Food Research International最新文献_第5页

Unveiling brain response mechanisms of citrus flavor perception: An EEG-based study on sensory and cognitive responses

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-25 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116096

Qian Zhao , Peilin Yang , Xiaolei Wang , Zhiyue Ye , Zhenzhen Xu , Jianle Chen , Shiguo Chen , Xingqian Ye , Huan Cheng

Citrus flavors are globally popular in food industry, yet research on the perceptual preferences of various citrus flavors is limited. Based on the subjective sensory evaluation, this study introduces a novel sensory analysis approach, using electroencephalography (EEG), to objectively measure the sensory and cognitive responses to nine citrus flavors, including d-limonene, concentrated (H-) and original essential oils of sweet orange (SEO), bergamot EO (BEO), lemon EO (LEO), and grapefruit EO (GEO). Results revealed that δ (0.5–4 Hz) and α (8–13 Hz) waves activity predominated in brain responses to citrus flavor, with greater activity observed in frontal and central regions compared to other areas. Sniffing citrus EOs triggered more complex and dynamic electrical activity than d-limonene, indicated by higher power density across all frequency bands (0.1-30 Hz). Interestingly, while the original citrus EOs were associated with higher self-reported acceptability, the concentrated forms elicited greater brain responses. Specifically, H-SEO and L-LEO eliciting significantly greater δ and α wave activity in the prefrontal region than their original forms (P < 0.05). A preliminary correlation was observed between brain laterality in α waves power and acceptability scores of citrus flavor, with δ waves power in the prefrontal region further demonstrating an effective reflection of self-reported acceptability scores for SEO and LEO stimuli. This is the first EEG-based study to compare brain responses to different citrus flavors, providing important implications for the food industry in optimizing product formulations and enhancing consumer experiences.

{"title":"Unveiling brain response mechanisms of citrus flavor perception: An EEG-based study on sensory and cognitive responses","authors":"Qian Zhao , Peilin Yang , Xiaolei Wang , Zhiyue Ye , Zhenzhen Xu , Jianle Chen , Shiguo Chen , Xingqian Ye , Huan Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116096","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116096","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Citrus flavors are globally popular in food industry, yet research on the perceptual preferences of various citrus flavors is limited. Based on the subjective sensory evaluation, this study introduces a novel sensory analysis approach, using electroencephalography (EEG), to objectively measure the sensory and cognitive responses to nine citrus flavors, including <span>d</span>-limonene, concentrated (H-) and original essential oils of sweet orange (SEO), bergamot EO (BEO), lemon EO (LEO), and grapefruit EO (GEO). Results revealed that δ (0.5–4 Hz) and α (8–13 Hz) waves activity predominated in brain responses to citrus flavor, with greater activity observed in frontal and central regions compared to other areas. Sniffing citrus EOs triggered more complex and dynamic electrical activity than <span>d</span>-limonene, indicated by higher power density across all frequency bands (0.1-30 Hz). Interestingly, while the original citrus EOs were associated with higher self-reported acceptability, the concentrated forms elicited greater brain responses. Specifically, H-SEO and L-LEO eliciting significantly greater δ and α wave activity in the prefrontal region than their original forms (<em>P</em> < 0.05). A preliminary correlation was observed between brain laterality in α waves power and acceptability scores of citrus flavor, with δ waves power in the prefrontal region further demonstrating an effective reflection of self-reported acceptability scores for SEO and LEO stimuli. This is the first EEG-based study to compare brain responses to different citrus flavors, providing important implications for the food industry in optimizing product formulations and enhancing consumer experiences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 116096"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143509610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Unraveling molecular mechanisms of 1-deoxynojirimycin and polyphenol biosynthesis in mulberry leaves in response to ultrasound elicitation: An integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics approach

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-25 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116072

Arshad Mehmood , Haile Ma , Xiumin Chen

1-Deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) and polyphenols are the primary anti-diabetic components in mulberry leaves (MLs) but their low natural abundance limits their application. To address this, we investigated the impact of ultrasonication (US) on the accumulation of 1-DNJ, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) in MLs. Under the optimal conditions determined by the Box-Behnken design, 1-DNJ, TPC, and TFC levels increased by 2.10-, 2.66-, and 2.11-fold, respectively. US treatment also changed the surface microstructure and increased electrical conductivity, polyphenolic content, antioxidant capacity, as well as α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities, while inhibiting polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities in MLs. Metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses identified 458 differential metabolites (DMs) and 9429 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These DMs and DEGs are involved in key metabolic pathways for synthesizing 1-DNJ and phenolic compounds. Our findings demonstrated that US treatment boosted the biosynthesis of 1-DNJ and phenolic compounds by upregulating the expression of key enzymes, thereby increasing their contents in MLs. This study demonstrates an innovative strategy for improving bioactive components, particularly 1-DNJ, in MLs, providing the potential to increase the values of MLs in the food and nutraceutical industries.

