In the traditional sharing mode, the risk information of food full-process and all-information is sensitive and easy to leak, the self-interest and complete autonomy of centralized servers and malicious nodes easily give rise to malicious behaviors, cross-link interactions are difficult to deal with, and the single purposes causes low utilization of data. In view of these problems, this paper proposes a trusted sharing model for risk information of food full-process and all-information based on blockchain and federated learning. First, based on analysis of the information sharing needs of food companies and regulatory agencies, federal learning was integrated into a hierarchical blockchain architecture, and the relay concept was used to construct the trusted sharing model. Next, the federated learning process was divided into horizontal and vertical federated learning processes based on the characteristics and categories of risk information, and two federated learning aggregation algorithms were used to achieve the aggregation of data. Then, in response to the different needs of sharing risk information within and between enterprises, and between enterprises and regulatory agencies, homomorphic encryption algorithms and zero-knowledge proof were utilized for hierarchical encryption and targeted trusted sharing of risk information with different sensitivities. Finally, this model was validated by applying it to food safety risk assessment based on the food risk information disclosure dataset and open-source platforms. The results showed that the trusted sharing model could meet the different risk information sharing needs of enterprises and regulatory agencies, and achieve the full utilization as well as safe, credible, efficient and accurate sharing of risk information, thereby strengthening the determination of food enterprises and regulatory agencies to share data, and promoting the development of trusted data sharing and food safety digitalization in the food industry.

In order to analyze the factors affecting yolk blackening in salted duck eggs, this study investigated the differences in the color difference, metal ion contents and proteomics in different parts of normal and black-yolked salted duck eggs. The effects of these factors on the degree and rate of yolk blackening were studied by single factor experiments. The results showed that the higher the contents of Fe and Cu, the smaller the color difference value of yolk and the blacker the color. It was speculated that the sulfide formed by the combination of Fe2+ in phosvitin (Pv) and S2- was responsible for the blackening of egg yolk, and the degradation and desulfurization of cysteine was an important contributor to sulfur production in egg yolk. Microbial load, temperature and pH were important factors affecting yolk blackening. With increasing bacterial load and curing temperature of duck eggs, the rate of yolk blackening increased. H2S was produced in the pH range of 7.0–8.0, and the gas production rate was the fastest at pH 7.5. In summary, it can be inferred that yolk blackening in salted duck eggs is caused by the discoloration reaction between sulfur and iron elements in egg yolk. Curing temperature, pH and the bacterial load of duck eggs have a great influence on yolk blackening.

This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effect of sesamolin (SES) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its molecular mechanism using network pharmacology and experimental verification. The intersecting targets between SES and HCC and their signaling pathways and biological processes were predicted by network pharmacological analysis. The pharmacokinetics properties of SES were analyzed through search against the SwissADME database. The cell count kit-8 (CCK-8) method was used to detect the cell viability. Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, flow cytometry, Western blotting and cell migration assays were used to analyze the effect and mechanism of SES on cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and migration inhibition in Huh-7 cells. The results showed that a total of 64 intersecting targets, 352 gene ontology (GO) functions and 136 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathways were identified by network pharmacological analysis. The in vitro test showed that SES induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest in Huh-7 cells through regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3)/nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathways mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Meanwhile, SES inhibited cell migration through the ROS-mediated PI3K/AKT/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β)/β-catenin signaling pathway. Finally, SwissADME analysis showed that the SES exhibited excellent druglike properties. In conclusion, sesamolin could induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and inhibit migration in Huh-7 cells through the ROS-mediated signaling pathways.

The effects of curdlan gum (CG), konjac gum (KGM), sodium alginate (SA) and xanthan gum (XG) on physicochemical properties, eating quality and digestibility of extruded reconstituted rice were compared in this study. The results showed that reconstituted rice with CG was regular and glossy in appearance, and had lower gelatinization viscosity and digestibility, the lowest short-range order and crystallinity and better retrogradation resistance as well as moderate hardness, non-sticking to teeth and the highest sensory score after cooking. Reconstituted rice with KGM had a smooth surface, the best digestion resistance and moderate retrogradation resistance, gelatinization viscosity not significantly different from that of the control without added hydrophilic colloid, soft texture and the second highest sensory score after cooking. The gelatinization viscosity of reconstituted rice with SA was slightly increased and the digestibility was decreased, but the resistance to retrogradation was moderate and the surface was rough, and the rice was soft and sticky after cooking, with the worst taste. The addition of XG provided reconstituted rice with the highest elasticity and gelatinization viscosity, but reconstituted rice with XG was irregular in appearance, with a rough surface, poor resistance to digestion and retrogradation, and was sticky scored low in sensory evaluation after cooking. In addition, the addition of hydrophilic colloids effectively improved the water stability of reconstituted rice and reduced the cooking loss and water absorption and expansion rate after cooking, and the color of reconstituted rice with hydrophilic colloids was white with a tingle of yellow. The results of this study provide a theoretical reference for the development of high-quality extruded reconstituted rice.

