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Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is recognized for its beneficial role in postharvest fruit and vegetable preservation. Postharvest goji berries are easy to mildew and rot which reduce the nutritional value, flavor, and shelf life. Hydrogen sulfide treatment could improve the quality attributes of postharvest goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.); however, it is not clear that the effects of H2S at the transcriptional level in postharvest goji berries. Our data revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of fresh goji fruits after H2S treatment were different with different storage time. There were 523 DEGs in the three comparison groups after H2S treatment on the 2nd, 4th and 6th day of storage. In the pathway of KEGG metabolic function, most of the DEGs were conserved in carbohydrate metabolism, secondary metabolites biosynthesis, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, energy metabolism, the metabolic pathways of terpenoids and polyketones. The genes in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, starch, and sucrose metabolism pathway were selected and validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Our results provide insights into the effect of H2S on postharvest goji berries at the transcriptional level and provide the basis for application of H2S as gas regulator for preservation of goji berry.

Lactic acid bacteria are widely used as probiotics in food fermentation and exhibit various health-promoting properties. This study describes the effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the phenolic profiles, antioxidant activities, and enzyme inhibition prosperities of blueberry juice. Three different strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus JYLA-16, Lactobacillus plantarum JYLP-375, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus JYLR-005) were selected to ferment the blueberry juice at 37 °C for 48 h. After fermentation, the content of total phenolics and flavonoids increased. Meanwhile, the UPLC-LTQ-MS/MS system conducted the biotransformation of phenols during fermentation. LAB fermentation induced an upgraded trend of syringic acid, ferulic acid, erucic acid, rutin, catechin, epicatechin, and isoorientin. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that phenolics' metabolism probably contributed to enhancing antioxidant activities. LAB also improved active ingredient retention and antioxidant capacities after in vitro simulated digestion. Finally, we investigated the α-glucosidase inhibitory and α-amylase inhibition of the fermented juice and found that LAB fermentation could improve the inhibition of these enzymes. This study indicated that LAB fermentation could be an efficient strategy for enhancing functional activities in blueberry juice by bio-transforming the phenolics.

In order to improve separating aromatic/aliphatic group in adhesives or solvents of food packaging materials by pervaporation, an across linked graphene oxide (GO) framework were incorporated into waterborne polyurethane (WPU) membrane. The improved benzene solubility and expanded interlayer pathway of modified membrane have been gained based on three different reduced graphene oxide. Compared to P-phenylenediamine (PPD) and ethane-diamine (EDA) reducing agents, O-phenylenediamine (OPD) showed a relatively mild reducing ability and allowed GO to form a layer-to-layer lamella in the WPU matrix easily. When the dose of GO-OPD was 0.03%, the flux of GO-OPD/WPU membrane was 1.58 times of neat WPU or GO/WPU membranes, while the separation factor was slightly improved. The GO-OPD /WPU membrane also maintained good stability in the continuous pervaporation process of 2700 min.

Despite the use of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) as food flavoring and coloring agents, they are also known to constitute acrylamide, heterocyclic amines, advanced glycosylation end products, and precursors of low molecular weight compounds. The very little is known about the toxicology of peony seed meal-derived MRPs. In this study, sub-chronic toxicity of peony seed meal derived MRPs was evaluated in Sprage-Dawley (SD) rats. Results showed that the body weight, hematology and serum biochemistry, organ coefficient and histopathology of SD rats with daily intake of peony seed meal-derived MRPs lower than 0.45 g/kg were not affected. After feeding with peony seed meal-derived MRPs for 13-weeks, there were no significant toxic effect on either male or female rats. This study provides a theoretical basis for the safety of MRPs derived from the reactants of enzymatic hydrolysis of peony seed meal.

