Food & Function最新文献

This study aimed to evaluate the potential hypoglycemic properties of brewer's spent yeast β-glucan concentrate (β-GC) through the study of its inhibitory effect on dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), α-amylase, and α-glucosidase enzymes either alone or incorporated into an extruded rice product subjected to simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Moreover, the hypoglycemic effect on 2D mouse jejunal organoids of bioaccessible compounds from extruded rice products to which are added β-glucans was studied. The β-GC showed DPP-IV, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities increased by the presence of peptides and phenolic acids. The kinetic analysis of α-amylase and DPP-IV inhibition showed that β-GC inhibited these enzymes in a non-competitive mode, while for α-glucosidase, it was competitive. Extruded product with β-GC (ERB) showed a lower degree of starch hydrolysis than that observed for extruded rice (ER). The estimated glycemic index value for ERB was 12% lower than that found for ER (61.2 ± 0.2 vs. 69.5 ± 0.1%, respectively). The ERB-digested products had lower IC₅₀ values for α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and DPP-IV enzymes than those of β-GC, indicating a hypoglycemic-promoting effect on the food matrix, which was associated with the release of phenolic acids and bioactive peptides during in vitro digestion. Moreover, phenolic acids and mannose-linked peptides dialyzed from ERB enhanced the hypoglycemic properties of β-glucan through the inhibition of α-glucosidase and DPP-IV enzymes and the reduction of lactase, sucrose-isomaltase, and glucose transporter 2-gene expression in organoids, which confirmed their hypoglycemic properties.

3,5-O-Dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5-DCQA) from edible Gongju chrysanthemum has shown protective effects against alcoholic hepatocyte injury in our previous study. However, the specific effects and mechanisms of 3,5-DCQA in a mouse model of liver injury remain underexplored. This study aimed to examine the efficacy and primary mechanism of 3,5-DCQA from Gongju chrysanthemum in ameliorating acute alcoholic liver injury in mice. The results indicated that 3,5-DCQA effectively attenuated inflammation and apoptosis by regulating the content of key factors (e.g. MyD88, NF-κB) in the TLR-4/NF-κB pathway, contributing to its protective role against alcohol-induced liver injury. 3,5-DCQA also inhibited inflammation and apoptosis by recovering the key metabolites (e.g. phosphatidylserine) and related genes (e.g. Lpgat1) of glycerophospholipid metabolism. These results were further verified by transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, showing that 3,5-DCQA exerts protective effects against alcohol-induced liver injury by modulating glycerophospholipid metabolism and suppressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis through the TLR-4/NF-κB pathway. The current findings highlight the hepatoprotectivity of 3,5-DCQA and may facilitate the application of Gongju chrysanthemum in liver-protective functional foods.

Male sexual dysfunction (MSD) poses a substantial global health burden, with current pharmacotherapies often limited by adverse effects, necessitating safer, natural alternatives. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of oyster enzymatic hydrolysate (OEH) produced via an optimized dynamic enzymolysis membrane reactor (DEMR) for ameliorating MSD. The DEMR process enhanced OEH yield by 15.9% and antioxidant capacity by 42.8% compared to conventional methods, producing a hydrolysate rich in small peptides (<1000 Da), essential amino acids, taurine, and zinc with potent in vitro antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities. In an adenine/estradiol benzoate-induced MSD mouse model, DEMR-OEH intervention (1500 mg kg⁻¹) significantly restored sexual performance parameters to levels comparable to sildenafil. This efficacy was underpinned by a multi-mechanistic action: alleviating testicular oxidative stress via increased SOD/GSH activity and reduced MDA content, improving renal function indicated by decreased BUN/sCr levels, and normalizing endocrine homeostasis through the upregulation of serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone. Bioinformatic analysis further suggested involvement of oxytocin and cGMP-PKG signaling pathways. Our findings establish DEMR-derived OEH as a promising natural therapeutic agent for MSD, functioning through integrated antioxidant, renoprotective, and endocrine-modulating pathways.