In order to elucidate the effect of protein oxidation on physicochemical properties and protein structure of yak longissimus dorsi muscle, muscle samples were treated in a Fenton oxidation system (H2O2 concentrations of 1, 10, 20, 40 and 60 mmol/L) containing 0.6 mol/L NaCl at pH 5.0 or 8.0 for 1 h. The results showed that with the increase of H2O2 concentration, the carbonyl content, surface hydrophobicity and dityrosine content of yak myofibrillar proteins increased, while the contents of total sulfhydryl and active sulfhydryl, solubility, and tryptophan fluorescence intensity decreased. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis showed that the numbers of myosin heavy chain and actin bands decreased after protein oxidation, and covalent cross-linking occurred between protein molecules via disulfide bonds, which was accompanied by an increase in the centrifugal and cooking loss of muscle. The transverse relaxation time (T2) of muscle was measured by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and the microstructure of muscle was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the increase in the centrifugal loss and cooking loss of muscle was due to the destruction of muscle microstructure caused by protein oxidation as well as the decrease in unbound water content and the increase in free water content. Muscle centrifugal loss, cooking loss, free water content and the degree of damage of muscle microstructure at pH 8.0 were lower than those at pH 5.0. The results showed that under the same oxidation condition, yak muscle proteins are more prone to oxidative damage and lower water-holding capacity near the isoelectric point.

This study investigated the structure and functional properties including in vitro hypoglycemic, antioxidant, and immunoenhancing activities of water-soluble mulberry leaf polysaccharides (MLP) from Morus abla L. cv. Longsang 1. The results showed that the yield of MLP was (16.16 ± 0.30) mg/g with sugar content of (57.16 ± 4.00)% and uronic acid content of (30.97 ± 2.06)%. The molecular mass distribution of MLP, as measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), was mainly concentrated at 21.74 kDa. Monosaccharide composition analysis showed that MLP mainly contained glucose, rhamnose, galactose, xylose, uronic acid (including glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid and mannuronic acid), and mannose, with a molar ratio of 59.17:22.31:10.44:2.65:2.28:1.07. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated that MLP was a pyranose with intertwined branches and helical aggregation. MLP inhibited α-glucosidase and α-amylase with concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50) of 1.81 mg/mL and 2.91 mg/mL, respectively, and its inhibitory activities were 49.17% and 37.80% as high as those of acarbose, respectively. MLP scavenged 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, 2, 2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical, and hydroxyl radical with EC50 of 0.54, 0.60 and 1.77 mg/mL, respectively, and the radical scavenging capacities were 4.77%, 38.03%, and 19.94% as high as those of ascorbic acid, respectively. When applied to RAW264.7 mouse macrophages, MLP increased the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines NO, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β and enhanced macrophage proliferation and phagocytosis, thereby exerting an immunoenhancing effect. The research results can provide experimental data for the application and functional evaluation of mulberry leaves grown in cold regions.

This study investigated the effects of different thermal sterilization conditions on the structural and functional properties of whey and caseins in goat milk. The commonly used industrial sterilization conditions including 65 ℃ for 30 min, 80 ℃ for 30 s, 95 ℃ for 5 min and 135 ℃ for 4 s were selected to treat goat milk, and whey and casein proteins were separated from the treated milk. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, laser confocal scanning microscopy (LCSM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to analyze the changes in protein structure and properties. The results showed that the structures of whey and casein proteins changed little after treatment at 65 ℃ for 30 min and 80 ℃ for 30 s, and the increase in protein unfolding and surface hydrophobicity resulted in better foaming and emulsifying properties of whey and casein proteins. The treatments at 95 ℃ for 5 min and 135 ℃ for 4 s resulted in a significant decrease in the relative content of α-helix, a significant increase in the relative content of random coil, severe denaturation of the proteins, and a decrease in solubility and surface hydrophobicity, which adversely affected the stability of functional properties of goat milk proteins. The above results provide a reference for optimizing the quality and stability of goat milk products, and help to develop functional goat milk products.

The effect of co-fermentation with yeast and lactic acid bacteria on the physicochemical properties of cornmeal batter and the quality of steamed sponge cake was investigated using a rapid viscosity analyzer, a rheometer, a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and a texture analyzer in this study. The results showed that as fermentation proceeded, the co-fermented batter had higher gas-producing and gas-holding capacity than the single-culture fermentations. The peak viscosity of the co-fermented batter showed a decreasing trend, decreasing by 11.66% after 90 min of fermentation, the gelatinization enthalpy and the degree of short-range ordering of starch molecules tended to increase, and the viscoelasticity and the content of strongly bound water showed a tendency to first increase and then decrease. The greatest viscoelasticity, the smallest tan δ, and the most stable structure were observed after 50 min of co-fermentation, and steamed sponge cake made from the fermented corn batter had the largest specific volume, the lowest hardness and gumminess, and the highest cohesiveness and resilience. The results of this study provide a reliable technical basis for the corn-based staple food industry.

In order to investigate the effect of salt addition on the fermentation of shrimp paste, the physicochemical indexes, sensory attributes and bacterial communities of shrimp paste (noted as C10, C15, C20 and C25, respectively) with four salt concentrations (10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) were analyzed. The results showed that C15 had the highest sensory scores for smell, taste and overall acceptability. As fermentation proceeded, the increasing trend of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and amino acid nitrogen (AAN) contents in shrimp paste was negatively correlated with salt addition. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content showed a fluctuating upward trend, and at the end of fermentation, C15 had the lowest MDA value. The pH of shrimp paste did not change significantly during the fermentation process, and no significant difference was observed among the four shrimp pastes (P > 0.05). Bacterial diversity and abundance were significantly lower in C10 and C15 than in C20 and C25 (P < 0.05). The dominant bacterial genera in C10 were Tetragenococcus and Staphylococcus. Tetragenococcus was the dominant genus in C15. Unclassified_f__Rhodobacteraceae, Planktotalea and Pandoraea were the dominant genera in unfermented shrimp paste, C20, and C25. Using Kruskal-Wallis H Test, 10 significant differential bacterial genera were selected among unfermented shrimp paste and the four fermented samples. Pearson correlation analysis showed that in C10, the relative abundance of Acinetobacter, Virgibacillus and unclassified_f__Bacillaceae was positively correlated with TVB-N. In C15, the relative abundance of Persicirhabdus showed a significant negative and positive correlation with TVB-N and AAN, respectively. In C20, the relative abundance of Sulfitobacter, Rubritalea, Ruegeria and Planktotalea showed a positive correlation with both TVB-N and MDA. In C25, the relative abundance of Sulfitobacter, Ruegeria, Ruegeria, Ascidiaceihabitans and Planktotalea was positively correlated with all AAN, TVB-N, and MDA. Overall, the key microorganisms responsible for the differences in physicochemical properties between low- (C10 and C15) and high-salt (C20 and C25) shrimp pastes were Acinetobacter, Mycobacterium, Rubritalea, Planktotalea, Sulfitobacter and Ascidiaceihabitans. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development and industrial production of salt-reduced shrimp paste.

