Food Science and Biotechnology最新文献

This study investigated the potential ameliorative effects of fermented red ginseng (FRG) extract on sarcopenia-related muscle atrophy in old mice and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. Mice, aged five and twenty months, were divided into seven groups: young and old controls, and old mice treated with Schisandra chinensis extract (200 mg/kg/day), mixed ginsenosides (15 mg/kg/day), and FRG extract (50–200 mg/kg/day). Body weight and grip strength were assessed weekly. After six weeks of oral treatment, quadriceps, gastrocnemius, and soleus were photographed and weighed, and muscle fiber cross-sectional area was analyzed via hematoxylin-eosin staining. Additionally, the protein expression levels were measured using western blot analysis. FRG extract significantly improved muscle atrophy by activating the IGF-1/Akt/mTOR pathway, reducing degradation proteins FoxO3a, MuRF1, and Fbx32, and enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis-related proteins SIRT-1/PGC-1α. The findings suggest that FRG extract effectively mitigates age-related muscle atrophy through these molecular pathways, supporting its potential as a therapeutic agent for sarcopenia.

Polysaccharides are renewable biomacromolecules obtained from natural sources like plants, bacteria, and algae, and are utilized for production of nanomaterials. Chitosan, cellulose, starch, alginate, hyaluronic acid, dextran, pectin, and glycosaminoglycans are examples of polysaccharides often utilized in production of nanomaterials. Chitosan nanoparticles are utilized in administration of drugs, wound healing, and a wide range of biomedical applications. Nanocellulose, a cellulose derivative, is utilized in nanocomposites, drug delivery systems, and as reinforcing agent in a variety of materials. In food sector, starch nanoparticles are employed to encapsulate and regulate the release of beneficial substances. Polysaccharide nanoparticles are highly suitable for food packaging due to their biocompatibility, surface activity, and controlled release capabilities. Based on this, the article provides an overview of the usage of polysaccharides in the development of nanomaterials. The chemical, technical, and functional features of polysaccharides, as well as prospective sources and applications are discussed in this article.

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (C. gloeosporioides) is widely distributed pathogen responsible for postharvest losses in fruits and vegetables. Black pepper essential oil (BPEO) has emerged as natural antifungal agent that effectively inhibits C. gloeosporioides growth. However, the precise mechanism remains incompletely understood. This research investigates the suppressive properties of BPEO nanoemulsion on C. gloeosporioides and its impact on the respiratory metabolism. Results indicated that 2 MIC BPEO nanoemulsion have the best antifungal effect. Mechanistically, 2 MIC BPEO nanoemulsion can better suppress key enzymes connected to the Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle and Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) pathway, hence reducing the C. gloeosporioides respiration rate. The total respiratory rate decreased by 60.54%, after 2 MIC BPEO nanoemulsion treatment. In conclusion, the BPEO nanoemulsion effectively mitigates fungal proliferation and reproduction by downregulating relevant enzymes expression. However, it is necessary to further expand the research on the regulation mechanism of enzyme activity at gene and protein level.

Effects of continuous soaking, freezing, and drying on physicochemical properties of corn and potato starches were investigated to prove potentials of sequential physical modification method. High temperature soaking showed the higher swelling power than low temperature soaking in both starches right after soaking. Freezing did not significantly rearrange the molecular structure of both starches. Drying greatly change the physicochemical properties of both starches in the order of freeze, air and spray dryings. Consequently, sequential treatment of soaking, freezing, and drying lowered RVA pasting characteristics (peak viscosity, breakdown, setback) as well as amylopectin melting transition temperature compared to native starch. Particularly, potato starch showed more significant change than corn starch, possibly due to the differences in water absorption, amylose content, crystallinity, granule size, etc. Overall, high temperature soaking and freeze drying significantly change the RVA, DSC and XRD characteristics in the sequential treatment of soaking, freezing and drying of starches.

In this study, a sweet flavor producing endophytic fungus YN-F1 was screened and identified as Talaromyces funiculosus. The PDB broth of YN-F1 possessed strong sweet aroma together with fruity and floral flavors. The key flavor compounds were determined as 4-methyl-5,6-dihydropyran-2-one, 4-hydroxy-4-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one, 2-phenylethanol, and 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol. The key flavor metabolite 4-methyl-5,6-dihydropyran-2-one was further isolated and identified by NMR and MS. Sensory evaluation suggested this compound exhibited strong sweet aroma with floral flavor. 4-Methyl-5,6-dihydropyran-2-one possessed a relatively strong binding energy with TAS1R2 of − 4.9 kcal/mol, and hydrogen bond sites of THR-A-796 and ASN-A-799 could be important since the binding energy could be mainly dominated by the hydrogen bond interaction. This is the first report of flavor producing ability and characteristic flavor compounds for the endophytic fungus T. funiculosus.

