Foods最新文献

This study evaluated two formulations of L-carnitine, which were developed and impregnated in an oil-based self-emulsifying system (SEDDS), the first with tyrphostin AG17 and the second without the addition of tyrphostin AG17. The formulation with tyrphostin AG17 showed the presence of stable microvesicles up to 498 h after its preparation. To establish a robust safety profile in compliance with modern regulatory frameworks and the 3Rs principle (replacement, reduction, and refinement), a toxicological evaluation was conducted integrating an in silico quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis with confirmatory in vivo subchronic toxicity studies. The QSAR analysis, performed using the OECD QSAR Toolbox and strictly adhering to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) validation principles, predicted an acute oral LD50 of 91.5 mg/kg in rats, a value showing high concordance with the historical experimental data (87 mg/kg). Furthermore, computational modeling for repeated-dose toxicity yielded a no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 80.0 mg/kg bw/day, a no-observed-effect level (NOEL) of 60.4 mg/kg bw/day, and an ADI = 56 mg/day. These computational findings were substantiated by a 90-day subchronic toxicity study in male Wistar rats, where daily intragastric administration of tyrphostin AG17 at doses up to 1.75 mg/kg resulted in not statistically significant hematotoxic activity (p < 0.05), with a maximum cumulative dose over 90 days of 157.5 mg/kg. Collectively, these data indicate that tyrphostin AG17 combines high stabilizing efficacy with a manageable safety profile, supporting its proposed regulatory status as a functional food additive. Based on these results, it is concluded that tyrphostin AG17 shows promising characteristics for use as a stabilizer in food and other substances.

Gut microbial metabolites play a crucial role in modulating cognitive function. In a previous animal study, oral administration of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MWFLp-182 (L. plantarum MWFLp-182) significantly increased inosine levels in both the serum and feces of D-galactose (D-gal)-induced mice, which was accompanied by improved cognitive performance. Building on this finding, we further investigated the neuroprotective mechanisms of inosine derived from L. plantarum MWFLp-182 in alleviating D-gal-induced neuronal damage in HT-22 cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to analyze the addition of inosine (250 μg/mL, 500 μg/mL), which considerably reduces oxidative stress induced by D-gal (20 mg/mL), on the regulation of mRNA expression of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2)/hemeoxygenase 1 (HO-1) signaling pathway factors. Compared to the D-gal group, the inosine-treated group exhibited a 4.3-fold and 8.7-fold increase in HO-1 and Nrf2 levels, respectively. Furthermore, inosine alleviates neuroinflammation by modulating the mRNA expression of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Compared to the D-gal group, the inosine-treated group showed reductions of 41.75%, 28.29%, and 32.17% in TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB levels, respectively. Moreover, immunofluorescence staining revealed that inosine exhibits anti-apoptotic properties by enhancing the levels of neurotrophic factors, including nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), while simultaneously lowering the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein bcl-2-associated X (Bax). These findings suggest that inosine, a differentially expressed metabolite identified in a probiotic-intervention mouse model, alleviates D-gal-induced neuronal damage in HT-22 cells by modulating oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic pathways, providing mechanistic insights into the neuroprotective effects of this metabolite.

To improve the oral bioavailability of oleanolic acid (OA), this study developed a menthol-fatty acid-based hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (HDES) system. Through a comprehensive evaluation using in vitro simulated digestion and Caco-2 cell transport models, the short-chain HDES was found to increase the apparent in vitro bioavailability index of OA by 9.3-fold compared to conventional ethanol systems, with efficacy showing clear fatty acid chain-length dependence. The mechanism was systematically investigated through spectral characterization and cellular studies, revealing a two-stage enhancement process: during the digestion phase, HDES significantly improved OA bioaccessibility to 14.30% compared to 4.90% with ethanol; during the absorption phase, it markedly increased cellular uptake to 25.79% versus 4.71% with ethanol. Molecular analysis indicated that the optimal hydrophobicity and diffusion properties of HDES contributed to this enhancement. This study reveals a fatty acid chain-length-dependent mechanism in HDES-facilitated OA delivery, providing a tunable strategy for enhancing the absorption of hydrophobic bioactive compounds.

The soft-shell mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) holds high market value, but rapid post-molting shell hardening limits its commercial viability. This study evaluated the effects of four live-preservation methods-ambient seawater (CK, 25 °C, pH 8.10), low-temperature seawater (LT, 14 °C, pH 8.10), ice-chilled storage (ICE, 2-6 °C), and low-temperature acidified seawater (LTA, 14 °C, pH 7.6)-on shell hardening and hepatopancreatic flavor in mud crabs. ICE and LTA significantly delayed hardening (p < 0.05), maintaining the hard-paper stage at 48 h post-molting, while CK and LT samples hardened considerably. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that both ICE and LTA down-regulated key genes involved in calcium signaling, autophagy, and lysosomal pathways, which may be associated with delayed shell hardening. Flavor profiling showed that ICE enhanced umami by increasing aspartate, inosine monophosphate, and adenosine monophosphate levels, and increased sweetness via elevated alanine and glycine, while reducing bitterness by lowering bitter amino acids. In contrast, LTA reduced umami and bitterness but did not improve sweetness. These findings demonstrate that ice-chilled storage effectively extends the soft-shell phase and better preserves flavor quality, offering a viable strategy for enhancing the preservation and marketability of live soft-shell crabs.