To solve the current problems of fermented glutinous rice wine produced with traditional Jiuqu as a fermentation starter such as unstable quality, weak aroma and high alcohol content, this study selected non-Saccharomyces yeast strains with ester-producing and aroma-enhancing characteristics from traditional Jiuqu by analyzing the structure of its fungal community, and explored the effects of co-fermentation with each selected strain and Rhizopus arrhizus on the volatile flavor components of fermented glutinous rice wine. The results showed that Ascomycota and Mucoromycota were the dominant fungal phyla in Jiuqu and Rhizopus and Saccharomycopsis were the major fungal genera. Four non-Saccharomyces yeast strains, JLY1–JLY4, were obtained, and JLY1 and JLY2 were identified by sequencing as Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, while JLY3 and JLY4 as Torulaspora delbrueckii and Wickerhamomyces anomalus, respectively. Co-fermentation with JLY2 and Rhizopus arrhizus increased the number of volatile components from 46 to 62 compared with the control group, increasing the numbers of esters and alcohols and significantly increasing the relative contents of major flavor compounds such as isoamyl alcohol, phenylethanol, and phenylethyl acetate. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed on 40 volatile flavor components shared by fermented glutinous rice wines, and 20 differential flavor substances were selected using the cut-off of variable importance for the projection (VIP) value ≥ 1, including 5 alcohols, 10 esters, 3 acids, 1 aldehyde or ketone, and 1 alkane. Differential substance analysis and sensory evaluation indicated that JLY1 and JLY2 were better than the other strains in terms of ester production and aroma enhancement, and synergistic fermentation significantly enhanced the contents of volatile flavor substances in fermented glutinous rice wine and consequently improved its quality.

Objective: To investigate the effect of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis XLTG11 (XLTG11) on immune function and intestinal flora in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-immunosuppressed mice. Methods: Altogether 60 mice were randomly divided into five groups: blank, model, low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose XLTG11 groups. The blank group was injected intraperitoneally with normal saline from day 1 to 3, and the other groups 100 μL of CTX solution (40 mg/kg) to establish an immunocompromised mouse model. From day 4 to 30, the low-, medium- and high-dose XLTG11 groups were given 0.2 mL of XLTG11 suspensions at doses of 2.5 × 106, 2.5 × 107 and 2.5 × 108 CFU/animal, respectively, and both blank and model groups 0.2 mL of normal saline/animal. Body mass, immune organ index, delayed-type metamorphosis, proliferation of splenic lymphocytes, T-lymphocyte subpopulation, natural killer (NK) cell activity, phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages, cytokine levels, intestinal flora structure, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) were detected in each group of mice. Results: XLTG11 increased the immune organ index, foot-plantar thickness, splenic lymphocyte proliferation, T lymphocyte subsets CD4+ and CD8+, NK cell activity and macrophage phagocytosis activity, and cellular immune factors (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-1β and interferon (IFN)-γ) in immunosuppressed mice. In addition, XLTG11 alleviated intestinal tissue damage caused by CTX, regulated the intestinal flora and increased intestinal SCFA (acetic, propionic and butyric acid) levels. Conclusion: XLTG11 could significantly enhance the immune function and regulate the intestinal flora of mice.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM8661 on reducing lead in the human body and its effect on human health. Methods: In total, 60 volunteers suffering from foodborne heavy metal exposure were recruited and divided into two groups, with one orally receiving L. plantarum CCFM8661 powder and the other orally receiving a placebo. The protective effect of L. plantarum CCFM8661 on lead-exposed populations was evaluated comprehensively by analyzing the volunteers’ blood lead levels, blood cells, blood biochemical indexes, serum calcium and iron levels before and after interventions. Results: L. plantarum CCFM8661 intervention effectively reduced the blood lead level in the lead-exposed population, and down-regulated total bilirubin, urea and total serum protein while having no significant effect on blood cells, blood calcium or iron levels. Conclusion: L. plantarum CCFM8661 could protect lead-exposed subjects by effectively reducing lead levels and, thereby, has the potential to be further developed into a biological agent for the bioreduction of heavy metals.

