In this study, the total sugar, protein, 3,6-anhydro galactose and sulfate contents, apparent molecular mass and monosaccharide composition of porphyran isolated from Porphyra yezoensis were analyzed. The pro-angiogenic activity and underlying mechanism of porphyran were further investigated using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) as an in vitro angiogenesis model. The effect of porphyran on the cell viability of HUVECs was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell adhesion and migration capacity were evaluated using cell adhesion and wound healing assays. The number of lumens formed by HUVECs was analyzed using in vitro tube formation assay. The expression levels of E-cadherin and N-cadherin in HUVECs were analyzed by Western Blotting, and the pro-angiogenic mechanism of porphyran in HUVECs was explored using specific inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The results showed that porphyran contained (77.48 ± 2.62)% total sugar, (3.24 ± 0.58)% protein, and (20.30 ± 1.06)% 3,6-anhydrogalactose as well as (20.78 ± 3.31)% sulfate groups. The apparent molecular mass of porphyran was 39.81 kDa. Porphyran was mainly composed of galactose, 3,6-anhydrogalactose and sulfate groups, suggesting it to be a sulfated galactan. Furthermore, porphyran treatment in the concentration range of 0–200 μg/mL had no significant toxicity no HUVECs, but instead promote cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, and vascular network formation. Further studies demonstrated that porphyran exerted its pro-angiogenic effect primarily by mediating the down-regulation of E-cadherin expression and the up-regulation of N-cadherin expression through the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) MAPK and VEGF receptor signaling pathways. In conclusion, porphyran has pro-angiogenic potential, which will provide a scientific basis for the development of porphyran as a novel pro-angiogenic factor and the precision nutrition-guided deep processing and high-value utilization of the red seaweed P. yezoensis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of crimson snapper scale peptides (CSSPs) on H2O2-induced oxidative damage in Caco-2 cells. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the cell supernatant, the activity of intracellular antioxidant enzymes, the release of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and the expression of apoptosis-related genes (Caspase-3, Caspase-9, Bax and Bcl-2) were measured. The antioxidant effects of CSSPs in intestinal cells were elucidated from the aspects of cellular redox state and apoptosis. Results showed that CSSPs mitigated H2O2-induced oxidative damage in Caco-2 cells through the antioxidant defense system. This effect involved increased activities of antioxidant enzymes and consequent inhibition of LDH release, intracellular ROS accumulation, and MDA and IL-8 production. Furthermore, CSSPs inhibited oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by regulating the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, which significantly increased mitochondrial membrane potential, down-regulated the mRNA expression of Caspase-3, Caspase-9 and Bax, and up-regulated the mRNA expression of Bcl-2. In conclusion, CSSPs can effectively reduce the degree of cell damage by maintaining redox homeostasis and inhibiting apoptosis.

Bioactive peptides from marine sources have a broad spectrum of biological properties, including antioxidant, anti-hypertensive and anti-atherogenic activity. The molecular mass of antioxidant peptides from marine sources is generally less than 3 kDa, and most of them are produced by pepsin hydrolysis. The molecular mass of antihypertensive peptides from marine sources, which have angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity, is generally less than 1.5 kDa. Peptides extracted from chlorella can inhibit the production of endothelial cell selectin and have anti-atherosclerotic activity. Peptides derived from the hydrolysis of green-lipped mussel by neutral protease can promote the proliferation of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1, fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor, and repair skin wound. Peptides derived from proteins in fish processing byproducts have good foaming and emulsifying properties; the higher the degree of hydrolysis, the better the solubility. This article aims to review the information on bioactive peptides isolated from different marine sources, with focus on different biological activities and functional properties as well as different industrial applications. It is expected to promote the development of functional products from bioactive peptides derived from marine sources and provide a theoretical reference for further studies on their biological and functional characteristics.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory effect of Acaudina leucoprocta peptides (ALPs) on alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and intestinal flora in mice. Methods: Totally 45 male C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into normal, model, positive drug (silybin at 80 mg/(kg mb·d)), low-dose (200 mg/(kg mb·d) and high-dose (400 mg/(kg mb·d) ALPs groups. Acute liver injury in mice was induced by chronic alcohol consumption for three weeks. Afterwards, all mice were sacrificed, and serum and liver tissues were harvested for detecting biochemical indicators. The histomorphological changes of liver and colon tissues were observed under a microscope. The diversity of intestinal flora was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing of mouse feces. Results: ALPs could significantly improve liver and colon damage in mice, reduce the activities of serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) as markers of alcoholic liver injury, increase the activity of alcohol metabolism-related enzymes, effectively inhibit abnormal lipid accumulation in the liver of mice with ALD, and reduce the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and IL-6 as well as the content of the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA). Furthermore, ALPs significantly improved the α-diversity and β-diversity of intestinal flora in mice, regulated the relative abundance of many phyla, classes and families, and alleviate alcohol-induced intestinal flora disorders in mice. Conclusion: ALPs have a significant protective effect on alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. The mechanism may be associated with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of ALPs and their improving effect on intestinal flora disorders.

In this study, the structure and antifreeze activity of surimi by-product protein hydrolysate (SBPH) were investigated, and the cryoprotective effect and mechanism on Streptococcus thermophilus were explored by measuring its growth performance, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, protease activity, metabolic activity and membrane potential after freezing treatment. The results showed that the molecular mass range of SBPH was 260–2 550 Da, and a total of 78 peptides with 8–18 amino residues were identified from SBPH, some of which had the characteristic structure of tripeptide repeat sequences imparting high antifreeze activity to SBPH (thermal hysteresis activity of 1.76 ℃). Compared with other antifreeze agents (sucrose, skim milk and glycerol), SBPH (2 mg/mL) enhanced the cell viability, growth activity and acid production of S. thermophilus after freezing treatment, attenuated oxidative stress damage to cells caused by low temperature, significantly inhibited the decrease in the relevant protease activity (P < 0.05), increased the metabolic activity of cells, and attenuated the hyperpolarization of the cell membrane thereby contributing to maintaining the integrity and fluidity of the cell membrane. SBPH could maintain the interaction between phospholipid bilayers to some extent and protect the structure of the cell membrane. In conclusion, SBPH can protect the function and integrity of cells, and reduce cryogenic damage to cells to a certain extent.