With the advances in Polygonatum research, there is a huge interest in harnessing the valuable functional ingredients of this genus with the potential for functional foods. This review emphasizes the different aspects of Ploygonatum based research starting from its bioactive compounds, their structural characterization, various extraction methods, as well as biological activities. In view of its integral use as an essential medicinal plant, our review emphasizes on its promising food applications both as an ingredient and as a whole food, and its improved health benefits with potential for agricultural and environmental relevance are also discussed. As we collated the recent research information, we present the main challenges and limitations of the current research trend in this area which can upgrade the further expansion of Polygonatum-related research that will strengthen its economic and accessible nutritional value in the food and health industries. By highlighting the need for the unattended species, this review not only fills existing research gaps, but also encourages the researchers to find new avenues for the natural production of bio-based functional materials and the development of highly functional and health-promoting foods for disease prevention and treatment.

Background Currently, there is great interest in harnessing the major edible agro-waste (okara) soybean by-product with the potential for value-added production and effective utilization. Despite its advanced nutritional status, the utilization of okara remains a challenge due to its poor digestibility and undesirable sensory properties. Scope and approach This review highlights the evolution of okara from waste to value-added food, its bioactive compounds profile, various treatment methods, in the view of its integral use as a bio-valorization substrate for extended food applications both as an ingredient and as a whole food, and health benefits with potential for agricultural and environmental relevance. Key findings and conclusions After analyzing the current study trends, we present their main challenges and limitations and explore the promising areas for further expansion of okara-related research that not only contributes to the zero-waste approach but also strengthens their economic and accessible nutritional value in the food and health industries. By exploring these unexplored areas of food waste research, this review will fill the existing research gaps, which can promote new avenues for the natural production of bio-based functional materials and the development of highly functional and health-promoting foods from this economic food supplement for disease prevention and treatment.

Nutrition-gut cross-talk holds a vital position in sustaining intestinal function, and micronutrient metabolism has emerged as the foremost metabolic pathway to preserve gut homeostasis. Among micronutrients, B vitamins have evolved prior to DNA/RNA and are known for their vital roles for major evolutionary transitions in extant organisms. Despite their universal requirement and critical role, not all the three domains of life are endowed with a natural ability for

The phenolics are the main bioactive substances of Huangshan Gongju, a famous chrysanthemum of China, but their digestive characteristics are still unknown. To explore the digestive properties of Huangshan Gongju phenolics, the flower was extracted and subjected to simulated digestions, and their phenolic profile and activity were analyzed. The results indicated that the total phenolics content and antioxidant activity of the extract varied with the simulated digestion steps, and they generally decreased in the oral and small intestine digestions but increased in the gastric digestion, and high correlations were detected between the total phenolics content and antioxidant activity (0.873 r 0.979, p .01). The change of phenolic profile during the simulated digestions was similar to that of total phenolics content, and six individual phenolics were identified and quantified, and three of them, including chlorogenic acid, apigenin-7-O-rutinoside, and apigenin-7-O-6″-acetylglucoside showed higher recovery (64.29%), implying they may be the main functional phenolics of Huangshan Gongju. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study proved that most phenolics in Huangshan Gongju were relatively stable during digestion. The finding may guarantee the application of Huangshan Gongju in the field of functional foods.

Lycium barbarum and Polygonatum cyrtonema are known for their medicinal, edible, and ornamental properties. The sensory indices of the novel high-quality L. barbarum and P. cyrtonema compound wine (LPCW) fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae RW and Debaryomyces hansenii AS2.45 under different inoculation methods were analyzed. The alcohol content of the LPCW ranged from 3.88 to 4.75 % under three mixed inoculations. The total saponin and total polysaccharide contents in LPCW inoculated with D. hansenii first and S. cerevisiae after 24 h were 4.39 mg/mL and 0.21 mg/mL, respectively. Ethyl butyrate, citronellol, and 3-(methylthio) propanol were unique metabolites of D. hansenii. 4-Methoxybenzoic acid was the core product of brewing of by S. cerevisiae. Except for wine inoculated with S. cerevisiae only, the acceptability scores of all the LPCW samples were higher than 7.3. Our data provided the foundation for the development and application of medicinal and food homologous substances in food fermentation.

