This study employed sensory evaluation, electronic nose and headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) to evaluate the efficacy of different concentrations of silicone-based anti-foaming agent in Rougui oolong tea beverage and evaluate their effects on the flavor and aroma characteristics of the beverage. The results demonstrated that the low and medium concnentrations of anti-foaming agent effectively reduced the foam height and shortened the collapse time, with the effect being more pronounced upon the addition of the anti-foaming agent before than after foam generation. The addition of excess anti-foaming agent caused the tea infusion to become turbid and increased the astringency and off-flavors, leading to quality deterioration. Significant differences in sensor responses among the different treatment groups were observed for E-nose sensors W5S (nitrogen oxides), W1S (short-chain alkanes), W1W (inorganic sulfides), and W2W (aromatic components and organic sulfides). Different concentratons of anti-foaming agent had a significant effect on the aroma components of the beverage. A total of 110 aroma compounds were identified, and 26 key differential compounds were selected by orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Relative odor activity value (ROAV) analysis revealed that the contents of aroma components such as linalool, dihydrolinalool, phenylethyl alcohol, and trans-nerolidol remarkably declined with increasing concentration of anti-foaming agent, and the release of these aroma components was inhibited by the anti-foaming agent, possibly altering the overall aroma profile. Based on the anti-foaming efficacy and sensory balance, the optimal anti-foaming agent concentration was determined as 0.005–0.025 g/kg, effectively controlling foaming while preserving the flavor well. This study helps elucidate the mechanism by which antifoaming agents influence tea beverage aroma, providing theoretical insights for quality control and aroma optimization in tea beverage production.

To investigate the effects of anaerobic treatment at different withering degrees on the components and taste quality of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched white tea, tea samples subjected to anaerobic treatment after withering to water contents of 60%, 50%, and 40% were analyzed using sensory evaluation according to the national standard procedure and using metabolomics based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Exactive/MS). The results showed that the infusion of tea processed with anaerobic treatment at a fresh leaf water content of 60% exhibited a bright apricot-yellow color and a rich sweet-fruity aroma. A total of 151 compounds were identified across all samples, including 19 amino acids, 11 catechins, 15 dimeric catechins, 16 alkaloids, 32 flavonoid glycosides, 8 N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone-substituted flavan-3-ols (EPSFs), 13 phenolic acids, 9 organic acids, 2 aroma glycosides, 16 lipids, and 10 other compounds. The partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) results indicated significant differences in the chemical composition of white tea processed at different withering degrees. In total, 125 compounds exhibited significant inter-group differences (P < 0.05). The highest GABA content was found in tea subjected to anaerobic treatment at a fresh leaf water content of 60%. The levels and proportions of amino acids in GABA-enriched white tea fluctuated across different withering degrees. Notably, the contents of catechins, proanthocyanidin dimers, and most flavonoid glycosides significantly decreased after anaerobic treatment, while the levels of theasinensins and theaflavin-3-gallate significantly increased. Additionally, metabolic pathway enrichment analysis revealed that anaerobic treatment at varying withering degrees significantly affected flavonoid and flavonol biosynthesis, as well as alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism in GABA-enriched white tea. This study provides a theoretical basis for the production of GABA-enriched white tea.

This study aimed to evaluate the dynamic changes of non-volatile metabolites during green tea processing from the albino tea variety ‘Fuhuang 1’. Green tea was made from one bud with two leaves through three steps: natural drying, fixation and rolling. A total of 2 654 non-volatile metabolites were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) in the raw material, intermediate products and final product. The total content of non-volatile metabolites showed an upward trend during tea processing. Our analysis showed that fixation was crucial for the conversion of non-volatile metabolites in green tea processing. A total of 292 important differential metabolites were selected before and after fixation, including amino acids and their derivatives (40), flavonoids (37), lipids (101), nucleotides and their derivatives (28), and phenolic acids (21). These metabolites were significantly enriched in pathways such as the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, carbon metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid metabolism. They were categorized into three clusters by K-Means analysis. The metabolites in the first cluster accumulated significantly during fixation. The metabolites in the second cluster accumulated significantly during fixation and also accumulated during drying, but to a lesser extent. However, the metabolites in the third cluster significantly decreased during fixation. Amino acids and their derivatives accumulated significantly during fixation, especially reduced glutathione, which might be a signature compound of ‘Fuhuang 1’ green tea. Lipids were the most active compounds during green tea processing; their relative contents significantly increased, with lysophosphatidylethanolamine showing the greatest accumulation. Some flavonoids, nucleotides and their derivatives accumulated only during fixation, whereas others accumulated during both fixation and drying. This study provides a theoretical basis for the innovative utilization of tea albino mutants.

To comprehensively and objectively evaluate the quality of different peach varieties, 23 peach varieties from Hunan Province were evaluated for 18 quality indicators. The core evaluation indicators were identified by variability analysis, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA), and their weights were determined by the entropy weight method. Subsequently, a comprehensive evaluation model of peach quality was established by grey relational analysis (GRA). The results showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in appearance, nutritional quality, and major functional components among the varieties, as well as varying degrees of correlation among the quality indicators. Based on the principal component loading matrix and coefficient of variation analysis, single fruit mass, soluble solids content, glucose content, flavonoid contents, citric acid content, and fruit shape index were identified as core evaluation indicators, with weights of 23.77%, 21.52%, 15.32%, 24.44%, 7.08%, and 7.87%, respectively. Grey relational analysis showed that ‘Yanlingjinxiu’ yellow peach, ‘Apple’ peach, and ‘Tianwudi’ peach ranked among the top three in terms of comprehensive quality, while ‘Zhongpan 7’ peach had the worst quality. According to cluster analysis, 23 peach varieties were divided into four categories. Category I was rich in total phenolics and anthocyanins, making it suitable for developing high-value-added health products with antioxidant effects. Category II had superior comprehensive quality and was suitable for fresh consumption or processing into high-quality not from concentrate (NFC) juice. Category III had relatively inferior comprehensive quality and could be considered for processing into products requiring the addition of sugar and acid, such as preserved fruits, jam, fruit wine, and fruit vinegar, thereby maximizing resource utilization. Category IV had a high solid/acid ratio and excellent flavor, making it suitable for fresh consumption. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the breeding, quality evaluation, and comprehensive utilization of peach varieties in Hunan province.