The effects of different cooking methods namely, steaming, microwave and roasting on the quality of quick-frozen cooked purple sweet potatoes (cv. Ziluolan) were investigated by measuring its volatile components, color, microstructure, anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity. The results showed that different cooking methods affected the volatile flavor composition of frozen cooked purple potatoes, providing more aroma compounds and a unique flavor. After cooking, the internal structure of frozen cooked purple sweet potatoes changed, making it easier to digest, and there were significant differences in the anthocyanin contents of purple potatoes processed by different cooking methods; the anthocyanin content of steamed purple sweet potatoes was 4.12 mg/g, which significantly higher than that of fresh purple sweet potatoes (3.36 mg/g) (P < 0.05). Six categories of purple sweet potato anthocyanins were identified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the major ones being paeoniflorin and cornflowerin, and the proportion of paeoniflorin in steamed purple sweet potatoes was largest (84.12%), suggesting better preservation of nutrients and color. In addition, cooking increased the release of anthocyanins from quick-frozen cooked purple sweet potatoes during gastrointestinal digestion, which in turn significantly improved the antioxidant activities (1,1-diphenyl-2-trinitrophenylhydrazine (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical scavenging capacity and superoxide anion radical scavenging capacity) and inhibited the activity of digestive enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase), while changing the acylation rate and improving the stability of purple sweet potato anthocyanins. It was concluded that steaming could better stabilize anthocyanins in quick-frozen cooked purple sweet potatoes, imparting it with good storage stability. This study can provide a theoretical reference for the development of convenience purple sweet potato foods.

In this study, antibacterial substances were extracted and identified from the mycelia of Eurotium cristatum FS-1, and evaluated for antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas putida LP-3. The underlying mechanism was investigated by microscopic observations, LP-3 cell content analysis, and metabolomic analysis. The results showed that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the ethyl acetate extract (FSEAE) from the mycelia of Eurotium cristatum FS-1 on P. putida LP-3 (1 × 104 CFU/mL) was 8 mg/mL. As observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FSEAE destroyed the cell membrane of P. putida LP-3. The K+ content in the culture supernatant of P. putida, the activity of oxidative stress enzymes in the cell metabolic pathway (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured, showing that the antibacterial effect of FSEAE mainly in the logarithmic growth period of P. putida LP-3 (8­–16 h). Non-targeted metabonomics was used to analyze FSEAE treated samples and control samples (treated by dimethyl sulfoxide), and a total of 124 metabolites were obtained, of which 30 metabolites were significantly different between the two groups. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that FSEAE affected the growth and metabolism of P. putida mainly by interfering with the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The results from this study can provide a theoretical reference for the development and utilization of Saccharomyces coronatus and its metabolites.

The antibacterial activity and mechanism of juglone from walnut green husk against Escherichia coli were studied. E. coli was treated with juglone from walnut green husk in different concentrations. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of juglone was determined, and its effect on the growth curve, cell membrane relative conductivity, fluorescence emission spectrum, biofilm formation, cell viability, protein formation and genomic DNA and RNA synthesis of E. coli were investigated. The results showed that juglone had effective antibacterial activity against E. coli with an MIC value of 0.062 5 mg/mL. The relative conductivity of E. coli cell membrane increased after treatment with different concentrations of juglone, indicating that juglone destroyed the integrity of the cell membrane and increased the permeability. The results of fluorescence emission spectroscopy showed that juglone was able to interact with membrane proteins to change the membrane structure of E. coli cells. The results of crystal violet and resazurin staining showed that juglone could weaken the respiration of E. coli by inhibiting the formation of E. coli biofilms, thereby inhibiting its viability. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and E. coli genome synthesis analysis showed that juglone inhibited the expression of protein, DNA and RNA in E. coli. Through molecular docking, it was found that juglone can bind to the grooves of genomic DNA, thereby changing its secondary structure and morphology. In summary, juglone has a good inhibitory effect on E. coli, and can therefore be used as a natural antibacterial agent in the prevention and control of foodborne E. coli.

To investigate the bactericidal effect of slightly acidic hypochlorous water (SAHW) against Pseudomonas fragi and Pseudomonas fluorescens, the major spoilage bacteria of chilled meat and, more broadly, to improve its effectiveness in killing spoilage bacteria on the surface of chilled meat, we studied the stability of 50 mg/L SAHW combined with 0.02% sodium caseinate in terms of changes in effective chlorine concentration and pH during storage, and determined the total number of Pseudomonas in suspension and in inoculated chilled meat after treatment with both SAHW and sodium caseinate. The results showed that the mixture of SAHW and sodium caseinate was most stable under sealed and dark conditions. The bactericidal effect of SAHW on P. fragi and P. fluorescens in suspension was stronger than that of the mixture. The number of P. fragi was reduced by 6.16 and 2.26 (lg (CFU/mL)) by SAHW and the mixture with lethality rate of 85.20% and 31.26%, respectively. The numbers of P. fragi and P. fluorescens in inoculated meat were reduced by 1.74 and 1.87 (lg(CFU/mL)) by the mixture, respectively, which were 55.4% and 62.7% higher than those obtained using SAHW alone, respectively. Therefore, addition of the emulsifier can improve the bactericidal effect of SAHW on spoilage bacteria on chilled meat.

This experiment investigated the effects of soaking treatment (for 45 min) with different color fixatives (0.1 g/100 mL citric acid, 0.2 g/100 mL citric acid, 0.2 g/100 mL sodium bicarbonate, and 1.0 g/100 mL sodium chloride solution) after blanching for two minutes on the browning inhibition and drying characteristics of daylily buds during hot air drying. The color, nutrient composition and microstructure of dried products were characterized, and the chemical structure was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The pretreatment conditions for dried daylily buds with improved commodity value were determined using principal component analysis (PCA). Results showed that the browning inhibitory effect of steam blanching was better than that of hot water blanching. The decreasing order of the browning inhibitory effects of color fixatives was 0.2 g/100 mL citric acid solution > 0.1 g/100 mL citric acid solution > 1.0 g/100 mL sodium chloride solution > 0.2 g/100 mL sodium bicarbonate solution. Daylily buds pretreated with 0.2 g/100 mL citric acid solution showed the highest drying rate, and the dried product had high rehydration ratio. Collectively, the dried product prepared by steaming followed by soaking with 0.2 g/100 mL citric acid solution had good quality with respect to color, flavonoid and polyphenol contents and microstructure. PCA indicated that the contents of polyphenols and 5-hydroxymethylhydrate were highly correlated with color and browning degree, and chewiness had the highest correlation with hardness. Out of the eight principal components, two (the first one included polyphenol content, browning degree and color difference, and the second one included hardness and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content) were extracted, which could well reflect the comprehensive information on the quality of dried daylily buds. This study can provide theoretical and technical references for the deep processing of daylily buds.

