become a serious problem. Therefore, it is particularly important to carry out studies on the authenticity of wine. This article reviews the literature on the application of 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy in wine authentication in the past 16 years, focusing on recent progress in the application of 1H-NMR in the authentication of the geographical origin, variety and vintage of wine, aiming to provide ideas and references for enlightening and promoting the authentication of wine in China and promoting in-depth research in this regard.

Fresh peanut refers to the peanut that is directly eaten without drying or cooked after harvest. Fresh peanut, which has the advantages of convenience, rich nutrition and delicious taste, is loved by consumers. Fresh peanut has a short growth period, and it can be harvested twice a year in some areas, which has high economic benefits. This paper summarizes the current status of research on fresh peanut from five aspects: quality evaluation, screening of specialized cultivars, the molecular mechanism for the suitability of selected cultivars for producing fresh peanut, storage methods, and processing technologies. Problems existing in this field of research and future development directions are discussed. This review hopes to provide a theoretical basis for cultivar screening and industrial development of fresh peanut.

Pectic oligosaccharides (POS), small molecular polymers, can be prepared from pectin by different methods. Compared with natural pectin, POS have lower molecular mass, better water solubility, higher bioavailability, and more diverse biological activities. A series of POS with different molecular masses and structures can be obtained under different preparation conditions. In addition, the biological activities of POS are closely related to their molecular mass and structures. This review aims to comprehensively summarize the preparation, purification, structure analysis, and biological activity of POS, in order to provide some references for their applications as natural active substances in the fields of food, medicine, and health products.

As an extension of 3D printing technology, 4D printing technology can change the structure, shape and function of printed materials over time, transforming printed materials from a static to a dynamic structure. As an emerging digital production technology, 4D printing technology was mainly applied in the medical and industrial fields at its early stage. In recent years, 4D printing technology has gradually found applications in the food field. New foods with higher nutritional value and better sensory quality can be designed and produced using 4D printing. This paper reviews the principle, influential factors and printing equipment of 4D printing technology and summarizes recent progress on 4D printing technology in the food field and its advantages. Finally we conclude this review with an outlook on the future of 4D food printing technology. We hope that this review can provide a reference for research on 4D printing technology for food applications.

Aspergillus oryzae is an important strain used widely in the brewing industry, and its fermentation characteristics are directly related to the quality and production efficiency of the final products. Therefore, it is particularly important to breed an excellent strain of Aspergillus oryzae. In this article, the latest progress in the screening and improvement of Aspergillus oryzae is reviewed from the following aspects: natural screening, physical mutagenesis, chemical mutagenesis, protoplast fusion, combined mutagenesis, genetic engineering breeding and other technologies. We hope that this review can help researchers in this field find new ideas and also can provide a basis for the production and application of Aspergillus oryzae strains.

The cell-free biosensor is a tool designed to detect trace substances based on a cell-free system, which solves the problems of the traditional cell-based biosensor including having no ability to detect toxic substances, long response time, being controlled by living cells, and inconvenient operation. In recent years, cell-free biosensors have attracted extensive attention for their wide detection range, fast response speed, high sensitivity and portability. In this paper, the construction and characteristics of different types of cell-free sensors are reviewed. In addition, their applications in the detection of metal ions, pesticide residues and veterinary drug residues are introduced, and future prospects also are discussed.

Milk is rich in a variety of essential nutrients and plays an important role in the growth and development of the human body and immune function. Milk has become indispensable as a highly-frequent consumer goods in people’s daily life. As the bioactive components and nutritional functions of different mammalian milks have been investigated, milk from non-bovine mammals such as camel, donkey, horse, and goat are becoming more and more popular among consumers. In this paper, we summarize and compare the composition and content of major nutrients in bovine, ovine, caprine, equine, donkey and camel milks and their biological functions, which will provide a scientific basis for the development and application of different types of dairy products and the healthy development of the dairy industry.

Condiments are necessary to improve the flavor of foods and are a major source of salt intake for people. Excess salt intake can be a health risk, but reducing salt can reduce the umami and taste of foods, thus reducing product quality. This paper reviews the technical strategies for salt reduction while ensuring saltiness and umami as well as their harmony. The salt reduction strategies include reducing the amount of salt, using salt substitutes and enhancing saltiness perception. The umami enhancement strategies include adding yeast extracts, umami peptides, umami amino acids and peptide derivatives. Besides, salt reduction and umami enhancement can be achieved by using lactic acid bacteria, Maillard reaction intermediates, flavor enhancers and taste-active peptides. The application of the salt reduction and umami enhancement strategies will promote the development of the condiment industry, but these strategies have the problems of insufficient basic research, few practical applications, narrow application scope and high production cost. At present, it is difficult to solve these problems. In this paper, the basic principles and characteristics of the strategies for salt reduction and umami enhancement in condiments and the current problems existing in this field of research are reviewed in detail. Future development directions are put forward in order to provide a reference for research on salt reduction and umami enhancement of condiments.

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in modern society. The disease not only seriously harms people’s quality of life, but also brings a huge burden to families and society because of the high suicide rate and disability rate caused by it. Recent studies have shown that the intestinal flora plays an important role the occurrence and progression of depression and dysfunctional gut-brain communication may be an essential pathological mechanism of depression. The “microbiota-gut-brain” (MGB) axis allows the intestinal flora to participate in the two-way information exchange between the intestine and the brain. Most previous studies mainly focus on exploring the individual characteristics of the intestinal flora in patients with depression and the relationship between the intestinal flora and the occurrence of depression, revealing that maintaining a healthy intestinal flora may be a new idea for the prevention and treatment of depression in the future. This article summarizes recent progress in this research field. We hope that this review can provide insights into the action mechanism of anti-depressive agents from the perspective of the MGB axis, and also provide a reference for the application of probiotics in new depression treatments.