The intricate interplay between individualized differences in gut microbiota and host health has garnered significant attention in contemporary biomedical research. This review elucidates the complex mechanisms governing the development of personalized gut microbial ecosystems and examines innovative modulation strategies, underscoring the imperative to transcend conventional “one-size-fits-all” paradigms in probiotic therapeutics. The gastrointestinal tract harbors a complex consortium of trillions of microorganisms. The enterotype paradigm categorizes the gut microbiota into three predominant clusters: Bacteroides-dominant, Prevotella-dominant, and Ruminococcus-dominant configurations. However, an individual's unique microbial signature is influenced by a multifactorial interplay of host genetics, dietary habits, birth modality, and environmental exposures, resulting in a microbial complexity that defies simplistic enterotype classification. Contemporary research has revealed that traditional dietary interventions for the modulation of gut microbiota often lack specificity and fail to account for individual microbial variations. In contrast, emerging probiotic and prebiotic approaches offer promising avenues for targeted microbial manipulation. To establish effective, individualized probiotic and prebiotic interventions, a comprehensive methodological framework is essential. This framework should integrate in vitro gut simulation models to replicate microbial ecosystems, in vivo studies to assess microbial colonization dynamics and metabolic impacts, and advanced computational approaches combining machine learning algorithms with multi-omics data analysis. Such an integrated approach facilitates the identification of gut microbial biomarkers and the development of precision probiotics, while requiring further refinement of algorithm-driven outcome prediction models and establishment of cross-population validation protocols, thereby accelerating the translation of gut microbiome research into personalized therapeutic strategies and advancing the frontier of precision medicine in gastrointestinal health.

1,3-Diacylglycerol (1,3-DAG) is a dietary lipid with known lipid-lowering effects, yet its role in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and gut microbiota regulation remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of 1,3-DAG on glucose-lipid metabolism and gut microbiota- short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-G protein-coupled receptors (GPR41) signaling in T2DM rats. Male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat, high-sugar diet with weekly Streptozotocin (STZ) injections (30 mg kg⁻¹) for 4 weeks to induce T2DM. After confirming stable hyperglycemia, rats were randomly divided into four groups: healthy control, T2DM model, low-dose 1,3-DAG (50% DAG + 50% TAG), and high-dose 1,3-DAG (100% DAG). Interventions lasted 8 weeks. Compared to the T2DM model group, both low- and high-dose DAG significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, insulin, and triglycerides, with levels approaching those in the control group. 1,3-DAG also restored colonic morphology, elevated GPR41 expression, and increased Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) secretion, while reducing serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Microbiota analysis showed enrichment of Bacteroidota and depletion of Proteobacteria, with increased SCFA levels including acetate, propionate, and valerate. Importantly, Bacteroidota-related taxa were negatively correlated with glycemic and lipid markers, while Proteobacteria taxa showed positive correlations with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and negative correlations with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). 1,3-DAG significantly improved glycemic control, lipid metabolism and intestinal barrier integrity in T2DM rats. These benefits may be mediated through the gut microbiota-SCFA-GPR41-GLP-1 signaling axis. The findings suggest that 1,3-DAG is a promising dietary intervention for T2DM. Further clinical studies are warranted to validate its long-term efficacy and therapeutic potential.

The widespread use of bisphenol A (BPA) poses potential toxic risks to humans, with its neurotoxicity being particularly concerning. However, there are currently no targeted mitigation strategies for this toxicity. In this study, we utilized polyphenols derived from Blumea laciniata (EBL) to investigate their protective effects against BPA-induced neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans and assessed their application as yogurt additives. EBL effectively restores BPA-induced motility deficits in C. elegans. Furthermore, EBL enhances chemotaxis and learning abilities. In addition, EBL activates skn-1 (nfr-2) in C. elegans, thereby upregulating the expression of antioxidant genes such as sod-3, gst-4, ctl-1, and ctl-2, which in turn reduces the elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by BPA in C. elegans. This mechanism mitigates BPA-induced damage to the integrity and functionality of dopamine neurons. Incorporating EBL into yogurt at concentrations above 0.3% adversely affects its taste and physicochemical properties; however, lower concentrations yield a stable and functional food product. The findings of this study demonstrate that EBL possesses neuroprotective properties and holds promise for development as a functional food.