In order to explore the antioxidant and anti-aging effects and underlying mechanism of Antarctic krill phospholipids, the antioxidant capacity in vitro of krill phospholipids was evaluated by radical scavenging capacities against 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cation, and ferric ion reducing power. Meanwhile, the effect of krill phospholipids at different concentrations on the life span, swallowing frequency, head swinging frequency, acute oxidative stress resistance, heat stress resistance, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, antioxidant capacity and aging-related gene expression in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans was studied. The results showed that krill phospholipids had good antioxidant capacity in vitro, which was superior to that of soybean phospholipids. Compared with the control group, krill phospholipids at all concentrations tested prolonged the life span of C. elegans, improved the swallowing frequency and mobility, and enhanced the resistance to stress. Moreover, krill phospholipids at the medium and high concentrations significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase (P < 0.01) and the content of glutathione (P < 0.05), and significantly reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and ROS levels (P < 0.01). In addition, krill phospholipids prolonged the life span of C. elegans by activating the transcription factors DAF-16, SKN-1 and HSF-1 and up-regulating the expression of antioxidant and detoxification genes. To sum up, krill phospholipids have good antioxidant capacity both in vivo and in vitro and delay the aging of C. elegans, thus being a potential functional food ingredient.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG-loaded lemon pectin microspheres (LGG@LPM) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. Methods: LGG@LPM was characterized, and the therapeutic potential of gavage administration of LGG@LPM against UC in mice was explored. Results: LGG@LPM microspheres exhibited good stability. The administration of LGG@LPM significantly alleviated the pathological process of DSS-induced UC in mice, restoring normal body mass and colon length and decreasing histological activity index (HAI) and disease activity index (DAI). Additionally, LGG@LPM administration reversed the increase in inflammatory cytokine levels and the decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities in the colon, the increase in serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels and the alterations in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels induced by DSS in mice. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that LGG@LPM restored the gut microbiota in UC mice through enhancing the abundance of Lactobacillus and Mucispirillum, and the alteration of the microbiota was significantly correlated with some environmental factors. Conclusion: LGG@LPM could alleviate the pathological progression of UC by improving the gut microbiota, the effect being more pronounced than that of either lemon pectin or LGG alone.

In order to investigate the nutritional value and small molecule metabolite composition of Taihe silky chicken eggs, this study comparatively analyzed the appearance, egg quality and hydrolyzed amino acid content of Taihe silky chicken eggs and Mahuang chicken from the same production batch. A global non-targeted metabolomics approach was applied to comprehensively characterize the metabolites in Taihe silky chicken egg white and yolk and to select the marker metabolites of Taihe silky chicken eggs. The results showed that Taihe silky chicken eggs were smaller in size than Mahuang chicken eggs, with the small end being more pointed, and black spots were deposited on most of the surface of Taihe silky chicken eggshells. The total mass, yolk color, yolk mass, and yolk ratio of Taihe silky chicken eggs were significantly lower (P < 0.05), whereas the egg shape index and Haugh unit were significantly higher than those of Mahuang chicken eggs (P < 0.05). Taihe silky chicken eggs contained 17 hydrolyzed amino acids, and the difference in hydrolyzed amino acid content compared with that of Mahuang chicken eggs was small, with only histidine content being significantly higher in Taihe silky chicken eggs (P < 0.05). Metabolomics identified 51 differential metabolites (P < 0.05, variable importance in the projection (VIP) > 1) in Taihe silky versus Mahuang chicken egg white. The relative contents of 32 differential metabolites were higher, while those of the remaining 19 were lower in Taihe silky than Mahuang chicken egg white. The differential metabolites were mainly enriched in amino acid metabolism, having the most significant enrichment in the metabolic pathways of alanine, aspartic acid, and glutamate with the greatest influential factors. Qctadecanamide, arachidic acid, L-lysine, and L-aspartic acid, whose contents in egg white significantly differed between Taihe silky and Mahuang chicken, could be used as potential marker metabolites to discriminate between eggs from the two species. In total 33 differential metabolites were identified between Taihe silky and Mahuang chicken egg yolk, whose class distribution was scattered. The contents of 3-amino-4-methylpentanoic acid, iminoarginine and D-glucose in egg yolk significantly differed between Taihe silky and Mahuang chicken, which could be used as potential marker metabolites to discriminate between eggs from the two species. The results of this study provide basic data support for the promotion and food development of Taihe silky chicken eggs.

The effect of addition of different levels of lotus leaf powder on the flavor of dried minced pork slices (DMPS) was studied by examining its sensory flavor attributes, flavor substances, lipid and protein oxidation levels, Maillard reaction degree, and microstructure. The results showed that addition of lotus leaf powder significantly affected the flavor of DMPS. Addition of lotus leaf powder at 0.2% and 0.4% improved the flavor of DMPS by inhibiting the oxidation of lipids and proteins and consequently reducing the contents of the fat rancidity flavor compounds hexanal and nonanal, and the fishy odor compound trimethylamine. The generation of phenethyl alcohol, (E)-2-hexenal, and methyl acetate provided DMPS with a delicate fragrance of lotus. However, adding 0.6% or 0.8% lotus leaf powder significantly decreased the contents of sweet amino acids and the umami taste intensity of DMPS, and exacerbated lipid and protein oxidation by disrupting the microstructure of DMPS. Furthermore, lotus leaf powder suppressed the production of volatile heterocyclic compounds in DMPS by inhibiting the Maillard reaction. Therefore, addition of an appropriate amount of lotus leaf powder could effectively improve the flavor of DMPS.

The aroma and taste profiles of Qingxiang Tieguanyin tea from different regions were determined through sensory evaluation and quantitative descriptive analysis of sensory attributes. By gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), biochemical composition analysis, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and metrological statistical analysis, the aroma and taste constituents of the tea were determined. The correlation between aroma and taste components and aroma and taste attributes was explored by correlation analysis and regression analysis, and the correlation between taste components and taste attributes was verified through experiments. The results showed that the sensory quality of Qingxiang Tieguanyin tea had regional characteristics and the aroma composition was dominated by terpenoids, followed by esters. Water content, water extract content, total tea polyphenols content and theaflavins content were the major biochemical factors responsible for the taste quality.

Phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS), and phosphatidylinositol (PI) are the four major phospholipids in Antarctic krill. In this study, the composition of these phospholipids was analyzed by hydrophilic interaction ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-UPLC-MS/MS) after purification by solid-phase extraction (SPE) using titania-coated fibrous silica (TiO2/KCC-1) nanoparticles, which had been prepared in our laboratory. The results showed that under the optimal conditions, 291 phospholipids including 75 PCs, 120 PEs, 54 PIs and 42 PSs were detected, which were nearly twice as many as those detected by a previously reported method. Phospholipids containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid chains accounted for 54.73% and 26.17% of the total phospholipids, respectively. PC (40:6) (41.63%), PE (36:0) (39.77%), PI (38:3) (80.05%), and PS (36:1) (81.62%) were found to be the most abundant in the four phospholipids. Multivariate statistical analysis showed significant differences in the types of phospholipids before and after SPE treatment. TiO2/KCC-1 nanoparticles exhibited a significant enrichment capacity for phospholipids, especially PC (18:0/18:0), PE (16:0/18:1), and PI (16:0/18:2). The detection limit was 0.05 μg/g for PC, PE and PS, and 0.01 μg/g for PI. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for the four major phospholipids were in the range of 0.89% to 5.05%, and the recoveries were 87%–112%. This method demonstrated high specificity, extraction efficiency, sensitivity, precision and accuracy. Therefore, it has broad application prospects for the extraction, purification, and analysis of phospholipids in biological samples.

This study comparatively analyzed the effects of water bath (WB) and ultrasonic-assisted water bath (UWB) extraction at different pH conditions on the extraction kinetics, gelling properties, rheological properties, and structural properties of grass carp fish scale gelatin. Results indicated that the gel strength of fish scale gelatin extracted by UWB was greater than that obtained by WB at pH more than 7.0. The rheological results demonstrated that UWB elevated the apparent viscosity of fish scale gelatin, but decreased the gelling and melt points. The results of structural analysis indicated that UWB resulted in a reduction in the content of α-helix and β-sheet in fish scale gelatin. Furthermore, both pH and UWB were found to alter the tertiary structure of fish scale gelatin. This study may provide novel ideas for the high-value comprehensive utilization of fish scale waste.

The effect of induced electric field on the structural properties and in vitro digestibility of corn starch (CS) hydrolyzed by pullulanase was studied. The results showed that after IEF-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis, a large number of holes appeared in the modified corn starch granules, and the polarization cross became blurred. The ratio of absorbance 1 047/1 022 cm−1 in the crystallization zone increased, whereas the ratio of absorbance 1 022/995 cm-1 decreased. The relative crystallinity increased with the increase in induction voltage. The relative content of amylose initially increased and then decreased. At an induction voltage of 125 V, the relative content of amylose was 98.61%. The solubility and swelling power initially decreased and subsequently increased, while the hardness and cohesiveness showed the opposite trend with increasing induction voltage. The viscosity of both raw and treated starch decreased rapidly with the increase in shear rate. Both storage and loss moduli were related to the amylose content. The relative content of resistant starch was 62.46% at an induction field of 125 V. Both in vitro digestibility and glycemic index decreased first and then increased. This study provides a theoretical reference for the application of induced electric field in the production and development of modified starch.

CcbHLH107 was cloned from early ripening mandarin fruits grown in Chongqing, and its biological information and transcription factor characteristics were analyzed. The results showed that CcbHLH107 had high homology with Arabidopsis thaliana AtbHLH107, and its promoter region contained various types of response elements such as light-responsive, abscisic acid-responsive and growth hormone-responsive elements. CcbHLH107 was localized in the nucleus and had transcriptional activation activity. One week after heterologous transient overexpression of CcbHLH107 in tobacco leaves, the leaves were significantly yellowed, and the contents of chlorophyll and its metabolite in the leaves were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). At three days after transient overexpression in early maturing mandarin fruits, obvious color changes in the peel were observed, and the expression level of CcbHLH107 in the peel was significantly increased. Compared with the control group, the contents of chlorophyll and its metabolites in the peel decreased faster in the CcbHLH107 overexpression group, and the contents of different carotenoids changed, among which the accumulation of lutein, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin was promoted. In addition, the expression of the chlorophyll degradation-related genes CcNYC1, CcChlase1, CcRCCR, and CcPAO and of the carotenoid regulation-related genes CcPSY2, CcBCH2, CcZEP, CcNCED5, CcCCS, and CcCCD4 was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05). In conclusion, CcbHLH107 accelerates the yellowing of mandarin fruits by promoting the degradation of chlorophyll and altering the contents of different carotenoids and their ratios.

In order to investigate the regulatory effect of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) on cell apoptosis and water retention in postmortem Qinchuan beef, the longissimus dorsi muscle of Qinchuan cattle was injected with either 200 μmol/L glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDA) or 10 μmol/L 2-ethyl-3-methylpentanamide (ABT-737) solution and aged at 4 ℃ postmortem. After 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 120 h, the changes in Bcl-2 and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) contents, the concentrations of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial calcium ion, voltage-dependent anion channel protein 1 (VDAC1) expression, calpain content, the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and water retention were determined. The results showed that at 6 h after slaughter, the Bcl-2 content of the GCDA-treated group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.01), the calcium ion concentration in the endoplasmic reticulum was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.01), and cooking loss was significantly lower in both treatment groups than the control group (P < 0.05). At 12 and 24 h post-slaughter, the Bcl-2 content of the ABT-737-treated group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.01). At 12 and 120 h post-slaughter, the endoplasmic reticulum calcium ion, mitochondrial calcium ion and calpain levels in the ABT-737-treated group were significantly greater than those in the control group (P < 0.01). During 0–120 h post-slaughter, the total expression of VDAC1 in both treatment groups was lower than that in the control group. In summary, during the postmortem aging of Qinchuan beef, under the regulation of Bcl-2, calcium overload occurs through VDAC1-facilitated calcium transport, resulting in the activation of calpain, and the overloading of Ca2+ in mitochondria promotes the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, thus inducing cell apoptosis. The higher the degrees of cell apoptosis and caspase activation, the higher the degree of degradation of myofibrillar proteins, and the poorer the water-holding capacity of the meat.

