Journal of Food Biochemistry最新文献

Microwave pretreatment, utilizing microwave thermal radiation to disrupt plant cell walls before the traditional extraction process, shows great promise in overcoming key challenges such as low extraction efficiency, high energy consumption, and excessive solvent usage in industrial licorice extraction. This study explored the effects of microwave pretreatment on cell structure, components content, and physical properties of licorice. Results revealed that microwave pretreatment disrupted the structural integrity of licorice cells, leading to a notable increase in the content of active ingredients. Specifically, the total of the five components peaked when treated at 500 W for 4 min. A comparison with the untreated group showed that glycyrrhizin, isoglycyrrhizin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin and glycyrrhizic acid increased by 29.09%, 25.09%, 21.82%, 16.04%, and 22.62%, respectively. Furthermore, differences in physical parameters such as electrical conductivity, solid content, pH, and relative density were observed between the microwave pretreated and untreated extracts, indicating variations in conductive substances, acidic components, substance quality, or types between the two extract groups. Infrared spectrum analysis demonstrated that microwave pretreatment did not alter the overall chemical composition of licorice extract, but increased the content of active substances such as flavonoids, saponins, amides, lipids, sugars, and proteins. In addition, the ratio of material to liquid postmicrowave pretreatment was 1 : 4, with each component’s content being equivalent to 1 : 12 in the untreated group. These findings provide strong evidence for the effectiveness of microwave pretreatment in enhancing the content of active ingredients in licorice, while simultaneously reducing solvent usage and energy consumption.

The current study used a design of experiments to evaluate the potential synergistic effects of three Moroccan bee products (honey (H), propolis (P), and bee pollen (BP)) on the free radical inhibition and antibacterial activity against clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The phytochemical contents of these three bee products were first evaluated using HPLC-DAD with 20 identified compounds (9 in both H and P extracts and 13 in BP extract). The P extract had the highest phytochemical content, with high levels of flavanone pinocembrin, flavanol catechin, lignan pinoresinol, and simple phenolics (p-coumaric and gallic acids). Then, the optimized mixtures were determined using an augmented simplex-centroid design. The optimized formulations (H33%:P43%:BP24%) and (H21%:P47%:BP32%) presented the optimal total phenolic content and DPPH-IC₅₀ with 226.88 mgGAE/g and 10.64 µg/mL, respectively, whereas the formulations (H26%:P52%:BP22%) and (H35%:P40%:BP25%) showed the optimal antimicrobial activity against S. aureus (MIC_S.aureus equal to 4.34 µg/mL) and E. coli (MIC_E.coli equal to 5.70 µg/mL), respectively. The predicted responses from these mixture proportions were also experimentally validated. Compared to the single free radical activity and antibacterial effect of each isolated bee product, these optimized formulations demonstrated an increased biological activity, and the determination of the fractional inhibitory concentrations revealed a synergistic effect between these products. This study emphasizes the interest in optimized bee product mixtures for practical applications beyond the pharmaceutical and food industries. Their potential can be extended to nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, animal health, environmental sustainability, and advanced biomedical research, offering holistic solutions for diverse challenges across various sectors. Exploring these applications further can unlock new avenues for innovation and sustainable development.

White cheese is an inseparable part of the Persian breakfast table. However, it has limited shelf life owing to microbial growth and chemical changes. Application of active packaging incorporated with essential oils is an innovative technique to retain quality and extend shelf life of foods. In this study, the effect of chitosan (Ch 1 and 2%) film containing rosemary extract (RE 0.5 and 1%) was studied on the shelf life of white cheese at 4°C for 45 days. The physicochemical evaluation showed that all treated cheeses had higher pH, moisture, and fat content, but acidity and hardness in treated cheeses were lower than the nontreated ones. During storage, pH, moisture, and fat content decreased and acidity and hardness increased. At the end of the storage, the highest acidity (1.79 g lactic acid) and hardness (3.5 N) and the lowest pH (4.1) were observed in the control sample, and the highest moisture (53.92%) and fat (21.84%) content was observed in E₂C₂ treatment (1% extract + 2% chitosan). The active packaging of cheese caused a significant decrease in the total count of bacteria, coliforms, lactic acid bacteria, mold, and yeast. The population of microorganisms in the control sample increased significantly during storage (p < 0.05). The treated cheeses had acceptable sensory properties. The most effective treatment for maintaining the physicochemical properties and retarding the growth of microorganisms in cheese was the E₂C₂ sample. Therefore, it can be used in active packaging systems of cheese.