{"title":"Unraveling molecular mechanisms of 1-deoxynojirimycin and polyphenol biosynthesis in mulberry leaves in response to ultrasound elicitation: An integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics approach","authors":"Arshad Mehmood , Haile Ma , Xiumin Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116072","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116072","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>1-Deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) and polyphenols are the primary anti-diabetic components in mulberry leaves (MLs) but their low natural abundance limits their application. To address this, we investigated the impact of ultrasonication (US) on the accumulation of 1-DNJ, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) in MLs. Under the optimal conditions determined by the Box-Behnken design, 1-DNJ, TPC, and TFC levels increased by 2.10-, 2.66-, and 2.11-fold, respectively. US treatment also changed the surface microstructure and increased electrical conductivity, polyphenolic content, antioxidant capacity, as well as α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities, while inhibiting polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities in MLs. Metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses identified 458 differential metabolites (DMs) and 9429 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These DMs and DEGs are involved in key metabolic pathways for synthesizing 1-DNJ and phenolic compounds. Our findings demonstrated that US treatment boosted the biosynthesis of 1-DNJ and phenolic compounds by upregulating the expression of key enzymes, thereby increasing their contents in MLs. This study demonstrates an innovative strategy for improving bioactive components, particularly 1-DNJ, in MLs, providing the potential to increase the values of MLs in the food and nutraceutical industries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 116072"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143510862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A novel antioxidant peptide from soybean meal alleviates H2O2-induced oxidative damage via the Keap1-Nrf2-HO-1 pathway

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-25 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116084

Yiding Yu , Sitong Ma , Yuxi Han , Shuo Zhang , Meng Yang , Zhiyang Du , Zhipeng Yu , Chunmei Liu

As the main processing by-product of soybeans, the soybean meal has received increasing attention for its abundant proteins and nutritional values. However, most soybean meal is currently restricted to coarse livestock feed and lacks attention to its potential functional activities. This study aimed to explore the antioxidant activity and cytoprotective mechanism of bioactive peptides from soybean meal using a combined in vitro and in silico approach. Herein, a novel antioxidant peptide (Lys-Phe-Gly-Trp, KFGW) was identified from soybean meal hydrolysate (< 1 kDa) by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Besides, KFGW exhibited superior antioxidant activity as reflected by the excellent in vitro radicals scavenging capacity and cytoprotective profiles against H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage in HEK-293 cells. Meanwhile, KFGW could significantly improve the activity of the antioxidant enzyme SOD and inhibit the excessive generation of intracellular ROS and NO, thereby alleviating oxidative stress-induced cell apoptosis via Bcl-2/Bax/Caspase signaling. More importantly, KFGW could effectively activate the Keap1-Nrf2-HO-1 pathway by occupying the Nrf2 binding site on Keap1, which was mainly attributed to the hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions. Overall, these findings would facilitate the integrated application of bioactive peptides derived from soybean meal as functional ingredients in food processing and health-promoting areas.

