Objective: To investigate the differences in chemical composition between ethanol extracts from Lonicera japonica flos (EELF) and L. japonica leaves (EELL) and their potential anti-aging components and mechanisms. Methods: The chemical compositions of EELF and EELL were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole electrostatic field orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-QE-orbitrap-MS). The effect of feeding Escherichia coli OP50 culture containing different concentrations of EELF or EELL on the life span, mobility, reproductive capacity and oxidant stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans was investigated. The potential anti-aging mechanism of EELF and EELL was explored through network pharmacology. Results: A total of 122 compounds were identified in EELF and EELL, including 35 organic acids, 27 flavonoids, 37 iridoid compounds and 23 other compounds. The chemical compositions of EELF and EELL were roughly the same, and the contents of chlorogenic acid and total phenolic acid were also roughly same. The contents of total flavonoids, isochlorogenic acid C and luteolin in EELL were significantly higher than those in EELF, while the content of isochlorogenic acid A was significantly lower than that in EELF. EELF and EELL at all concentrations improved oxidative and thermal stress resistance, prolonged the life span, enhanced the motility and reproductive capacity of the nematode, and decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipofuscin. A total of 16 potential bioactive components from EELF and EELL and 59 potential anti-aging targets for them were identified, and the core targets were signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), steroid receptor coactivator (SRC), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 (CASP3), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). The anti-aging effect could be exerted by suppressing cancer, reducing lipid and alleviating atherosclerosis through the regulation of the phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase/serine-threonine kinase (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway. Conclusion: EELF and EELL have similar chemical compositions, exert similar anti-aging effects, and have multi-pathway and multi-target characteristics, which provides a reference for their deep development and utilization.

Cornus officinalis (Co) is a medicinal and edible plant that is rich in active ingredients including polysaccharides, iridoids, and triterpenoids, with hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, neuroprotective, and renoprotective functions. Hence, it has great potential for development in the food and medicine fields. This article summarizes the extraction and detection methods, health benefits and application of active ingredients in Co, revealing that the active ingredients have high nutritional value and can be developed into food flavor additives, antioxidants and immunomodulators. This review provides a scientific basis for the research and development of Co products.

Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a perennial evergreen subshrub of the family Lamiaceae in the class Dicotyledoneae. It is native to Europe and the Mediterranean coast of northern Africa and has broad development prospects in the food, medicinal, and chemical industries. Although the chemical composition of R. officinalis L. has been reported, the classifications and summary of the structure of its compounds are not sufficient. In this article, we summarize the chemical components of R. officinalis L. that have been reported over the past five years, including flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenylpropanoids, and their structure, and we introduce the applications of R. officinalis L., so as to provide a reference and scientific basis for the chemical composition analysis, structural identification, development and utilization of R. officinalis L..

Soybean, Glycine max, is an annual herbaceous plant of the family Leguminosae, which contains not only high-quality proteins and oils but also a large number of bioactive secondary metabolites, such as isoflavones and saponins. Soybean secondary metabolites have been widely recognized for their unique structures and multiple biological activities. In this article, an overview of recent progress on the major soybean secondary metabolites and their biological activities is presented based on Web of Science and PubMed. Twelve soybean isoflavones have been identified, which exerts health benefits such as preventing cardiovascular diseases, anti-osteoporosis, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, anti-stroke, and hypoglycemic, neuroprotective and hepatoprotective functions through regulating mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Totally 30 soybean saponins have been identified and demonstrated to possess anti-inflammation, antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-tumor functions and preventive effects against cardiovascular disease. Their mechanisms of action involve the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)/NF-κB, MAPK, Janus kinase (JAK) and Nrf2 signaling pathways. These soybean secondary metabolites, due to their different structures, have different bioactivities. The major bioactivity of soybean isoflavones is phytoestrogenic activity, while soybean saponins mainly exert anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities. This review aims to provide the basis for the in-depth mining of soybean secondary metabolites and lay the foundation for further development of soybean resources.

In this study, the solvent extraction and purification of flavonoids from three cultivars (coded as 1, 2 and 3) of Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt. were optimized based on the content of total flavonoids and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity. The flavonoids were analyzed and identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results showed that methanol was found to be the best solvent for the extraction of flavonoids. The yield of flavonoids extracted from the first cultivar was the highest, and the total flavonoid content and DPPH radical scavenging capacity of the extract were 65.01 mg/g and 73.59%, respectively. Top 10 most abundant flavonoids were tentatively by HPLC-MS. Eight monomeric compounds were purified from the extract by macroporous resin chromatography, vacuum column chromatography, atmospheric column chromatography and gel permeation chromatography, and these compounds were identified as luteolin, 7,8,3’,4’-tetrahydroxyflavanone, taxifolin, okanin, quercetin, quercetagetin, flavanomarein and marein by MS and NMR spectroscopy. Okanin was determined as the signature flavonoid compound in C. tinctoria Nutt. by HPLC and DPPH radical scavenging activity.

