Search

[Display omitted] • This research reveals the correlation among protein secondary structure, strength of the interaction in phytosterol /WPI complex, and the digestion properties of phytosterol. • The content of β-turns in WPI secondary structure plays an important role in maintaining hydrogen bonds between PS and WPI. • High strength of the hydrogen bonds interaction could enhance phytosterol encapsulation efficiency. • The hydrogen bond strength between PS and WPI is positively correlated with PS release rate and bioaccessibility in significance. • This study presents useful information to prepare and optimize PS-protein complex structure in order to enhance PS absorption. Phytosterol (PS)/whey protein isolate (WPI) self-assembly complex was formed with different PS:WPI mass ratios (from 1:1 to 1:15) to reveal the relationship of interaction mechanism in PS/WPI complex, WPI secondary structure, and PS digestion properties. The sample with 1:5 mass ratio had the strongest hydrogen bonds and the largest encapsulation efficiency (EE). Circular dichroism analysis indicated that the mass ratio of PS/WPI complex had a vital effect on WPI secondary structure. The content of β-sheet increased with the increase in PS ratio, which, in turn, inhibited the release rate and bioaccessibility of PS. The β-turn of WPI was positively correlated with hydrogen bonds in the complex, thus playing a significant role in increasing EE, promoting PS release, and even further enhancing PS bioaccessibility in digestion simulation. These findings appeared to be promising for future applications in enhancing the bioaccessibility of phytosterol through specific structure in high-protein food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work evaluated the potential mechanism of casein protein (CP) in enhancing the 3D printing performance of cassava starch (CS) gel in terms of the multi-scale structure of starch and gel properties. The addition of CP could increase the average molecular weight (− R h) of starch after thermal processing, which reduced the line width and increased the centre height of the 3D-printed product, despite the reduction of the structural recovery of the gel system. In addition, the increase in CS content caused a decrease in the short-range ordered structure of starch, resulting in a decline in relaxation time and an increase in free water content (A23), which in turn provided the gel system with a greater elastic modulus and ultimately increased the printing precision of 3D printed products. This study presented meaningful information for the application of 3D printing to starch-protein complex foods. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • SFE or rutin prevent colonic inflammation, oxidative stress, and permeability. • SFE or rutin partly inactivated NF-κB pathway in colitic mice. • SFE or rutin restored gut microbiota dysbiosis in colitic mice. • SFE is a reliable strategy to prevent chemical-induced murine colitis. Sophora japonica flower, rich in rutin, is a homology of medicine and food that can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent. Its effects and mechanisms against intestinal inflammation are unknown. In this study, S. japonica flower extracts (SFE) or rutin were administrated to chemically induced-colitic mice. The results showed that SFE or rutin regulated inflammation and oxidative stress in colitic mice. The colonic permeability was significantly improved by SFE or rutin, which was characterized by the higher levels of tight junction proteins and serum lower levels of FITC-Dextran and endotoxins. The inactivation of the NF-κB pathway by SFE or rutin may contribute to the anti-colitis effects. In colitic mice, SFE or rutin partially restored gut microbiota dysbiosis, as seen by increases in potential probiotics (e.g., Faecalibaculum rodentium) and decreases in potentially disease-related bacteria (e.g., Romboutsia ilealis and Eubacterium fissicatena group). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic inflammation-associated diseases include, but is not limited to cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, etc. Cell heterogeneity is a prerequisite for understanding the physiological and pathological development of cell metabolism, and its response to external stimuli. Recently, dietary habits based on phytochemicals became increasingly recognized to play a pivotal role in chronic inflammation. Phytochemicals can relieve chronic inflammation by regulating inflammatory cell differentiation and immune cell response, but the influence of phytochemicals on cell heterogeneity from in vitro and ex vivo studies cannot simulate the complexity of cell differentiation in vivo due to the differences in cell lines and extracellular environment. Therefore, there is no consensus on the regulation mechanism of phytochemicals on chronic diseases based on cell heterogeneity. The purpose of this review is to summarize cell heterogeneity in common chronic inflammation-associated diseases and trace the effects of phytochemicals on cell differentiation in chronic diseases development. More importantly, by discussing the problems and challenges which hinder the study of cell heterogeneity in recent nutritional assessment experiments, we propose new prospects based on the drawbacks of existing research