{"title":"A novel antioxidant peptide from soybean meal alleviates H2O2-induced oxidative damage via the Keap1-Nrf2-HO-1 pathway","authors":"Yiding Yu , Sitong Ma , Yuxi Han , Shuo Zhang , Meng Yang , Zhiyang Du , Zhipeng Yu , Chunmei Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116084","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116084","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the main processing by-product of soybeans, the soybean meal has received increasing attention for its abundant proteins and nutritional values. However, most soybean meal is currently restricted to coarse livestock feed and lacks attention to its potential functional activities. This study aimed to explore the antioxidant activity and cytoprotective mechanism of bioactive peptides from soybean meal using a combined in vitro and in silico approach. Herein, a novel antioxidant peptide (Lys-Phe-Gly-Trp, KFGW) was identified from soybean meal hydrolysate (< 1 kDa) by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Besides, KFGW exhibited superior antioxidant activity as reflected by the excellent in vitro radicals scavenging capacity and cytoprotective profiles against H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>-induced oxidative damage in HEK-293 cells. Meanwhile, KFGW could significantly improve the activity of the antioxidant enzyme SOD and inhibit the excessive generation of intracellular ROS and NO, thereby alleviating oxidative stress-induced cell apoptosis via Bcl-2/Bax/Caspase signaling. More importantly, KFGW could effectively activate the Keap1-Nrf2-HO-1 pathway by occupying the Nrf2 binding site on Keap1, which was mainly attributed to the hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions. Overall, these findings would facilitate the integrated application of bioactive peptides derived from soybean meal as functional ingredients in food processing and health-promoting areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 116084"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143509707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Harnessing pea proteins for thermo-reversible gels: Novel strategy and molecular principle

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-25 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116050

Yanna Zhang , Xing Chen , Xingwei Li , Yuan Tao , Nana Zhang , Bowen Yan , Hao Zhang , Daming Fan

Thermo-reversible gels (such as gelatin) have a wide range of applications in the food and pharmaceutical fields. This work reports a thermo-reversible gel prepared with pea protein isolate fractionated using ionic strength-shifting method (I_0.125: 0.5 → 0.125 M, I_0.08: 0.5 → 0.08 M, I_0.06: 0.5 → 0.06 M). The ionic strength-shifting fractioned pea protein isolate (ISS-PPI) can form thermo-reversible gels within a window of pH 4 and protein concentration of 8–12 %, all of which possessing high water holding capacities above 94.67 ± 2.33 %. The gel prepared from ISS-PPI of I_0.125 had higher strength than the gels of I_0.06 and I_0.08. Dynamic rheological measurement disclosed the thermo-reversibility of the gel being stable upon repeated heating and cooling process from 80 °C to 4 °C. The SDS-PAGE results showed that ISS-PPI were primarily composed of legumin, vicilin and convicilin and the latter two were considered mainly involved of reversible gelation. The internal pores of the I_0.06 gel at 12 % protein concentration were consistently sized and most uniformly distributed, as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Hydrogen bonds were shown to be dominant in forming the gel network structure during the cooling process while hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bonds were not significantly involved. This research opened up thermal reversible gelation of pea protein which hosts great opportunities in plant-based jelly-like foods formulation.

{"title":"Harnessing pea proteins for thermo-reversible gels: Novel strategy and molecular principle","authors":"Yanna Zhang , Xing Chen , Xingwei Li , Yuan Tao , Nana Zhang , Bowen Yan , Hao Zhang , Daming Fan","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thermo-reversible gels (such as gelatin) have a wide range of applications in the food and pharmaceutical fields. This work reports a thermo-reversible gel prepared with pea protein isolate fractionated using ionic strength-shifting method (I<sub>0.125</sub>: 0.5 → 0.125 M, I<sub>0.08</sub>: 0.5 → 0.08 M, I<sub>0.06</sub>: 0.5 → 0.06 M). The ionic strength-shifting fractioned pea protein isolate (ISS-PPI) can form thermo-reversible gels within a window of pH 4 and protein concentration of 8–12 %, all of which possessing high water holding capacities above 94.67 ± 2.33 %. The gel prepared from ISS-PPI of I<sub>0.125</sub> had higher strength than the gels of I<sub>0.06</sub> and I<sub>0.08</sub>. Dynamic rheological measurement disclosed the thermo-reversibility of the gel being stable upon repeated heating and cooling process from 80 °C to 4 °C. The SDS-PAGE results showed that ISS-PPI were primarily composed of legumin, vicilin and convicilin and the latter two were considered mainly involved of reversible gelation. The internal pores of the I<sub>0.06</sub> gel at 12 % protein concentration were consistently sized and most uniformly distributed, as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Hydrogen bonds were shown to be dominant in forming the gel network structure during the cooling process while hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bonds were not significantly involved. This research opened up thermal reversible gelation of pea protein which hosts great opportunities in plant-based jelly-like foods formulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 116050"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143519824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

From microbial perspective: Manufacturing process, chemical composition and health benefis of Liupao tea-A comprehensive review

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-25 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116088

