Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)最新文献

This study investigated the impact of incorporation of sesamol and chitosan nanoparticle-methylcellulose (CSNP-MC) edible coating on the moisture loss, oil uptake, lipid and protein oxidation, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels in deep-fried meatballs. Sesamol was added to meatballs at either 0 mg/kg (control) or 30 mg/kg meat by three methods, i.e., (i) mixing sesamol into the meat mince without coating (SE), (ii) mixing sesamol into meat mince and followed by coating of the meatballs with 1 % CSNP-MC (SE-CT), and (iii) dissolving sesamol in CSNP-MC and the meatballs were coated with the mixture (SE-M-CT). Due to the barrier properties of the edible coating, meatballs from the SE-CT and SE-M-CT groups had lower levels of moisture loss, oil uptake and lipid oxidation compared to the control (no sesamol and no coating) and SE groups (P < 0.05). In addition, the SE-CT treatment resulted in lower protein oxidation and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) level, leading to reduced PAH4 levels and toxic equivalent quotient (TEQ_BaP) in the meatballs compared to the SE-M-CT treatment. These findings suggested that the incorporation of antioxidant of sesamol within the meat mince combined with edible coatings is an effective strategy to enhance the quality and safety of deep-fried meatballs by reducing oil uptake, and decreasing lipid and protein oxidation, PAH levels and the carcinogenic risk of PAHs by meatball consumption.

Perturbations in intestinal homeostasis can significantly influence the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders through the gut-liver axis, with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) being a prime example. Our previous study demonstrated that Akebia trifoliata extracts (APE) exhibit significant anti-inflammatory activity; however, their protective effect on the intestinal barrier and liver remain unclear. In this study, we established a TNF-α-induced Caco-2 cell monolayer model and a mouse model of NAFLD with DSS-induced low grade colitis. Serum, intestinal tissue, and liver samples were used to assess the effects of APE effects on inflammation, gut barrier integrity, and hepatic lipid metabolism. 16S rRNA sequencing, targeted metabolomics, and RNA sequencing were employed to examine gut microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acid metabolism, and liver gene expression profiles. Results indicated that APE effectively alleviates hepatic steatosis induced by HFD and DSS reducing by hepatocellular lipid accumulation. APE treatment also reduced inflammatory cytokine levels, including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. Additionally, APE restored the impaired intestinal barrier by reducing intestinal permeability, enhancing tight junction protein expression, and modulating gut microbiota composition. Notably, APE reduced the abundance of Verrucomicrobia and Prevotellaceae, while increasing the abundance of Proteobacteria, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Bifidobacterium. Correlation analysis indicated that the abundance of Ruminococcaceae was negatively correlated with levels of d-mannitol, liver LPS, and IL-6, while it was positively correlated with butyrate concentration. Furthermore, liver inflammatory factors, TG, TC, IL-6 and LPS levels were positively correlated with serum d-mannitol levels, but negatively correlated with intestinal ZO-1 expression and acetic and propionic acid levels. This study is the first to explore the hepatoprotective effects of bioactives from Akebia trifoliata via the gut-liver axis, thereby broadening the application value of Akebia trifoliata.

Chitosan, is a natural bio-based polymer with known prebiotic properties. However, its potential in the management of spermatogenic disorders remains largely unexplored. By utilizing a busulfan-treated mouse model and integrated multi-omics analysis, this study explored the potential mechanisms through which chitosan improves impaired spermatogenesis. The results showed that chitosan treatment can improve testicular function and significantly reshape the gut microbiota composition in busulfan-treated mice. Metabolomics revealed that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) transport was significantly dysregulated in busulfan-treated mice, but chitosan reversed this dysfunction by modulating tight junction proteins and fatty acid transporters in the intestine. Fecal microbiota transplantation experiments further highlighted the critical role of gut microbiota in DHA transport and spermatogenesis. Additionally, DHA supplementation alleviated busulfan-induced ferroptosis in testicular tissues. Hence, owing to its prebiotic effects chitosan could serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for improving busulfan-induced spermatogenic disorders by restoring the homeostasis of the gut-testis axis.