In this study, the differences in quality among 24 distinctive varieties of chili peppers from seven main production areas in the northwest (Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Gansu), southwest (Yunnan and Guizhou) and mid-east (Shandong, Henan) regions of China were analyzed in terms of basic characteristics (seed-to-flesh ratio and flesh thickness), 10 physicochemical indexes of chili pepper flesh (including moisture, protein, soluble solids, glucose, crude fiber, ash, capsaicinoids, VC, total phenol contents, and hotness) and five quality indicators of chili pepper seeds (moisture, protein, crude fiber, ash, and fat contents), followed by comprehensive quality evaluation and processing suitability analysis. Cluster analysis results showed that the 24 varieties were divided into four types based on geographical origin and fruit shape. Type I included three chili varieties from Xinjiang, which, with low moisture content, thin flesh and high nutrient content, was suitable for the production of dried chili and chili extract and the comprehensive utilization of chili pepper seeds as a by-product. Type II included two finger-shaped varieties from Yunnan, which, with thin flesh, high pungency and moderate nutrient contents, was suitable for the production of dried or fermented chill products as well as spicy seasonings. Type III included varieties from the southwest region and Shandong, which, with high seed-to-flesh ratio and high contents of protein and crude fiber, was suitable for the production of dried chili, oil chili, hot pot base and fermented chili products and the comprehensive utilization of chili pepper seeds. Type IV included horn-shaped peppers from northwest China, which, with thick flesh low seed-to-meat ratio, was suitable for processing into fresh-cut peppers, quick-frozen peppers and fresh pepper paste/sauce. This study provides basic data for the establishment of an evaluation system for characteristic quality of raw chili peppers and the prediction of processing suitability.

To investigate the effects of different line pepper varieties on the quality of fermented chopped chili, a suitability evaluation model for chopped chili processing was constructed. A total of 45 line pepper varieties were selected and processed into fermented chopped chili. The appearance characteristics, physicochemical indicators and sensory evaluation scores of fresh and fermented pepper samples were measured. Correlation analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and random forest algorithm were applied to identify key indicators affecting the processing quality of line peppers and to develop a quality prediction model. The results showed significant differences in the quality of fermented chopped chili prepared from different line pepper varieties. Based on correlation analysis and PLS-DA, nine key indicators were selected, and a quality prediction model was constructed using random forest algorithm with coefficient of determinations for the training (Rt2) and prediction (Rp2) sets of 0.934 3 and 0.849 8, respectively. Variable importance and Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis identified moisture content, capsaicin, L* value, and pectin as the core indicators for determining chopped chili quality, enabling effective quality prediction. This study provides technical support for the efficient selection of line pepper varieties suitable for the processing of fermented chopped chili as well as its systematic quality evaluation.

In this study, 13 different varieties of non-waxy, intermediate-type and waxy proso millets were compared for differences in their basic components, structural, pasting, textural properties, cooking and aroma properties, and the relationship between structural and processing properties was investigated. The results showed that significant differences in basic components among the varieties, with the greatest variation observed in the amylose content. The relative crystallinity and short-range ordered degree of waxy proso millet flour were higher than those of intermediate-type and non-waxy proso millet flour, whereas the pasting properties of non-waxy proso millet flour were higher than those of intermediate-type and waxy proso millet flour. Non-waxy proso millet flour gels had higher hardness, gumminess and chewiness, waxy proso millet flour gels had higher springiness, cohesiveness and resilience, and intermediate-type proso millet flour was intermediate. During cooking, non-waxy proso millet showed higher water absorption and swelling capacity, while waxy proso millet displayed higher dissolution rate with its soup having higher pH. By solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS), 43, 44, and 51 volatile compounds were identified in non-waxy, intermediate-type and waxy proso millet, respectively. Correlation analysis indicated that the difference in amylose content among the different proso millet varieties was a key factor affecting their structural and processing properties, and there was a correlation between structural and processing properties. This study provides a theoretical basis and guidance for the processing and utilization of different types of proso millet as whole grain food ingredients.

To enhance the physicochemical stability of anthocyanins (ACN), this study developed four ACN-loaded nanocomplex delivery systems by electrostatic self-assembly using ovalbumin (OVA) as the carrier in combination with four different polysaccharides, namely chitosan (CS), carboxymethyl cellulose, arabic gum, and hyaluronic acid (HA), respectively. All prepared nanocomplexes exhibited high ACN encapsulation efficiency (58.87%–65.84%). The structural properties of the nanocomplexes were systematically characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, their antioxidant capacity, thermal stability, storage stability, and gastrointestinal stability were evaluated. The results showed that at pH 2.0, all nanocomplexes exhibited small average particle sizes and favorable zeta potentials. The components of the nanocomplex could interact with each other through a combination of electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonding. Under light exposure, the OVA-ACN-HA nanocomplex demonstrated the best thermal and storage stability, as well as good biocompatibility. Meanwhile, this system exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity, with its scavenging capacity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radicals being 1.03–2.16 times and 1.38–1.64 times higher than that of free ACN, respectively. In a simulated gastrointestinal environment, the OVA-ACN-CS nanocomplex exhibited superior stability, showing approximately 3.81 times ACN retention rate after 4 h of digestion as compared to free ACN. Additionally, it demonstrated controlled and sustained release properties. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving the stability of ACN and the development of functional foods enriched with anthocyanins.

This study focuses on the application of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii powder as a novel protein source in noodle products. By multi-scale characterization of changes in the structure and stability of blends of C. reinhardtii powder with medium-gluten flour or whole wheat flour, it aims to elucidate the effect of C. reinhardtii powder on the quality of medium-gluten/whole wheat steamed bun, with the goal of developing C. reinhardtii incorporated steamed bun with both good nutritional balance and eating quality. In the study, C. reinhardtii powder was added at levels of 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% (m/m) to medium-gluten flour (the blends were labeled CM0, CM2.5, CM5, CM7.5, and CM10, respectively) and whole wheat flour (the blends were labeled as CW0, CW2.5, CW5, CW7.5, and CW10, respectively). Each blend was used to make dough. A rapid viscosity analyzer, a farinograph, and an extensograph were used to measure pasting, farinographic, and extensographic properties, respectively. Meanwhile, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe the microstructure of dough, and quality changes in steamed bun were assessed in terms of color, porosity, specific volume, and textural properties. The results showed that the addition of C. reinhardtii powder significantly affected the characteristics of dough and the quality of steamed bun, but its effects on medium-gluten flour and whole wheat flour dough were different. The stability of both doughs decreased, but their extensibility increased. Besides, the specific volume of steamed buns decreased, and their hardness increased. The addition of C. reinhardtii powder had a smaller effect on CM2.5 and CW2.5, while its effect was more pronounced on CM10 and CW10. The farinograph quality index of medium-gluten flour increased and the extensibility energy decreased, while whole wheat flour showed the opposite trend. The effects of C. reinhardtii powder on the quality of medium-gluten and whole wheat steamed bun also differed, with its effect on the specific volume of whole wheat steamed bun being smaller when compared with medium-gluten steamed bun. Therefore, CW2.5 was advantageous for improving both the quality and nutrition of steamed bun. Furthermore, sensory evaluation of CW2.5-based steamed bun showed the highest scores for appearance, aroma, texture, taste, saltiness and overall acceptability, providing important evidence for the feasibility of the commercial application of C. reinhardtii in the food field. In summary, it is fully feasible to develop C. reinhardtii incorporated steamed bun with good nutritional balance, excellent sensory quality, and high market acceptance.

