NPJ Science of Food最新文献

Controlling protein solubility is critical yet challenging for food and pharmaceutical applications. This review dissects the molecular and environmental determinants governing solubility behavior. It integrates traditional modification strategies with emerging artificial intelligence-driven approaches, emphasizing the transition from empirical trial-and-error to data-driven rational design. This work provides a systematic framework to advance protein engineering solutions across diverse industrial sectors.

This study examined the growth-stage-dependent metabolic variations in tatsoi microgreens (TM) and baby greens (TBG) through the application of flavoromics, metabolomics, and network pharmacology. The HS-SPME-GC/MS analysis identified 526 volatile organic compounds, with TM predominantly exhibiting green, cucumber, melon, and nutty aromas, whereas TBG developed more complex fruity, floral, and creamy notes attributed to esters and ketones. The UPLC-QqQ-MS analysis detected 1475 non-volatile metabolites, revealing that TBG had elevated levels of phenolic acids, lignans, coumarins, and specific glucosinolates, while TM contained higher concentrations of flavonoids. Network pharmacology analysis identified 113 metabolites with potential multi-target mechanisms effective against metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, as well as cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and myocardial infarction. This comprehensive approach underscores the potential of tatsoi, particularly at various growth stages, as a valuable source of flavor compounds and bioactive ingredients for functional foods.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with persistent colonic inflammation and inadequate therapeutic options. The medicinal and edible plant Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua from Jiuhua Mountain contains polysaccharides with potent anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, a low-molecular-weight fructan (Mw = 2087 Da), designated PCP2, was isolated and purified from its rhizome. Biologically, PCP2 administration markedly alleviated disease severity in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice, as shown by the improvement in multiple indicators of colon injury and inflammation. Fecal microbiota transplantation and antibiotic depletion experiments revealed that the protective effects of PCP2 are mediated through both modulation of the gut microbiota and additional microbiota-independent pathways. Importantly, through molecular dynamics simulations, microscale thermophoresis, and surface plasmon resonance assays, follistatin (Fst) is identified as a direct binding target of PCP2. Functional validation using siRNA-mediated Fst knockdown in Caco-2 cells, combined with adenovirus-mediated knockdown in the murine colon, confirmed that PCP2 exerts its therapeutic effect by directly interacting with Fst and suppressing the BMP4/Smad1/ID1 signaling axis. In summary, PCP2 ameliorates ulcerative colitis via dual mechanisms involving restoration of gut microbiota homeostasis and direct targeting of Fst. These findings establish a novel therapeutic strategy and support the clinical development of P. cyrtonema Hua from Jiuhua Mountain as a functional food for intestinal health.

Mutton is valued for its rich nutritional content and distinctive flavor. Cyanidin 3-O-galactoside (C3Gal), a natural anthocyanin, exhibits multiple biological activities and benefits production animals. This study systematically evaluated the effects of dietary C3Gal supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, flavor, and health attributes in Small-Tailed Han sheep. Conventional meat quality analyses were integrated with electronic nose technology, transcriptomics, and untargeted metabolomics to elucidate the mechanisms underlying C3Gal-mediated improvements. C3Gal significantly increased intramuscular fat content, improved meat color and muscle structure, and enhanced tenderness and juiciness, while optimizing the composition of volatile flavor compounds and overall flavor profiles. Multi-omics analyses revealed that C3Gal promoted the accumulation of beneficial fatty acids and optimized fatty acid composition through regulation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway and fatty acid biosynthesis pathways, thereby enhancing health attributes. These findings provide mechanistic evidence supporting C3Gal as a natural feed additive derived from crabapple by-products.

Quinoa is globally recognised for its nutritional value, and its production has recently expanded worldwide. However, Quinoa Real (Royal Quinoa), a landrace group grown exclusively in the Intersalar zone of Bolivia, stands out for its grain quality and adaptation to extreme environments, such as high altitude, high salinity, intense UV radiation, aridity, and temperature fluctuations. This study compares the nutritional composition of 13 well-established commercial quinoa samples from 9 countries, including Quinoa Real white, red, and black. Analyses covered granulometry, proximate composition, fatty acid and amino acid profiles, vitamins, and minerals. Multivariate analyses (PCA and nMDS) revealed clear compositional distinctions for Quinoa Real, including higher levels of dietary fibre, ash, phytosterols, and essential minerals. It also exhibits a more favourable fatty-acid profile, higher levels of several vitamins, and a well-balanced essential amino acid profile. These results show that Quinoa Real is not only a nutritional outlier but also a valuable agrobiodiversity resource with implications for food security, functional foods, and sustainable production in the face of global dietary and environmental challenges.