Abstracts: In this study, the changes in autophagy and its relationship with beef quality during 14 days of postmortem aging were investigated. In terms of meat color, the L* value increased with aging time, and the a* and b* values increased first and then decreased; the tenderness increased, while the shear force and the expression of desmin decreased (P < 0.05). The water-holding capacity decreased during postmortem aging, while the purge loss and cooking loss increased (P < 0.05). Further studies on autophagy-related proteins showed that the expression of Beclin-1 and microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), as the markers of autophagy, increased first and then decreased, reaching the maximum at 12 h. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-yeast Atg1 homolog unc-51 like kinase 1 (ULK1), as an important energy metabolic pathway, activated autophagy in an ischemia and hypoxia environment. During postmortem aging, the protein expressions of AMPK, p-AMPKThr172, and ULK1 all initially increased and subsequently decreased, reaching the maximum at 12 h. The expression of mTOR continuously decreased (P < 0.05), suggesting that autophagy was up-regulated from 0 to 12 h postmortem aging. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins were negatively correlated with meat color, but positively correlated with water-holding capacity and shear force during postmortem aging process (P < 0.05). In summary, autophagy could be activated through the AMPK-mTOR-ULK1 signaling pathway during the 336 h postmortem aging process, thereby regulating beef quality.

In this study, artificially wounded potato tubers were treated with 2 mmol/L salicylic acid (SA) for 10 min. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ROS scavenging enzyme activities were determined, and in vitro antioxidant capacity and cell membrane integrity in the wounds were analyzed during the early wound healing (within 12 h after wounding) period. The results showed that SA increased the activities of NADPH oxidase and superoxide dismutase, and promoted the accumulation of superoxide anion radical and H2O2 in tuber wounds during the early wound healing period. SA increased the activity of peroxidase, but decreased the activity of catalase. SA also increased the activities of ascorbate peroxidase, dehydroascorbate reductase, monodehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase, and increased the levels of ascorbic acid and reduced glutathione. In addition, SA treatment improved the capacity to scavenge 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and 2, 2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and reduced cell membrane permeability and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. In conclusion, SA could maintain cell membrane integrity and consequently ensure the smooth progress of normal metabolism during early wound healing by regulating ROS homeostasis and improving in vitro antioxidant activity in potato tuber wounds.

Objective: To establish a new method for the rapid detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in packaged drinking water using colloidal gold-based lateral flow immunochromatographic strips. Methods: 1 mg/mL sheep anti-mouse antibody and 1 mg/mL streptavidin (SAV) were sprayed onto a nitrocellulose (NC) membrane by using a membrane sprayer at a rate of 0.5 μL/cm, and then the antibody labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was conjugated to the surface of colloidal gold by electrostatic adsorption, and the resulting conjugate was added dropwise to the gold standard pad. The amplification products were added dropwise to the fully assembled lateral flow immunochromatographic strip, and the results were judged based on the positions of the control (C) and test (T) lines generated. Results: The method was able to specifically identify P. aeruginosa in packaged drinking water in 3 min with a detection limit of 1 CFU/250 mL, which was more sensitive than agarose gel electrophoresis. Conclusion: The lateral flow immunoassay method was characterized by high sensitivity, high specificity, simplicity and portability, and was suitable for real samples.

Purpose: To investigate the difference in metabolites between Yangshan honey peach and Changzhou, Nanhui and Xinyi honey peach using a non-target metabolomics approach. Methods: The metabolomics profile of Yangshan honey peach was investigated by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) with principal component analysis (PCA), and differential analysis of metabolites and metabolic pathways. Results: A total of 74 metabolites were identified, and the predominant metabolites in the pulp of honey peach were neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, procyanidin B2, epicatechin, catechin and L-malic acid. Differential metabolites were successfully selected between Yangshan honey peach and Changzhou, Nanhui and Xinyi honey peach. A total of 10 differential metabolites including madecassic acid were found in Changzhou honey peach, 13 differential metabolites including procyanidin B3 in Nanhui honey peach, and 15 differential metabolites including procyanidin C1 in Xinyi honey peach. These compounds were potential biomarkers to distinguish Yangshan honey peach from honey peaches from other regions. Metabolic pathway analyses identified a total of 11 differential metabolic pathways, with significant differences in the metabolism of plant polyphenols such as quercetin, organic acids such as cis-aconitic acid, and amino acids such as L-valine being observed among honey peaches from different regions, which may affect the antioxidant properties, sweetness, and aroma of fresh peaches. Conclusion: Non-target metabolomics is feasible for the identification of honey peaches from different regions, which can provide a theoretical basis for the identification of Yangshan honey peach, and is of practical significance for the protection of the specialty industry of Yangshan honey peach.

Chilling is an essential process in chilled meat production, and various chilling methods are available for actual production. Different chilling methods have different effects on meat quality. Very fast chilling has several advantages like shortening the chilling time of livestock and poultry meat, reducing the chilling loss, delaying the postmortem physiological and biochemical processes, and reducing the proliferation of microorganisms on the surface of meat. However, no consensus has been reached on the effect of very fast chilling on the tenderness of meat, which may be associated with its unclear mechanism. This limits the application of very fast chilling technology. Therefore, this article systematically reviews recent progress in understanding the effect of very fast chilling on postmortem muscle tenderness, with a focus on its potential mechanism from five aspects: physical restraint, physical damage, early postmortem release of calcium, the glycolysis process and the apoptosis process, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the development and application of very fast chilling technology.