In this study, low-sugar citrus jam was prepared from either ‘Jiuyuehong’ navel orange or Yichang tangerine by two different methods: high hydrostatic pressure at 500 MPa for 10 min, and heat treatment (water bath heating 100 ℃ for 30 min). The effects of high hydrostatic pressure and heat treatment on the quality and rheological properties of low-sugar citrus jam were investigated by analyzing physicochemical, sensory, color, rheological and texture properties. The results showed that high hydrostatic pressure and heat treatment reduced the content of total phenols in navel orange jam by 13.67% and 7.34% and in tangerine jam by 41.41% and 15.32%, respectively. Compared with the untreated citrus jam, heat treatment caused significant browning in both citrus jams, with total color difference (∆E) greater than 2. High hydrostatic pressure treatment significantly increased the brightness (L*) of the two citrus jams (P < 0.05). All four citrus jam samples were shear-thinning pseudoplastic fluids, and their storage (G’) and loss (G”) moduli increased with an increase in oscillation frequency; G’ was always greater than the corresponding G”, which is characteristic of an elasticity-dominant viscoelastic body. As far as navel orange jam was concerned, in the frequency range of 0.1–100 rad/s, G’ was largest in the heat treatment group (757.2–4 390.5 Pa), medium in the high hydrostatic pressure group (375.5–2 641.5 Pa), and smallest in the untreated group (177.25–973.95 Pa). A similar trend was observed for tangerine jam. In addition, compared to those prepared by heat treatment, high hydrostatic pressure treated citrus jams had lower firmness, stickiness and chewiness, and a more delicate mouthfeel. In conclusion, the quality of citrus jam prepared by high hydrostatic pressure is better. The results of this study can provide a reference for the development of new jams.

Chilled pigeon meat was irradiated with different doses of 60Co-γ rays, and the effect of irradiation on the quality and lipid oxidation of chilled pigeon meat was investigated through the determination of biochemical and physicochemical indexes, volatile flavor components and microstructure observation. The results showed that with an increase in irradiation dose, the a* value, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) value, juice loss percentage, peroxide value (POV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value and acid value increased significantly (P < 0.05), and total bacterial number (TBN), L* value, b* value and texture parameters decreased significantly (P < 0.05); the diameter of muscle fibers decreased significantly (P < 0.05) and the gap between muscle fibers increased; and the contents of total, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased significantly (P < 0.05), indicating that irradiation treatment can promote the oxidative hydrolysis of lipids into free fatty acids and the decomposition of polyunsaturated fatty acids in pigeon meat. A total of 73 volatile components belonging to 8 chemical classes were detected in pigeon meat. Among them, hydrocarbons and aldehydes were most abundant, indicating that lipid oxidation has an important impact on the flavor of irradiated pigeon meat. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the application of irradiation in the processing of livestock and poultry meat.

In this study, the volatile profile and taste properties of Flammulina velutipes root dried at room temperature, 40, 50 or 60 ℃ were analyzed by using an electronic nose (E-nose), an electronic tongue (E-tongue), and headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Results indicated that the drying temperature markedly affected the contents of free amino acids, soluble proteins, crude polysaccharides and 5’-nucleotides, and the overall quality of F. velutipes root dried at 50 ℃ was best. Significant differences among all dried samples were observed. Principal component analysis (PCA) combined with the E-nose and E-tongue radar charts as well as the GC-MS fingerprint could clearly discriminate all dried samples. The results obtained from hierarchical cluster analysis (the Euclidean distance was 6.5) were in agreement with those of PCA. These findings may provide theoretical support for the dehydration of edible mushrooms and other similar thermo-sensitive agricultural products.

Chitin is the second most abundant natural polysaccharide on Earth, which can be deacetylated to produce chitosan. However, due to the high crystallinity and poor solubility of chitin, its efficiency of enzymatic deacetylation is very low. To investigate the effects of different treatments on the microstructure and enzymatic deacetylation efficiency of chitin, chitin was modified by ball milling, ultrasonic or hydrochloric acid treatment in this study. First, the optimum conditions of ball milling and ultrasonic treatments were determined. Then, the microstructure of modified chitins was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, the deacetylation efficiency of chitin deacetylase from Rhodococcus sp.11-3 for chitin was measured. The results showed that the optimum conditions of ball milling and ultrasonic modification were 1 800 r/min and 45 min, and 400 W and 45 min, respectively. Among the three treatments, ball milling had the best modification effect, resulting in an 88.14% reduction in the viscosity-average molecular mass of chitin. The intermolecular hydrogen bond network of chitin was destroyed and some glycosidic bonds were broken; the degree of deacetylation increased; the crystallinity decreased from 96.30% to 73.04%; thermal stability was destroyed; and the treated chitin showed a stacking structure and was more loose and porous. In addition, chitin deacetylase had higher deacetylation efficiency for ball-milled chitin, and the yield of acetic acid was 3.4 times higher than that from raw chitin. In conclusion, ball milling treatment can improve the enzymatic deacetylation efficiency of chitin by changing its physicochemical properties and microstructure.

