NPJ Science of Food最新文献

Pesticide residue analysis in food is frequently carried out worldwide, often requiring a large volume of organic solvents. To improve sustainability, new generation solvents such as natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have recently emerged as a promising alternative to conventional solvents. This study demonstrates the applicability of NADES as green extraction solvents for pesticides in food samples prior to analysis by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The present research goes beyond previous studies by covering an extended set of pesticide residues. For that, five hydrophilic and hydrophobic NADES were evaluated as extraction solvents in a solid-liquid extraction (SLE). Initially, eleven representative pesticides covering a broad range of chemical classes and physicochemical properties were selected, while food matrices were chosen to cover different commodity groups according to SANTE/11312/2021v2, including orange, wheat, and spinach. NADES were tailored in order to cover a wide range of physicochemical properties such as polarity, pH, and viscosity. Thymol: menthol (molar ratio, 1:1) was found to be the most effective, and key extraction parameters were optimized. The greenness and transferability of the NADES-based SLE were evaluated using the AGREEprep and BAGI metrics. Finally, the method was successfully validated for the extraction of a wide range of pesticides commonly analyzed in food safety assessments.

Fusarium wilt diseases pose a huge threat to faba bean (Vicia faba L.) production globally, with significant outbreaks in Chongqing, China. Symptomatic plants showed wilting leaves and rotten roots, ultimately perishing in the advanced stage. Morphological features, multilocus phylogenetic analyses, and pathogenicity tests demonstrated that the primary causal agent was Fusarium oxysporum. Untargeted metabolomics of faba beans revealed substantial metabolic differences in the infected faba bean roots. Plants responded to fungal biotic stress by reprogramming key metabolic pathways, including alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, the citrate cycle, arginine biosynthesis, and jasmonic acid metabolism, which collectively underscore activated defense responses. Metagenome sequencing showed that Fusarium wilt significantly reshaped the structure of the rhizosphere microbiota and affected the abundance of genes encoding element cycling in soil. This work elucidates the pathogenic mechanisms of F. oxysporum by integrating pathogen identification, host metabolism, and microbiome ecology. Our findings offer biomarkers for disease diagnosis and targets for biocontrol, advancing sustainable management of Fusarium wilt diseases in legumes.

Metal accumulation in rice grains influenced both nutritional composition and consumer-perceived eating quality. Concentrations of 26 metal elements were quantified in 36 rice samples by ICP-MS, and hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the samples into three categories. ANOVA revealed significant differences in essential elements (Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu) and non-essential or potentially toxic elements (Al, Ba, B), highlighting their contribution to classification. Sensory evaluation of representative samples demonstrated pronounced variation in odor, taste, palatability, and overall eating quality. Pearson correlation and PLSR-VIP analyses identified Ag, Al, B, Ba, Co, and V as strongly and negatively associated with sensory traits, whereas Ca and Fe exerted attribute-specific effects. Electronic tongue analysis with PCA achieved clear group separation, and a SVM model reached 93% overall accuracy. These results established a close linkage between elemental profiles and sensory performance, providing a framework for rapid, objective, and non-destructive rice quality assessment.

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging contaminants increasingly detected in food products, raising concerns about human exposure and potential health risks. Honey is a relevant matrix due to its nutritional value, widespread consumption, and close links to environmental quality through bee foraging and processing practices. This study presents a paired comparison of industrial and special (artisanal) honeys within a single country and integrates polymer-specific risk indicators with human exposure estimates in one analytical framework. Fifteen honey samples from Türkiye, including eight industrial and seven special honeys, were analyzed using stereomicroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine MP abundance, morphology, and polymer composition. MPs were detected in 93% of samples, with significantly higher concentrations in special honey (11.4 MPs/sample) than in industrial honey (4.9 MPs/sample) (p < 0.05). Fragments dominated (67%) over fibers (33%), and particle sizes ranged from 85 to 1200 µm. The most common polymers were ethylene-vinyl acetate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, halogen-free flame-retardant polymers, and polyamide. Estimated daily intake ranged from 0.16 to 0.38 MPs/day, equivalent to 4169-9699 MPs lifetime. Although honey is not a major dietary MP source, its consistent contamination highlights cumulative exposure pathways and supports its role as a bioindicator of environmental MP pollution.

This study investigated the effect of functional antioxidant incorporation and spatial localization on physicochemical and oxidative stability of water-in-oil-in-water (W₁/O/W₂) double emulsions. Paprika oleoresin (PO, lipophilic) in the oil phase and gallic acid (GA, hydrophilic) in the inner (W₁), outer (W₂), and aqueous phases were studied. The effects of antioxidant localization on droplet size, viscosity, ζ-potential, encapsulation efficiency, and oxidative stability were evaluated over four weeks of storage. PO reduced interfacial tension by ~10%, leading to smaller droplets (2.6-2.5 mN/m) and improved oxidative stability. GA in the W₂ phase enhanced radical-scavenging activity (DPPH and ABTS assays) by >30% compared to the control, but decreased ζ-potential (from -32 to -26 mV) and viscosity, leading to increased creaming (≤19%). Dual GA incorporation (W₁ and W₂) showed the highest overall antioxidant capacity but also accelerated pH decline and structural deterioration. These results demonstrate that antioxidant distribution determines destabilization mechanisms in complex emulsions, and phase-oriented interfacial design is essential to balance oxidative protection and structural integrity in multiphase food systems.