Scytosiphon lomentaria is widely consumed in China’s coastal regions due to its various beneficial effects, although its exact mechanism has yet to be fully elucidated. This study demonstrated that S. lomentaria fucoidan (SLF) alleviated colitis symptoms in mice, as evidenced by a reduction in colonic tissue damage and an increase in colon length and weight gain. Metabolomics analysis indicated that SLF improved abnormal serum metabolites profile associated with colitis, affecting metabolic pathways related to amino acid, lipid, and tricarboxylic acid cycle. SLF alleviated colonic inflammation through inhibiting the activation of MAPK/NF-κB pathways and attenuating oxidative stress. The protective effect of SLF in maintaining the gut barrier integrity is supported by the preservation of goblet cells and glycoproteins and increased expression of ZO-1 and claudin. The underlying mechanism can be associated with the improvement of the gut microbiota, including an increase in microbiota diversity and richness and the levels of beneficial bacteria and metabolites (e.g., Muribaculum, Parabacteroides, and short-chain fatty acids) and a reduction in harmful bacteria. This study implies that SLF holds great potential to be used as a prebiotic agent to enhance human and gut health.

This study investigated the effect of microwave pretreatment on cooking time of presoaked Bambara groundnut seeds, functional properties of resultant flours, and their phenolic composition and antioxidant properties. Microwave treatment significantly decreased cooking time and resulted in decreased water solubility index (WSI) (by up to 66%) and nitrogen solubility index (NSI) (up to 81%) of the resultant flours, as well as a decrease in pasting viscosity and enthalpy compared to raw flour. However, the 1200 W treatment resulted in higher pasting viscosity, WSI, and NSI than the 900 W treatment. There were differences in type of flavonoids and phenolic acids between the two types of Bambara groundnut seeds, while microwave treatment caused certain increase and decrease in individual flavonoids, such as catechin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, and hesperidin. The flours maintained good radical scavenging antioxidant activity and protected plasmid DNA from oxidative damage. Overall, the study suggests that microwave pretreatment shows potential in alleviating the hard-to-cook Bambara groundnut seeds in producing flour with functional and antioxidant properties.

Oxidative stress-induced neuronal damage is a significant factor contributing to spinal cord injury. Although previous research has shown that Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (FLL) has neuroprotective benefits in SH-SY5Y, BV2, and PC12 cells, its impact on primary spinal cord neurons, which more accurately reflect the characteristics of central nervous system neurons, remains unexplored. This research investigated how FLL can protect rat primary spinal cord neurons from injury triggered by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-mediated oxidative stress. Cell viability, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway, and mitochondrial superoxide were assessed. Rat primary spinal cord neurons were not adversely affected by concentrations of FLL extract up to 100 μg/mL. Furthermore, FLL extract showed a significant protective effect against H₂O₂-induced neuronal toxicity at 10–100 μg/mL. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis revealed that FLL extract inhibited H₂O₂-induced ROS generation in a dose-dependent manner. Immunocytochemistry and gene expression analysis confirmed that FLL extract reduced the overexpression of iNOS induced by H₂O₂ and enhanced the stimulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, crucial for antioxidant responses. In conclusion, FLL extract demonstrated neuroprotective effects on rat primary spinal cord neurons against the oxidative stress induced by H₂O₂. FLL extract effectively preserved cell viability, reduced ROS generation, suppressed iNOS overexpression, and activated the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway. These results highlight the capacity of FLL extract as a neuroprotective agent against oxidative stress-related spinal neuron damage.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex metabolic and endocrine disorder with multifactorial etiology and complex pathogenesis. These intrinsic physiological changes cause anovulation, infertility, and miscarriage in women and exacerbate their chances of becoming hyperlipidemic and diabetic. Inonotus obliquus has been used traditionally for infertility problems. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of aqueous ethanolic extract of Inonotus obliquus (AEIO) in female rats with letrozole-induced PCOS, along with the determination of its possible mechanism. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, p-coumaric, benzoic acid, quercetin, salicylic acid, and kaempferol. Thirty female albino rats were acquired and divided into two groups (5 + 25) to induce PCOS. Letrozole (1 mg/kg) was used to induce the disease for 7 weeks (25 rats) except for the normal control (5 rats). The disease was confirmed by vaginal smear cytology, weight gain, and endocrinopathy. After disease induction, rats were divided into five groups (five rats in each group; disease control, metformin 20 mg/kg, AEIO 100, 300, and 500 mg/kg). After completion of the study, the animals were euthanized under the influence of anesthesia (chloroform). Ovaries were removed for histopathology, the liver was evaluated for oxidative stress biomarkers, and blood samples were collected for biochemical evaluation. Ovarian histopathology showed an abnormal architecture with cystic follicles and abnormal granulosa cells. Interestingly, treatment with AEIO restored normal ovarian histology with primary, growing, and developing follicles. After conducting a hormonal analysis, it was found that the induction of PCOS led to a significant increase (p  <  0.001) in luteinizing hormone (LH), insulin, and testosterone levels, while the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) decreased. However, treatment with AEIO at doses of 100–500 mg/kg restored these levels to normal. PCOS induction also resulted in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation by significantly decreasing antioxidant enzymatic markers (SOD, CAT, and GSH) and increasing levels of lipid peroxidation enzymatic markers (MDA). AEIO restored the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH), and reduced the level of malondialdehyde (MDA). In conclusion, antioxidant phytochemicals (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, p-coumaric, benzoic acid, quercetin, salicylic acid, and kaempferol) rich extract alleviated PCOS symptomatology through modulating oxidative stress markers and eliminating ovarian low-grade inflammation by downregulating the expression of NF-κB associated TNF-α and IL-6.

