NPJ Science of Food最新文献

Amid growing global concerns over obesity, the identification of novel lipid resources with potential health benefits has become a key focus in food science. Artemisia argyi, a traditional edible plant, is valued for its bioactive volatile oils, yet the effects of Artemisia argyi oil (AAO) on lipid metabolism and energy balance remain largely unexplored. Brown adipose tissue (BAT), which facilitates energy dissipation via non-shivering thermogenesis, is a key target for dietary strategies to combat obesity. Here, we demonstrate that AAO combats obesity by promoting BAT thermogenesis, resulting in significant reductions in weight gain, body fat, and improved insulin sensitivity. Mechanistically, AAO promotes Ucp1 transcription by directly activating ZFP516 expression and enhancing its interaction with LSD1. These findings identify AAO as a natural dietary component with potential to improve metabolic health through BAT activation, offering insights for its use in functional foods aimed at energy balance and weight management.

Cultured meat is considered a sustainable protein alternative. To produce chicken meat in a controlled environment, bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) was used to provide structure similar to traditional chicken meat. BNC was synthesized as a hydrogel from Novacetimonas hansenii in vitro culture. Chicken mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from pathogen-free eggs were cultivated in both 2D (monolayers) and 3D (spheroids) forms and introduced into BNC. Results showed that the shape, viability, and stemness of 3D spheroids and 2D monolayers were maintained. Notably, 3D platforms better replicate natural cellular environments, enhancing differentiation potential. Differentiated spheroids and monolayers were successfully cultured on both modified and unmodified BNC hydrogels, with tissue-like organization observed mainly in modified BNC. The cultured chicken prototype using nanocellulose proved promising for developing cultured meat products with co-cultivation of 2D and 3D cells. Visual analyses revealed significant similarities between cultured and farmed chicken.

Ensuring adequate nutrition is essential for long-duration space missions where Earth resupply is limited or unfeasible. Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS), such as ESA's MELiSSA, aim to sustain astronauts by recycling resources and cultivating crops. However, plant-based diets in BLSS may lack key micronutrients. This study identified nutritional gaps in crop-based BLSS diets, revealing deficiencies in several micronutrients, including cobalamin (vit B₁₂), riboflavin (vit B₂), and calciferol (vit D). We screened microorganisms for genomic potential to produce these micronutrients and filtered candidates based on inclusion in the EFSA Qualified Presumption of Safety and Novel Food lists. Organisms were prioritized based on biosynthetic capability and robustness. The result is a ranked list of microbial candidates capable of addressing nutritional deficiencies in BLSS diets. These findings support the integration of resilient, nutrient-producing microbes into space food systems, offering a strategic path toward self-sufficient and health-supportive nutrition for future deep space missions.

Biogenic amines (BAs) are metabolites produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with implications for food safety and human health. Despite extensive phenotypic studies on individual BA biosynthesis genes, the distribution, evolutionary dynamics, ecological associations, and mobility mechanisms underpinning BA biosynthesis across LAB strains is unclear. Here, we conducted the first comprehensive genomic survey of 4880 LAB genomes to elucidate the prevalence and mobility of key BA genes. Ornithine decarboxylase (odc) showed a broader taxonomic distribution, while tyrosine decarboxylase (tdc), although predominant, was confined to Enterococcus. All BA genes exhibited strong ecological associations, suggesting niche-specific adaptation. Phylogenomic analysis highlighted complex evolutionary trajectories involving ancestral gains and extensive horizontal gene transfer (HGT), particularly for odc and tdc genes. Gene synteny and compositional signatures further supported lineage-specific retention and recurrent HGT events among phylogenetically related taxa. For example, the arginine decarboxylase (adc) gene and agmatinase were potentially co-acquired as an operon-level unit. Codon usage suggested translational assimilation, reflecting the functional integration of BA genes in LAB. Insertion sequences and composite transposons were predicted as putative vectors mediating BA gene mobility. Collectively, this study provides a framework linking BA gene distribution to niche and mobility, with implications for risk assessment in foods and probiotics.

A diet high in animal fat is often linked to metabolic diseases like obesity. Nonetheless, the potential benefits associated with moderate consumption of animal fats are often underestimated. Here, we sought to compare the effects of moderate consumption of three types of fats/ oils-lard, camellia seed oil, and peanut oil-on body fat deposition. Unlike studies on high-fat diets, moderate lard intake significantly decreased lipid accumulation compared with vegetable oils in mice. Mechanistically, moderate lard intake elevated the level of serum taurocholic acid (TCA), which promoted the expression of genes related to lipolysis and the polarization of M2 macrophages in adipose tissue. In vitro experiments further confirmed the molecular mechanism underlying TCA's ability to attenuate lipid accumulation in adipocytes while promoting macrophage polarization. These results challenge traditional views on animal fats, showing that consuming lard at recommended levels can benefit metabolism by maintaining adipose tissue balance.