Hardening presents an inevitable challenge during the storage of high protein nutrition bars. Sericin peptide is the product of hydrolysis of sericin, a protein from the silkworm cocoon. Here in, the effects of sericin peptide addition on the hardening of high protein nutrition bars during 72 h of storage were investigated. The addition of sericin peptide to high protein nutrition bars reduced the hardening of the sample during the early storage, The main mechanism was to improve the mobility of water and small hydrophilic molecules, which slowed down the phase separation. As well, after sericin peptide addition, the ζ- potential, the content of secondary structure, and the surface hydrophobicity of the samples were also changed, which prevented the self-aggregation of proteins. These results indicate that SRP can be used as a promising anti-hardening ingredient in the food industry to improve the texture of food products.

The clove essential oil (CEO) loaded nano and pickering emulsions prepared with Tween 80 and whey protein isolate/inulin mixture, respectively were incorporated into pullulan-gelatin film base fluid at three levels (0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6%). The droplet sizes of NE and PE loaded with CEO were 15.93 nm and 266.9 nm, respectively. The PDI of CEOs with stable NE and PE were 0.262 and 0.259, respectively. Our results showed the improved compatibility between pullulan-gelatin and essential oil-loaded nanocarriers. The active film composed of PE carrier had the structural characteristics of high density, low water content, and low permeability, thus exhibiting excellent mechanical properties, water barrier properties, and appreciable antioxidant activities. Compared with NE, it was found that the CEO-loaded PE showed slow-release profile in the film sample. The prepared active film containing PE possessed a great potential to be used as effective and natural alternatives for active food packaging.

Background Rising health awareness has driven tremendous public interest among food manufacturers and academicians in identifying and developing novel functional foods. Studies on the health-promoting benefits of soy products and their quality improvement measures have become the hotspot across the globe. However, there is limited information summarizing the existing soy products and their improved quality attributes associated with different technical strategies. Scope and approach New processing strategies (physical, chemical, and biological) applied in the modification of various soy products are summarized and their pre- and post-modified quality attributes are systematically reviewed. The current review also highlights the role of fermentation in enhancing the nutritional, sensory, and health-promoting features of soy products. Key findings and conclusions Traditionally processed soy products exhibit intrinsic quality defects such as beany flavor, high anti-nutrients content, complex structure, and low bioavailability of soy protein and isoflavones. New processing strategies including blending with extra ingredients, non-thermal treatment, dietary fiber modifications, acid treatment, germination and tailored fermentation could render these soy products with improved nutritional and sensory characteristics, especially, fermentation has been reported to provide soy products with enhanced health-promoting features such as anti-diabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects as well as improving the cardiovascular and bone health. The information accumulated in this review may provide up-to-date evidence supporting diversified soy products as a class of important functional foods.

Low-cost wheat by-products have been modified to become an effective delivery system for curcumin. Wheat bran cellulose (WBC) and wheat gluten proteins (WPs) were co-assembled by a pH cycle and addition of sodium tripolyphosphate (STP). Fluorescence spectroscopy and zeta-potential evidenced that the embedding of WBC into the WPs favored the formation composites a relative unfolding state. Modifying the nanocomposite with STP lowered the Dh and PDI of the co-assembled structure. The nanocomplexes had a typical core-shell structure according to TEM characterization, where proteins aggregate to form a hydrophobic core and the hydrophilic WBC and STP crosslinked to form the shell. To improve the bioavailability of curcumin, it was encapsulated in WWBCs composites by participating in their structural co-assembly. In vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion experiments showed that the curcumin encapsulated in WWBCs possessed gastrointestinal slow and controlled release function, with a final release of curcumin of 77.8 ± 2.3 %.

