Journal of Food Biochemistry最新文献

The study delved into the rate of browning (A₄₂₀ nm) within a model wine solution, aiming to elucidate mechanisms impacting real product scenarios, including low- and no-alcohol wines. The model wine solutions were prepared by adding tartaric acid, caffeic acid, and catechin into an aqueous ethanol solution containing transition metals (iron [Fe] and copper [Cu]) along with sulfur dioxide (SO₂). The results indicated that the model wines without ethanol exhibited the highest browning rates both in the presence (k = 0.0022 day⁻¹) and absence (k = 0.0035 day⁻¹) of SO₂. Notably, ethanol concentration showed a negative correlation with kinetic rates in both scenarios: with SO₂ (r = −0.9317) and without SO₂ (r = −0.9667). The addition of Fe and Cu separately led to a slight elevation in browning, particularly evident with Fe, while adding only Cu exhibited nonsignificant impact. However, their combined addition revealed a marked synergistic effect, rendering the rate notably sensitive to Cu concentration.

Background: Protein instability has been reported to be an important cause of haze in white wines; to investigate the feasibility of protease as a substitute for bentonite in the protein stability of white grape liqueurs, the effect of protease combined with heat treatment on the composition and protein stability of liqueur wines was investigated by chemical analysis, sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and amino acid analysis.

Results: The results showed that the contents of total acid, volatile acid, pH, and glycerol were not significantly different from the blank control; the effect on total protein content and thermal stability were similar to the bentonite treatment; the L^∗, b^∗, and $$ values of liqueur wines increased by 5.59%, 4.33%, and 4.33% after protease combined with heat treatment (p < 0.05); SDS-PAGE results confirmed that protease combined with heat treatment had good hydrolysis for thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) and chitinases (CHIs) in liqueur wines. Amino acid analysis revealed that the levels of threonine, serine, tyrosine, arginine, and proline had increased, respectively, and isoleucine (1.26 mg/L) and leucine (1.16 mg/L) were newly detected after protease combined with heat treatment. Particle size analysis showed that the protease combined with heat treatment had less effect on the particle size distribution of the wines.

Conclusion: Protease combined with heat treatment had a certain protein stabilizing effect and had no significant negative impact on other nutrients of liqueur wines. Thus, it can be used as an alternative to bentonite for the protein stabilization of liqueur wines.

Background: Renal involvement resulting from hyperuricemia, known as hyperuricemia nephropathy (HN), is characterized by chronic tubulointerstitial inflammation caused by extensive urate crystal deposition. Managing this condition requires straightforward preventive or therapeutic interventions, primarily through dietary measures.

Methods: In this study, the mouse model of HN was established using yeast extract combined with potassium oxonate. The effect and potential mechanism of β-sitosterol in treating HN were investigated through biochemical indexes, pathological changes, untargeted metabolomics, and network pharmacology.

Results: β-Sitosterol reduced the levels of four biomarkers of HN: uric acid (UA), creatinine (CRE), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and xanthine oxidase (XOD). It also mitigated inflammatory injury in renal tissues and reversed the abnormal expression of four key urate transporter proteins: glucose transporter protein 9 (GLUT9), organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2), and urate transporter 1 (URAT1). To explore the mechanism of β-sitosterol in treating HN, this study employed network pharmacology and metabolomics to analyze 27 intersecting gene targets and 14 differential metabolites. The findings indicated that glutathione (GSH) metabolism might be a crucial pathway. Treatment with β-sitosterol increased the levels of reduced GSH as well as the activity and expression of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) in mice, thereby effectively modulating GSH metabolism. This study proposes a novel strategy using β-sitosterol for treating HN, providing a promising approach for addressing this condition.