The development of pesticides has significantly advanced global agricultural production, but the ensuing problem of pesticide residues poses a severe threat to human health. So, there is an urgent need to establish a rapid, accurate, sensitive, cost-effective and on-site method for large-scale detection of pesticide residues. Electrochemical paper-based analytical devices (ePADs) represents a highly sensitive and portable microanalysis system, which uses paper as a substrate and relies on a capillary force to drive the fluid for the separation and detection of samples. The diversity of pesticides and agricultural products and the complexity of matrices impose high requirements on the sample preparation procedure. This article summarizes the preparation process of ePADs from the aspects of paper selection, the establishment of hydrophilic and hydrophobic channels, the integration of separation zones, and electrode printing. Subsequently, this paper establishes the relationship between pesticide detection and chip preparation based on the mechanism of electrochemical detection of pesticides. Finally, it discusses the advantages, challenges and future prospects of ePADs with a view to providing theoretical reference for enhanced application of ePADs in the field of pesticide residue detection.

Fermented foods are rich in protein and free amino acids, which are decarboxylated by microbial amino acid decarboxylase to produce biogenic amines. Excessive ingestion of biogenic amines poses a threat to human health. Tyramine, a biogenic amine having high toxicity, is present in fermented foods in large quantities, so developing safe and effective methods to control tyramine is of practical significance for improving the safety of fermented foods. In this article, the physiological functions, harms and limit standard of tyramine in fermented foods are described with an emphasis on the formation mechanism and control methods of tyramine, so as to provide theoretical references for further improving the safety of fermented foods.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and its incidence is increasing year by year in China. Current drug treatments have side effects, so the use of probiotics to regulate intestinal microbiota is emerging as an intervention method. Numerous studies have shown that bifidobacteria have a good clinical effect in alleviating symptoms of ulcerative colitis. However, the underlying mechanism has not been systematically elucidated. In recent years, with continuous breakthroughs in research on multi-omics, the gut microbiota, the gut-brain axis, and the gut-liver axis, significant progress has been made in understanding the action mechanism of bifidobacteria in alleviating ulcerative colitis. This article reviews the latest progress that has been made in the research and application of bifidobacteria in alleviating ulcerative colitis in the past decade, and introduces bifidobacteria alleviating ulcerative colitis, with a focus on the underlying mechanism. This review reports that bifidobacteria alleviates ulcerative colitis mainly by regulating the structure of the intestinal microbiota, restoring intestinal barrier function, improving intestinal immune response, regulating intestinal purine metabolism, inhibiting oxidative stress, and providing energy for the intestinal epithelium. It is our hope that this review will provide a reference for further elucidating the regulatory mechanism of bifidobacteria on life and health as well as for furthering the application and promotion of probiotic preparation.

In recent years, surface molecular imprinting technology has drawn a lot of attention for its application in sample pretreatment for food analysis. Due to the complexity of the food matrix, there are high requirements for the sensitivity and selectivity of food detection. Surface molecularly imprinted polymers are polymerized on the surface of a solid support, and when the template is removed, a cavity is formed to adsorb the target or its structural analogues. Various targets ranging from contaminants, toxicants and adulterants to natural active ingredients can be efficiently imprinted, thus making it easier to extract them from food matrices like dairy products, fruits and vegetables, meat products, and drinks. Owing to their potential to improve the selectivity and adsorption capacity and hence the accuracy of analysis, multi-template imprinting strategies and virtual template imprinting have become research hotspots. This article summarizes the design strategies, carrier types, preparation methods of surface molecularly imprinted polymers and reviews the progress made over the past five years in their application in sample pretreatment for food analysis in order to provide a reference for the application of surface molecularly imprinted technology in food analysis.

Cold chain storage and transportation provides strong guarantees for the safety and quality of fresh foods. Currently, the cold chain system in China is still under rapid development, and quality deterioration in fresh foods caused by uncontrolled cold chain conditions is nothing new. Therefore, rapid and sensitive detection of quality deterioration in fresh foods during cold chain storage and transportation is of great significance for timely and effective early warning and control of quality and safety risks of fresh foods. This article provides an overview of the rapid techniques reported in recent three years for the detection of quality deterioration in fresh food products in the cold chain, such as indicator methods, spectroscopy, and sensors, with a particular focus on those based on new materials (nanomaterials and composite materials), new devices (smartphones and smart packaging) and new approaches (artificial intelligence and neural networks), as well as the application of in-situ real-time mass spectrometry. The advantages and limitations of each method are discussed, and future development prospects are discussed to provide a reference for the development of new methods for the detection of quality deterioration in fresh food products in the cold chain.

Egg yolk is an important food ingredient because of its outstanding nutritional value and emulsifying properties. The insoluble particle structure present in egg yolk and heat treatment during food processing may lead to poor stability of egg yolk emulsion. Hydrolysis, as a safe, efficient and low-energy modification method, has been widely used in studies on improving the emulsifying properties of egg yolk. In this paper, the effects of hydrolysis on the molecular structure, physicochemical properties and emulsifying characteristics of egg yolk are reviewed. Taking into account the actual needs of production, the formation mechanism and removal process of off-flavor in egg yolk hydrolysis products are discussed. Finally, this review summarizes the application of the emulsifying properties of egg yolk in the field of food processing, with a view to providing theoretical references for research on the hydrolytic modification of egg yolk.