Background Since time immemorial, natural active compounds including essential oils (EOs) and their components have been used due to their flavor and fragrance. Out of 3000 known varieties, 300 are commercially utilized for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Scope and approach In recent years, studies on EOs have enormously increased owing to their remarkable biological activities and health benefits. As a result, their pharmacological attributes have played an immense role to identify natural and safe alternative therapeutics to extend their industrial applications. Key findings and conclusions: This review covers the sources and composition of EOs, recent progress in their extraction methods, factors affecting their quality and yield, their most important activities, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities as well as their mechanisms of action. Besides, the importance of EOs in food, biomedicine, and agricultural industries is also highlighted. For the food industrial applications, we mainly aimed at the incorporation of EOs as such or as nanoemulsions into active or smart packaging with a particular emphasis on the food preservation and shelf-life extension of food products.

During the traumatic brain injury (TBI), improved expression of circulatory miR-21 serves as a diagnostic feature. Low levels of exosome-miR-21 in the brain can effectively improve neuroinflammation and blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability, reduce nerve apoptosis, restore neural function and ameliorate TBI. We evaluated the role of macrophage derived exosomes-miR-21 (M-Exos-miR-21) in disrupting BBB, deteriorating TBI, and Rg1 interventions. IL-1β-induced macrophages (IIM)-Exos-miR-21 can activate NF-κB signaling pathway and induce the expressions of MMP-1, -3 and -9 and downregulate the levels of tight junction proteins (TJPs) deteriorating the BBB. Rg1 reduced miR-21-5p content in IIM-Exos (RIIM-Exos). The interaction of NMIIA–HSP90 controlled the release of Exos-miR-21, this interaction was restricted by Rg1. Rg1 could inhibit the Exos-miR-21 release in peripheral blood flow to brain, enhancing TIMP3 protein expression, MMPs proteolysis, and restricting TJPs degradation thus protected the BBB integrity. Conclusively, Rg1 can improve the cerebrovascular endothelial injury and hold the therapeutic potential against TBI disease., Graphical abstract Rg1 improves cerebral vascular endothelial injury, protects blood–brain barrier and possess therapeutic potential against traumatic brain injury. It restricts the interaction of NMIIA–HSP90 in macrophages resulting in circumscribed secretion of exosome-miR-21 towards brain.Image 1

Polygonatum sibiricum Redouté (PS, also called Huangjing in traditional Chinese medicine), is a perennial herb as homology of medicine and food. According to the traditional Chinese medicine theory "Special Records of Famous Doctors", its functions include invigorating qi and nourishing yin, tonifying spleen and kidney. Traditionally, qi and blood therapy has been believed as most applicable to the treatment of uterine disease. The current research has focused on the effect and mechanism of dioscin, the main active component of PS, on Endometrial carcinoma (EC).To study the efficacy of dioscin on proliferation and migration of Endometrial carcinoma cell line, we conducted experiments by using xenograft model and Ishikawa cells, and explored the potential molecular mechanism.mRNA and miRNA omics techniques were employed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of dioscin on EC Ishikawa cells. Based on in vivo and in vitro experiments, cell clone formation, cell scratching, Transwell, HE staining, immunohistochemistry, q-PCR, and Western blot techniques were used to determine the molecular effects and mechanisms of dioscin on cell migration.Integrated miRNA and mRNA omics data showed that 513 significantly different genes marked enrichment in MAPK signaling pathway. The in vivo data showed that dioscin (24 mg/kg) significantly inhibited tumor growth. The in vitro proliferation and invasiveness of dioscin on Ishikawa cells showed that dioscin could significantly decrease the colony numbers, and suppress the Ishikawa cell wound healing, migration and invasion. Molecular data revealed that dioscin decreased the MMP2 and MMP9 expression in vitro and in vivo. The p-MEK, p-ERK, and p-JNK expression levels were also confirmed to be significantly reduced. Key regulators in the MAPK signaling pathway were further validated in xenograft tumors.Our data indicated that dioscin inhibited Ishikawa cell migration and invasion mediated through MEK/ERK and JNK signaling. More importantly, screened hub miRNAs and genes can be regarded as potential molecular targets for future EC treatment.