This study aimed to investigate the potential of pea protein concentrate (PPC) to form protein-mineral composites, with a specific focus on its zinc- (Zn-) binding capabilities. In addition, the physical and functional properties of PPC were evaluated. PPC, a potential protein source, was found to possess lipophilic properties, suggesting its suitability for various applications in food production. The investigation involved a comprehensive characterization of pea protein concentrate-zinc complex (PPC-Zn) composites, utilizing various analytical techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, particle size analysis, zeta potential measurement, and thermogravimetric analysis. The findings of this study indicated that the protein content of PPC-Zn (79.02 ± 1.33%) insignificantly increased as compared to PPC (78.86 ± 1.16%). Furthermore, PPC demonstrated improved functional properties, including increased protein solubility (2.55%), enhanced water-holding (13.09%) and oil-holding capacity (11.17%), and improved foaming capacity and stability (2.08% and 6.07%, respectively). These improvements in functional properties were likely attributed to the unique surface structure observed in SEM micrographs. The research also highlighted the maximum binding capacity of PPC for zinc, which was observed at concentrations of 5 mM (95.35 ± 1.86%). This binding of zinc ions to PPC induced changes in the characteristics and internal structures of the protein concentrate. Notably, the presence of functional groups such as -COOH, -OH, and –NH₂ in PPC suggested their involvement in coordinating with zinc ions to form PPC-Zn composites. This investigation demonstrated a significant increase (2.26%) in the mineral bioavailability of PPC-Zn. Additionally, the cellular uptake, retention, and transport of PPC-Zn were improved by 9.79%, 7.84%, and 9.51%, respectively. Fortified biscuits (B2) demonstrated enhanced cellular uptake (2.79%), retention (4.84%), and transport (3.51%) compared with control biscuits. Fortified biscuits (B2) had higher microbial counts (total plate count is 3.57 ± 0.03 and the yeast-mold count is 3.96 ± 0.07 cfu/g) than control biscuits (B1) (total plate count is 2.49 ± 0.13 and the yeast-mold count is 3.44 ± 0.11 cfu/g) at the end of storage, and there is no difference in sensory evaluation between the control and fortified biscuits. Furthermore, the key findings indicated that PPC could serve as a promising carrier for mineral supplements, binding with zinc effectively.

Scutellariabarbata D. Don (S. barbata), a medicinal herb commonly used in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine, consists of bioactive neoclerodanes and flavonoids. However, its anti-hyperglycemic activity has not been reported. In this work, we used bioassay-guided fractionation to find effective anti-hyperglycemic fractions of S. barbata. The chemical components of these fractions were also determined structurally; they are scutellarin (1), luteolin (2), naringenin (3), tricin (4), baicalein (5), baicalin (6), apigenin (7), and wogonin (8). The most potent fraction SB6 consisting of flavonoids 5, 6, 7, and 8 showed 89% inhibition of α-glucosidase in the in vitro experiment. In further in vivo experiments on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, SB6 exhibited significant anti-hyperglycemic activity comparable to metformin after 28 days of treatment. This fraction, however, did not show efficiency in reducing the weight gain of the treated mice.