Polysaccharides from the fruiting body of Clitocybe squamulosaruiting (CSFP) were extracted by ultrasonic-assisted hot water extaction and were degraded by three different methods, i.e., H2O2 degradation, ultrasonic degradation and ultrasonic-assisted H2O2 degradation. The resulting products were named as H-CSFP, U-CSFP, and UH-CSFP, respectively. CSFP consisted of three fractions (I, II and III) with different molecular masses. The molecular masses of fractions I and III in H-CSFP, U-CSFP and UH-CSFP were lower than those in CSFP, and their proportions were higher in these degraded polysaccharides than in CSFP; however, the opposite was true for the molecular mass and proportion of fraction III. The monosaccharide composition of CSFP was not affected by each of the degradation methods. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the density or diameter of pores on the surface of CSFP increased after degradation, indicating looser structure. The zero shear viscosity and average particle size of CSFP decreased significantly after degradation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed the major functional groups of CSFP were not damaged after degradation, while the apparent viscosity and gel properties were weakened. Compared with CSFP, all degraded polysaccharides except UH-CSFP showed no significant difference in total sugar content but an increase in the contents of sulfate and uronic acid. The decreasing order of the antioxidant activity in vitro was UH-CSFP > U-CSFP > H-CSFP > CSFP. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the content of sulfate group was largely significantly correlated with the hydrolxyl radical scavenging capacity and total reducing power (P < 0.01) as well as the scavenging capacity against 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical cation (P < 0.05), although it was not correlated with the scavenging capacity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (P > 0.05). The results of this study provide a theoretical reference for the application of Clitocybe squamulosa polysaccharides in the fields of food, medicine and health products.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the bioactive components of garlic-derived extracellular nanovesicles (GENs) and explore their anti-inflammatory activity against colitis in mice. Methods: GENs were isolated from garlic juice by ultracentrifugation and sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and the morphology and structure of GENs were characterized. Lipids and proteins were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and analyzed by online databases. Meanwhile, RNA sequencing was carried out for sequence identification and target gene prediction of microRNAs (miRNAs). Caco-2 cells were cultured as a model of monolayer intestinal epithelial cells and were determined for apparent permeability coefficient by fluorescence spectroscopy after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. The level of nitric oxide (NO) in the supernatant was measured by a commercial assay kit, and interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). C57BL/6J mice were orally administrated with GENs (20, 100 and 500 mg/(kg mb·d)) to evaluate the toxicity of GENs. The effect of GENs on the disease activity index (DAI) score and colon length of mice with 3% dextran sulphate sodium salt (DSS)-induced colitis was investigated. Colonic tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and observed. The levels of IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α as well as NO in the serum were measured by ELISA and a commercial assay kit, respectively. Results: GENs were goblet nanovesicles containing 26 lipids, 62 proteins and 317 microRNAs. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) was the most abundant lipid component. Five miRNAs targeting human genes encoding inflammatory factors were predicted. GENs significantly reduced LPS-induced damage to the permeability of Caco-2 cell monolayers, inhibited the production of NO, and regulated the secretion of IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ and TNF-α. GENs were non-toxic towards mice at all doses tested. GENs at 100 mg/(kg mb·d) significantly decreased the DAI score of mice (P < 0.05), improved shortening of colon length and pathological damage induced by DSS and repressed the increase in serum IL-6, IFN-γ and NO levels. Conclusion: GENs exert an anti-inflammatory activity probably through their bioactive molecules such as phosphatidylcholine and specific miRNAs. GENs have great potential for alleviating intestinal inflammation and preventing DSS-induced colitis in mice.

Previous studies have shown that Lactobacillus plantarum AR495 has good anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoporosis effects. In order to further explore the effect and mechanism of AR495 in alleviating osteoporosis (OA), a rat model of OA was established to investigate the effects of AR495 on OA markers, inflammatory factor levels and oxidative stress injury in OA rats and to verify the recovery of cartilage matrix and bone by pathological staining of joints and microtomography (micro-CT) imaging. The results showed that AR495 could significantly alleviate excessive body mass gain caused by decreased physical activity in OA rats (P < 0.05). Pathological analysis showed that AR495 could significantly reduce the level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the joint tissue of OA rats, inhibit the production of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) and the production of C-telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II) as a degradation product of cartilage matrix, thereby alleviating the degradation of articular cartilage matrix in rats. Micro-CT imaging showed that AR495 could significantly alleviate bone loss in the joint of OA rats and effectively protect the integrity of cartilage and synovium of rats. In addition, AR495 could significantly increase the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduce the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in peripheral blood (P < 0.05). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis showed that AR495 could stimulate the expression of the mucin-2 (MUC-2) and occludin-1 genes in intestinal goblet cells and repair the intestinal barrier function. It can be seen that AR495 can alleviate OA inflammation level and create a beneficial internal environment for chondrocytes to exert their functions and produce collagen matrix, thereby alleviating and restoring joint injury and improving OA symptoms.

Objective: To investigate the effect of dietary acrylamide exposure on the progression of type 2 diabetes in GK rats. Methods: The effects of intragastric administration of acrylamide (2 mg/(kg mb·d)) for eight weeks on blood glucose metabolism indicators in GK rats including fasting blood glucose, fasting glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were evaluated. Meanwhile, the levels of serum biochemical indexes, oxidative stress and inflammatory factors were determined, and pathological changes of the liver, kidney, pancreas and gastrocnemius muscle were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining to examine the effect of acrylamide exposure on organ functions of GK rats. In addition, serum and urine metabolites were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the major differential metabolites between the acrylamide exposure and control (deionized water) groups were identified and related metabolic pathways were analyzed. Results: Compared with the control group, dietary acrylamide exposure further damaged the pancreas of GK rats, promoted oxidative stress and inflammatory factors, and affected islet β-cell function and the pentose phosphate metabolic pathway, aggravating blood glucose metabolism disorder, as manifested by a significant increase in fasting blood glucose levels (P < 0.05), impaired fasting glucose tolerance and decreased insulin sensitivity. In addition, the differential metabolites identified included L-tyrosine, inositol, hippuric acid, citraconic acid, phenylacetylglycine, N-acetylleucine, quinolinic acid, L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxymethyltryptamine, which were associated with the metabolic pathways of amino acids such as arginine, proline, tryptophan, phosphoinositide, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan. These metabolites and metabolic pathways are thought to be associated with abnormal liver and neural tissue functions. Serum biochemical and pathological analysis confirmed that dietary acrylamide exposure could cause different degrees of damage to the liver, gastrocnemius muscle and nerve tissue of GK rats. Conclusion: Dietary acrylamide exposure has serious adverse effects on the health of diabetic GK rats, aggravating blood glucose metabolism disorder and affecting the function of organs and tissues.

This study was conducted in order to explore the effect of distilled spirit (with 52% alcohol content, V/V) made from grapes on the intestinal flora of hyperuricemic mice. Six-week-old specific pathogen free (SPF) male mice were randomly divided into low-dose, medium-dose, high-dose distilled spirit, control, hyperuricemic model and ethanol groups. After continuous gavage administration for seven days, the content of short chain fatty acids in mouse feces was determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). and gut microbiota composition was analyzed by 16S rDNA gene high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Results indicated that the distilled spirit at low and medium doses could improve the diversity of gut microorganisms, significantly increase the relative abundance of Bacteroidota (P < 0.05), reduce the relative abundance of Firmicutes (P < 0.05), improve intestinal dysbacteriosis, increase Firmicutes to Bacteroidota ratio, and enhance the relative abundance of intestinal beneficial bacteria such as Butyricicoccus, Ruminococcaceae NK4A214_group, Roseburia, Anaerotruncus, and Clostridiaceae in hyperuricemic mice. Meanwhile, the contents of acetic acid, propionic acid and n-butyric acid in the medium-dose distilled spirit group were significantly higher than those in the model and ethanol groups (P < 0.05). Therefore, daily intake of the distilled spirit at 1 or 2 mL/kg mb can improve the imbalance of gut flora in hyperuricemic mice and have a positive regulatory effect on the intestinal microecology.