Insomnia is associated with dysregulation of the gut–brain axis, yet microbiome-targeted interventions remain underexplored. In this study, we investigated the effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bbm-19 (Bbm-19), a strain isolated from human breast milk, in a 4-chloro-DL-phenylalanine-induced mouse model of insomnia. Using integrated behavioral, neurochemical, immunological, and multi-omics approaches, this study demonstrates that insomnia is characterized by shortened sleep duration, prolonged sleep latency, anxiety-like behaviors, and reduced levels of serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid in the gut, serum, and brain. Administration of Bbm-19 significantly improved sleep parameters, reduced anxiety-like behaviors, and increased survival. Metagenomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that Bbm-19 restored gut microbiota balance, enriched beneficial taxa, including Muribaculaceae bacterium and Stercoribacter sp., and reprogrammed microbial metabolic modules, particularly those involved in amino acid metabolism (including alanine, aspartate, glutamate, arginine, proline, and tryptophan pathways). Targeted metabolomics confirmed increased levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid and serotonin in fecal and brain tissues, along with normalization of inflammatory cytokine profiles. Spearman correlation analysis linked Bbm-19-enriched taxa to improved neurotransmitter levels and sleep outcomes. Notably, Bbm-19 outperformed lorazepam in modulating gut-specific metabolic functions and synergistically enhanced its effects when co-administered. These findings demonstrate that Bbm-19 ameliorates insomnia through coordinated regulation of the gut microbiota, host metabolism, and neuroimmune signaling, highlighting its potential as a targeted psychobiotic intervention for sleep disorders.

Various functional foods, including meal replacements and nutritional supplements, are available to consistently regulate blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study proposes the development of high-pressure processing (HPP) treatment for rice protein (RP) flour to produce rice protein peptides (RPP). This dietary intervention aims to stabilize glycemic levels and mitigate myocardial damage caused by oxidative stress (OS) in patients with diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). This study demonstrated that the protein, branched-chain amino acid (BCAA), and peptide contents in RPP increased significantly following HPP treatments ranging from 200 to 600 MPa. Additionally, the study found that RPP effectively regulated blood glucose levels (621.85–181.73 mg dL⁻¹) in rats with DCM, attenuated myocardial injury caused by OS, and prevented the development of myocardial infarction (MI) indices and cardiac oxidative-inflammatory parameters in an animal model. Notably, RPP may effectively inhibit nuclear factor (NF)-κB expression and activity, thereby reducing myocardial cellular pyroptosis. Consequently, the findings of this study contribute to the advancement and commercialization of RPP as a potential health food product, with the dual benefits of regulating blood glucose levels and providing antioxidant properties. Furthermore, this study offers novel perspectives for preventing and alleviating heart failure in DCM, thus guiding future research.

Correction for ‘Inhibition of pro-atherogenic trimethylamine production from choline by human gut bacteria is not determined by varying chlorogenic acid content in highbush blueberries’ by Ashley M. McAmis et al., Food Funct., 2025, 16, 8004–8020, https://doi.org/10/1039/D5FO02676H.

Heyndrickxia coagulans, a spore-forming probiotic, has garnered significant attention due to its exceptional tolerance to gastric acid and heat, alongside its multifaceted therapeutic potential. This review systematically delineates the unique biological characteristics of this bacterium, which include high survivability mediated by its spore form (retaining 73% viability after microwave treatment at 260 °C), dual lactate fermentation pathways, and plasticity in ATP synthesis that depends on pH and growth rate. Clinical evidence supports its efficacy in managing metabolic disorders (e.g., type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), gastrointestinal conditions (e.g., constipation and irritable bowel syndrome), and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., depression and Alzheimer's disease). The underlying mechanisms involve the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), modulation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, and suppression of oxidative stress. Notably, therapeutic effects are strain-specific: H. coagulans MTCC 5856 (2 × 10¹⁰ CFU day⁻¹) significantly reduces abdominal distension (P < 0.01), while the strain Unique IS-2 alleviates anxiety-like behaviors by upregulating hippocampal BDNF. Although toxicological assessments establish a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of >1000 mg kg⁻¹ in rodent models, its limited capacity for intestinal colonization presents a clinical challenge. Future research should prioritize large-scale clinical trials, multi-omics mechanistic investigations, and the development of synbiotic formulations to fully realize its potential as a next-generation therapeutic agent.