In this study, calcium-chelating casein hydrolytic peptide (CHP-Ca) was prepared by the chelation reaction between CHP, which was prepared from enzymatic hydrolysis of micelle casein, and calcium chloride at a mass ratio of 2:1. Five enzymes (flavourzyme, alcalase, trypsin, papain and neutral protease) were screened based on hydrolysis degree (DH) and calcium-chelating capacity. A mixture of flavourzyme and trypsin was found to be the best enzyme for the enzymatic preparation of CHP. Furthermore, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the enzyme hydrolysis conditions. The results showed that the optimal conditions were enzyme-to-substrate ratio 6 000 U/g, flavourzyme-to-trypsin ratio 1:1, hydrolysis time 90 min, pH 6.9, and temperature 42 ℃. The calcium chelation capacity of the peptide prepared under these conditions was (90.46 ± 0.72) μg/mg. Finally, the structural properties and formation mechanism of CHP-Ca were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry (TG), zeta potential, particle size analysis and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The results showed that CHP-Ca bound mainly by the interaction of carboxyl, amino and phosphate groups, and the zeta potential and particle size decreased after chelation, and the structure of CHP-Ca became more compact.

Objective: To investigate the oxidation mechanism of walnut kernels. Methods: Walnut kernels were subjected to vacuum or non-vacuum packaging before accelerated oxidation at 60 ℃. Samples were taken periodically for ultrastructural and morphological observation by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and for the measurement of oxidation indicators such as peroxide value, carbonyl value, and cell membrane permeability. Changes in cellular ultrastructure during the oxidation process of walnut kernels were analyzed and compared under vacuum and non-vacuum packaging conditions. The oxidation process was assessed from a multi-dimensional perspective and the oxidation mechanism was explored as well. Results: Under non-vacuum conditions, walnut kernel oil began to become sticky on the 14th day of accelerated oxidation and then gradually became stickier. With oxidation time, intracellular protein bodies (PB) exhibited sequential changes including an increase in surface roughness, aggregation, movement toward the cell periphery, decomposition and reassembly. The oil body membrane (OBM) was ruptured and the intracellular reticulum was disrupted, thus causing oil leakage into the intercellular space and resulting in a reduction in the cell volume. Cellular structural changes were much smaller under vacuum conditions than under non-vacuum conditions, the oil started to become sticky on the 28th day, and the oxidation indicators were significantly lower than those under non-vacuum conditions (P < 0.01). The trend of changes in three oxidation indicators was consistent with that of cell ultrastructure. Conclusion: TEM and SEM combined with oxidation indicators can provide clearer insights into cellular ultrastructural changes in walnut kernels after oxidation. The oxidation mechanisms of vacuum and non-vacuum packaged walnut kernels are the same, but their oxidation degrees are different. Notably, vacuum packaging can significantly reduce the oxidation of walnut kernels.

The study analyzed the impact of adding Moringa oleifera dietary fiber (MDF) on the gel strength, color, water-holding capacity, protein secondary structure, microstructure, rheology, and texture properties of silver carp surimi. The results showed that incorporating 0.1%, 0.3% and 0.6% MDF into silver carp surimi resulted in enhanced gel strength, water-holding capacity and texture compared with pure silver carp surimi. The addition of 0.9% MDF significantly reduced the whiteness of silver carp surimi. For all surimi gels, the storage modulus (G’) was higher than the loss modulus (G”), confirming the gel structure of the surimi. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed that the addition of MDFs had little effect on the protein secondary structure of the surimi. Compared with the pure surimi group, the ionic bonding and hydrophobic interaction in the surimi gel with 0.6% MDF addition significantly increased (P < 0.05), indicating enhanced intermolecular interaction in the gel. Therefore, the addition of 0.6% MDF in silver carp surimi resulted in more uniform network structure and an increase in the dietary fiber content. This study provides an effective approach to improve the processing performance and nutritional quality of silver carp surimi, and provides a reference for the development and utilization of M. oleifera dietary fiber.

In order to improve the structural strength and stability of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) and to meet the actual requirements of 3D printing inks and fat substitutes, this study used gelatin-soybean protein isolate composite micromicelles as an emulsifier to prepare HIPEs. In addition, self-assembled chitosan (CS) nanoparticles at different concentrations were introduced to improve the self-supporting capacity and stability of HIPEs. The results showed that HIPE exhibited better self-supporting properties, higher viscoelasticity, and smaller and denser microstructure with increasing CS addition. The HIPEs did not collapse after 3D printing, and maintained good stability to different conditions of salt ion concentration (0–500 mmol/L) and pH (5.0–7.5). The results of this study can provide new ideas for the development of personalized nutritious foods and low-fat healthy meat products.

In this study, high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) were prepared using soybean isolate protein microgel particles, which were prepared by gel disruption, as a stabilizer. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed that the oil droplets were encapsulated within protein particles, and some of them were observed to exhibit a polyhedral morphology due to stacking, which is a typical feature of typical O/W-type HIPPEs. Increasing oil content and protein particle concentration improved the viscosity, storage modulus and gel strength of the system, which endowed the emulsion with 3D printing ability. When the oil content was 75% and the protein particle concentration was 3.0%, the accuracy and stability of the printed model were 93.35% and 98.72%, respectively. The results of this study indicated that HIPPEs can be used as an effective ink for 3D printing of food products, which provide a theoretical basis for expanding the application of 3D printing in the food field.

To reduce the divalent cation content and beany odor of soybean whey, eight types of macroporous resins were screened based on the removal rates of calcium and magnesium ions, protein loss rate and sensory evaluation. The conditions for the adsorption of soybean whey by the selected macroporous resin were optimized. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to evaluate beany odorants before and after adsorption. The results showed that D851 macroporous resin had an excellent adsorption capacity for soybean whey. When 150 mL of soybean whey was treated with 4 g of D851 resin for 40 minutes, the removal rates of calcium and magnesium ions were 76.03% and 85.88%, respectively, and the protein loss rate was 7.27%. The sensory flavor was significantly improved after adsorption with macroporous resin. In addition, the contents of the beany odorants trans-2-hexenal, n-hexanol, and 1-octen-3-ol decreased by 3.92%, 24.33%, and 31.21%, respectively. Trans,trans-2,4-decadienal, trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal, and benzaldehyde were completely removed. The adsorption of soybean whey by D851 macroporous resin under suitable conditions can effectively reduce the contents of calcium and magnesium ions and decrease the beany odor while retaining proteins. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the industrial application of soybean whey.