The allergenicity of the major allergen tropomyosin (TM) in commercial low-value shellfish and its processed products was evaluated, and different methods to reduce the allergenicity of TM in edible shellfish tissues were studied. The contents of TM in commercial low-value shellfish and its frozen, dried, smoked or steamed products were analyzed by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and shellfish with high allergenicity was selected to explore the effects of traditional (drying, steaming, high temperature and pressure, and quick-freezing) and emerging processing techniques (high hydrostatic pressure, ultrasound, and glycosylation) on reducing tropomyosin allergenicity in edible tissues. The results showed that allergenicity was common in commercial shellfish and its processed products, with TM content ranging from 18.94 to 22.51 ng/g. Among the four kinds of fresh shellfish tested, the TM content of Mactra veneriforimis was the highest, which was (22.51 ± 1.06) ng/g. Compared with untreated Mactra veneriforimis, the allergenicity of dried, steamed or glycosylated samples did not change significantly (P > 0.05). High temperature and pressure, quick-freezing, high hydrostatic pressure and ultrasonic treatment could significantly reduce TM allergenicity (P < 0.05), the effect of ultrasonic (500 W and 30 min) and high temperature and pressure sterilization treatment being more pronounced that of the other treatment, reducing TM allergenicity by 32.4% and 26.9%, respectively. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the development of hypoallergenic processed shellfish products.

Purpose: To investigate the hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective effects of Angelica dahurica polysaccharide (ADP). Methods: The contents of neutral sugar, total glyoxylate and total protein, molecular mass and monosaccharide composition of ADP were determined by the phenol-sulfuric acid method, the sulfuric acid-carbazole method, the Coomassie brilliant blue method, high performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was induced in rats by high-fat and high-sucrose diet feeding combined with injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Five groups of rats were set up: blank control, model, low-dose ADP (200 mg/kg mb), high-dose ADP (400 mg/kg mb), and positive control (200 mg/kg mb metformin). The rats in the blank control and model groups were gavaged with distilled water. After four weeks of administration, body mass, fasting blood sugar (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), fasting insulin (FINS), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and glycogen levels were measured, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe hepatic histopathological changes, and commercial kits were used to determine lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and liver function indexes. Results: ADP had the following composition: (83.26 ± 0.67)% neutral sugar, (8.32 ± 1.25)% glyoxylate, and (0.64 ± 0.07)% protein, and its molecular mass was 10.28 × 103 Da. Monosaccharide composition analysis showed that ADP consisted of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, glucuronide acid and galacturonic acid with a molar ratio of 0.09:0.45:0.43:1.00:0.05:0.53:0.08. ADP significantly increased body mass, blood glucose, FINS and glycogen levels of T2DM rats (P < 0.01), significantly decreased FBG and HOMA-IR (P < 0.01), improved liver histopathology, and significantly improved lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and liver function indexes (P < 0.01). Conclusion: ADP has hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective effects, probably through regulating abnormal lipid metabolism and oxidative stress.

The effects of different salt addition on the quality and storage characteristics of Harbin red sausages were investigated. Sausages were prepared with different contents of salt (3.00%, 2.75%, 2.50%, 2.25% and 2.00%), vacuum packaged, and stored at 4 ℃ for up to 35 days. Physiochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of the sausages were analyzed during the storage period. The results showed that with a decrease in salt content, the pH of Harbin red sausages increased significantly (P < 0.05), the moisture content and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value increased, the a* value decreased but not significantly (P > 0.05), and the b* value increased slightly. At the end of storage (35th day), the L* value of the sausage with 3.00% salt was significantly lower than that of the sausage with 2.00% salt (P < 0.05). In addition, the sausages with high salt contents (3.00%, 2.75% and 2.50%) showed higher hardness and tightness, and lower total viable count throughout the storage period. The results of electronic tongue showed that with an increase in storage time, the sourness, saltiness, and aftertaste B (aftertaste bitterness) of Harbin red sausage, irrespective of its salt content, increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the umami taste decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the sausage with 2.00% salt, the flavor characteristics of the sausages with 2.50% and 3.00% salt were more similar. The sensory evaluation results showed that the sausage with 2.50% salt had moderate saltiness and the highest overall acceptability score among all samples.

This study investigated the quality and microbial flora changes of Lentinu edodes during postharvest cold storage. L. edodes was picked with sterile gloves, treated with ozone and stored for up to 40 days at 2–4 ℃. The changes in the moisture content, color, texture, and volatile flavor substance, free amino acid and flavor nucleotide contents of the mushroom were determine during the storage period, and the changes in the microbial flora on the surface of L. edodes were detected by high-throughput sequencing. Besides, fungi were isolated and identified from the mushroom surface, and the dominant spoilage organisms were determined. The results showed that the moisture content, brightness (L* value) and hardness decreased with storage time, while the elasticity, chewiness, cohesiveness and gumminess increased first and then decreased. The relative contents of alcohols contributing to the clean aroma of L. edodes such as 1-octene-3-ol and 3-octanol increased first and then decreased during storage, and so did the contents of umami, sweet and bitter amino acids. The contents of 5’-cytidine monophosphate (5’-CMP), 5’-uridine monophosphate (5’-UMP) and 5’-guanosine monophosphate (5’-GMP) decreased continuously, while the contents of inosine 5’-monophosphate (5’-IMP) and adenosine 5’-monophosphate (5’-AMP) increased first and then decreased. The richness of the microbial community decreased first and then increased, whereas the diversity increased first and then decreased. Pseudomonas was found to be the dominant spoilage bacteria. The major spoilage fungi were Trichoderma harzianum, Alternaria and Aspergillus flavus. In conclusion, the quality and microbial flora of L. edodes changed obviously during postharvest cold storage, which will provide a theoretical basis for further controlling the spoilage and prolonging the storage period of L. edodes.