Mengding Bud Yellow Tea (MDBYT) is distinguished by its characteristic sweet and umami aroma. This study integrated quantitative descriptive analysis, HS-SPME-GC-MS, and UPLC-QQQ-MS to systematically elucidate, for the first time, the dynamic evolution of MDBYT aroma and its formation mechanisms. Sensory evaluation revealed that, among the 13 aroma descriptors, sweetness, umami, and mellowness were the primary attributes positively correlated with overall aroma quality. The yellowing process was the pivotal stage driving the aroma transition from grassy to sweet and umami notes. A total of 38 differential metabolites were identified, of which β-ionone, linalool, n-pentanal, n-heptanal, n-octanal, and 1-octen-3-ol, emerged as key contributors. These metabolites were primarily involved in modulating the sweetness, umami, and mellowness attributes of MDBYT. Quantitative profiling of 10 classes of GBVs demonstrated significant accumulation of linalyl and geranyl glycosides during the fixing and yellowing stages, providing strong evidence that glycoside hydrolysis constitutes a major release pathway for aroma-active compounds. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the unique aroma of MDBYT is established through a coordinated, processing-driven biochemical network involving carotenoid degradation, glycoside hydrolysis, and lipid oxidation. This study provides a robust scientific foundation for the targeted regulation of flavor quality and the optimization of yellow tea processing strategies.

Cultured meat represents a promising sustainable food source, yet the development of efficient serum-free media remains a key bottleneck. Small molecules offer a cost-effective approach to system optimization. Through a functional screening of proliferation activators in bovine muscle stem cells (bMuSCs), we identified forskolin and formulated the serum-free "Beefy-F" medium. Over six passages, Beefy-F yielded 1.9 times more bMuSCs than the basal serum-free control (Beefy-9), matching serum-controlled levels while maintaining bMuSC morphology, myogenic gene expression, and differentiation potential. Subsequent synergistic screening revealed that the p38 inhibitor SB202190 enhanced forskolin's effects. The optimized "Beefy-F + S" medium significantly outperformed both the basal serum-free control and single-supplemented formulations after three passages, upregulated the stemness marker PAX7, and preserved differentiation capacity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the Beefy-F + S medium broadly altered the bMuSC transcriptome to maintain myogenic identity, upregulate cell cycle genes, and reshape extracellular matrix (ECM) pathways, with forskolin sustaining myogenic factors and the p38 inhibitor promoting proliferation and modulating ECM interactions. Overall, this study establishes a cost-effective, small molecule-based strategy for the robust serum-free expansion of bMuSCs.

Conventional detection methods for Listeria monocytogenes suffer from limitations including lengthy procedures, equipment dependency, and operational complexity, making them unsuitable for rapid on-site detection. Therefore, this study developed an LM-RPA-Cas12a-LFA detection method. Target bacteria were enriched using aptamer magnetic beads, followed by RPA amplification of a 196 bp fragment of the hly gene to activate the Cas12a system, with results displayed on lateral flow strips. The method including bacterial enrichment, DNA extraction, LM-RPA-Cas12a-LFA procedure required 2 h with detection limit of 1 × 10^-10 ng/µL and 1.35 CFU/mL in complex food matrices, demonstrating excellent reproducibility and stability. Detection of 16 real food samples showed complete concordance with qPCR validation, accurately identifying 4 positive and 12 negative samples. This method provides a reliable, rapid, and sensitive tool for on-site qualitative detection of Listeria monocytogenes.

Cholelithiasis affects 10-20% of adults globally, and while cheese consumption may influence risk, underlying biological pathways remain unclear. In this prospective cohort study of 399,467 UK Biobank participants without prior cholelithiasis, we examined cheese intake frequency (never to ≥1/day) via baseline food-frequency questionnaires and identified incident cholelithiasis through hospital records, primary care data, and self-reports. Multivariable COX regression and causal mediation analyses assessed risk associations and mediation by cholesterol subtypes. Over follow-up, 15,897 participants developed cholelithiasis. Higher cheese intake showed a dose-dependent inverse association, with daily consumers having 26.3% lower odds (adjusted OR = 0.737, 95% CI: 0.653-0.832) versus non-consumers. HDL-C significantly mediated this association (proportion mediated: 4.03-6.98%). Frequent cheese consumption was associated with significantly lower cholelithiasis risk, partially mediated by HDL-C, suggesting a potential dietary strategy for prevention, though residual confounding and mechanisms require further investigation.

Staphylococcus aureus can contaminate food products and persist in food-related environments, posing significant challenges to food safety and public health. However, the role of plasmids in mediating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and facilitating host adaptation in S. aureus has been largely underestimated. We conducted a global plasmidome analysis of 1395 isolates (human: 88.2%, animal: 11.8%) spanning 90 years. Plasmids were detected in 66.8% of strains, typically one to two per genome. We identified 35 distinct plasmid-borne antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), with a significant temporal increase in their abundance. Over 85.5% of these plasmids were predicted to be mobilizable, indicating a high transmission potential. Notably, clonal complex 5 (CC5) carried the highest plasmid burden, particularly subclade CC5.6, which exhibited high prevalence of conjugative pSK41 plasmids and ARGs. Although this lineage has not been reported elsewhere, its emergence raises concerns about ARG dissemination through conjugative plasmids. These findings emphasize the role of plasmids in the global spread of AMR and have important implications for food safety and resistance control strategies in food production.