Composite gel network systems were prepared by mixing sodium alginate (ALG) with low methoxyl pectin (LMP) with the addition of Ca2+. The effect of different LMP/ALG ratios and Ca2+ concentrations on gel properties including gel strength, moisture state and gel network structure was investigated. At an LMP/ALG ratio of 3:7, the largest gel strength of 0.545 N. The gel strength increased with the increase in Ca2+ concentration, and the gel network showed a dense microstructure with small pores. The rheological properties of the composite gels were analyzed based on three strain models, revealing that the two polysaccharides formed an interpenetrating network in the composite gel system. This study provides a scientific reference and theoretical basis for improving the gel properties of ALG and LMP and for expanding their applications in foods.

In this study, different mass concentrations (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%, based on starch mass) of tamarind seed polysaccharides (TSP) were added to endow potato starch (PS) bread with gluten-like properties in order to improve the processing performance and texture quality of gluten-free bread. The results indicated that adding TSP increased the peak viscosity of PS, improve its viscoelasticity, and endow it with gluten-like network structural characteristics. With increasing TSP concentration, the baking loss rate of gluten-free bread significantly decreased from 26.01% to 20.36%, and the specific volume increased from 1.27 mL/g to a maximum value of 3.19 mL/g. The addition of TSP significantly improved the texture characteristics of bread, as evidenced by a reduction in its hardness, cohesiveness, chewiness and resilience, resulting in a softer texture. Adding TSP delayed the staling of bread, thereby extending the shelf life. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed strong correlations between bread quality and baking performance and gelatinization characteristics of PS. This study has expanded the application of TSP in food field and provides new ideas and a theoretical basis for the development of gluten-free starch products.

The central regions with the most significant sensory characteristics (denoted as HXH, HRA and QCU, respectively) of three kinds of Fengxiangxing Daqu, namely, Hongxinqu, Huairangqu and Qingchaqu, were characterized for microscopic features, physicochemical properties, fungal communities, and volatile substances. The significant differences in and the correlation between fungal communities and physicochemical properties and volatile substances were analyzed. The results showed that the core fungi in HXH were Aspergillus, Monascus and Saccharomycopsis, while those in HRA and QCU were Aspergillus and Saccharomycopsis. HXH had the highest moisture content, acidity and starch content, followed by HRA, and the lowest level for QCU. HRA had the highest saccharification and fermentation power, followed by QCU and the lowest level for HXH. Esterification power was the highest in QCU, followed by HRA, and the lowest in HXH. Totally 155, 115 and 113 volatile substances were detected in HXH, HRA and QCU, respectively, the major ones being esters, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and pyrazines. The highest contents of alcohols and ketones were found in HXH, the highest contents of alcohols and aldehydes in HRA, and the highest content of pyrazines in QCU. The abundance of Monascus was significantly positively correlated with acidity and the contents of moisture, starch, esters, acids, aldehydes and ketones (P < 0.05); the abundance of Saccharomycopsis was positively correlated with esterification power and pyrazine content; the abundance of Aspergillus was positively correlated with fermentation power, saccharification power and alcohol content. The results of this study have theoretical significance and practical value for improving the quality evaluation system of Daqu quality.

To inhibit the development of adaptive acid tolerance response (ATR) and concurrent multiple stress resistance in Salmonella induced by the residual acid environment from carcass decontamination by organic acid spraying, the inhibitory effect of the addition of oregano essential oil and calcium chloride at different subinhibitory concentrations during acid adaptation on the ATR of Salmonella was investigated by determining the survival ability of Salmonella in acidic, thermal, hyperosmotic and oxidative environments before and after adaptation, and the possible mechanism was explored by determining the relative expression of stress resistance genes before and after treatments. The results indicated that the residual acid (pH 5.4) generated during carcass processing might induce ATR and heat-resistant cross-protection in Salmonella, suggesting a potential food safety risk. After 2 h treatment with hydrochloric acid at pH 3, the loss of the adapted strain in the 1/2 MIC oregano essential oil and 10 mmol/L CaCl2 treatment group increased by 1.32 (lg(CFU/mL)) compared with the control group, and oregano essential oil combined with CaCl2 had a synergistic inhibitory effect on ATR. The addition of oregano essential oil and calcium chloride during acid adaptation down-regulated the expression of the phoP and rpoS genes, which in turn intervened in the two-component system and global transcription factors, thereby suppressing ATR development. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of oregano essential oil inhibited the formation of the acid and heat resistance of acid-adapted Salmonella, but increased the resistance to hyperosmosis, whereas CaCl2 at a concentration of 10 mmol/L combined with sub-inhibitory concentrations of oregano essential oil reduced the osmotic resistance. The results of the current study help to understand the effects of essential oil and CaCl2 on the acid adaptation process of Salmonella and provide a theoretical basis for risk control for the use of organic acids in the beef industry.