Mid-early maturing apples can enrich the fruit market and constitute an important part of the apple industry. It is of great significance to study the quality and storage characteristics of mid-early maturing apples. In this study, ‘Luli’ and ‘Luyan’ apples as well as their parental variety Gala (as a control) were investigated for differences in their storage quality and phenolic composition. The results showed that ‘Luli’ apples had higher soluble solid content (SSC) and skin a* value and better appearance quality compared with ‘Gala’ apples, being suitable for fresh consumption. However, ‘Luyan’ apples possessed high total acid content and low solid/acid ratio, produced a largest amount of ethylene during storage, and had poor storability. Compared with ‘Gala’ and ‘Luyan’ apples, ‘Luli’ apples had higher contents of total phenolics and flavonoids and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, indicating stronger antioxidant capacity. The main phenolics in apples varied depending on the variety, maturity and fruit part. Chlorogenic acid was the most abundant phenolic compound in ‘Luli’ and ‘Gala’ apples, while epicatechin was the most abundant phenolic compound in ‘Luyan’ apples. The content of phenols in the peel was higher than that in the pulp. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis showed that fruit firmness had a significant negative correlation with a* value (P < 0.001), and SSC had a significant positive correlation with the contents of total phenolics, total flavonoids, chlorogenic acid and DPPH radical scavenging capacity (P < 0.001). Principal component 1 (PC1) is mainly determined by the content of total phenolics, total flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin. Mature ‘Luli’ and ‘Gala’ apples are relatively similar in PC1. This study provides a reference for the preservation and processing of mid-early maturing apples.

This work aimed to study the effect of atomized water spray during vacuum pre-cooling on the quality of pakchoi during low temperature circulation and the shelf life period. Quality and nutritional parameters of pakchoi subjected to vacuum pre-cooling combined with atomized water spray were analyzed during simulated circulation for one day at (4 ± 1) ℃ and the shelf life period of five days at (20 ± 1) ℃. The results showed that the co-treatment not only decreased the pre-cooling time by 68%, but also reduced the water loss rate of pakchoi by 73.29% and the mass loss rate after the shelf life by 15.6% in comparison with vacuum precooling alone. The co-treatment also delayed the yellowing process, and maintained higher contents of titratable acids, soluble sugars, and soluble proteins in pakchoi. In addition, on the last day of shelf life, the contents of nitrite and malondialdehyde in the co-treatment group were decreased by 13.70% and 14.82%, respectively compared with the vacuum precooling group. To sum up, vacuum pre-cooling combined with atomized water spray could not only solve the problem of water loss caused by vacuum pre-cooling and shorten the pre-cooling time, but also delay the yellowing of leaves and maintain better nutritional quality of pakchoi.

Golden hook bean readily turns purple and is susceptible to senescence after harvest, affecting its storage quality. In order to clarify the effect of NO treatment on the postharvest quality of golden hook bean, the bean was soaked in 0.2 mmol/L sodium nitroprusside (SNP) solution as an exogenous NO donor for 10 min and stored at (8 ± 1) ℃. The purpling rate, rust spot rate, appearance quality, color, total soluble solid (TSS) content, mass loss rate, hardness, antioxidant contents and antioxidant enzyme activity were determined during storage. Compared with the control group (immersion in deionized water), SNP treatment could effectively delay the occurrence of purpling and rust spot, reduce mass loss rate, maintain SSC, inhibit the decrease in anthocyanin content during the late storage stage, reduce the production of malondialdehyde (MDA), increase the contents of antioxidants such as total phenols, flavonoids and carotenoids, significantly increase catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity overall (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), and inhibit the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Therefore, SNP treatment can delay purpling and senescence of golden hook bean during storage by regulating antioxidant enzyme activities and antioxidant contents, thereby maintaining its quality during storage and prolonging its storage period.

To explore the mechanism of action of Bacillus velezensis against sweet cherry soft rot disease, the inhibitory effect of Bacillus velezensis KT against Rhizopus stolonifer LC-7 in vitro and in inoculated sweet cherry fruits, and the effect of B. velezensis KT on defense-related enzyme activities were investigated. Besides, the expression of genes related to secondary metabolite synthesis and biological control in B. velezensis KT during the interaction with R. stolonifer was also analyzed by transcriptomics. The results showed that the percentage inhibition of 1 × 109 CFU/mL B. velezensis KT suspension against mycelial growth of R. stolonifer LC-7 was 87.12%, and the percentage of spore germination and germ length of R. stolonifer LC-7 in the presence of B. velezensis KT were 21.54% and 11.45 μm, respectively. At 48 h after being treated with 1 × 109 CFU/mL B. velezensis KT suspension, the incidence of soft rot in cherry fruits was about 20% and was about 80% lower than that in the control group. B. velezensis KT suspension inhibited the activity of polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and lipoxidase (LOX), increased the activity of peroxidase (POD), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) chitinase (CHI) and β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), and improved disease resistance and antioxidant capacity in cherry fruits. It was observed by scanning electron microscopy that after co-cultured with B. velezensis KT, the morphology of the mycelia and spores of R. stolonifer LC-7 was distorted and malformed. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the expression of pksIJ in the biosynthetic gene cluster for antibiotic bacillaene and tuaAGE in the biosynthetic gene cluster for teichuronic acid were up-regulated, and the differentially expressed genes were mainly concentrated in ribonucleoprotein complex assembly, subunit assembly and ribosomal assembly during biological processes. The B. velezensis KT could directly inhibit R. stolonifer LC-7 probably through nutritional and spatial competition and secreting anti-bacterial substances and could also induce disease resistance in sweet cherry fruits. The results showed that B. velezensis KT had an obvious control effect on sweet cherry soft rot caused by R. stolonifer LC-7, making it a potential biocontrol agent.

Dietary supplementation has increasingly become an important interventional strategy to maintain human health. With the development of high-throughput screening technology, more and more nutrients have been discovered. However, many nutrients are characterized by high lipophilicity, poor water solubility, poor stability and low bioavailability. Hence, the design and development of delivery systems for lipophilic nutrients have received extensive attention. Emulsion-based delivery systems have been reported to effectively improve bioavailability of lipophilic nutrients. According to the characteristics of the two-phase interface in emulsions, this paper aims to review the regulation of the interface design of lipid-based emulsions (including simple and complex interfaces) on the bioavailability of lipophilic nutrients for the purpose of providing a reference for improving the bioavailability of lipophilic nutrients.