Volvariella volvacea is an edible and medicinal fungus; however, its hepatoprotective effects have not been reported. In this study, we evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of V. volvacea polysaccharides (SMP) by constructing a cellular model of H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage and an animal model of tetrachloromethane (CCl₄)-induced acute liver injury in mice. Moreover, we used ML385, a specific Nrf2 blocker, to explore how SMP might regulate the Nrf2 signaling pathway. SMP is a primarily glucose-based polysaccharide with antioxidant capacities. In vitro analyses revealed that the administration of SMP significantly activated Nrf2, upregulated the expression of HO-1 and NQO1, enhanced SOD and CAT enzyme activities, and attenuated reactive oxygen species in H₂O₂-injured hepatocytes. In vivo, SMP reduced the serum levels of ALT, TNF-α, IL-6, and MDA while increasing the activity of hepatic SOD and ameliorating CCl₄-induced histopathology. Our findings revealed that SMP acts via a dual mechanism involving Nrf2-mediated antioxidant pathway activation coupled with NF-κB inflammatory signaling suppression. Collectively, our findings provide a pharmacological foundation for the therapeutic application of SMP in hepatoprotection.

This study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), to train mortality prediction-based phenotypic ages (PhenoAge [systemic] and organ-specific ages [cardiovascular, kidney, liver, and musculoskeletal]) from NHANES-III, and applied it in the continuous NHANES. Weighted linear regression analyses revealed significant associations between five diet scores-Healthy Eating Index 2020, Alternate Healthy Eating Index, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, Alternate Mediterranean Diet Score, and Dietary Inflammatory Index-derived from 24-hour diet recalls and accelerations in biological ages, encompassing both phenotypic and epigenetic measures (GrimAge2 and DunedinPoAm). Reduced rank regression was used to derive five aging-related diet scores that considered food groups within each previously established score as predictors and phenotypic age accelerations as response. The strongest food predictors of favorable aging-related diet scores included dietary patterns high in vegetables, fruits and high-quality protein (dairy, fish and legumes), and low in added sugar, sugar-sweetened beverages and red/processed meat. Weighted Cox regression models revealed that aging-related diet scores were more strongly associated with mortality risk than their respective diet scores alone.

Renal fibrosis is a key pathological process of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mitochondrial dysfunction. Haematococcus pluvialis (H. pluvialis), a unicellular green alga, is rich in natural antioxidants like astaxanthin and unsaturated fatty acids. This study aimed to explore the renal protective effects and the potential mechanisms of H. pluvialis in vivo and in vitro. The bioinformatics analysis combined with in vivo and in vitro studies revealed that H. pluvialis attenuated renal fibrosis by restoring mitophagy and reversing EMT. For in vivo experiments, H. pluvialis reduced renal ECM deposition and improved renal injury in the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) rats. RNA-seq analysis and in vitro studies showed that H. pluvialis reversed the TGF-β1-induced EMT in HK-2 cells and improved mitochondrial energy metabolism. Immunofluorescence and molecular docking results suggested that H. pluvialis, especially astaxanthin and trans-3-indoleacrylic acid in it, restored mitophagy via PINK1-Parkin-p62-LC3 signaling and reduced pro-fibrotic factor secretion in HK-2 cells. This study supports the development of H. pluvialis as a functional food for CKD management, providing a new strategy to ameliorate renal fibrosis.

This study was performed using yam starches (Tainung No. (TNG)1 and 2), which were modification through Pullulanase debranching (PD) or addition of four fatty acids [lauric acid (LA), myristic acid (MA), palmitic acid (PA), and stearic acid (SA)], followed by one cycle of freeze-thaw synergy treatment. This study showed that increasing enzyme levels and extending treatment time during the PD synergized FT process significantly increased the amylose contents of yam starches from 33-36 to 48-65% (p < 0.05). Notably, the crystalline structure of yam starches changed from B to C-type, while those treated with fatty acids changed to C + V-type. This study showed that the glycemic index (eGI) of adding fatty acids to TNG2 starch treated with PD synergistic FT was consistent with the definition of low GI foods. Therefore, this study reveals techniques that can enhance yam starch's functional properties, which may interest food industry stakeholders.

Effects of combined ultrasound and high-pressure treatment on the structure and physicochemical properties of soybean protein isolate (SPI) were explored using infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy, an assay kit, and texture profile analysis. The combined treatment of ultrasound and high pressure resulted in the transformation of the secondary structure from order to disorder and a looser tertiary conformation. The ultrasound, followed by high-pressure treatment, resulted in a more significant unfolding of SPI structure, and further increased the thermal stability and surface charges, while reducing the average particle size. The surface hydrophobicity, free sulfhydryl groups, and solubility of SPI treated with 480 W ultrasound followed by high pressure were enhanced by 1.98 times, 47.74% and 1.42 times, respectively. Meanwhile, both emulsification and gelation properties reached the optimal levels. Modified SPI can be used as a processing raw material to apply in the design and development of high-stability emulsions or high-strength gels.