This study investigated the potential of toasted chestnut shells as a novel and cost-effective material for aging distilled spirits. Results showed that aging whiskey with toasted chestnut shell chips moderately increased its acidity (0.14-0.18 g/L) and total phenolic content (48.28-109.58 mg/L), while imparting a color ranging from yellowish to light amber. HS-SPME-GC-MS, HS-GC-IMS, E-nose, and sensory evaluation analyses revealed the distinct aroma characteristics of whiskeys aged with toasted chestnut shell chips. Compared to whiskeys aged with toasted oak, which contained abundant ethyl esters and exhibited an obvious fruity aroma, aging whiskeys with toasted chestnut shell chips significantly increased the level of aldehydes while decreasing the levels of ethyl esters and acetate esters. 2-methyl butanal was identified as the key aroma compound that accounts for the pronounced roasted/smoky aroma in these whiskeys. This study provides valuable insights into the conversion of agro-industrial by-product into new oak alternatives in the oenological field.

Meat analogues have gained global attention as consumer demand increases for healthier and more sustainable food products. However, research aimed at replacing solid fats in meat analogues to lower saturated fat content remains very limited. Canola oil was structured with three natural waxes (candelilla wax, carnauba wax, and beeswax) and their potentials as solid fat replacers were evaluated for low saturated fat meat analogues. The wax-based oleogels retained solid fat at higher temperatures compared to coconut oil. Candelilla wax oleogels showed the highest hardness at room temperature. Upon melting, carnauba wax oleogels exhibited the highest viscosity and the greatest sensitivity to temperature changes, as evidenced by their highest activation energy. Replacement of coconut oil with wax-based oleogels did not significantly alter the visual appearance of meat analogues. Meat analogues with oleogels had significantly lower cooking loss, especially with carnauba wax oleogels. The hardness of coconut oil and oleogels was correlated to that of the corresponding meat analogues (R² = 0.76). Additionally, oleogel-based analogues had a much healthier fatty acid profile, with lower saturated and higher unsaturated fat content, closely resembling canola oil. Therefore, this study demonstrated that wax-based oleogels were promising solid fat alternatives for developing plant-based meat analogues with enhanced cooking performance and healthier fatty acid composition.

Lentinula edodes (L. edodes) polysaccharides hold therapeutic potential for hyperuricemia (HUA), but their mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the anti-HUA effects and associated regulatory pathways of two structurally distinct polysaccharides (LEP20 and LEP50) from L. edodes. Structural analysis identified LEP20 as a (1 → 3)-β-D-glucan (M_w, 1.96×10⁶g/mol) and LEP50 as a (1 → 4)-α-D-glucan (M_w, 1.46×10⁷g/mol). In a HUA rat model, both LEP20 and LEP50 significantly reduced serum UA level, inhibited xanthine oxidase, and alleviated renal injury and inflammation. Mechanistically, LEP20 was linked to modulate the gut-kidney axis by regulating UA transporters, enriching beneficial gut microbiota (e.g., Blautia_luti), and promoting short-chain fatty acid production to restore intestinal barrier integrity. In contrast, LEP50 primarily regulated systemic purine metabolism, directly reducing hypoxanthine levels and modulating specific gut microbes (e.g., Romboutsia_ilealis). The distinct structural features of these polysaccharides are associated with different regulatory pathways, supporting their potential application in HUA management.

Deoxynivalenol (DON), a prevalent mycotoxin in food and feed, induces gastrointestinal and liver damage. The potential probiotic Bacillus velezensis may mitigate DON toxicity, though its precise mechanisms remain unknown. Our study demonstrates that B. velezensis WMCC10514 effectively survives and degrades DON within simulated gastrointestinal fluid. Fluorescently labeled WMC10514-GFP colonized murine intestines and persisted in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF), confirming its colonization capacity. In vivo, WMCC10514 alleviated DON-induced anorexia, restored murine growth, and reduced liver injury. Furthermore, the strain elevated ZO-1 and Occludin expression, enhanced intestinal barrier integrity and reduced DON accumulation in host tissues. Integrated transcriptomic and microbiome analyses revealed that the strain suppressed TLR4/NF-κB pathway activation in the intestine and liver, increased Lactobacillus abundance, restored SCFAs level, and modulated liver energy metabolism. These findings elucidate B. velezensis's role in mitigating mycotoxin toxicity through gut microbiota-driven regulation of the gut-liver axis.

Muscle satellite cells are integral to muscle growth and regeneration, making them critical for cultured meat production. However, the influence of anatomical origin on porcine muscle satellite cells (PMSCs) for food applications remains underexplored. Here, we compared PMSCs from neck, back, and leg muscles to identify the optimal cell source for cultured meat. Transcriptomic analysis showed region-specific gene expression, including differential HOX gene expression. Neck-derived PMSCs exhibited the highest proliferation, whereas back-derived PMSCs maintained the highest PAX7 and MYOD expressions during long-term culture. Back-derived PMSCs also exhibited superior differentiation, forming thicker myotubes with the highest fusion index, favoring fast-twitch fibers, and showing the highest protein content. In contrast, neck-derived PMSCs favored slow-twitch fibers and displayed the lowest protein content. These findings underscore the significance of cell source selection in optimizing muscle tissue engineering for scalable cultured meat production, contributing to the advancement of sustainable and alternative food technologies.