Cold plasma is used to sterilize meat and reduce endogenous enzyme activity for meat preservation because it can generate reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). RNS can be an alternative to nitrite in meat products; however, the active particles have a nonnegligible impact on meat components especially protein and fat. Excessive oxidation of meat products will cause quality deterioration. In this paper, the action modes of cold plasma technology on meat proteins and meat products are reviewed, as well as its regulatory effect and mechanism on the structure and function of myofibrillar protein and myoglobin in meat, and the current status of research on the application of cold plasma technology in meat preservation and processing is outlined. This systematic review is expected to provide a reference for the wide application of cold plasma technology in the meat industry.

As a key indicator to measure meat quality, meat color has always been the focus of attention in the meat industry. A large number of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in the freshly slaughtered cattle carcass due to hypoxia and ischemia. The accumulation of ROS resultes in oxidative stress of the carcass, which further promotes the oxidation of myoglobin and adversely affectes the flesh color. However, currently there are few systematic reviews examining the effect of oxidative stress on meat color and its stability. In this article, the effects of oxidative stress on meat color and meat color stability are reviewed by regulating lipid oxidation, protein oxidation and degradation, and affecting the function of mitochondria to provide a theoretical rationale for maintaining good meat color by controlling post-mortem oxidative stress in the future.

In order to provide valuable information on the current status of research and the hot topics in the field of Baijiu pit mud, a comprehensive bibliometric visual analysis was carried out on 522 pieces of Chinese literature and 112 pieces of English literature in the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases published from 1980 to 2021. Knowledge graph analysis from the perspectives of annual publication volume, authors and their institutions, highly cited articles and keywords was conducted to summarize recent progress and to predict future trends in this field. Research on Baijiu pit mud is of great significance for the high-quality development of the Baijiu industry and Baijiu quality improvement. The amount of research literature in the field of Baijiu pit mud has shown a trend of fluctuating growth over the past one decade, but it has not yet reached a mature stage, which still has broad development prospects. Chinese scholars are the main force in the field of Baijiu pit mud research. The literature published by the major contributors to this field such as Zhang Wenxue, Tang Yuming, Zhou Rongqing, Wu Chongde, and Xu Yan has a great influence and high academic value. The major institutions that have researched Baijiu pit mud include Sichuan University, Sichuan University of Science Engineering, and Jiangnan University. The research hotspots mainly focus on microbial communities, artificial pit mud, organic acids, butyric acid bacteria, functional bacteria, and so on. The information presented in this paper can help researchers in understanding the current trends and future directions in Baijiu pit mud research and in conducting scientific research and academic exchanges.

Foodborne pathogenic bacterial biofilm is a spatially structured multi-cellular community that is adhered to food contact surfaces. Conventional disinfection methods cannot effectively prevent and control bacterial biofilm due to its strong adhesiveness and stress resistance, causing food safety hazards and a serious effect on consumer health. In this article, recent studies on the formation mechanism and control strategies of foodborne pathogenic bacterial biofilm are reviewed. The roles of the functions of bacterial long-chain appendages, quorum sensing system and extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) in the formation of bacterial biofilm are summarized and discussed based on improved biofilm adhesiveness, changed bacterial state, and enhanced stress resistance. This review divides the existing strategies for biofilm prevention and control into three categories: physical, chemical, and biological, and analyzes the principle, advantages and disadvantages of each category in order to provide a theoretical reference for the development of more efficient strategies for biofilm prevention and control in the food field to achieve better prevention and control of food microbial safety.

Ionic liquids have excellent properties such as low vapor pressure, non-flammation, good stability and high solubility, making them promising for applications in many fields such as food, chemicals and medicine. This article outlines the main physical and chemical properties of the substance, lists its applications in the food industry as a solvent, catalyst, and extractant for separation, purification, and analysis of food components, and provides an overview of its toxicological safety related to ecological and human health risks at the microbial, plant, and animal levels, which will provide a reference for scientific application and safety management of imidazole ionic liquids in the food industry.

With the change of dietary habits and the improvement of living standards, especially high fat intake, the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is gradually increasing, with an average incidence of 20%–30% in western developed countries and 15%–30% in China. NAFLD has become one of the major global public health problems posing a serious threat to human health, and its clinical treatment remains a challenge. Tea polyphenols are bioactive substances extracted from tea leaves, which have health benefits in particular preventing some common diseases. To further understand the effects of tea polyphenols on NAFLD systematically, this article summarizes recent progress in research on the preventive effect of tea polyphenols on high-fat diet-induced NAFLD.

As a renewable resource, cellulose has the advantages of wide source, environmental friendliness, biodegradability and biocompatibility. It is found that emulsions prepared with solid particles as stabilizers have higher stability than traditional surfactant-stabilized emulsions, and cellulose is an excellent stabilizer for Pickering emulsions due to its biocompatibility, wide source and environmental friendliness and has a broad prospect for application as a natural dietary fiber in the food field. In this article, the characteristics of Pickering emulsions stabilized by different kinds of cellulose and the different properties different treatments impart to nanocellulose-stabilized Pickering emulsions are reviewed. The recent applications of nanocellulose-based emulsions in the food field such as preparation of food-grade polymer materials, preparation of new low-calorie foods, delivery of bioactive substances and auxiliary digestion are described, which can provide a reference for broadening the application of cellulose-based Pickering emulsions.

The early screening and rapid detection of foodborne pathogens is critical to food safety and public health. However, the traditional detection method is cumbersome, time-consuming and laborious, and cannot meet the requirement of rapid detection. 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 provides a novel pathway for low-cost, rapid, specific and sensitive detection of foodborne pathogens due to its efficient and specific sequence recognition and cleavage activity. This review article introduces the principle, mechanism and development of the CRISPR/Cas system, and summarizes the latest progresses in the rapid detection of foodborne pathogens based on the CRISPR/Cas system combined with different result reporting methods in recent years. Its advantages, limitations and future development prospects are also discussed.

Due to the consumption characteristics of rice and the requirements of the national grain strategic reserve, rice storage is a necessary means to ensure food security. Lipids are an important nutritional component of rice and have an important impact on rice quality. The degradation of lipids during rice storage is the major reason for the deterioration of rice quality. In this article, the distribution, existing forms, structures and composition of lipids in rice, the effect of lipid degradation on the eating quality of rice, and the methods used to stabilize and detect lipids are summarized, which will provide a theoretical basis for further research and regulation of lipid degradation and quality deterioration inhibition during rice storage.