In this study, blackberry juice was fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum P-S1016. The growth kinetic parameters of this strain were determined, and the organic acids and flavor substances of fermented blackberry juice were analyzed. Besides, its flavor quality was tested using an electronic tongue (E-tongue). The protective effect of fermented blackberry juice against corticosterone-induced injury in PC12 cells was investigated by measuring cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, apoptosis rate, and mitochondrial membrane potential. The results showed that the growth kinetic model of L. plantarum P-S1016 had excellent goodness of fit with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.943, and the bacterial concentration reached a maximum value of 9.40 (lg (CFU/mL)) at 29.28 h. The contents of lactic acid and succinic acid in fermented blackberry juice were 38.99 and 3.30 mg/mL, respectively, and the contents of esters, alcohols, acids, and other flavor components increased compared with those in fresh blackberry juice, with alcohols accounting for the highest proportion (33.28%) of the total, followed by alkanes (29.80%); the saltiness of blackberry juice was significantly reduced after fermentation. In addition, fermented blackberry juice at concentrations of 50 and 200 µg/mL significantly increased the survival rate of cells induced by corticosterone by (1.48 ± 0.07) and (1.60 ± 0.01) folds, reduced intracellular ROS levels, late apoptosis rate and the proportion of necrotic cells, and inhibited the decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential. In conclusion, blackberry juice fermented with L. plantarum P-S1016 has good taste and flavor quality and strong neuroprotective potential. It is expected to become a new functional natural plant-based beverage, which is important for improving the edible properties and functional value of blackberry fresh fruits.

In this study, we constructed domain D, E and DE truncated mutants of a marine-derived cyclodextrin glucosyltransferase (CGTase) my20 and heterologously expressed these mutants using the pET-24a vector and E. coli BL21 (DE3) as the host, and purified the expressed enzyme by nickel affinity column chromatography. The specific cyclization activities of my20ΔD, my20ΔE, and my20ΔDE were approximately 197%, 22%, and 17% of that of my20, respectively, indicating that domain E is important for the catalytic activity of CGTase, and the presence of domain D might hinder substrate molecules from entering the catalytic domains. my20 was a heat-resistant enzyme, and the three truncated mutants showed different degrees of reduction in heat resistance, suggesting that domains D and E played an important role in the heat resistance of CGTase. The domain DE-deleted mutant showed an 8% increase in the percentage of α-cyclodextrin (CD) in the catalytic product compared with the other truncated mutants, which suggested that the loss of domain DE affected the product specificity. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for CGTase domain modification for its application in industrial production.

In order to improve the thermal stability of cutinase AFLACUT-2, the mutants were predicted and screened based on the change of free energy (ΔΔG) for protein folding, and the enzymatic properties of the selected mutant were characterized. The results showed that the thermal stability of mutant Q163M was significantly improved without affecting the enzymatic activity, which retained 86.09% of its activity when incubated at 40 ℃ for 168 h, compared with that of the wild-type strain. At 60 ℃, the half-life of the mutant was 1.68 times higher than that of the wild-type strain. In addition, compared with the wild-type strain, mutant Q163M showed better tolerance to an acidic environment. The mechanism for improved thermal stability of mutant Q163M was elucidated by intermolecular forces and molecular dynamic simulation. These results provide a basis for rationally modifying the thermal stability of cutinase and improving its capacity for the aqueous-phase synthesis of flavor ester at high temperature.

To investigate the effect of intermittent fasting (IF) combined with exercise on browning of white adipose tissue (WAT), we randomly divided male C57BL/6 mice aged 5–6 weeks into six groups: control (Con), exercise (Ex), alternate-day fasting (ADF), alternate-day fasting combined with exercise (ADFEx), time-restricted feeding (TRF), and time-restricted feeding combined with exercise (TRFEx). After the six-week experimental period, blood lipid levels of mice were tested. Next, Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α), uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), active fibronectin type III domain containing protein 5 (FNDC5) and PR domain-containing 16 (PRDM16) in the bilateral inguinal white adipose tissue (in-WAT), perirenal adipose tissue (pe-WAT), epididymal adipose tissue (ep-WAT), interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT), and left hindlimb skeletal muscle of mice. The effect of IF combined with exercise on protein expression in WAT browning-related signaling pathways in mice was analyzed, and the degrees of browning in different adipose tissues were compared. The results showed that the level of total cholesterol (TC) in each experimental group was significantly lower than that of the Con group. The levels of triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the TRF and TRFEx groups were significantly lower than those in the Con group (P < 0.05). The relative expression levels of p-AMPK, PPARγ, PGC-1α, UCP1, FNDC5 and PRDM16 in different adipose tissues and skeletal muscle increased to different extents in the ADF, ADFEx, TRF and TRFEx groups compared with the Con group; the relative expression levels of p-AMPK, PPARγ, PGC-1α and UCP1 in BAT, in-WAT and pe-WAT increased significantly in the TRFEx group compared with the Con group. These results suggested that the combination of IF and exercise promoted the browning of WAT, and the mechanism might be related to the activation of the PPARγ/PGC-1α/UCP1 signaling pathway. TRFEx was most effective among all treatments.

In this study, we assessed the ameliorative effect of dietary intervention with freeze-dried tempeh powder prepared using different processes on protein malnutrition in BALB/c mice by blood biochemical analysis, histopathological assays and intestinal microbiota 16S rDNA metagenomics technology. The results showed that compared with the low-protein diet feeding group, the levels of albumin, total protein, hemoglobin (HB), insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the serum of protein-malnourished mice fed freeze-dried tempeh powder returned to the normal level, the uniformity, richness and diversity of intestinal flora were improved, the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lawsonicacter increased, and the relative expression of a variety of genes increased, indicating that fed freeze-dried tempeh powder regulated life processes such as protein metabolism. In conclusion, freeze-dried tempeh powder can significantly ameliorate protein malnutrition in mice, and its effect is comparable to that of complete protein (casein) at the same mass.