Hydrogen sulfide (H

We have examined the relative efficacy of the Maillard reaction products (MRPs) prepared by reacting chitosan with xylose, fructose, or glucose for their antimicrobial activities and preservation of fresh-cut beef. The MRPs exhibited broad spectrum antibacterial properties against E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. The antibacterial activity of the three MRPs was dose dependent. Chitosan and its MRPs enhanced shelf life of fresh-cut beef as shown by changes in volatile base nitrogen, trimethylamine, and pH during storage. The order of their ability to preserve beef was fructose

Ferroptosis is a novel iron-dependent cell death pathway mainly caused by an abnormal redox state and associated with various diseases including cancer. Recently, much attention has been paid to natural compounds that are involved in its activation and inhibition. This is the first ever study to demonstrate the role of juglone isolated from Carya cathayensis green peel in inducing autophagy and inhibiting endometrial cancer (EC) cell migration. Subsequently, Fe2+ accumulation, lipid peroxidation, GSH depletion, the upregulation of HMOX1, and heme degradation to Fe2+ were reported. Juglone was involved in inducing autophagy and inhibiting cell migration and endoplasmic reticulum stress, which are the new hallmarks of cancer treatment. Collectively, our data indicate that juglone as a functional food ingredient induces the programmed cell death of EC cells by activating oxidative stress and suggest a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment and prevention of EC.

Background Increased consumption of soymilk driven with amplified health interest and ongoing scientific efforts have incited fascination in the imminent development of plant-based novel formulations. Over the time, conventional fermentation has been pertinent to exert preservation effects besides improving the flavor and texture of the soymilk for an adequate acceptability. Scope and approach With the advent of advanced biotechnological interventions as systematic paradigms, improved starters are being employed to develop functional soymilk. This review integrates contemporary technical information about the imperative developmental benefits imparted by the soymilk consumption via the evolution of lactic acid bacteria from traditional starters to bioactive compounds producing bio-factories. Key findings and conclusions The novelty of this review is based on our holistic approach in collating the updated information on bioactivities of fermented soymilk in general while placing greater emphasis on the effects of advanced fermentation on soymilk functionality. The latest design to exploit custom-made strains in soymilk fermentation holds a promise which can be profitably implemented to meet consumer needs.

Our study aimed to understand the effects of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) intake on intestinal health, in vitro digestion, and fermentation metabolites in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. MRPs promoted the digestion of pepsin, but was not conducive to the subsequent in vitro digestion of trypsin. MRPs ingestion increased the propionate in intestine, but it could not change the branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). However, MRPs ingestion led to an increase in the Lactobacillus abundance in gut. In the high-dose groups, the abundance of genes in partial amino acid and monosaccharide metabolism increased, while in lipid metabolism decreased compared with the middle dose groups. Therefore, the absorption of MRPs was lowered than that of protein and carbohydrates. Through functional predictive analysis, our study could reveal the effects of long-term intake of MRPs on intestinal health in SD rats.

Maillard reaction (MR) is a cascade of complex interactions between reducing sugars and amine groups in food processing and storage. It produces a variety of volatile compound, nonenzymatic intermediates, and high molecular weight melanoidin contributing improved aroma, color, flavor, and antioxidant properties to the final food products. When uncontrolled, it can produce some harmful derivatives such as acrylamide, heterocyclic amine, advanced glycation end Products (AGEs), and other substances that can be detrimental to human health leading to cancer and chronic diseases. Herein, we reviewed the MR leading to different MRPs and factors affecting the MR and MRPs, their application in food model systems, their biological activities, and the formation mechanism and effective inhibition methods of common harmful MRPs. The updated overview can be useful to explore the rational use of MR, which can ameliorate its positive biological features with reduced adverse effects.