Apple is a perishable fruit due to its higher moisture content, which leads to spoilage and also reduces its shelf life. To improve the storage stability of apples, drying is the most effective and oldest method as it leads to the reduction of water activity. In the present study, dried apple slices were developed from “Golden Delicious” apples. The suggested methodology involves the use of dried apple slices with skin and a thickness of 4.5 mm, pretreated with 1% salt solution for 15 min. The drying process takes place at a temperature of 50°C for 3 h, followed by a temperature of 90°C for 2 h. The water activity of salt- and KMS-pretreated dried apple slices was 0.422 ± 0.00 and 0.438 ± 0.01, respectively, whereas a higher value 0.473 ± 0.01 of water activity was observed in untreated dried apple slices, demonstrating better stability. Also, compared to the control sample, the pretreated slices showed 13% lesser shrinkage due to drying, thereby retaining its shape. The total phenolic content was the lowest in the control sample (101.52 ± 0.37 mg GAE/100 g), while a significant increase was observed in KMS-pretreated (115.44 ± 4.08 mg/100 g) and salt-pretreated (131.55 ± 0.58 mg/100 g) dried apple slices. Moreover, antioxidant activity also was higher in salt-pretreated dried apple slices. Texture profile analysis revealed that the developed apple slices had better crispiness than nonpretreated ones. Thus, pretreatment before drying is of great significance to improve the appearance and quality of products.

Acclimation refers to the process by which plants adapt to the environment. This study was to illustrate the effect of acclimation length on the metabolic profile of tea leaves. In this study, 32 long-acclimated tea varieties in Shandong Province and 61 ST varieties were used as materials, and the metabolites of tea plants were detected by using UPLC-MS/MS method. The results showed that the accumulation of flavonoids, organic acids, and alkaloids in long-acclimated tea plants was higher than that in ST plants. In contrast, the accumulation of phenolic acids, lipids, and amino acids showed an opposite trend. In long-acclimated tea varieties, Camellia sinensis cv. Lucha11 (LC11), LC24, and LC30 showed high flavonoids, phenolic acids, organic acids, and alkaloids, which were important metabolites and related to tea quality. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the effect of environment on metabolism of tea plants and guides the breeding of new tea varieties with high quality or special flavor.

Purpose: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a fatal condition characterized by poor control of pulmonary hemodynamics and vascular development. Zang Siwei Qingfei mixture (ZSQM) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula used for the treatment of chronic respiratory diseases. However, the underlying mechanism of ZSQM for treating PAH remains unclear.

Methods: A PAH rat model was established after monocrotaline (MCT) injection, and pulmonary hemodynamic features and pathological changes were evaluated. The candidate targets of ZSQM against PAH were discovered using network pharmacology. Then, molecular docking was used to validate the discovered key targets. Moreover, serum metabolomics was used to identify differential metabolites. The metabolomics and network pharmacology integrated network was constructed.

Results: ZSQM alleviated MCT-induced pulmonary vascular injury and vascular remodeling. We found ZSQM core component chrysin and six hub genes according to network pharmacology, including CYP2C19, CASP8, PTK2, VEGFA, FLT4, and TNNI3. Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities between key targets and chrysin. Meanwhile, western blotting results validated significant changes in the expression of these key targets. Subsequently, we confirmed that chrysin existed in the ZSQM by HPLC–MS. In addition, a total of 19 metabolites with potential significance were identified to be implicated in the therapeutic mechanisms of ZSQM. The further integrated analysis indicated an interconnection between these key targets, their related core metabolites (12(S)HETE, ascorbate, succinate, vitamin C, and L-arginine), and metabolic pathways.

Conclusion: The study, employing metabolomics and network pharmacology, has concluded that ZSQM has the potential to enhance the treatment of PAH by targeting multiple pathways and molecular targets. This finding suggests that ZSQM could serve as a promising alternative therapy for PAH.

In neurodegenerative diseases, the activation of microglia and the ensuing neuroinflammation are pivotal in regulating disease progression. Attenuating inflammation induced by microglial cells is considered a key strategy for slowing the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC) has exhibited significant antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects; nevertheless, its potential role in modulating neuroinflammatory responses remains incompletely explored. The current investigation aimed to establish a neuroinflammation model by stimulating BV2 microglia cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and to explore the protective effect of γ-GC on neuroinflammation in BV2 microglia cells. The results demonstrated that γ-GC significantly attenuated LPS-induced oxidative damage in BV2 cells, reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), inhibited the cytoplasmic translocation of high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), and effectively mitigated the LPS-induced inflammatory response in BV2 cells. We further investigated the regulatory mechanism of γ-GC on LPS-induced BV2 neuroinflammation and found that γ-GC significantly enhances autophagy in BV2 cells, resulting in a marked reduction in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation levels and an increase in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation levels. The use of autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and AMPK inhibitors further corroborates the proposition that γ-GC promotes autophagy in BV2 cells while suppressing the LPS-induced inflammatory response of BV2 microglia through the activation of the AMPK-mTOR pathway. The findings indicate that γ-GC exerts a substantial inhibitory impact on neuroinflammation, making it a promising candidate for the development of therapeutic strategies against neuroinflammatory disorders and related conditions.