Tanli Lu , Xianmei Dong , Weiwei Lan , Bin Zhou , Jianwen Teng , Ning Xia , Muhammad Rafiullah Khan , Li Huang

Liupao tea (LPT) has garnered increasing attention from researchers due to its distinctive flavor, its role in traditional Chinese medicine for dispelling dampness and promoting health, and its rich cultural heritage. Over the past decade, studies have explored the chemical composition, biological activity, taste profile, microbial community, and safety aspects of LPT. However, a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationships between LPT, its associated microorganisms, characteristic chemical components, and biological activities remains lacking. This review explores microorganisms' role in LPT production, focusing on their contributions to fermentation advantages, colony structure, identified species, and their impact on flavor, quality, and safety. Additionally, it highlights the role of microorganisms in chemical transformations and the link between these transformations and the tea's health benefits. The unique technological process of LPT involves a high-temperature, short-term fermentation stage (pile and tank fermentation) followed by a low-temperature, long-term fermentation stage (aging), during which microbial activity transitions from active to dormant. Key microbial genera such as Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus, Kocuria, Trichomonascus, Blastobotrys, and Aspergillus play vital roles in the development of quality and biotransformation of chemical components, including catechins, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The safety risks associated with fermentation, particularly concerning ochratoxin and citrinin, require close monitoring. Furthermore, research on the active ingredients of LPT and their corresponding physiological activities remains limited. Future studies should focus on the role of microorganisms in forming LPT's unique quality, its material transformation, risk control, and health-promoting effects such as dampness-removal, to further explore its potential scientific value and practical applications.

{"title":"From microbial perspective: Manufacturing process, chemical composition and health benefis of Liupao tea-A comprehensive review","authors":"Tanli Lu , Xianmei Dong , Weiwei Lan , Bin Zhou , Jianwen Teng , Ning Xia , Muhammad Rafiullah Khan , Li Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116088","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116088","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Liupao tea (LPT) has garnered increasing attention from researchers due to its distinctive flavor, its role in traditional Chinese medicine for dispelling dampness and promoting health, and its rich cultural heritage. Over the past decade, studies have explored the chemical composition, biological activity, taste profile, microbial community, and safety aspects of LPT. However, a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationships between LPT, its associated microorganisms, characteristic chemical components, and biological activities remains lacking. This review explores microorganisms' role in LPT production, focusing on their contributions to fermentation advantages, colony structure, identified species, and their impact on flavor, quality, and safety. Additionally, it highlights the role of microorganisms in chemical transformations and the link between these transformations and the tea's health benefits. The unique technological process of LPT involves a high-temperature, short-term fermentation stage (pile and tank fermentation) followed by a low-temperature, long-term fermentation stage (aging), during which microbial activity transitions from active to dormant. Key microbial genera such as <em>Sphingomonas</em>, <em>Staphylococcus</em>, <em>Kocuria</em>, <em>Trichomonascus</em>, <em>Blastobotrys</em>, and <em>Aspergillus</em> play vital roles in the development of quality and biotransformation of chemical components, including catechins, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The safety risks associated with fermentation, particularly concerning ochratoxin and citrinin, require close monitoring. Furthermore, research on the active ingredients of LPT and their corresponding physiological activities remains limited. Future studies should focus on the role of microorganisms in forming LPT's unique quality, its material transformation, risk control, and health-promoting effects such as dampness-removal, to further explore its potential scientific value and practical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 116088"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143551792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Integrating transcriptomics and Microbiomics to unravel the regulatory effects of Anji white tea on lipid metabolism in HFD-induced obese mice

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116101

Zhenyu Wang , Yifang Zhang , Xiaolei Shi , Xiaojun Li , Shangxiong Qi , Chunli Hu , Jin Zhao