Excessive residues of neonicotinoid insecticides in food and environmental samples pose a serious threat to human health. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the detection capacity of neonicotinoid pesticide residues. Various biosensor-based platforms are now available for the fast, simple, and low-cost detection of neonicotinoid residues. This review mainly summarizes the latest progress in the application of electrochemical sensors, fluorescence sensors, colorimetric sensors, electrochemiluminescence biosensors, and Raman spectroscopy-based biosensors in the rapid detection of neonicotinoid residues. It also discusses the challenges facing these sensor technologies and provides some solutions for addressing these challenges. We anticipate that this review will provide a reference for the further development and utilization of biosensors in pesticide residue detection.

China is the world’s largest walnut producer, with an annual output of 4.795 9 million tons. Walnut kernels have high nutritional value, containing 65%−69% of oil and 15%−20% of protein. Walnut meal, an abundant byproduct of walnut oil production, is mainly used in animal feed and fertilizers with low processing efficiency, whose potential for high-value utilization is far from being excavated. Studies have found that walnut meal contains a large amount of protein (42%−54%), its amino acid composition is rich, and the proportion of amino acids in walnut meal is suitable for human absorption. Walnut meal is a source of high-quality plant protein with a true protein digestibility score of 86.22%, and a biological valence of 98.77%. Therefore, high-efficiency utilization of walnut meal proteins is an important pathway for the high-value utilization of walnut meal. In this article, the composition, structure, and nutritional value of walnut proteins are reviewed. The extraction methods and functional characteristics of walnut proteins are summarized. The effect of modification on their functionalities and digestibility is also summarized. Finally, the application potential of walnut protein in foods is discussed.

Edible mushrooms, including cultivated and wild mushroom, are highly susceptible to absorption and accumulation of metal(loid)s from soils. Mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) are typical toxic metal(loid)s in soils, which are readily absorbed by edible mushrooms, transported and enriched via the food chain and finally enters the human body, posing potential risks to food safety. The accumulation and potential risks of As and Hg in edible mushrooms (especially wild mushrooms) have attracted increasing attention, but a systematic review on their pollution characteristics and absorption mechanisms is lacking. Therefore, this paper reviews the concentrations and distribution characteristics (in the cap and stipe) of As and Hg in cultivated and wild mushrooms, with a focus on the accumulation ability, transportation ability and uptake modes (passive adsorption on the cell surface and active uptake within cells), which provides basic information for comparative analysis of differences in As and Hg absorption, enrichment and distribution between cultivated and wild mushrooms, and provide theoretical support for in-depth studies on the process and mechanism of metal(loid)s accumulation in edible mushrooms. This review is of practical significance for the prevention and control of the risk of heavy metals accumulation in edible mushrooms and for protecting the safety of edible mushrooms.

Fat is one of the most important nutritional components in foods. It not only endows foods with unique flavor and taste and provides the energy needed by the human body, but also has a significant impact on the structure and overall quality of foods. However, excessive intake of fat is not conducive to human health. Therefore, it is hoped that the use of fat mimics to replace fat in food will reduce the harm of excessive intake of fat to the human body while maintaining the original flavor of foods as much as possible. This article reviews the classification of fat replacers and fat mimics and recent research on the role and application of fat mimics in foods, outlines the basis for the classification of fat replacers into fat substitutes and fat mimics, with emphasis on the mechanisms of action, advantages, limitations, roles and applications of single and mixed fat mimics. It also proposes future strategies for the research and development of fat mimics in order to provide a direction for the development of healthy and safe fat mimics.

As an important part of food quality management, the detection of food hazard factors and safety risk prediction have always been a research hotspot. In order to better carry out related work in the future, this article reviews research progress on conventional methods for the detection of food hazard factors, and introduces new methods for the detection of food hazard factors such as nanozymes, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR/Cas) sensors and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and the application of new materials such as magnetic covalent organic frameworks in this field. Then, it summarizes the application of subjective weighting, machine learning and deep learning in food safety risk prediction. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of each method are analyzed, and future research directions are discussed.

Honey, as a natural sweet substance, has always been favored by consumers due to its various functional activities, such as regulating the gastrointestinal tract, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. However, the production of honey is far less than the market demand for it, so driven by interests, honey is often adulterated, leading to quality deterioration. The adulteration of honey seriously undermines its natural attributes, having a negative impact on the honey industry. To safeguard the interests of consumers and producers, uphold the industry’s reputation, and promote its sustainable development, it is crucial to establish and improve methods for assessing honey authenticity. This article reviews the major methods for identifying the authenticity of honey, including traditional analytical techniques, targeted and non-targeted analytical techniques. In particular, the characteristic components in honey have been used for the identification of honey authenticity in recent years, which is achieved directly by analyzing the overall properties and chemical characteristics of honey are consistent with each other or not, but not relying on any prior knowledge of the adulterants. This paper aims to provide theoretical references for the authenticity identification of honey.

In recent years, with the significant rise in global obesity rate, the demand for sugar substitutes such as artificial sweeteners (AS) has soared, but the safety of AS remains controversial. New research from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the journal Nature suggests that long-term consumption of AS may have negative health effects. Currently, the standards on the use of AS in different countries are different, and the mechanism of the health impact of long-term AS consumption is not clear. Therefore, based on recent research results related to AS, this review paper focuses on the human health effect of AS and the current domestic and foreign standards on AS. It elaborates on the relationship between AS and gut microbes, obesity and diabetes, lipid metabolism, cardiovascular disease and cancer, and summarizes the current Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), US, EU, Japanese and Chinese standards on AS. In addition, this paper also discusses the key issue of how to determine standards on AS addition in the food industry in order to provide a reference for future research in this field.