A novel aspartic protease (AnproA1) was cloned from Aspergillus niger in this study. Multiple amino acid sequence alignments revealed that the protease belonged to the pepsin-like aspartic protease A1 family and shared the highest amino acid sequence identity of 42.6% with the aspartic protease from Penicillium rubens. The high-level secretory expression of AnproA1 in Komagataella phaffii was successfully achieved using multiple strategies. After high-cell density fermentation in a 5 L fermenter, the fermentation supernatant showed a protease activity of 15 250.0 U/mL and a protein concentration of 14.0 mg/mL. The optimum pH and temperature for the purified AnproA1 were 2.5 and 55 ℃, respectively. It was stable within the pH range of 2.5–5.5 and up to 50 ℃. AnproA1 displayed broad substrate specificity and the highest hydrolysis ability towards κ-casein followed by hemoglobin. Furthermore, AnproA1 could hydrolyze duck hemoglobin and plasma proteins into angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 0.084 and 0.042 mg/mL, respectively. This study offers valuable theoretical insights for the high-level expression of aspartic proteases in K. phaffii and the high-value bioconversion of duck blood proteins.

In this study, peroxidase (POD) and laccase (LC) were selected to enzymatically degrade zearalenone (ZEN). Reaction parameters, including enzyme concentration, pH, and temperature, were optimized, and kinetic models were established to evaluate their catalytic characteristics. Additionally, the degradation efficiencies of ZEN in beer as a food matrix by POD and LC were assessed. The results showed that under the optimal reaction conditions of 40 ℃, pH 7, and 48 U/mL, POD degraded more than 90% of ZEN. When activated by 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), methyl syringate (MSG), or acetosyringone (AS), LC could also degrade more than 90% of ZEN. Kinetic analysis indicated that both POD and LC exhibited interactions with ZEN. The KM and Vmax values for POD were 2.01 μg/mL and 0.015 μg/(mL·min), respectively. The KM and Vmax values for LC were 2.66 μg/mL and 0.017 μg/(mL·min), respectively. Compared with model solutions, the degradation efficiencies of ZEN in beer were reduced due to acidic pH, metal ions, and matrix complexity. This study provides a theoretical basis for enzymatic detoxification of mycotoxins in food systems and supports the development of functional enzyme preparations.

In this study, 23 strains of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis were isolated and identified from 150 infant fecal samples in Northwest China by a culture method combined with polymerase chain reaction, with an isolation rate of only 10.67%. The genomes and probiotic properties of these strains of B. infantis were compared and analyzed. Genomic analysis showed that the average GC content, genome size, and number of coding sequences of B. infantis were 59.81%, 2.61 Mb, and 2 273, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on core genes and average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis showed that strains from the same geographical origin had high genetic similarity and close phylogenic relationships. There were differences in gene families related to plant-derived carbohydrate metabolism among strains. Carbohydrate metabolism experiments showed that most B. infantis strains were able to metabolize prebiotics such as galactooligosaccharides, oligofructose, and inulin, corroborating the presence of the glycoside hydrolase (GH) 32 and GH43 gene families, and four strains (A47X1, A79X4, A79X3, and S19X4) were able to utilize xylose. B. infantis S8X8 and S5X8_2 most effectively inhibited diarrheagenic Escherichia coli CICC-10411, enterotoxigenic E. coli CICC-10421, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium CICC-10420, enterohaemorrhagic E. coli CICC-21530, S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidi CGMCC1.10754-SM1, but did not inhibit Listeria monocytogenes CGMCC1.9136-LS1. Intrinsic resistance genes to antibiotics such as rifampicin, mupirocin, and aminoglycoside, but not pathogenic virulence factors, were detected in the genome of B. infantis. All B. infantis strains were susceptible to vancomycin, gentamicin and streptomycin. This study provides a reference for the development of personalized probiotic preparations for infants in different regions.

In this study, physicochemical analyses, sensory evaluation, amplicon sequencing, and non-targeted metabolomics were employed to analyze the quality traits of 12 new wheat varieties, as well as the sensory quality, bacterial and fungal community structures and metabolites in Daqu made from these varieties. The quality trait analysis indicated that wheat varieties with lower grain hardness, protein content, and wet gluten content were more suitable for producing high-quality Daqu. Amplicon sequencing revealed that the dominant bacteria in Daqu produced from these wheat varieties were Leuconostoc, Pantoea, Thermoactinomyces, Lactococcus, and Saccharopolyspora, and the predominant fungi were Thermomyces, Thermoascus, Aspergillus, Saccharomycopsis, and Trichosporon. Correlation analysis showed that Thermomyces, Saccharomycopsis, Kosakonia, Rhizopus, and Rhizomucor were significantly positively correlated with certain sensory quality indicators of Daqu (P < 0.05), whereas Leuconostoc was significantly negatively correlated with certain sensory quality indicators of Daqu (P < 0.05), suggesting that fungi might contribute more to Daqu quality. Metabolomics analysis indicated that metabolites such as xylitol and glycolic acid were not only key components influencing the quality of Daqu but also served as potential biomarkers for distinguishing Daqu produced from different wheat varieties. This study reveals key quality parameters for superior Daqu-making wheat, providing a theoretical basis for the breeding of new wheat varieties dedicated to Daqu production and for high-quality Daqu fermentation.

In this study, 12 strains of Akkermansia muciniphila were isolated and characterized from healthy volunteers from different regions of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Through whole-genome phylogenetic analysis, the genetic differences among these strains were compared. Their genome sizes ranged from 2.64 to 2.98 Mb, with GC contents between 55.1% and 55.7%. According to the phylogenetic tree constructed based on average nucleotide identity (ANI) and core genes, we categorized all isolates into three distinct subgroups. The results indicated that subgroup II exhibited the highest acid and bile salt tolerance, with aggregation rates > 60% after 48 h and hydrophobicity of (32.00 ± 0.02)% after 15 min. This subgroup also had superior radical scavenging capacity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical. Hemolysis assays showed no significant hemolytic rings, indicating that all strains were safe for short-term usage. All strains were resistant to aminoglycoside antibiotics (streptomycin and gentamicin) and susceptible to glycopeptide antibiotics (vancomycin). The antibiotic resistance phenotype results were not completely consistent with the gene detection results. Genomic sequencing identified the glycoside hydrolase families 2 (GH2) and 20 (GH20). Carbon source utilization analyses indicated that galactooligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, and xylitol synergistically promoted the proliferation of A. muciniphila. Taken together, subgroup II strains exhibit great potential for use as probiotics.