Obesity has become a significant global health concern. Green tea is widely consumed as an internationally popular beverage and it is recognized that various green teas have unique biological activities. Here, the effects of Anji white tea (a green tea) ‌on lipid metabolism in high-fat-diet (HFD)-fed mice were investigated based on multi-omics. The results showed the functional components and antioxidant activity changed significantly in the whole process (fresh leaves-withering-stripping-drying). Oral gavage of Anji white tea water extract (AJT) for 9 weeks significantly lowered body weight, improved dysglycemia, and alleviated liver oxidative injury. Liver transcriptome analysis revealed that AJT regulated the gene expression related to the “valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation” pathway, including HADH, HMGCL, ACSF3, ACADS, ALDH3A2, and ACAA2. This result was further validated by qPCR and Western blotting. 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that AJT improved HFD-induced gut dysbiosis by significantly increasing beneficial genera (e.g., Muribaculaceae_norank and Alloprevotella) and reducing harmful bacteria (e.g., Bacteroides, Lachnospiraceae_uncultured, and Helicobacter). Furthermore, correlation analysis found that AJT-induced alteration of genera was greatly associated with obesity-related parameters and genes involved in the “valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation” pathway. Collectively, our findings indicated that AJT may alleviate obesity by modulating gut microbiota and the “amino acids, valine, and leucine metabolism” pathway.

{"title":"Integrating transcriptomics and Microbiomics to unravel the regulatory effects of Anji white tea on lipid metabolism in HFD-induced obese mice","authors":"Zhenyu Wang , Yifang Zhang , Xiaolei Shi , Xiaojun Li , Shangxiong Qi , Chunli Hu , Jin Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116101","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116101","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Obesity has become a significant global health concern. Green tea is widely consumed as an internationally popular beverage and it is recognized that various green teas have unique biological activities. Here, the effects of Anji white tea (a green tea) ‌on lipid metabolism in high-fat-diet (HFD)-fed mice were investigated based on multi-omics. The results showed the functional components and antioxidant activity changed significantly in the whole process (fresh leaves-withering-stripping-drying). Oral gavage of Anji white tea water extract (AJT) for 9 weeks significantly lowered body weight, improved dysglycemia, and alleviated liver oxidative injury. Liver transcriptome analysis revealed that AJT regulated the gene expression related to the “valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation” pathway, including HADH, HMGCL, ACSF3, ACADS, ALDH3A2, and ACAA2. This result was further validated by qPCR and Western blotting. 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that AJT improved HFD-induced gut dysbiosis by significantly increasing beneficial genera (e.g., <em>Muribaculaceae</em>_<em>norank</em> and <em>Alloprevotella</em>) and reducing harmful bacteria (e.g., <em>Bacteroides</em>, <em>Lachnospiraceae_uncultured</em>, and <em>Helicobacter</em>). Furthermore, correlation analysis found that AJT-induced alteration of genera was greatly associated with obesity-related parameters and genes involved in the “valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation” pathway. Collectively, our findings indicated that AJT may alleviate obesity by modulating gut microbiota and the “amino acids, valine, and leucine metabolism” pathway.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 116101"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143509701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Quality, bioactivity and cytotoxicity of thymol nanofiber-fortified bread: Insight into molecular interaction mechanism

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116095

Khubaib Ali , Bo Jiang , Waqas Ashraf , Assam Bin Tahir , Arif Hussain

Thymol, a bioactive compound, offers significant potential in functional foods but its application is limited by poor stability, solubility and bioavailability. This study aimed to enhance thymol's stability and bioactivity by encapsulating it in pullulan-whey protein isolate-based electrospun nanofibers and evaluating its effects in bread fortification. The impact of encapsulation on thymol's recovery, functional properties, bioavailability and cytotoxicity was assessed. The results showed that bread fortified with thymol encapsulated pullulan-whey protein isolates-based nanofiber (THY-PW-NF) significantly improved flour pasting properties and bread texture, while also enhancing thymol's recovery (78.07 %) during bread preparation compared to using free thymol. THY-PW-NF in bread preserved its bioactivity after gastrointestinal digestion. It increased its inhibitory effects on alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase as revealed by molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations. Cytotoxicity assays on Caco-2 cells confirmed that exposure to free thymol, thymol extracted from nanofibers and THY-PW-NF derived from fortified bread within a concentration range of 0–20 μg/mL did not significantly impact cell viability compared to control cells over 24 h. These findings suggest that encapsulation effectively incorporates thymol into functional foods, maintaining its health benefits without compromising safety.