Reflection on sustainable economic models, such as the civil economy, has led to the development of alternative food supply chains grounded in ethical values and practices. From this perspective, the Food Village model was proposed to meet stakeholders' needs, overcome the limitations of Alternative Food Networks, and scale up. In this study, a Discrete Choice Experiment on hypothetical Food Village participation scenarios was combined with the Portrait Values Questionnaire to analyse preferences for the model's attributes in relation to personal values. The results indicate that consumers appreciate the ethical and territorial characteristics of Food Village, such as local and organic products and cooperative governance, as long as convenience is guaranteed (product variety, flexible hours). Furthermore, they prefer moderate forms of participation, while excessively burdensome involvement reduces their willingness to participate. Individual values influence preferences: values of "self-transcendence" and conservation are associated with greater willingness, while those of "self-affirmation" correlate with lower adherence to Food Village. This evidence suggests implications for policy and scalability: initiatives like Food Village, if supported by public incentives and flexible participatory schemes, can contribute to more sustainable food systems at scale.

This study evaluates the effect of fermentation on the volatile composition of plant-based dry-cured sausages. The goal was to understand how different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains influence the aroma profile during ripening. Five experimental groups were tested, including uninoculated controls and sausages inoculated with selected LAB strains or a commercial starter. A total of 51 volatile compounds were identified and tracked over an 11-day fermentation period using HS-SPME-GC-MS. Results showed that LAB fermentation reduced compounds associated with off-flavors, such as aldehydes and sulfur compounds, and promoted the formation of volatiles responsible for pleasant aromas like buttery and fruity notes. Specific LAB strains, especially Lacticaseibacillus casei 116, showed strong potential in improving the volatile profile of plant-based meat analogs. These findings suggest that fermentation using selected LAB can enhance the sensory quality of plant-based sausages, helping them better mimic traditional meat products.

Oxidative stress (OS), an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body's ability to detoxify them, has been linked to a wide range of diseases [...].

Low-salt cured fish is prone to deterioration due to lipid oxidation and microbial proliferation during refrigeration. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), with excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, is a promising candidate for the preservation of cured fish. However, its instability in the presence of environmental factors significantly confines its direct application. In this research, CGA was encapsulated in liposomes and utilized as a dip-coating for cured fish. The effects of varying concentrations of CGA-loaded liposomes (L-CGA) coating on the physicochemical quality and microbial diversity of cured fish were rigorously compared to those treated with CGA solutions, blank liposomes, and distilled water throughout 32 days' storage at 4 °C. The results showed that L-CGA exhibited a higher lipid oxidation-inhibiting capacity (generation of hydroperoxides and their secondary oxidation products) than the corresponding free CGA at fixed concentrations. Furthermore, the liposomal formulation showed significantly enhanced inhibitory activity against dominant spoilage-associated bacterial genera (e.g., Staphylococcus, Macrococcus, and Rothia), with the L-CGA loaded at 800 mg/L of CGA showing optimal effectiveness. This enhanced preservation effect can be attributed to the protective and controlled release properties of the liposomes, which facilitate improved preservation outcomes for CGA. These findings demonstrate that L-CGA could be used as a promising preservative for low-salt cured fish or some similar products.

Teinturier grapes are an important germplasm resource for addressing the insufficient accumulation of anthocyanins in grapes under adverse climatic conditions. To enrich the variety diversity, eight newly bred teinturier grape varieties were used for comparison with the traditional teinturier grape variety "Yan 73". The results showed that A1 wine exhibits high levels of citric and tartaric acids, while the B2 wine showed elevated levels of malic and succinic acids. The C1, B2, and G1 wines showed higher total phenol, anthocyanin, flavonoid, flavan-3-ol, and tannin content. In the free volatile components of C1 wine, α-phellandrene, methyl salicylate, α-Terpineol, β-Myrcene, isoamylol and ethyl acetate were the primary aroma compounds. Meanwhile, the glycosidically bound aroma components of B2 wine were predominantly dominated by nonanal, benzaldehyde, α-terpineol, hexanal, α-phellandrene, and D-limonene. Compared with Y73, B2 and A1 wines have better phenols, while B2, C1 and B5 wines have better flavors, which provides support for the promotion of new varieties.

For several years, Infantis was the most common Salmonella serovar circulating in the Belgian broiler sector and persisting on broiler farms. To gain insight into its prevalence and circulation on broiler farms in Belgium, five farms (14 flocks) with a S. Infantis contamination history were monitored during two consecutive production rounds. In total, ten sampling events were conducted using moist sponge sticks after cleaning and disinfection, during the delivery of the one-day-old chicks and during production until slaughter or until positive for S. Infantis. Salmonella presence on samples was determined based on the ISO 6579:2017 standard, and the isolated strains were typed using PFGE. The results showed that current cleaning and disinfection practices were unable to completely remove S. Infantis from the farms. Cleaning equipment (3 out of 9 sample times) and the floor (5 out of 10 sample times) were particularly contaminated. Furthermore, external environmental samples were also frequently contaminated (e.g., mortality containers, concrete driveway). During production, 12 of the 28 sampled flocks were colonized with S. Infantis after one week, indicating that S. Infantis quickly spreads throughout the broiler house, which raises the hypothesis that feeding and/or drinking water systems play a critical role in the circulation of the bacteria. This study gives insights into the circulation and difficulty of controlling S. Infantis in persistently contaminated broiler farms, highlighting the importance of thorough cleaning and disinfection and biosecurity.