The low efficiency and high cost of traditional methods for producing high-molecular-mass levan limit its industrial-scale utilization. To overcome this limitation, two levansucrase genes, Lc-SacB1 and Lc-SacB2, were identified in Leuconostoc citreum BD1707 through genome mining in this study. Heterologous expression and functional analysis revealed that Lc-SacB2 (with a molecular mass of 130 kDa, the known levansucrase with the highest molecular mass) possessed both transfructosylation and hydrolytic activities, with a high total catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km = 0.048 L/(s·mmol)), whereas Lc-SacB1 only had hydrolytic activity with a lower catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km = 0.029 L/(s·mmol)). Enzymatic characterization showed that the optimal reaction conditions of Lc-SacB2 (pH 5.5 and 30 ℃) were close to those of Lc-SacB1 (pH 6.0 and 30 ℃). Furthermore, Ca2+ significantly enhanced the activities of both enzymes, increasing the relative activity of Lc-SacB2 by 134%, and the activating effect on Lc-SacB1 was more pronounced (155%). The product obtained using Lc-SacB2 was identified as a high-molecular-mass β-(2,6)-fructan (4.0 × 106 Da) through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Structural analysis suggested that the steric hindrance in the loop region at the substrate channel entrance of Lc-SacB1 likely inhibited the elongation of the fructan chain, causing Lc-SacB1 to be unable to catalyze the formation of levan and leading to functional differentiation between the two enzymes. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the development and molecular engineering of novel enzyme resources, accelerating the industrialization of high-efficiency levan biomanufacturing.

Objective: To investigate the function of the prokaryotic expression product of the peroxiredoxin 3 gene (OsPrx3) from Oryza sativa L. in inhibiting DNA oxidative damage in vitro. Methods: Molecular recombination was used to construct a prokaryotic expression vector for OsPrx3 from ‘Dahonggu’ red rice and its site-directed mutant OsPrx3mC51A. The target protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and its in vitro hydroxyl radical scavenging activity was determined. Using the supercoiled form (SF) of the pMD18 plasmid as the substrate, DNA nicking experiments were conducted to identify the function of OsPrx3 in inhibiting DNA oxidative damage. Results: OsPrx3 was successfully expressed in E. coli. The scavenging rate of hydroxyl radical by OsPrx3 at 1.0 mg/mL was nearly 40% after 2 h of reaction. The results of hydroxyl radical scavenging assay revealed that OsPrx3mC51A was almost completely inactivated, confirming that cysteine residue at position 51 was the key catalytic site of this enzyme activity. The DNA nicking experiments using the pMD18 plasmid at 0.06 μg/μL showed that OsPrx3 at low concentrations (0.06–0.18 μg/μL) inhibited oxidative damage to the target DNA in a concentration-dependent manner. The highest inhibition rate of 88.9% was found at an OsPrx3 concentration of 0.18 μg/μL, which was 1.7-fold higher than that at 0.06 μg/μL. At optimal OsPrx3 concentration of 0.15 μg/μL, the inhibition rate of DNA oxidative damage was 77.5%. When a SF-DNA/nicked DNA (NF-DNA) ratio of 1.0 was set as the redox equilibrium point, the inhibitory effect of OsPrx3 at the optimal concentration could be maintained for at least 180 min, and the SF-DNA/NF-DNA ratio in the system still reached 1.5 after 180 min. Taken together, the prokaryotically expressed OsPrx3 could potently inhibit DNA oxidative damage in vitro. This study provides an experimental basis for the discovery and utilization of beneficial protein resources from red rice.

To address the poor water solubility and low targeting ability of Monascus yellow pigment (MYP) from Monascus rice and thereby enhance its bioavailability, this study prepared MYP-zein-galactosylated chitosan nanoparticles (MYP-GC-NP) and evaluated its efficacy in ameliorating oleic acid/palmitic acid (OA/PA)-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. The results showed that MYP-GC-NP exhibited a spherical shape and uniform size distribution with an average particle size of (167.00 ± 0.60) nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.25 ± 0.01, and a ζ-potential of 70.88 mV. Additionally, compared with nanoparticles without modification by GC, MYP-GC-NP were more readily taken up by hepatocytes and significantly reduced intracellular lipid accumulation. This study provides a novel strategy to improve the bioavailability of MYP and offers a theoretical basis for the application of MYP-loaded nanoparticles in alleviating lipid accumulation.

Our aim was to examine the uric acid-lowering potential of mulberry (Fructus mori) aqueous extract and its key bioactive constituents. A zebrafish model of acute hyperuricemia was induced by combined treatment with potassium oxonate (200 μmol/L) and sodium xanthine (10 μmol/L). After intervention with mulberry aqueous extract at varying concentrations (2.5, 5, and 10 mg/L), uric acid levels, xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity, and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity were quantified in zebrafish. The findings demonstrated that mulberry aqueous extract significantly lowered uric acid levels by suppressing XOD activity. Further analysis of bioactive components in the extract was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), followed by molecular docking with AutoDock Vina, targeting XOD as the ligand. Based on docking activation energies, six compounds with notable XOD inhibitory activity were identified and their in vitro XOD inhibitory activity was ranked in the decreasing order of quercetin, mulberrin, astragalin, escin, caffeic acid, and protocatechuic acid. In summary, mulberry aqueous extract exhibits a pronounced uric acid-lowering effect, likely mediated by the XOD inhibitory activity of its bioactive compounds (quercetin, mulberrin, astragalin, escin, caffeic acid, and protocatechuic acid).

In order to clarify the mechanism of action of licorice flavonoids in alleviating bone loss caused by osteoporosis, this study compared the effects of four glycyrrhiza flavonoids, naringenin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, and licochalcone A, on osteogenic differentiation and mineralization by molecular docking simulation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and osteocalcin (OCN) content assays, and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) expression, and explored their potential molecular mechanisms. The results of molecular docking showed that the docking score of liquiritigenin with the estrogen receptor (ER) was the highest. All four flavonoids up-regulated ALP activity and OCN concentration in MC3T3-E1 cells, thereby elevating the mineralization level, among which liquiritigenin was the most effective. Moreover, treatment with a phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor (LY294002) inhibited liquiritigenin from inducing increased phosphorylation levels in the PI3K/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway and up-regulation of Runx2 expression, suggesting that PI3K and AKT were involved in osteogenic action. Liquiritigenin reversed bone mineral density loss in a zebrafish osteoporosis model. These findings suggest that liquiritigenin has the most significant osteogenic effect among the four estrogen-like flavonoids, stimulating osteoblast differentiation and bone mineralization through the activation of Runx2 via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. In conclusion, this study highlights the great potential of liquiritigenin for preventing and treating osteoporosis.

This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of a fibrinolytic enzyme from Lyophyllum ulmarium (LUFE) on lipopolysaccharide-induced J774A.1 macrophages. The cells were divided into four groups: normal control, LPS, LPS + low-dose LUFE (LUFE-L), and LPS + high-dose (LUFE-H). The LPS + LUFE-L and LPS + LUFE-H groups were first incubated with 10 and 20 μg/mL of LUFE for 24 h, respectively, and then all groups except the normal control group were treated with 1 μg/mL of LPS for 24 h. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to determine interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in cell culture supernatants; the Transwell assay was used to observe cell chemotaxis ability; cell adhesion function was detected by the cell-extracellular matrix assay and cell phagocytosis by neutral red phagocytosis assay; immunofluorescence staining was performed to observe the level of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS); colorimetric assays were used to detect cellular malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalase (CAT) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Western blotting was performed to determine the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) pathway-related proteins. The results showed that LUFE intervention reduced the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, MCP-1, ROS, and MDA, inhibited LPS-induced macrophage chemotaxis, adhesion, and phagocytosis, and elevated cellular SOD and CAT levels. Meanwhile, it down-regulated the expression and activation of TLR4, myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap-1) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) proteins and up-regulated the levels of Nrf2, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). In summary, LUFE could inhibit LPS-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages by modulating the Nrf2 and TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathways.