Due to rising health concerns, consumers are increasingly inclined toward reduced-fat products, which have driven the need for nutritious alternatives through modifications in recipes and production processes. Despite the growing popularity of coconut-based products, there is limited research on baked coconut chips, particularly regarding the effects of baking temperatures and product thicknesses. This study addresses this gap by developing baked coconut chips samples (BCSs) as a healthier alternative to traditional fried chips. Baking experiments were conducted at temperatures of 140°C, 160°C, and 180°C, with 160°C identified as optimal for balancing processing time and product quality. The study also compared baked coconut chips with those that were dried and then baked (dried baked coconut chips samples [DBCS]). Among the trials, the 0.5-mm-thick coconut chips baked at 160°C exhibited favorable sensory attributes and notable biochemical properties, including 3.13% moisture content, 1.13% ash, 40.49% fat, and significant antioxidant activity.

The aim of the present research is to investigate the effect of ohmic-assisted extraction (OAE) parameters on the Falcaria vulgaris extract (FVE) properties. Various parameters, including ethanol-to-water ratio (0%–100%), voltage gradient (10–30 V/cm), temperature (30°C–60°C), and extraction time (10–30 min), were applied as independent factors. Physicochemical process, antimicrobial properties, and energy analysis were accomplished to achieve OAE optimization. Results indicated that extraction yield (EY) and energy consumption (EC) significantly increased with increasing the voltage gradient and extraction time (p < 0.05). Also, EY significantly increased with increasing of process temperature and the ethanol concentration in the solvent (p < 0.05). The findings demonstrated that as the voltage gradient, process duration, temperature, and ethanol concentration in the solvent were increased, there was a significant initial increase followed by a decrease in both the total phenolic content (TPC) and the DPPH radical scavenging activity of FVE (p < 0.05). The optimization results indicated that the extraction process with an ethanol-to-water ratio of 65.5%, voltage gradient of 20.3 V/cm, temperature of 56.6°C, and extraction time of 22.1 min results in maximum extract TPC, DPPH, and EY, and minimum extraction EC. The OAE method showed greater EY and less EC and CO₂ production compared to the hydrodistillation (HD) method. In general, OAE caused improved antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the FVE.

Asthma is a common disease that affects millions of people but has no cure. Resveratrol (Res) has been confirmed to be effective against asthma; however, in vivo experiments had shown that Res administration by either oral or intraperitoneal injection had low absorption, leading to a bad efficacy. Aerosol therapy is widely used in asthma treatment, which can achieve effective concentrations locally. The efficacy of atomized Res for asthma has not been evaluated yet. Therefore, this article aimed to evaluate the effects of Res aerosol inhalation on asthma and explore the mechanisms involved. Ovalbumin (OVA) was used to construct an asthma mouse model. Different concentrations of Res solution were atomized with an ultrasonic nebulizer, and the asthmatic mice were treated. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to evaluate the degree of airway inflammation and airway remodeling in the mice. Serum from each group of mice was collected for IgE and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) detection. Real-time quantitative PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting were used to detect the expression levels of the target genes and proteins. Compared with the asthma group, the airway inflammation scores were significantly decreased in the low- or high-dose Res group. The airway remodeling parameters of the WAm/Pbm, WAmuc/Pbm, and WAi/Pbm ratios were significantly reduced. The expression of serum IgE, IL-5 mRNA, and p-STAT6 protein was significantly decreased, and serum T-AOC was increased in the Res group. Consistently, Res treatment significantly inhibited p-STAT6 expression induced by recombinant human IL-13 in 16HBE cells. Results suggest that Res nebulization therapy can improve airway inflammation, airway remodeling, airway allergy, and antioxidant capacity in asthmatic mice, which may be mediated by a STAT6-related pathway.