The anticancer activity of stevenleaf (SV) on the basis of cell viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis induction in HepG2 cancer cells were evaluated. SV controlled the growth of HepG2 cells with IC50 of 139.82 μmol/L for 24 h, IC50 of 119.12 μmol/L for 48 h and cell cycle arrested at G0/G1 phase, induced cell apoptosis and enhanced intracellular ROS generation. For cell cycle arrest, the mRNA expression levels of p21, p27 and p53 were up-regulated, while the expression levels of Cyclin A, Cyclin D1, Cyclin E and CDK1/2 were down-regulated. SV efficiently up-regulated TNF R1, TRADD1 and FADD and down-regulated Caspase8 for cell death receptors; similarly, up-regulated Bax, Bak, Cyt c, Apaf1, Caspase3 and Caspase9, and down-regulated Bcl2, Bcl xl and Bad for mitochondrial signal pathway. SV induced the mTOR-mediated cell apoptosis in HepG2 cells via activation of Akt and AMPK. The mechanistic explanation for the anticancer activity of SV as functional food can be derived from above results.

is an important material in the food industry, and XuanMugua is the only one which is allowed to serve as a homology of medicine and food in China. This study was conducted to develop an effective ...

Enzymatically derived peptides from different proteins have displayed the potential to provide health benefits. Present research aims to obtain the functional peptides and improve the economic value of camellia seed cake via enzymatic hydrolysis. Camellia seed cake protein hydrolysates (CSCPH) prepared with alcalase demonstrated higher α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity. After ultrafiltration, the α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity of different components was compared. The component (CSCPH‐IV) with the highest activity was selected for further separation and purification. The peptides were purified using reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) twice and identified as GHSLESIK, GLTSLDRYK and SPGYYDGR by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). Subsequently, the preliminarily inhibitory effect of these peptides on α‐glucosidase activity was demonstrated by the molecular docking model. These results showed that three novel peptides isolated from the hydrolysates of camellia seed cake have the potential to be used as anti‐diabetic compounds for the development of functional foods.

The anticancerous effects of PCHPs (HBSS, CHSS, DASS, and CASS) were investigated on Human cervical cancer Hela cells proliferation inhibition, cytotoxicity, caspase-3 activity, cell cycle, and apoptosis. The inhibition rate was expressed as CASS > HBSS > CHSS > DASS, with the maximum inhibition of 74.453 ± 3.399%. Cell cytotoxicity was observed (CASS > CHSS > HBSS > DASS) with the maximum cell death rate of 82.472 ± 3.488%. The caspase-3 activity was induced by CASS > HBSS > DASS > CHSS, with the maximum multiple of 2.954 ± 0.103. CASS induced cell cycle block at the G2/M phase by elevating mRNA expression of CyclinD1, p21, p53 and Wee1, and lowering the expression of Survivin, CHK2, Wee1, CyclinB1, and CDK-1. CASS enhanced the mRNA expression of DR3, DR5, FasL, FADD, PARP, TNF- α, TNF- R1, TRDAA, caspases-8, caspases-10 and the protein expression of FasL and caspases-8, -10 in the death receptor pathway; while, lowered the mRNA expression of antiapoptotic genes (Bcl - 2 and Bcl-xL) and the protein expression of Bcl - 2. The mRNA expression of apoptosis genes (Bak, Cytc, Puma, and caspases-3, -7, -9) and the protein expression of caspases-3, -9 of mitochondria pathway was up regulated which led to cell apoptosis.

The presence of a large number of hydrophobic groups and non-polar amino acids in the wheat gluten (WG) is responsible for its poor water solubility, greatly limiting its industrial applications. Our results showed that the solubility and zeta potential of WG were significantly (P 0.05) improved with the increasing concentration of sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), while the average particle size of WG was decreased. After WG was incubated with TGase, phosphorylation pretreatment significantly increased apparent viscosity of WG dispersant solution, suggesting that phosphorylation treatment promoted the generation of cross-linked polymers. In addition, phosphorylation pretreatment enhanced hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bond formation between TGase-induced WG gels, thus leading to a more homogeneous and dense three-dimensional network structure of gel, which was confirmed by SEM micrographs. To summarize, STP can be used as an effective additive for the modification of WG with an improved degree of TGase-mediated cross-linking for better rheological and gel properties.