Objective: To investigate the effects of seaweed polysaccharides fermented by Pediococcus pentosaceus CQFP202447 on alleviating antibiotic-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress and the regulatory effect on the intestinal flora in mice. Methods: A mixed antibiotic preparation was used to create a mouse model by intraperitoneal injection. After the experiment, weight-bearing swimming and exhaustive running time, liver index, oxidative and inflammatory indexes of the serum and brain, and intestinal flora composition were measured. The pathological changes of brain tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The expression of inflammatory pathway genes in the brain and the expression of key intestinal barrier genes were detected by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results: Compared with the model group, P. pentosaceus CQFP202447 and its fermented preparation (PP-PS) significantly prolonged the weight-bearing swimming and running time of mice (P < 0.05), the latter being more effective, while liver index did not change significantly (P > 0.05). HE staining showed that both of them improved the cell morphology of mouse brain tissue, increased the number of cells, and reduced pyknosis. Meanwhile, they reduced the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the serum and brain, and increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and IL-10. PP-PS showed more significant effect in down-regulating MDA and TNF-α levels in the serum and in up-regulating SOD and IL-10 levels in brain tissue (P < 0.05). Both CQFP202447 and PP-PS activated and enhanced the gene expression of Akt, Creb, Bdnf, Erk1 in the brain, the latter being more effective in this regard. In addition, they regulated the intestinal flora, changing the α and β diversity, increasing the relative abundance of the beneficial bacteria Muribaculaceae, Akkermansia, Prevotella and Lachnospiraceae, and reducing the relative abundance of the harmful bacterium Desulfovibrio. Conclusion: P. pentosaceus CQFP202447 and its fermented preparation can reduce antibiotic-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress and simultaneously improve the composition of intestinal flora. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the role of P. pentosaceus CQFP202447 and its fermented preparation in alleviating neuroinflammation and oxidative stress and promoting intestinal health, thereby providing new ideas for the development of related functional foods.

This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Prunus cerasifera Ehrhart extract (PCEE) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanism. First, PCEE was fractionated by gradient elution with ethanol, and the separated fractions were evaluated for total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant activity. Next, the 70% ethanol-eluted fraction (PCEE-70) was selected to measure its effects on biochemical indexes related to antioxidant defense and oxidative stress in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Finally, Western blot (WB) was employed to detect the expression levels of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated proteins associated with the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (PI3K/AKT/JNK) signaling pathways. The experimental results demonstrated that PCEE-70 had higher contents of polyphenols and flavonoids along with stronger antioxidant activities compared to the other fractions. PCEE-70 significantly inhibited the levels of nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), while enhancing the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). It also reduced the levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Furthermore, WB results indicated that PCEE-70 significantly downregulated the expression of TNF-α, p-NF-κB p65, p-IκB, p-PI3K, p-AKT, and p-JNK proteins. In conclusion, PCEE-70 can inhibit the secretion of inflammatory factors in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells, thereby mitigating oxidative stress-induced cellular damage. Its action mechanism is associated with the suppression of NF-κB and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activation.

To compare the protective effect of calcium alone and combined with VD3 on intestinal barrier damage, a Caco-2 cell model of intestinal barrier injury was established. Five groups were set up as follows: injury model, low, medium and high VD3 concentrations (1, 10 and 100 nmol/L) combined with calcium (1.8 mmol/L Ca2+), and calcium control. The repairing effect of calcium combined with VD3 on intestinal barrier damage was evaluated. The results demonstrated that the highest survival rate (104.2%) was observed in the low VD3 plus calcium group. After four days of culture, the trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of the calcium control group and the three combined treatment groups were 5.46, 4.44, 6.03, and 5.21 times higher than the baseline level, respectively, which were significantly increased when compared with those of the model group (P < 0.05). The apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) values of the calcium control group and the combined treatment groups (5.79 × 10-7, 7.20 × 10-7, 4.18 × 10-7 and 7.16 × 10-7 cm/s, respectively) and were all significantly lower when compared with the model group (P < 0.05); there was no significant difference in the morphology of intercellular tight junction proteins or the expression of cellular inflammatory factors between the medium VD3 + calcium group and the calcium control group. In summary, compared with Ca2+ alone, its combination with VD3 did not significantly enhance the repair of damaged intestinal barrier cells or attenuate the intestinal inflammatory response, and the regulatory network on the inflammatory response of intestinal epithelial cells needs to be further investigated. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of calcium and vitamin D to maintain intestinal barrier function.

This study was undertaken in order to investigate the effect of adding four tannin fractions from wine pomace to replace sulfur dioxide (SO2) before fermentation on wine flavor quality. Cabernet Sauvignon wine pomace was selected as raw material for the extraction and purification of grape skin high-polymer tannin (HRSK), grape skin low-polymer tannin (LRSK), grape seed high-polymer tannin (HRSD), and grape seed low-polymer tannin (LRSD). Before alcoholic fermentation for red wine-making, the four tannin fractions and SO2 were separately added. Samples with nothing added served as control. The six wines were analyzed for basic physicochemical indexes, CIELab color parameters, redox potential, total tannin and total phenol contents, volatile components and sensory quality. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the four tannin and the SO2 groups in terms of color indexes, total tannin, total phenol contents, bitterness or astringency, which indicated that substitution of tannins for SO2 did not affect the changes in wine color, taste or flavor. In addition, it was found that compared with SO2, the four tannins significantly reduced the content of 3-methylthiopropanol in wine while significantly reducing the perceptible reduced off-flavor. Aroma analysis by gas chromatography-mass chromatography (GC-MS) revealed that the addition of HRSD resulted in higher contents of volatile constituents such as alcohols and esters compared with the other treatments, the effect being similar to that of SO2. In conclusion, wine pomace tannins can be used as an alternative to SO2 in wine-making, and the effect of HRSD is the most pronounced.

This study explored the potential of Torulaspora delbrueckii in peach wine fermentation and its impact on peach wine aroma. The aroma compounds of yellow peach wines (cv. ‘Jinxiu’) obtained by mixed fermentations of T. delbrueckii PL09 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae K1 or DV10 were determined by headspace-solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and were analyzed by odor activity value, principal component analysis and sensory evaluation. The results showed that mixed fermentation with T. delbrueckii and S. cerevisiae significantly reduced the total acid and volatile acid contents in yellow peach wine. Additionally, the types and contents of aroma components in the wine fermented with mixed cultures were higher than those in the wine fermented with S. cerevisiae alone, and mixed fermentation promoted the production of esters and alcohols. Among the three wines, the one co-fermented with PL09 and K1 had the highest content of aroma compounds and showed significantly increased levels of ethyl esters (e.g., ethyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate and ethyl laurate) and terpenoids (e.g., phenethyl alcohol and linalool) and enhanced floral and fruity aromas than did the two other wines. Sensory analysis revealed that the PL09 + K1 fermented wine exhibited the most intense sweet and floral notes, with moderate fruity and wine-like aromas, and scored highest for overall aroma. In conclusion, PL09 + K1 co-fermentation increases the aroma complexity of yellow peach wine, providing a theoretical reference for the flavor improvement of yellow peach wine and the industrial application of mixed fermentation.

