Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry最新文献

RNA interference (RNAi) represents a promising approach for insect pest management; however, its application in Lepidoptera is constrained by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) instability, limited cellular uptake, and inefficient RNAi machinery. In this study, we developed a bacteriophage MS2 virus-like particle (VLP)-based delivery platform for hairpin RNA (hpRNA) targeting the invasive pest Hyphantria cunea. When expressed in Escherichia coli, MS2 VLPs efficiently encapsulate hpRNA, markedly enhancing its resistance to nuclease activity and environmental degradation. In addition, surface display of the HIV trans-activator of transcription (TAT) peptide on MS2 VLPs significantly improved cellular internalization of hpRNA, resulting in robust RNAi-mediated gene silencing in H. cunea at low hpRNA doses. Importantly, no adverse effects were detected in three nontarget organisms: Clostera restitura, Plagiodera versicolora, and the parasitoid Chouioia cunea. Together, these results demonstrate that the MS2-hpRNA system represents a scalable, effective, and environmentally safe strategy for RNA-based pest control.

The mobility of nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) in basalt-derived paddy soils under redox-fluctuating conditions governs their accumulation in rice. However, the influence of redox-induced changes in soil components, particularly iron (Fe) (oxyhydr)oxides and organic matter (OM), on the mobility of these metals remains poorly understood. This study revealed that Fe redox cycling serves as the fundamental driving force controlling the release and immobilization of Ni, Cr, and Pb. Fe(III) reduction and OM complexation under anoxic conditions increased metal mobility, while Fe(II) oxidation and OM stabilization under oxic conditions reduced metal mobility. A kinetic model revealed that Ni and Pb mobility was predominantly controlled by Fe cycling, with Pb showing the strongest coupling (81.5-93.5% influence). For Cr, although Fe cycling remained the underlying driver, a greater proportion (82.6-83.6%) was associated with OM interactions. These findings advance risk assessment and inform redox-based remediation strategies for contaminated paddy soils.

Although medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) are extensively applied in food, pharmaceutical, and chemical fields, traditional approaches for their production are costly and unsustainable. Recently, the biosynthesis of MCCAs exhibits huge potential for sustainable development in both economic and environmental aspects. However, the biological method is still in its infancy and faces several challenges. A comprehensive review is therefore necessary to emphasize the recent progress in the production of biobased MCCAs. In this review, the principles of MCCA biosynthesis were introduced, and the main challenges were completely analyzed, including insufficient electron donors, byproduct accumulation, substrate competitiveness, and inhibitory factors. Moreover, several effective strategies that could improve the performance of MCCA synthesis were discussed, such as process control, biofilm, quorum sensing, electro-fermentation, bioaugmentation, and MCCA extraction. Finally, the potential of bioconversion of wasted biomass into MCCAs was analyzed toward the low-cost production of MCCAs.

Cadmium (Cd)-contaminated rice and wheat cause significant harm to public health. However, mechanistic differences in Cd bioavailability and toxicity between the staple foods through intestinal transport and gut microbiota remain insufficient. In this study, Cd-containing whole wheat and polished rice were fed to mice, showing over 2-fold lower Cd accumulation in the liver and kidneys of wheat-fed mice compared to rice-fed mice. One contributor was higher iron, calcium, and zinc contents in wheat than in rice, leading to a lower expression of iron, calcium, and zinc transporters in the duodenum of wheat-fed mice. Additionally, fiber-rich wheat caused higher relative abundance of Lactobacillus reuteri, strengthening intestinal integrity and tight junction expression, promoting fecal Cd excretion, and upregulating bile acid metabolism in the gut. The transporter downregulation and gut health improvements collectively contributed to lower wheat-Cd bioavailability. Findings indicate that Cd-containing wheat may pose remarkably lower health risk to humans compared to rice.

The increasing demand for sustainable food-grade emulsifiers has stimulated interest in enzymatic processes utilizing renewable feedstocks. However, the use of waste cooking oil (WCO) for the enzymatic production of monoacylglycerols (MAG) suitable for food applications has been poorly explored. In this study, WCO was successfully upcycled into MAG through lipase-catalyzed glycerolysis using an immobilized enzyme in tert-amyl alcohol as a green solvent. Process parameters, including enzyme loading, glycerol-to-WCO molar ratio, temperature, and solvent concentration, were optimized. Under optimized conditions, a MAG yield of 67% was achieved. The resulting MAG exhibited emulsifying properties comparable to those of commercial surfactants in oil-in-water systems. Overall, this work demonstrates a sustainable strategy for the upcycling of WCO into high-value emulsifiers, contributing to circular economy principles in food ingredient production.

This study employed activity-guided fractionation to identify the compounds that are responsible for the bitter off-taste of fava bean protein isolates and concentrates. UHPLC-ToF-MS and 1D/2D NMR experiments led to the identification of three known bitter compounds, vicine, convicine, and 3'-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-L-DOPA. In addition, eight previously unknown vicine and convicine derivatives were identified. The bitter thresholds of the analytes were determined and found to be in the range of 0.10 to 1.44 mmol/L. To assess the taste contribution, the corresponding dose-overthreshold (DoT) factors were calculated, and it was shown that convicine with a DoT > 230 is playing a central role for the bitter off-taste. Furthermore, the analysis of fatty acids and their oxidation products suggests that linolenic-, linoleic-, and oleic acid directly contribute to the off-taste of fava bean protein. In addition, cell-based studies showed activation of bitter receptors TAS2R16 and TAS2R43 by vicine and convicine, respectively.

Rice lesion mimic mutants (LMMs) spontaneously form lesion-like symptoms without pathogen infection and are vital for studying plant immune and defense responses. Here, we identified an EMS-mutagenized Nipponbare-derived LMM, russet spots leaf (rsp), exhibiting leaf russet spots and deteriorated agronomic traits with significantly reduced grain yield. These abnormal phenotypes correlate with impaired photosynthetic efficiency, aberrant programmed cell death (PCD) and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Moreover, rsp shows enhanced resistance to bacterial blight and rice stripe virus, driven by altered defense-related genes and metabolites. Map-based cloning localized RSP (encoding MED subunit 33a), where a single nucleotide substitution causes its inactivation. This mutation alters plant responses to abiotic stresses and exogenous hormones, likely via disrupting its conserved domain mediating multiple biological processes. Our findings confirm RSP as a pivotal regulator of immune responses and grain yield, laying a theoretical foundation for breeding high-yield, high-quality and disease-resistant rice cultivars.

NAFLD-related hepatic steatosis is a growing global health concern. We developed food-grade gliadin hydrolysate-berberine-chitosan nanoparticles (BBR-NPs) and evaluated their bioactivity in oleic acid-challenged HepG2 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. In vitro, BBR-NPs reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-C, increased HDL-C, and alleviated oxidative stress by decreasing ROS and malondialdehyde while enhancing superoxide dismutase activity. In vivo, oral BBR-NPs attenuated hepatic lipid deposition and improved serum/hepatic lipid indices, ALT/AST, oxidative stress markers, insulin resistance, and inflammatory cytokines, with generally more pronounced effects than free berberine at the same nominal dose in this model. Integrated hepatic metabolomics and transcriptomics suggested coordinated regulation of lipid homeostasis, including fatty acid oxidation, de novo lipogenesis, and cholesterol/bile acid metabolism. Collectively, BBR-NPs represent a scalable oral delivery approach that may enhance berberine's metabolic benefits in diet-induced steatosis; however, pharmacokinetic and tissue exposure studies are needed to confirm formulation-specific advantages.