This study investigated the impact of blueberry anthocyanin (BA) on the interaction between tilapia myofibrillar protein (MP) and fishy compounds (hexanal, octanal, nonanal, trans-2-nonenal, and 1-octen-3-ol). Results indicated that at a protein concentration of 5 mg/mL and fishy compounds at 5 μg/mL, MP effectively adsorbed these compounds at 4 °C, pH 7.0, and 0.6 mol/L Na⁺. Increasing BA concentration (0.03-0.24 mg/mL) enhanced the α-helix content of MP from 30 % to 60 %, with a blue shift in the maximum fluorescence emission peak (333-337 nm), suggesting that BA promotes protein structural folding and stability. In MP and fresh fish models, BA addition significantly decreased hexanal (from 50.2 % ± 1.6 % to 29.0 % ± 9.5 %), octanal (from 97.8 % ± 1.6 % to 38.7 % ± 1.8 %), and nonanal (from 69.4 % ± 7.7 % to 39.0 %). Conversely, higher BA concentrations led to increased release of 1-octene-3-ol (from 104.1 % ± 4.4 % to 120.4 % ± 1.1 %). Overall, the findings highlight the correlation between BA's effects on protein folding and stabilization and its influence on the controlled release of fishy compounds, underscoring the significance of polyphenols in protein-flavor interactions. This research offers valuable insights into flavor management and establishes a theoretical basis for flavor regulation in tilapia meat products, contributing to the broader study of quality control and flavor enhancement in meat products through natural pigment active ingredients.

To develop a safe, stable and easily absorbed new antioxidant peptide. The myofibrillar protein hydrolysates of Siamese crocodile meat were prepared and purified, their free radical scavenging and Fe²⁺ chelating ability were determined. The results showed that isolated component 3 of neutral protease hydrolysate (N₃) had the highest antioxidant activity. Subsequently, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was applied to appraise the amino acid sequences within the N₃ component, and 8 novel antioxidant peptides were screened by bioinformatics analysis, the antioxidant test proved that all 8 synthetic peptides had certain antioxidant activity. Among them, there was no significant difference in the DPPH radical scavenging capacity of GWDK, LWDK, ERWP, LGWK and LWAK (P > 0.05), which were higher than that of DFRDY and WYRDD (P < 0.05), the ABTS radical scavenging ability of DFRDY was similar to WYRDD (P > 0.05), but remarkably stronger than that of the other 6 peptides (P < 0.05). Finally, the binding mechanism of 8 novel peptides to Keap1 protein was explored through molecular docking, and it was found that hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction were the primary forces that bind antioxidant peptides to Keap1 protein.

Fish maw, a traditional nutritious food, has significant development potential. However, the limited species sources and scarce research on processing characteristics present challenges. This study selected nine species of fish maws to determine their morphology and yield during hydrothermal treatment. Changes in nutritional composition, water migration, and structural characteristics between fresh and water-soaked fish maws were compared. All fresh fish maws had a dry basis protein content of more than 80 %, with no heavy metals, rich in functional and hydrophobic amino acids. After processing fresh fish maw into water-soaked fish maw, the fat and ash content decreased, while the relative protein content increased, and there was little change in the amino acid composition. Water distribution and texture properties indicated an initial rapid then slow water absorption rate for fish maw. After soaking, most bound and immobilized water transformed into free water, significantly enhancing cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness. Hardness change varied among different species of fish maws due to inherent differences. Microstructural analysis revealed that the fiber bundle transitioned from an interlaced, tight structure to a porous network structure, with pore size and network distribution related to water migration and the texture characteristics of the fish maw. Among all species studied, freshwater silver carp and redfin culter fish maws demonstrated potential for further development.

Food safety caused by microbial contamination is an important problem that is difficult to solve for the food industry. In this study, a photocurable CFT hydrogel material is prepared by photocrossing casein with the flavin mononucleotide/sodium persulfate system, while flavin mononucleotide and tryptophan are used as photocatalysts to generate hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) for the inactivation of food pathogenic microorganisms. The CFT hydrogel demonstrated rapid gelation (<3 min), robust mechanical properties (1775 Pa), efficient H₂O₂ production (75 µM), and favorable biocompatibility. The CFT hydrogel could sterilize Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria after light irradiation, with sterilization rates exceeding 98 %. In addition, the CFT hydrogel showed great antibacterial activity to reduce E. coli on the surface of cherry tomatoes by 1.2 log. These unique properties make the CFT hydrogel a promising material for food preservation.