In response to the problems of low efficiency and unstable quality in the traditional processing of star anise, this study systematically explored the impact of different blanching techniques on the “color-metabolite” correlation network of star anise and analyzed the correlation between color parameters and characteristic metabolites. An electronic nose and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used to analyze the effects of six blanching techniques (boiling water, steam, microwave blanching alone and combined with sweating) on the odor and color of star anise. Non-targeted GC-MS-based metabolomics was used for analysis of volatile metabolites, and the non-volatile metabolites shikimic acid, total phenols, and total flavonoids were quantitatively detected. The results showed that a total of 69 volatile metabolites were identified across the six blanched samples. Using variable importance in projection (VIP) value > 1 as the threshold, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) identified 24 differential metabolites to effectively distinguish star anise treated with different blanching techniques. The relative contents of the characteristic components trans-anethole ((83.93 ± 8.33)%) and anisaldehyde ((1.55 ± 0.45)%) were the highest in the sample treated with microwave blanching combined with sweating. Traditional boiling water blanching effectively retained shikimic acid ((90.35 ± 0.84) mg/g) and total phenols ((68.00 ± 4.10) mg/g), and maintained the diversity of volatile metabolites (48). The total flavonoid content in microwave-treated star anise was 57.8% higher than that star anise subjected to traditional boiling water blanching, but the number of volatile metabolites was smaller (17). Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that the color parameters L* and b* were positively correlated with trans-anethole, anisaldehyde, anisole, total phenols, and shikimic acid (P < 0.05), and a* was positively correlated with total flavonoids (P < 0.05). In terms of color and odor, star anise processed by microwave blanching and steam blanching met the standards for da-hong star anise. Microwave blanching optimized the color and flavor, while boiling water blanching was more conducive to the retention of active components. The color values L*, a*, and b* can be used as indicators for process optimization, providing a basis for the targeted production of star anise products with highly active components or superior sensory characteristics.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of sous vide (SV) on the structure of myofibrillar protein (MP) in Penaeus vannamei. MP was subjected to SV cooking at different combinations of temperature (40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 ℃) and time (5, 10, and 15 min). Non-treated MP served as control. The samples were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and their solubility, surface hydrophobicity, carbonyl content, total sulfhydryl content, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectra were evaluated. The results showed that with increasing processing temperature and time, the carbonyl and total sulfhydryl content, surface hydrophobicity, and particle size of MP increased, and the solubility decreased in general. This indicates that shrimp MP underwent oxidative denaturation during SV processing, with structural changes such as deconstruction, reorganization, and aggregation, and that the denaturation point was reached after 5 min at 50 ℃. The increase in total sulfhydryl contents and particle sizes together indicate that disulfide bonding was not the major cause of MP aggregation during the process. This conclusion was further supported by the altered intensity of myosin heavy chain bands in SDS-PAGE, as well as the initial increase and then decrease in α-helix content and the increase in β-sheet content as characterized by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy.

In this study, jujube polysaccharides were prepared by four different methods: hot water extraction, freeze-thaw pretreatment (–20 ℃) combined with rotary evaporation concentration (FR), freeze-thaw pretreatment (–20 ℃) combined with freeze concentration (FF), and cryogenic thermostatic reaction bath (–20 ℃) coupled with freeze concentration (CF). Our aim was to systematically explore the effect of low-temperature pretreatment combined with freeze concentration on the extraction efficiency, structural characteristics and in vitro hypoglycemic activity of jujube polysaccharides. Results revealed that cryogenic pretreatment significantly enhanced the hydroxyl (–OH) group content in polysaccharides and better maintained the triple-helix structure compared with traditional hot water extraction. Notably, FF was significantly advantageous in terms of polysaccharide yield, purity and in vitro hypoglycemic efficacy, increasing polysaccharide yield by 105.76%, elevating total sugar content by 25.29%, and reducing half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for α-glucosidase and α-amylase by 80.1% and 73.4%, respectively compared with traditional hot water extraction. This study provides a new approach for the efficient low-temperature preparation of jujube polysaccharides and offers a theoretical basis for the development and application of natural hypoglycemic products.

Vacuum freeze-dried purple-cabbage crisps suffer from long drying time and poor quality. In response to these problems, this study investigated the effects of ultrasonic, freeze-thaw and combined ultrasonic and freeze-thaw pretreatment on the drying characteristics and quality of freeze-dried purple cabbage crisps. The results demonstrated that all pretreatments effectively shortened the drying time, reduced the energy consumption, and improved the physicochemical quality and flavor of freeze-dried purple cabbage crisps, the effect of the combined treatment being the most pronounced. Compared with the control sample, the combined treatment shortened the drying time by 20.04%, reduced the energy consumption by 31.45%, decreased the thioside content by 22.42%, increased the VC content by 57.06%, enhanced the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity and total antioxidant capacity by 57.17% and 51.33%, respectively, and reduced the hardness and chewiness by 39.22% and 77.98%, respectively, and increased the brittleness by 66.13%, and it was found to be the most effective in retaining active ingredients and preserving the color. Microstructural observation and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) analysis showed that damage caused by pretreatment to the cellular and tissue structure contributed mainly to the reduction in drying time and energy consumption and the quality improvement of purple cabbage crisps, and the change in water distribution was the secondary reason for the reduction in drying time and energy consumption. Volatile component analysis showed that the combined treatment facilitated the removal of pungent compounds such as isothiocyanate from purple cabbage crisps, and vacuum freeze-drying removed the strong mustard-like odor, the spicy compound allyl isothiocyanate, and methyl thiocyanate, responsible for onion odor, thus improving the flavor of samples subjected to ultrasonic-freeze-thaw treatment. This study provides theoretical and technological references for the development of recreational products and high-value utilization of purple cabbage.