Climate change-induced disruptions to agricultural systems and other socio-economic and geopolitical factors threaten food supply availability, access, and stability. The paper examines the crisis and explores the strategies, challenges, and policy implications of transforming food systems towards sustainability. It highlights the undeniable impact of climate change on agriculture, discussing how it affects crop yields and contributes to the increased frequency of extreme weather events. The paper discusses the extent and causes of food loss and waste in the supply chain, presents various technologies and initiatives to reduce it, and highlights models for efficient food distribution and surplus food redistribution. Lastly, it shifts its attention to food policy and governance, assessing the effectiveness of national and international policies in addressing food security and climate change. Conclusively, it underscores the pressing need for a holistic and sustainable approach to food systems transformation in the face of climate change.

Nanotechnology has gained recognition as the next uprising technology in numerous sectors, together with food industry and agriculture. Diminution of particle size to nanoscale range enhances the surface area, eventually surface-to-volume ratio, subsequently enhances their reactivity by several times, modifying optical, electrical, and mechanical features. Nanotechnology can also modify the aqueous solubility, thermal stability, and bioavailability in oral delivery of bioactive nutraceuticals. Recent research developed number of suitable delivery systems that provide effective site specific release of the nutraceuticals in control way for better utilization. Phospholipid, liposomes, niosome, emulsion, microemulsion/ nanoemulsions, ethosomes, SNEDDS, SLN based delivery vehicles, Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) for nutraceutical delivery systems will be discussed in this review. Mainly the formulations, principle of the above carrier along with recent researches of those technologies will be discussed.

Graphical abstract

Sodium alginate (SA) was crosslinked by calcium hydrogen phosphate and calcium carbonate (CC), of which the rate was controlled by glucono-delta-lactone to decrease the pH and induce a slow release of Ca²⁺ ions. The crosslinked SA was coated on oriented polypropylene (OPP). The coated films exhibited a low oxygen transmission rate (OTR) under 0% relative humidity (RH). The SA coating crosslinked with CC 0.07 g/g SA exhibited a lower OTR under 50% RH than the OPP/pure SA film due to the dense matrix and the exposure of hydrophobic groups. The coated film was laminated with cast polypropylene, decreasing an OTR by 0.11 cm³/m²·day (0% RH). Additionally, the pouches using the resultant multilayer films exhibited stable oxygen barrier properties against the environment which weakly simulates a boiling process. Furthermore, the pouches efficiently delayed the oxidation of grapeseed oil. Overall, the developed coatings show potential as oxygen barrier layers in food packaging.

Mangosteen peel (MP) is being studied for its prebiotic potential due to its high dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. This research evaluated MP combined with cardamom oil (CM) at 300 µl, examining its effects on probiotic growth and antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridium perfringens). Additionally, CM-treated MP was tested to extend the shelf life of rice sausage. CM-treated MP showed significant dietary fiber (58%) and bioactive compounds, including total phenolics (18.5 mgGAE/100 g), flavonoids (50.5 mgQE/100 g), and strong antioxidant activity (IC50 of ABTS: 8.3 µg/mL, DPPH: 9.4 µg/mL). It promoted probiotic growth, lowered pH, and inhibited pathogens. The shelf life of rice sausage extended from 7 to 21 days at 4 °C. The color of the treated sausage showed the highest red–yellow after fermenting for 21 days, with maximum a* (10.49 ± 0.51) and b* (22.40 ± 0.97), compared to the control (a* ~ 3.88 ± 0.35, b* ~ 11.66 ± 1.67). It also increased lactic acid bacteria and prevented pathogen growth. These findings suggest that CM-treated MP shows promise as a prebiotic for enhancing the safety of fermented foods and could be particularly beneficial in the fermented rice sausage industry due to its low production cost. MP, produced from waste, is an inexpensive ingredient that is easy to incorporate into rice sausage production. This enhances the product’s value, provides prebiotic benefits, and boosts both marketability and consumer interest in healthy food options.

Various studies demonstrated that probiotics play important roles in maintaining the balance of microorganisms in the body. Some strains produce bile salt hydrolase enzyme (BSH), which is an indirect mechanism for lowering cholesterol. BSH-producing probiotics as a supplement might be an alternative way to help reducing cholesterol in the body. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different microcapsule formulations with selected vegetable powders on growth characteristics of 3 Thai probiotic strains, Lactobacillus gasseri TM1, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus TM7, and L. rhamnosus TM14. Probiotics were cultured in MRS broth supplemented with 5 vegetable powders. Corn powder significantly increased growth rate of probiotics from 10⁹ to 10¹² CFU/ml. Therefore, different microcapsule formulations by Maillard reaction of whey protein isolate and maltodextrin mixed with and without corn powder were studied. The results showed that probiotic microcapsules formulated with corn powder significantly effectively sustained probiotic viability under gastrointestinal and storage conditions.