This study examined changes in the degree of hydrolysis, peptide yield, digestibility, and hydrolyzed amino acid content during the simulated gastrointestinal digestion of Antarctic krill protein. Furthermore, the in vitro proosteogenic activity of different concentrations of the lyophilized residue from the supernatant of the digestion product at the optimal digestion time was evaluated. The results showed that the hydrolysis degree, peptide yield, digestibility, and hydrolyzed amino acid content in the supernatant from Antarctic krill protein digestion increased significantly with digestion time, reaching an equilibrium after 120 min of intestinal digestion, with a hydrolysis degree of 42.67%, a peptide yield of 35.30% and a digestibility of 82.21%. The supernatants at all digestion time points enhanced the osteogenic activity of mouse MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, the one obtained after 120 min of intestinal digestion being the most effective. Living/dead cell staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay and alizarin red staining confirmed that the supernatant from intestinal digestion for 120 min had good cellular compatibility, promoted osteoblast differentiation and mineralization and consequently regulated its osteogenic activity by enhancing ALP activity and intracellular calcium deposition. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the high-value application of Antarctic krill protein.

This study was carried out in order to investigate the differences in quality between Dictyophora rubrovolvata and Phallus dongsun from Guizhou. A total of 34 nutritional components in the two edible mushroom species were quantitatively analyzed, and differential metabolites between them were identified by non-targeted metabolomics based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The results showed that the contents of L-ergothioneine, ergosterol, total dietary fiber and iron in D. rubrovolvata were higher, and the content of essential amino acids in proteins was 342.2 mg/g, which was closer to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization reference pattern. The contents of soluble sugars, calcium and protein in P. dongsun were higher, and the total content of four soluble sugars including trehalose, mannitol, mannose, and glucose in D. rubrovolvata (450.8 mg/g) was much higher than that in P. dongsun (114.7 mg/g). A total of 388 significantly differential metabolites were selected by multivariate statistical analysis, mainly including 145 lipids, 38 amino acids and derivatives and 17 carbohydrates. Among these, 126 metabolites were down-regulated and 262 metabolites were up-regulated in P. dongsun compared with those in D. rubrovolvata. Most of them were flavor precursors or flavor substances in D. rubrovolvata and P. dongsun, which were closely related to their flavor. The results of this study provide basic data for the quality evaluation and functional composition analysis of D. rubrovolvata and P. dongsun.

To investigate the differences in volatile components during the processing of Fuling Zhacai, or pickled mustard tuber, with three stacked layers of mustard tuber and salt, gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS)-based non-targeted metabolomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis was used to analyze the changes in volatile metabolites and significantly differential metabolic pathways during the spontaneous fermentation of Zhacai. The results showed that a total of 627 volatile compounds were identified from Zhacai samples at different pickling stages, including terpenoids, esters, heterocyclic compounds, terpenoids, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, phenols, amines, sulfur compounds, acids, halogenated hydrocarbons, and nitrogen compounds. A significant difference was observed in volatile components among pickling stages. A total 157 unique differential metabolites in the 1st pickling stage vs. the control group, 28 in the 2nd vs. the 1st pickling stage, and one in the 3rd vs. 2nd pickling stage were identified. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that the differential metabolites were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways including secondary metabolite biosynthesis, diterpenoid biosynthesis, monoterpenoid biosynthesis, caffeine metabolism, and fatty acid biosynthesis. This study provides a theoretical basis for the standardized production of Fuling Zhacai.

In this study, the effects of three different preparation methods, acid dissolution followed by alkali regeneration (CS-Na), alkali-urea dissolution followed by hot water regeneration (CS-60 ℃), and alkali dissolution followed by alcohol regeneration (CS-C2H6O) on the properties (mechanical strength, light transmittance, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR)) and structure (groups, crystalline structure and microstructure) of chitosan film were investigated. It was found that the tensile strength of the CS-Na film was 0.064 MPa, and the elongation at break was 34.72%. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the two chitosan films prepared with alkali-urea system were significantly improved, indicating better mechanical properties. All three chitosan films had excellent ultraviolet (UV) barrier capacity; the CS-C2H6O film had the highest UV transmittance, the CS-60 ℃ film was in the middle, and the CS-Na film had the lowest UV transmittance. The WVTR of these films under saturated NaCl and MgCl2 conditions decreased in the following order: CS-60 ℃ < CS-C2H6O < CS-Na, indicating that the CS-60 ℃ film had the best water vapor barrier capacity. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that alkali-urea system could enhance the hydrogen bonding between chitosan molecules to the largest extent. Molecular chain rearrangement occurred in all these chitosan films during the dissolution-regeneration process, and hot water bath at 60 ℃ was more conducive to the formation of nanofiber structure in chitosan films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results suggested that the cross-section of CS-60 ℃ presented a denser and more uniform porous structure. Moreover, the surface of this film was much smoother than that of the CS-C2H6O and CS-Na films. Overall, the CS-60 ℃ film had better mechanical properties and a more uniform porous structure, and therefore could have better application prospects in the field of food packaging.