{"title":"Quality, bioactivity and cytotoxicity of thymol nanofiber-fortified bread: Insight into molecular interaction mechanism","authors":"Khubaib Ali , Bo Jiang , Waqas Ashraf , Assam Bin Tahir , Arif Hussain","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116095","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116095","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thymol, a bioactive compound, offers significant potential in functional foods but its application is limited by poor stability, solubility and bioavailability. This study aimed to enhance thymol's stability and bioactivity by encapsulating it in pullulan-whey protein isolate-based electrospun nanofibers and evaluating its effects in bread fortification. The impact of encapsulation on thymol's recovery, functional properties, bioavailability and cytotoxicity was assessed. The results showed that bread fortified with thymol encapsulated pullulan-whey protein isolates-based nanofiber (THY-PW-NF) significantly improved flour pasting properties and bread texture, while also enhancing thymol's recovery (78.07 %) during bread preparation compared to using free thymol. THY-PW-NF in bread preserved its bioactivity after gastrointestinal digestion. It increased its inhibitory effects on alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase as revealed by molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations. Cytotoxicity assays on Caco-2 cells confirmed that exposure to free thymol, thymol extracted from nanofibers and THY-PW-NF derived from fortified bread within a concentration range of 0–20 μg/mL did not significantly impact cell viability compared to control cells over 24 h. These findings suggest that encapsulation effectively incorporates thymol into functional foods, maintaining its health benefits without compromising safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 116095"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143519622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Preparation of two-step cold-set low oleogel-microgels phase bigels and its application in tender fish balls: Pork fat substitute and cryoprotectant

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116057

Yanlei Gao, Qing Xiong, Qilin Huang, Yang Hu, Ru Liu

The high moisture content and low oil levels in the bigels easily led to oil-water separation. The stability of bigels prepared from 30 % beeswax sunflower oleogel and 70 % gelatin hydrogel was evaluated using a two-step cold-set synergistic continuous dispersion method. Both the oleogel and hydrogel had formed a gel system, respectively, at low temperature prior to the preparation of bigels. The dynamic process of cold set and further dispersion of initial bigels was named two-step cold-set synergistic continuous dispersion. Results indicated that this dynamic process significantly reduced the size of oleogel microgel particles, thereby increasing the adsorption area of interfacial proteins. Oleogel microgel particles uniformly filled the hydrogel network, forming a stable oleogel/hydrogel structure. Moreover, an increase in hydrophobic interactions, resulting from the cold set of the initial bigels to continuous dispersion, contributed significantly to interfacial stability. Furthermore, modulated bigels replacing 50 % pork fat significantly increased the water content (from 69 % to 75 %), freshness, and flavor richness of fish balls compared with the full-fat group. The bigels reduced the ice crystal size in low-fat tender fish balls during freeze-thaw cycles. In conclusion, the dynamic processes greatly improved the structural stability of low oleogel-based bigels without the use of emulsifiers. Modulated bigels show promising potential as a pork fat substitute and cryoprotectant for tender fish balls.

{"title":"Preparation of two-step cold-set low oleogel-microgels phase bigels and its application in tender fish balls: Pork fat substitute and cryoprotectant","authors":"Yanlei Gao, Qing Xiong, Qilin Huang, Yang Hu, Ru Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116057","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116057","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The high moisture content and low oil levels in the bigels easily led to oil-water separation. The stability of bigels prepared from 30 % beeswax sunflower oleogel and 70 % gelatin hydrogel was evaluated using a two-step cold-set synergistic continuous dispersion method. Both the oleogel and hydrogel had formed a gel system, respectively, at low temperature prior to the preparation of bigels. The dynamic process of cold set and further dispersion of initial bigels was named two-step cold-set synergistic continuous dispersion. Results indicated that this dynamic process significantly reduced the size of oleogel microgel particles, thereby increasing the adsorption area of interfacial proteins. Oleogel microgel particles uniformly filled the hydrogel network, forming a stable oleogel/hydrogel structure. Moreover, an increase in hydrophobic interactions, resulting from the cold set of the initial bigels to continuous dispersion, contributed significantly to interfacial stability. Furthermore, modulated bigels replacing 50 % pork fat significantly increased the water content (from 69 % to 75 %), freshness, and flavor richness of fish balls compared with the full-fat group. The bigels reduced the ice crystal size in low-fat tender fish balls during freeze-thaw cycles. In conclusion, the dynamic processes greatly improved the structural stability of low oleogel-based bigels without the use of emulsifiers. Modulated bigels show promising potential as a pork fat substitute and cryoprotectant for tender fish balls.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 116057"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143509699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Bioconservation of artisanal raw goat milk cheese produced with lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lacticaseibacillus spp.