To address the challenges of preventing oxidation and cryoprotection of unwashed surimi during storage, dual-functional peptides were prepared via enzymatic hydrolysis of surimi processing by-products, and their cryoprotective and antioxidant activities were evaluated as well as their influence on protein denaturation, lipid oxidation, gel properties, water migration and ice crystal formation in unwashed surimi during multiple freeze-thaw cycles. The results showed that the prepared bifunctional peptides possessed a thermal hysteresis activity of 0.84 ℃ and increased the survival rate of frozen-thawed yeasts to 74.4%, and they also had good 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (69.0%) and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical scavenging activity (48.4%). Compared with the control group, the decrease in myofibrillar protein content in unwashed surimi incorporated with bifunctional peptides was reduced by 5%, and the retention rate of Ca2+-ATPase activity was increased by 11%, and the increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value was decreased by 25%. The increase in protein carbonyl content and the decrease in gel-forming ability were 65% and 75% of those in the control group, respectively. Meanwhile, the freeze-thaw loss, moisture state transition and ice crystal size of surimi gel with the addition of bifunctional peptides were visibly lower than those in the control group after six freeze-thaw cycles. Therefore, the bifunctional peptides can effectively inhibit oxidative deterioration, protein denaturation, water migration and ice crystal growth during the freeze-thaw process of unwashed surimi, thus enhancing its freeze-thaw stability. These findings contribute to the development of multifunctional improvers for surimi using its by-products and provide a new idea to improve the poor storage stability of unwashed surimi.

This study investigated the deodorizing effect of different concentrations of (0.05, 0.15, and 0.25 g/100 mL) grape seed extract (GSE) on crayfish head and meat during refrigeration, and the physicochemical qualities of crayfish meat before and after deodorization were also studied. The deodorization effects were investigated by sensory evaluation of fishy odor, electronic nose analysis and headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) combined with odor activity value (OAV). The results showed that treatment with 0.25 g/100 mL GSE resulted in the most significant decrease in the fishy odor value and the contents of aldehydes and alcohols in crayfish head and meat after six days of refrigeration. The major fishy odor substances in crayfish head were nonanal, 1-octen-3-ol, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, while those in crayfish meat were nonanal, decanal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal. Further studies showed that 0.25 g/100 mL GSE treatment significantly inhibited the increase in thiobarbituric acid (TBA), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and total viable count (TVC) of crayfish meat (P < 0.05), and delayed the initial increase and then decrease in pH. In addition, the brightness L* of GSE-treated crayfish meat was slightly lower than that of the control group, but the hardness, chewiness, and elasticity were better maintained when compared to the control group. Therefore, GSE has good application prospects in reducing the fishy off-flavor of crayfish head and meat and maintaining the quality of crayfish meat. This study can provide theoretical references for the development of crayfish products and other aquatic products.

This study proposed a rapid, non-destructive method for identifying Wuchang Daohuaxiang rice based on near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with machine learning algorithms. NIR spectra of different varieties of rice were collected. First-order derivative was determined as the best spectral preprocessing method using partial least squares regression (PLSR). Two dimensionality reduction methods, principal component analysis (PCA) and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), were compared, and five machine learning models including artificial neural network (ANN), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), and Naive Bayes (NB) were constructed for variety classification and comparison. The results showed that t-SNE improved the Calinski-Harabasz index by 1 078.005 1, demonstrating better clustering performance. After t-SNE dimensionality reduction, the performance of all five models was superior to that without dimensionality reduction. The average classification accuracy was 95.78%. The accuracy of the NB model was improved most effectively (by 18.89%). The random forest model showed the best classification performance, with prediction accuracy and precision of 98.89% and 98.96%, respectively. This method provides a rapid, non-destructive solution for identifying Wuchang Daohuaxiang rice, which will contribute to brand protection and safeguarding consumer rights, and also offers a new approach for the identification of other geographical indication agricultural products.

This study proposed an analytical method based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) for the identification and quantification of adulterated sweet potato starch. For the qualitative and quantitative analysis of adulterants in sweet potato starch, NIR spectra of pure and adulterated sweet potato starch with different levels of corn, potato and cassava starch at 10% intervals were preprocessed by different methods including first-order derivative (1st), continuous wavelet transform (CWT), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), and standard normal variate transformation (SNV). Both raw and preprocessed spectra were utilized as input signals for 1D-CNN to establish classification models for starch types and prediction models for sweet potato content. The performance of the 1D-CNN models was systematically compared with that of traditional partial least squares (PLS) models. The results demonstrated that these spectral preprocessing methods improved the accuracy of classification and quantitative models to varying degrees, 1st and CWT being more effective than MSC and SNV. For classification models, the prediction accuracy of 1D-CNN was higher than that of PLS. For the prediction set, the prediction accuracy of 1D-CNN based on preprocessed spectra for starch types was 100%. Both PLS and 1D-CNN quantitative models could accurately predict the content of sweet potato starch in samples with single adulterants with similar coefficient of determination for prediction set (Rp2) and root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP). Compared with the PLS method, the 1D-CNN method was more effective in classification than in quantitation. This study shows that the combination of NIR, 1D-CNN and PLS allows identification and quantification of adulterated sweet potato starch, having practical significance for quality and safety screening of starch adulteration.

In this study, a novel covalent organic framework material, Fe3O4@COF(OT-BDD), was synthesized using 2,3-dihydroxyterephthalaldehyde (BDD) and o-tolidine (OT). This material was applied in magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) for the efficient determination of four types of aflatoxins (AFs) in nut samples. The experimental results showed that the developed analytical method exhibited excellent linearity over the concentration range from 0.1 to 100 μg/kg, with determination coefficients (R2) exceeding 0.999. Recovery rates for spiked sample ranged from 86.1% to 104.2%, and intra- and inter-day precisions, expressed as relative standard deviations (RSDs), were less than 11.2%. The limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.05 to 0.12 μg/kg, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.13 to 0.37 μg/kg. The COF material synthesized in this study exhibited strong adsorption capacity for Afs and enabled rapid, accurate, and sensitive detection of AFs in nut samples, effectively addressing the limitations of traditional methods in handling the complex matrix of nut-based food products.

Zein, a biodegradable amphiphilic material, enables efficient encapsulation and sustained release of active compounds such as antibacterial and antioxidant agents through electrospinning technology. This article presents a bibliometric analysis of recent advancements in this field, clarifying the factors (solution properties, process conditions and environmental parameters) regulating the formation of zein-based electrospun active nanofibers. It reviews the physicochemical properties (mechanical properties, thermal stability, barrier performance, and loading capacity), release and functional properties (antioxidant and antibacterial activity), biodegradability, and safety of zein-based electrospun active nanofiber membranes and summarizes their applications in antioxidant, antimicrobial, ethylene-removing and smart sensor-based packaging. Finally, the current challenges and future research directions are discussed.