The study aimed to explore the rational utilization of Citrus reticulata ‘Chachi’ pulp. Low-temperature superfine grinding (SG) technology was employed to prepare citrus pulp powder, and its physicochemical properties, microstructure and functional properties were examined. A significant reduction in the particle size of citrus pulp powder was observed after SG treatment (P < 0.05). With increasing grinding time, the particle size decreased, the color became lighter progressively, the tap density decreased, the repose angle and slip angle enlarged, the water-holding capacity decreased, and the oil-holding capacity, water solubility index and swelling degree increased. Meanwhile, the particle distribution of the powder became more homogeneous, while no changes in functional groups occurred. It was also found that SG for 10 min resulted in a significant increase (P < 0.05) in total phenol and vitamin C (VC) contents by 12.70% and 17.27%, respectively, compared with ordinary grinding (OG). By high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nine flavonoids were identified, the major ones being hesperidin and narirutin, accounting for 78.06% and 8.96% of the total flavonoid content, respectively; five phenolic acids were identified, with the predominant one being ferulic acid, representing 73.85% of the total phenolic acid content, as well as synephrine and limonin. SG treatment greatly promoted the dissolution of bioactive components. Compared with OG, SG for 10 and 30 min increased the ferulic acid content by 190.72% and 109.68%, respectively. Limonin and nomiline contents significantly increased after SG for 30 and 60 minutes (P < 0.05), while ferulic acid, synephrine, hesperidin, narirutin, eriocitrin, and didymin contents significantly decreased after SG for 120 min (P < 0.05). The in vitro antioxidant activity significantly increased after SG for 10 and 30 minutes (P < 0.05). Overall, low-temperature SG can be used to produce pulp powder of Citrus reticulata ‘Chachi’ with smaller particle size, more uniform particle size distribution, improved color, increased dissolution of bioactive components and enhanced antioxidant properties. However, too long SG results in powder agglomeration, and negatively impacts the fluidity of the powder and the dissolution of bioactive components.

The effects of immersion freezing and air freezing at different temperatures (-18 and -38 ℃) on the quality of braised beef with potato were studied by physicochemical measurements, microstructural observation and sensory evaluation. The results showed that freezing at -38 ℃ maintained better quality of braised beef with potato compared with freezing at -18 ℃, and immersion freezing was significantly superior to air freezing. The freezing time of beef and potato in the dish under -38 ℃ immersion freezing was shortened by 96.02% and 97.34%, respectively, compared with air freezing at -18 ℃, and the time required to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation zone for beef and potato was 9.67 and 10.92 min, respectively, suggesting improved freezing rate of the dish. Under this condition, the L*, a* and b* values of beef and potato were closer to those of the unfrozen dish; the hardness and elasticity of beef were significantly higher than those of the other frozen treatment groups (P < 0.05), and the shear force was 25.35 N, which was closer to that of the unfrozen sample (26.70 N), indicating good toughness of beef; the hardness of potato was 341.95 g, which was significantly higher than that of (P < 0.05) air-frozen samples, indicating good texture. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that beef muscle fibers were not broken after immersion freezing at -38 ℃, the gap between muscle fiber bundles was the smallest, arranged in an orderly manner; the cell contour of potato was clear and compact. The overall sensory score of the immersion-frozen sample was higher than that of the air-frozen one, and the sensory scores of beef and potato in the dish after -38 ℃ immersion freezing were 88.80 and 86.80 points, respectively, indicating higher acceptability. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the development of freezing preservation technologies for industrialized Chinese dishes.

In order to study the effect of intermittent ozone treatment on the storage quality and preservation of kiwifruit, ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit were fumigated with different concentrations (0, 21.4, 42.8 and 64.2 mg/m3) of ozone once every seven days during storage at (0.0 ± 0.5) ℃. Quality indexes and the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were measured regularly during storage. The results showed that compared with the control group, ozone treatment at all concentrations effectively reduced fruit mass loss rate, soft fruit rate and decay rate, inhibited the increase of total soluble solid (TSS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, delayed the decrease of titratable acid (TA) content and fruit hardness, and maintained higher vitamin C (VC), total phenol and flavonoid contents. The preservative effect of ozone at 42.8 mg/m3 was better than those at 21.4 and 64.2 mg/m3 concentrations. After 140-day storage, the hardness and VC content in the 42.8 mg/m3 treatment group were 76.92% and 43.10% higher than those in the control group, respectively. The peak values of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activity were 36.53% and 89.31% higher than those of the control group, respectively. Ozone treatment also effectively controlled the soft fruit rate and decay rate of kiwifruit during the shelf-life period. On the 9th day, the decay rate of the 42.8 mg/m3 treatment group was 16.67%, which was 63.77% lower than that of the control group. It is concluded that intermittent ozone treatment at a concentration of 42.8 mg/m3 can effectively slow down the senescence process and improve the storage quality and nutritional value of kiwifruit.

To enhance the liquid nitrogen freezing efficiency and improve the quality of frozen prepared Monopterus albus, the effect of variable temperature liquid nitrogen quick-freezing combined with composite cryoprotectant treatment on the quality of prepared M. albus was investigated. Deep-fried cured M. albus was treated with a novel composite cryoprotectant consisting of 4% xylooligosaccharides, 4% sorbitol and 0.3% sodium bicarbonate before precooling followed by liquid nitrogen freezing at variable temperatures (from -80 to -50 ℃). Internal temperature, moisture content, thawing loss, centrifugal loss, moisture state, thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) value, acid value (AV), fluorescent compound content, and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content were measured, and ice crystal morphology and microstructure were observed. The results indicated significantly lower thawing loss (3.80%), centrifugal loss (11.6%) and free water percentage (24.4%) under variable temperature liquid nitrogen quick-freezing compared with freezer freezing (P < 0.05), and significantly lower thawing loss under variable temperature liquid nitrogen quick-freezing compared with constant temperature liquid nitrogen quick-freezing (P < 0.05). After freezing for 24 weeks, prepared M. albus treated with the cryoprotectant exhibited significantly lower ice crystal size, thawing loss, centrifugal loss, TBARS value, AV, fluorescent compound content, and TVB-N content as well as more complete microstructure of muscle fibers, and its quality did not significantly differ from that of M. albus treated with a commercial cryoprotectant (P > 0.05). These findings suggested that pre-cooling followed by variable temperature liquid nitrogen quick-freezing combined with the novel composite cryoprotectant could enhance the quality of prepared M. albus during frozen storage, which will offer theoretical support for the development of highly efficient freezing and preservation technology for prepared M. albus products.