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116070

Bruno Fonsêca Feitosa , Leidiana Elias Xavier , Jayuri Susy Fernandes de Araújo , Mônica Correia Gonçalves , Karina Maria Olbrich dos Santos , Antonio Silvio do Egito , Mônica Tejo Cavalcanti

The objective was to evaluate the bioconservation of artisanal raw goat milk cheese produced with lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lacticaseibacillus spp. Cheeses were prepared with the addition of 2 % (v/v) of autochthonous lactic culture, while a control group was produced without the addition of these bacteria. Ripening was carried out at room temperature in the Brazilian semi-arid region. After 20 days of room ripening, the cheeses were classified as hard (< 36.0 % moisture). There was more intense proteolytic activity, and a more accelerated reduction of the pathogenic and deteriorating microbial population in the cheeses, which contained a viable lactic acid bacteria count (6.45–7.35 log CFU g⁻¹). The autochthonous strains of Lacticaseibacillus spp. may have contributed to the bioconservation and acceptability of raw goat milk cheese, making it possible to reduce production costs with imported starter cultures and preservation technologies, such as pasteurization and refrigeration. The cheeses were better accepted in the form of “grated cheese” when they presented uniform characteristics, typical cheese flavor, sandy, pleasant taste, and residual yogurt aroma.

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引用次数: 0

Predicting puff pastry margarine performances based on LAOS output

IF 7 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Research International

Pub Date : 2025-02-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116062

A. Chakraborty , C. Blecker , V. Van Hoed , P. Barthelemy , R. Detry , S. Danthine

Laminated pastries rely heavily on the unique viscoelastic and plastic properties of margarine. Traditional methods for predicting such properties, such as solid fat content (SFC), hardness, small amplitude oscillatory rheology, and subjective sensory tests (thumb test), often lack the sensitivity to detect subtle variations in margarine possessing similar characteristics. SFC primarily focuses on solid fat content, hardness measurement with cone provides a single-point assessment and identifying linear viscoelastic region cannot adequately describe the non-linear behavior which is crucial for lamination processes involving significant deformations. Additionally, subjective sensory tests are highly operator-dependent and prone to variability and inconsistency.

This study introduces Large Amplitude Oscillatory Shear (LAOS) as an approach to characterize the viscoelastic properties of same composition lamination margarines. LAOS, a powerful nonlinear rheological technique, enables precise differentiation of margarines produced with minor variations in processing conditions and maturation temperatures, even when traditional methods fail to detect significant viscoelastic differences.

Results demonstrate that LAOS effectively captures the subtle viscoelastic variations between margarines, correlating strongly with their baking performance. This study emphasizes the crucial role of nonlinear rheology, specifically LAOS, in accurately predicting the behavior of lamination margarines and optimizing their performance in baking applications.

{"title":"Predicting puff pastry margarine performances based on LAOS output","authors":"A. Chakraborty , C. Blecker , V. Van Hoed , P. Barthelemy , R. Detry , S. Danthine","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116062","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116062","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Laminated pastries rely heavily on the unique viscoelastic and plastic properties of margarine. Traditional methods for predicting such properties, such as solid fat content (SFC), hardness, small amplitude oscillatory rheology, and subjective sensory tests (thumb test), often lack the sensitivity to detect subtle variations in margarine possessing similar characteristics. SFC primarily focuses on solid fat content, hardness measurement with cone provides a single-point assessment and identifying linear viscoelastic region cannot adequately describe the non-linear behavior which is crucial for lamination processes involving significant deformations. Additionally, subjective sensory tests are highly operator-dependent and prone to variability and inconsistency.</div><div>This study introduces Large Amplitude Oscillatory Shear (LAOS) as an approach to characterize the viscoelastic properties of same composition lamination margarines. LAOS, a powerful nonlinear rheological technique, enables precise differentiation of margarines produced with minor variations in processing conditions and maturation temperatures, even when traditional methods fail to detect significant viscoelastic differences.</div><div>Results demonstrate that LAOS effectively captures the subtle viscoelastic variations between margarines, correlating strongly with their baking performance. This study emphasizes the crucial role of nonlinear rheology, specifically LAOS, in accurately predicting the behavior of lamination margarines and optimizing their performance in baking applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 116062"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143527024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0