During food processing and storage, the food industry often uses various stress technologies such as low-temperature refrigeration, acidification treatment, and chemical disinfection to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Listeria monocytogenes is a psychrophilic bacterium with extremely strong tolerance to adverse environments, enabling it to persist for a long time in the processing environment, facilities and food products. The bacterial cell membrane serves as a structural barrier between the external environment and the cytoplasm, being a key target for bacterial adaptation to environmental stress. Fatty acids, the major components of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, not only participate in the assembly of membrane structures but also play a crucial role in the adaptive regulation of cells in response to environmental stress. This paper provides a systematic review of the current status of research on the adaptation of membrane lipids of L. monocytogenes to environmental stresses with a focus on low-temperature stress treatment. It elucidates the pattern of variations in the composition and structure of membrane lipids under different stress conditions, delves into the regulatory mechanisms of membrane fluidity and virulence factor expression, and proposes future research directions. Studies have shown that when microorganisms face external pressure, modification of membrane fatty acids is a key strategy to maintain cell membrane integrity and function. In-depth analysis of how bacterial membrane lipids adapt to different environmental stresses will provide an important theoretical basis for preventing and controlling the contamination of L. monocytogenes and thus ensuring food safety.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) poses a serious threat to human and animal health as well as the ecological environment due to its high toxicity, stable physicochemical properties, and widespread occurrence in food and feed. Because of their high efficiency, environmental friendliness and good specificity, biological enzymes have become an important research direction of OTA detoxification. This review systematically summarizes the OTA-degrading enzymes that have been reported, focusing on the strategies for optimizing their expression levels and enzymatic performance. The current research mainly focuses on carboxypeptidases and amidohydrolases, among which OTase and SaADH3 are representative in terms of their degradation efficiency and research depth. In view of the limited expression level and stability of natural OTA-degrading enzymes, the construction and optimization of efficient expression systems are crucial for their application. The expression level, catalytic activity, heat and acid tolerance of OTA-degrading enzymes can be significantly improved by gene element optimization, expression system selection, expression condition optimization, enzyme immobilization and rational design. Future research should further focus on the performance improvement and industrial application of OTA-degrading enzymes to promote their practical application in the field of food and feed safety.

The plastein reaction refers to the process in which hydrolysis products of proteins are recombined to form new proteins under enzymatic catalysis. The reaction system has significant effects on improving the processing characteristics and structural stability of food proteins, enhancing the added value of protein derivatives, and developing new protein resources. This article provides a comprehensive elaboration on the reaction process, mechanism, characterization methods and influencing factors of the plastein reaction system, with a focus on the mechanisms of the plastein reaction in enhancing the functional properties of food proteins and their derivatives, such as nutritional composition, biological value, processing characteristics, bioactivity, gastrointestinal stability and sensory properties. This review hopes to provide new research directions and ideas for the quality improvement and in-depth application of food-derived proteins and bioactive peptides.

Nanotechnology has become one of the most promising technologies. Metal nanoparticles have shown great application potential in the food industry owing to their unique physicochemical properties. This paper presents a systematic review of the methods used to synthesize metal nanoparticles, including physical, chemical, and biosynthetic methods. Special focus is placed on the mechanism, advantages and problems of the biosynthesis method as a green alternative approach, and the characteristics of the three methods are compared. The techniques used to characterize metal nanoparticles are summarized. The application of metal nanoparticles in the fields of food preservation, rapid food safety detection, and functional food additives is discussed at great length. Finally, the challenges and future trends in the wide application of metal nanoparticles in the food industry are specified. This review aims to provide a systematic theoretical reference and guidance for the green preparation of metal nanoparticles and their efficient and safe application in the food industry.

Royal jelly has a long history of application as an important raw material for traditional precious nutritional supplements and modern health foods in China. The major chemical components of royal jelly include water, protein, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and minerals, among which the core active components are major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) and 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid. This paper summarizes the bioactivities of royal jelly including immunoregulatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, neuroprotective, reproductive protection, hepatoprotective and anti-tumor functions. Besides, based on the Yaozhi health food registration database (https://www.yaozh.com/) and the global patent database of IncoPat, this paper comprehensively analyzes the current situation of royal jelly-based health foods at home and abroad in terms of geographical distribution, functional claim, compatibility pattern, international market characteristics, and application status of Chinese producers. The results showed that health foods based on royal jelly in China exhibit regional clustering characteristics, mainly distributed in eastern provinces. The major dosage form is capsules, and the function claims concentrate in basic fields such as immune enhancing and anti-fatigue functions. A network consisting of royal jelly plus ginseng-honey-American ginseng combination as raw materials and wolfberry, antler, astragalus, and VC as ingredients can synergistically enhance immunity. The development modes of royal jelly products in different regions of the world are different, and clinical research has achieved coverage of all age groups. In the future, it is necessary to build a standard system of the whole industry chain covering the detection of characteristic components, develop new preparation technologies such as enzymatic desensitization and sustained-release encapsulation, focus on expanding market segments such as precision nutrition and military foods, strengthen industry-university-research cooperation, promote the transformation and upgrading of the royal jelly industry from traditional raw material supply to high value-added product system, and inject new kinetic energy into the high-quality development of China’s big health industry.

Known as a “super grain”, quinoa is the only single plant that meets all nutritional needs of the human body. Aroma is the key factor determining the flavor quality of quinoa, and its core lies in the composition characteristics and dynamic changes of aroma substances. Previous studies have shown that the characteristic aroma components of quinoa include aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, esters and heterocyclic compounds, and the aroma of quinoa is significantly affected by processing methods (puffing, frying, roasting, cooking, microwave treatment, fermentation and vacuum freeze-drying). While many studies have been published on the aroma components of quinoa and the effect of processing on quinoa aroma, the formation mechanism of quinoa characteristic aroma and the mechanism of processing affecting quinoa characteristic aroma need to be further explored. Therefore, this paper systematically reviews the aroma characteristics of quinoa and summarizes recent studies on the effects of different processing methods on the characteristic aroma of quinoa and its formation mechanism. The purpose of this review is to provide a reference for in-depth research on quinoa flavor in order to promote the high-quality development of the quinoa industry.

Milk contains heterogeneous cell populations such as mammary epithelial cells, immune cells, and pluripotent stem cells. These cells not only participate in the synthesis and secretion of nutrients but also play roles in immune defense, tissue repair and development, directly affecting the quality of milk and the health of mothers and infants. The emergence of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology enables researchers to map the milk-derived cell atlas at the single-cell level, revealing the lactation regulation network and the mechanism of cell-cell interaction. This technology provides a new tool for optimizing the quality of milk sources and maternal and infant interventions. This review mainly summarizes the major cell types and their functions in human and bovine milk, as well as the current status of the application of scRNA-seq technology in milk-derived cells, providing a reference for further studies on the lactation mechanism of milk-derived cells.

In recent years, with people’s increasing attention to sustainable development factors such as resources and environment, plant-based meat has been developed rapidly. Plant-based meat not only has the advantages of high protein content, no cholesterol, and no antibiotics, but also is favored by consumers for its low saturated fat content, rich dietary fiber, and environmental friendliness. However, as plant-based meat grows rapidly, its nutritional characteristics and safety have drawn increasing attention. In modern processing technologies for plant-based meat, such as extrusion, high temperature and pressure conditions affect protein digestibility and absorbability, and may also generate potential risk factors, such as acrylamide and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. In order to ensure the healthy development of the plant-based meat industry, it is important to understand the nutritional characteristics of plant-based meat and possible risk factors. In this article, we review recent studies on the nutritional changes and safety of plant-based meat during processing. We analyze the factors affecting the protein digestibility of plant-based meat and summarize its safety risks during processing, with a view to providing strong support for optimizing the processing conditions of plant-based meat.