A fast method for the identification of the characteristic components of Chrysanthemum was proposed using three-dimensional excitation emission matrix (3DEEM) spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The 3DEEM spectra of four varieties of Chrysanthemum were obtained and preprocessed to remove interference data such as Raman and Rayleigh scattering as well as outliers, and the spectral characteristics were analyzed. Feature extraction was then performed using PARAFAC, and amino acids and flavonoids were identified as characteristic fluorescent components of Chrysanthemum based on variance interpretation rate and residual analysis. Finally, support vector machine (SVM) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) were employed to analyze the characteristic variables and a fast and non-destructive identification model was developed. The accuracy of the SVM and BPNN models were 100% and 95.93% for the training set, and 94.50% and 89.61% for the test set, respectively. This study demonstrates that 3DEEM-PARAFAC combined with SVM enables both qualitative and quantitative analysis of Chrysanthemum’s characteristic components and rapid identification of Chrysanthemum.

A magnetic solid phase extraction (M-SPE) based on covalent organic framework materials coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the efficient determination of four aflatoxins (AFs) in tea. The samples were extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile, water and glacial acetic acid (8.0:1.9:0.1, V/V) and centrifuged. The supernatant was evaporated to almost dryness, re-dissolved in water and pH adjusted, extracted M-SPE and filtered, and the filtrate was detected in the positive ion mode. The calibration curves for all analytes were linear in the range of 0.05–50 μg/L with coefficients of determination (R2) > 0.999 2, the spiked recoveries were in the range of 67.6%-103.7%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) for intra- and inter-day precisions were less than 9.24%, the limits of detection (LODs) were in the range of 0.01-0.06 μg/kg, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) of the developed method were in the range of 0.05-0.20 μg/kg. The covalent organic framework material prepared in this study has a strong adsorption capacity for AFs, and M-SPE-HPLC-MS/MS is suitable for the rapid, highly sensitive and accurate detection of AFs in tea.

The gastrointestinal tract is the largest organ in the human body that communicates with the outside world. It has the functions of digesting food and transporting and absorbing nutrients. The gastrointestinal mucosal barrier secures gastrointestinal function through physical, chemical, biological, and immunologic barriers, and its damage can lead to chronic inflammation or acute and chronic diseases. Polysaccharides are one of the major bioactive substances in edible and medicinal mushroom and can be used as an auxiliary treatment for a variety of gastrointestinal diseases. This article reviews the roles of polysaccharides from edible and medicinal mushroom in regulating gastric health such as eliminating gastric Helicobacter pylori, protecting against gastric mucosal damage and gastric ulcer, and fighting against gastric cancer, summarizes the roles of polysaccharides from edible and medicinal mushroom in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and regulating the intestinal microbiota, alleviating inflammatory bowel disease and inhibiting colon cancer, and analyzes the regulatory mechanisms of polysaccharides from edible and medicinal mushroom on gastrointestinal function. We expect that this review will provide a reference for in-depth research on the promoting effect and mechanism of polysaccharides from edible and medicinal mushroom on gastrointestinal health.

Protein ubiquitination, an important post-translational modification, plays a wide role in the life activities of eukaryotic cells. E3 ubiquitin ligases specifically recognize target proteins in the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation system and play a decisive role in the ubiquitination pathway. Recent studies have shown that E3 ubiquitin ligases play an extensive regulatory role in the growth, development and stress response of fruits and vegetables. This article introduces the ubiquitin system and the types of E3 ubiquitin ligase in fruit and vegetable crops, focusing on recent advances in understanding the regulatory role and mechanisms of E3 ubiquitin ligases in the growth, development, and stress response of fruits and vegetables. We anticipate that this review will provide a reference for research on the regulatory role of E3 ubiquitin ligases in the life activities of fruits and vegetables.

Protein peroxidation during the storage and processing of aquatic products has a great impact on the nutritional value, sensory quality, textural properties and protein functional properties of aquatic products. Natural spice extracts can not only impart flavor to aquatic products, but also show good antioxidant properties in the processing and storage of aquatic products. In order to provide theoretical support for expanding the application of spice extracts and for optimizing the processing of aquatic products, this paper elucidates the molecular mechanism of protein oxidation, the major components of spice extracts and their mechanism of action in delaying protein peroxidation, and summarizes the application of spice extracts in reducing protein oxidation in aquatic products.