As a green forest vegetable rich in fiber and protein and low in fat and sugar, bamboo shoots are becoming more and more popular. However, the harvesting season of bamboo shoots is concentrated and the metabolism is vigorous after harvesting, which makes it susceptible to rot and aging during transportation and storage, causing a great reduction in the nutritional and commercial values. This paper introduces the mouthfeel, morphology, geographical origin and harvest time of edible bamboo shoots in China, describes the postharvest physiological and biochemical changes of bamboo shoots in terms of its appearance and quality, respiration, transpiration and lignification, and provides a detailed summary of the applications of different preservation methods (traditional, physical, chemical and biological preservation) for the preservation of bamboo shoots. which will provide a reference for developing new technologies for the storage and preservation of bamboo shoots based on postharvest physiological and biochemical changes.

Pickering emulsion is an emulsion prepared using ultra-fine solid particles as emulsifier. It has the advantages of low emulsifier dosage, high stability, environmental friendliness, and good encapsulation and sustained release capability for active substances, making it promising for application in the field of food packaging. In this review paper, we introduce the mechanism of action and effectiveness of four kinds of food-grade natural nanoparticles (protein, polysaccharide, lipid and polyphenol) in stabilizing Pickering emulsions, review the current status of research on the application of Pickering emulsions in food packaging, and analyze the effect of Pickering emulsions on mechanical, barrier, antibacterial and antioxidant properties of food packaging films. We also discuss future research directions in this field. This review is expected to promote the research and application of Pickering emulsion in food packaging.

Flavor substances play an important role in foods, but their stability is poor, and they are susceptible to external environments, causing their loss or deterioration. The application of encapsulation and controlled release can effectively improve the stability and release characteristics of flavor substances. Cellulose-based materials are widely used in the encapsulation and controlled release of flavor substances as wall materials, material reinforcing phases or interfacial stabilizers due to their wide range of sources and excellent properties. This article summarizes the classification of cellulose-based materials, the characteristics of flavor encapsulation technology, the interaction between cellulose-based materials and flavor substances and the mechanism and regulatory strategies of flavor release, and discusses recent trends and future prospects for the application of cellulose-based materials in the encapsulation and controlled release of flavor compounds, which will provide a theoretical reference for the application of cellulose-based materials in sustained and controlled release of flavor compounds.

Capsaicinoids are a class of alkaloids with vanillyl and medium/long-chain fatty acid amide structures, and capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin are the most pungent capsaicinoids. Some capsaicinoids activate related receptors and induce the transmission of nociceptive and thermic neural signals, leading to pungency perception. The Scoville scale is the most common method for pungency evaluation. However, it cannot reflect the actual pungency of samples because the result is only correlated with the contents of pungent substances. Time-intensity approach provides several quantitative indexes to measure pungency and is more useful. In addition to increasing the content of capsaicinoids, using aqueous-based carrier, increasing the temperature, sensitization, and some sensory stimuli can enhance the pungency perception of capsaicinoids, which deserves special attention in sensory evaluation. In summary, this paper reviewed the structure and distribution of capsaicinoids, mechanism and evaluation methods for pungency perception, as well as factors that may influence the perception of spiciness. This article provides some reference for the pungency prediction and development of spicy foods.

Regulation of health foods in China and the United States show different institutional positions. For the regulatory object, the US highlights the dietary component orientation and defines a relatively clear legal content and type of health foods, while China pays attention to the expected function claims and has formulated a directory of health function with strict standards. For the regulatory scale, the US adopts loose and weak supervision, while China exercises strict and strong supervision. Accordingly, there is a value difference between the safety of consumption and the freedom of choice in these two countries. For the regulatory focus, the US emphasizes post-market surveillance, while China focuses on market access regulation, which reflects that the two countries have different regulatory risk perception, tolerance and governance strategies. China’s and the US’ reform strategies for the regulation of health foods are moving in the same direction. Building a market-oriented health food supervision system beyond “access-based supervision” has become an effective way to promote reform in the health food supervision system in China.

Non-thermal processing technology has been widely used in starch modification because of its advantages such as environmental friendliness, safety and high efficiency. After non-thermal modification, changes in the granular morphology, crystal shape, crystallinity and helical structure of starch will affect its gelatinization and retrogradation characteristics, solubility and digestibility. Changes in functional characteristics can further improve the practical application of starch. In this paper, the principles of six non-thermal processing technologies for starch modification, namely, ball milling, pulse electric field, high pressure, ultrasound, radiation and plasma are reviewed, the importance of non-thermal technology for starch granule structure as well as the effect of starch structural changes at different levels on its functional properties are discussed, and future prospects for the application of non-thermal technology in starch deep processing are proposed.

Kudingcha (Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) Blume) is widely used as a traditional medicinal and culinary plant of great economic value. It has a long history of use as an ethnic medicine and an alternative to tea in Guizhou, Yunnan and Sichuan provinces of China, and has attracted much attention in recent years. The chemical composition of kudingcha (Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) Blume) is complex, from which phenylpropanoids, phenylethanoids, monoterpenes, iridoids, flavonoids and volatile oils have been isolated. It has a wide range of pharmacological effects, including lipid-lowering, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immune regulatory and anticancer activities. However, in recent years, there are few systematic reviews on Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) Blume, even though it is only mentioned in the reviews on Ligustrum plants or kudingcha, which is not conducive to the standardized research, development and utilization of kudingcha (Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) Blume). This paper comprehensively summarizes recent research on the composition, pharmacological activity and quality control of kudingcha (Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) Blume) with focuses on the structural features and pharmacological mechanism of its characteristic components. This paper will provide a theoretical reference for the preparation, separation, structure identification and pharmacological research of the characteristic components of kudingcha (Ligustrum robustum (Roxb.) Blume).

As the most important livelihood issue, food safety has become a heated topic among the public and media. The current monitoring system of public opinions on food safety cannot keep up with the rapid development of social media, causing endless issues. It becomes increasingly challenging to monitor public opinions on food safety because of the rapid dissemination speed and broad dissemination range of public opinions on food safety, and the presence of misleading and erroneous information regarding public opinions on food safety. In this context, this paper reviews and analyzes the current status of online public opinions on food safety, builds an artificial intelligence monitoring system for food safety public opinions. Taking food safety public opinions for large farmers’ markets as a typical case, an integrated solution for public opinion management in the field of food safety governance is proposed. This review can serve as a technical guidance for effectively coping with online public comments on food safety and also provide a reference for governmental departments concerned to improve their management effectiveness.