As the global food safety problem has increasingly become severe and supply chain reforms and food recalls are costly and challenging, it is particularly important to establish agricultural food traceability systems. Countries around the world are paying increasing attention to developing food safety traceability systems. Under the background of smart agriculture, information and communication technology can be further improved through blockchain infrastructure to achieve new farms and digital agriculture, thus ensuring end-to-end safety traceability of agricultural products from planting to sale. Through the analysis of the latest domestic and international research, this paper systematically elaborates on recent progress in research on agricultural food traceability based on blockchain technology. It dissects the processes of agricultural food supply chains, and proposes a basic architecture of blockchain in the field of agricultural food traceability. In addition, this paper summarizes the application of blockchain in agricultural food traceability, focusing mainly on blockchain combination with cloud-edge computing, encryption technology, storage optimization, consensus mechanism improvement, and smart contract design. It also points out the challenges in data security, storage scalability, regulatory difficulties, and practical applications. Finally, it proposes future direction for blockchain technology in agricultural food traceability such as strengthening security supervision, improving blockchain scalability, and empowering food traceability with emerging technologies. It emphasizes the opportunities and challenges in the application of blockchain technology in the agricultural food supply chains.

Fresh shiitake mushroom is rich in various nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, with antioxidant, anti-tumor, antibacterial and immunoenhancing effects. Due to its short storage life and susceptibility to deterioration, fresh shiitake mushroom is usually processed into dried products, which can effectively extend the storage period. The Maillard reaction during the drying process can provide a special flavor to shiitake mushroom, and the rehydration characteristics of dried shiitake mushroom are important factors determining its quality. This paper introduces the drying and rehydration processes of shiitake mushroom and the advantages and disadvantages of different rehydration methods, and reviews the characteristics of different rehydration methods, the factors affecting the rehydration process and the influence of rehydration on the quality of shiitake mushroom as well as recent progress on the modeling of rehydration kinetics. In addition, it deeply discusses the changes of texture, flavor, color and cell structure during the rehydration process of shiitake mushroom. The aim of this review is to provide new ideas and references for research on shiitake mushroom rehydration and processing.

The market for functional and nutraceutical foods is one of the fastest growing markets in the new food creation area, especially in the era of great health. Because of its nutritional and functional qualities, plant-based fermented milk has great development prospects. This review summarizes the quality characteristics of plant-based raw materials, probiotic fermentation characteristics, and the effects of probiotics on the flavor, nutrition and gel stability of plant-based fermented milk during the fermentation process. Additionally, we discuss future prospects for the development and application of plant-based fermented milk. This review aims to offer scientific guidelines for the production of high-quality plant-based fermented milk.

Traditional fruit preservation methods cannot meet people’s sustainable demand for fresh fruits. How to further extend the storage period of fruits has become a major challenge. Carbon dots (CDs) are an emerging kind of carbon nanomaterials with excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties, having good prospects for application in fruit preservation. This paper reviews the application of CDs in fruit preservation, covering the latest progress in the application of CDs in packaging materials and coating technology and its combined application with other preservation methods. The challenges of fruit preservation and the mechanism of CDs in fruit preservation are discussed, which will provide a theoretical reference for the development of new fruit preservation technologies.

The sea cucumber is an invertebrate with significant economic value and is extensively consumed as a tonic food in Asian countries due to its high nutritional value. Sea cucumber polysaccharides, important bioactive substances found in sea cucumbers, exhibit diverse biological activities, including anticoagulant, antitumor, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and insulin resistance-alleviating activities. Sea cucumber polysaccharides include fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (FCS) and fucoidan (FUC). FCS exists in the body wall of sea cucumbers and has a backbone structure similar to that of mammalian chondroitin sulfate. Compared with sea cucumber FCS, sea cucumber FUC has a simpler chemical structure and is a linear polysaccharide consisting of only α-L-fucose and sulfate groups. It has been shown that the structural properties of sea cucumber polysaccharides (molecular mass, sulfated fucose branches, sulfate group content and sulfation patterns) have a large influence on their biological activities. At present, there are many studies on the biological activities of sea cucumber polysaccharides, but systematic research and analysis on their chemical structures are still lacking. This review focuses on outlining the chemical structures, biological activities, action mechanisms and structure-activity relationship of sea cucumber polysaccharides, with a view to providing a reference for further research and application of sea cucumber polysaccharides.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the most common type of chronic liver disease worldwide, manifesting as fatty liver at the early stage, and then evolving into steatohepatitis. ALD can further develop into liver fibrosis and cirrhosis with increasing alcohol consumption. The gut-liver axis refers to the bidirectional interaction between the gut and its microbiota and the liver, established through the portal vein and the biliary tract. Alcohol can disrupt this bidirectional effect, leading to the disturbance of the gut microbiota and the translocation of pathogens to the liver, and finally causing liver damage. In this article, the mechanism of action of the gut-liver axis in mediating the occurrence and development of ALD and the nutritional interventions for ALD are reviewed mainly from the following aspects: the intestinal barrier, intestinal microbial composition, and intestinal microbial metabolites. Particular focus is placed on the intervention of targeted phages in the gut microbiota and the role of trimethylamine, cytolysin and candidin in ALD. It is our hope that this review will provide basic data for the discovery of anti-ALD substances targeting the gut-liver axis and for the development of new nutritional interventions and functional foods.

Plant-based foods, a new category of foods made from plant materials with specific processes, have characteristics similar to those of animal-based foods, which meet consumers’ nutritional needs. Plant-based foods have become a research hotspot and key focus in the field of food science, as they help to ensure sustainable food supply, realize efficient and low-carbon utilization of resources, and promote the optimization of residents’ dietary structure and the improvement of nutritional levels. At present, most research on plant-based foods focuses on developing new products, but little attention has been paid to potential food safety risks. In order to provide references and enlightenments for guaranteeing the quality and safety of plant-based foods and promoting the healthy development of the plant-based food industry, this article systematically reviews and summarizes the potential chemical and biological safety risk factors of plant-based foods that are currently available on the market, and proposes possible solutions for the problems.