to optimize the research on the regulation mechanism of phytochemicals on chronic diseases. The need to explore precise measurements of cell heterogeneity is a key pillar in understanding the influence of phytochemicals on certain diseases. In the future, deeper understanding of cell-to-cell variation and the impact of food components and their metabolites on cell function by single-cell genomics and epigenomics with the focus on individual differences will open new avenues for the next generation of health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Although its pathogenesis remains unclear, studies have indicated microglia-mediated neuroinflammation playing an important role. Phytosterols are a class of natural compounds presented in food, and have anti-inflammatory abilities. Recent studies suggested that phytosterols can traverse the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain, however, it remains largely unknown that whether phytosterols affect neuroinflammation in the AD pathogenesis. Here, we used APP swe /PS1 dE9 mice as the animal model of AD, and found that stigmasterol treatment attenuated cognitive deficits, and decreased Aβ 42 concentration in cortex and hippocampus. Stigmasterol treatment also suppressed neuroinflammation, by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and microglia activation. Next, we simulated BV2 cells with Aβ 42 oligomers, which induced inflammatory responses of microglia. Stigmasterol protected BV2 cells against Aβ 42 oligomers induced inflammation, and mediated secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines via NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling pathways by AMPK activation. Stigmasterol also alleviated the M1 polarization of BV2 cells. In general, our study demonstrates that stigmasterol ameliorated neuroinflammation in APP/PS1 mice, and suppressed inflammatory response of microglia to Aβ 42 oligomers via AMPK/NF-κB and AMPK/NLRP3 signaling, which provides a mechanistic insight for stigmasterol in anti‐inflammation and AD therapy. [Display omitted] • Stigmasterol ameliorated neuroinflammation in APP/PS1 mice. • Stigmasterol alleviated Aβ 42 oligomers induced inflammatory response in BV2 cells. • Stigmasterol suppressed NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling by AMPK activation in BV2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Direct analysis of conjugated phytosterols was performed. • Methodological validation proved the reliability and accuracy of the new method. • Only one standard was used to determine other compounds by conversion factors. • Six free phytosterols and three phytosterol glycosides in rice bran were identified. In this study, free phytosterols and phytosterol glycosides in rice bran were successfully separated and analyzed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results showed that free phytosterols in rice bran included ergosterol (129 ± 8 μg/g rice bran), campesterol (126 ± 9 μg/g rice bran), stigmasterol (106 ± 9 μg/g rice bran), β-sitosterol (305 ± 10 μg/g rice bran), cycloartenol (80.5 ± 3.9 μg/g rice bran) and 24-methylenecycloartenol (87.1 ± 2.2 μg/g rice bran), while phytosterol glycosides included campesterol glucoside (16.0 ± 1.3 μg/g rice bran), stigmasterol glucoside (99.0 ± 4.9 μg/g rice bran) and β-sitosterol glucoside (133 ± 7 μg/g rice bran). The methodological validation indicated that this method could accurately quantify free phytosterols and phytosterol glycosides in rice bran. This study provided a new direction to establish a rapid and simple method for the simultaneous determination of different forms of phytosterols in foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applied ferulic acid, sinapic acid, and p -coumaric acid to synthesise esters with cassava starch and investigated their digestibility, GI and starch structure alterations. Starch after esterification contained less rapidly digestible starch (as low as 44.59%) and more resistant starch. Sinapic acid starch ester (SASE) had the lowest hydrolysis rate, which was 61.04% in this study. The GI of ferulic acid, p -coumaric acid, and sinapic acid starch esters were 53.5, 58.4, and 47.1, respectively. They were all significantly decreased compared with native cassava starch (81.5) (P < 0.05). The steric hindrance of phenolic acid moiety and increased hydrophobicity led to the reduced digestibility of starch esters. All these results indicated that phenolic acid starch esters could help to reduce postprandial blood glucose spikes, and therefore became a potential tool for diabetes management. [Display omitted] ∙ Cassava starch esterified with phenolic acids resist in vitro enzymatic digestion. ∙Glycaemic index of phenolic acid starch esters are lower than native starch. ∙The particle size negatively correlates to the in vitro digestibility. ∙Esterification resulted in the steric hindrance to α-amylase and α-glucosidase. ∙Sinapic acid starch ester is promising as low glycaemic index food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A large number of phytochemicals (2 8 2) was identified in Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour. • The main components of volatile compounds in O. fragrans flowers are linalool, linalool oxide and ionone. • O. fragrans possess many beneficial effects. • O. fragrans have a great potential to be used in functional foods, dietary supplements, cosmetics and medicines. Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour. has been cultivated in China for over 2500 years. Due to the unique and strong fragrance, O. fragrans flowers have long been added into food, tea, and beverages. Not only the O. fragrans flowers, but also leaves, barks, roots, and fruits possess some beneficial effects such as relieving pain and alleviating cough in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Modern pharmacological researches demonstrated that O. fragrans possesses a broad spectrum of biological activities including antioxidant, neuroprotective, antidiabetic and anticancer activities etc. A large number of phytochemicals identified in O. fragrans are responsible for its health promoting and disease preventing effects. The components of volatile compounds in O. fragrans are complex but the content is less abundant. The present review mainly focuses on the bioactive ingredients identified from O. fragrans , the therapeutic effects of O. fragrans and its applications in food, cosmetics and medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work evaluated the influence of starch molecular structure on the precision and textural properties of 3D printed products. Results showed that starch gels with higher content of short amylopectin (AP) chains for 13 < X ≤ 24, the degree of polymerization at peak maximum of amylose (AM) chains (X AM), and AM chains for 5000 < X ≤ 20000 facilitated the rheological properties of starch gels, which in turn promoted their smooth extrusion in the 3D printing process. Small average molecular size of whole starch (‾ R h) and the high proportion of amylose chains for 100 < X ≤ 1000 of starch which was related to water distribution of starch gels were beneficial to the accuracy of 3D printed products. The proportion of AP chains for 6 < X ≤ 24 and AM chains for 5000 < X ≤ 20000 had significant negative and positive correlations with the hardness and resilience of the 3D printed products, respectively. This study provides useful information for the application of 3D printing in starch-based food production. [Display omitted] • The relationship between molecular structure of starch and its 3D printed products was revealed. • ‾R h was negatively correlated with center height of products. • AM chains for 100 < X ≤ 1000 was positively correlated with center height of products. • X AM and AM chains for 5000 < X ≤ 20000 was positively correlated with the resilience of products. • This study presents useful information for 3D printing starchy food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel modification method for starch succinylation is proposed. • APPJ pretreatment could change the surface structure of native CS. • The DS of OSA–CS improved by 39.23% after CS pretreated by APPJ. • APPJ-OSA-CS exhibited better emulsion stability and emulsion activity. Cassava starch (CS) was pretreated with atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), followed by esterification with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA). This study was the first report investigating the effect of APPJ on CS modification with OSA. Results showed that APPJ pretreatment could change the morphological characteristics and crystallinity of CS. Consequently, the degree of substitution and reaction efficiency significantly improved compared with the unpretreated CS (P < 0.05). In Confocal laser scanning microscopy, the fluorescence intensity of OSA-modified CS pretreated with APPJ for 10 min and 15 min was higher than those pretreated with APPJ for 1, 3, and 5 min. The onset temperature and enthalpy (Δ H) of native starch decreased after APPJ pretreatment and further decreased by OSA modification. APPJ–OSA–CS also showed better emulsion stability and emulsion activity. This study demonstrated that APPJ could be used as a novel approach to facilitate starch modification with OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 10 min of ultrasonic pretreatment (UPT) enhanced cassava cyanide elimination. • Soaking for 4 h only removed negligible cyanogenic glycosides (3%) • The degradation patterns of cyanogenic glycosides and HCN were different. • UPT enhanced cyanogenic β-glucosidase activity in cassava juice. • The increased disordered structure of enzyme was observed after sonication. Traditional soaking method takes days to remove cassava cyanide. Ten minutes of ultrasonic pretreatment (UPT) was found to be a new effective method to eliminate both cyanogenic glycosides and hydrogen cyanide in cassava. Here, the parameters of UPT were optimized and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. 40.36% and 24.95% of hydrogen cyanide and cyanogenic glycosides in cassava juice were eliminated under 10 min of UPT (45℃, 81 W). UPT before boiling enhanced the total cyanide elimination to 41.94%. The degradation patterns of hydrogen cyanide and cyanogenic glycosides were different. Ultrasound directly eliminated hydrogen cyanide and indirectly degraded cyanogenic glycosides through promoting enzymatic hydrolysis. The β-glucosidase activity was increased by 17.99% induced by ultrasound. This was supported by the movement of hydrophobic residual and the rearrangement of the secondary structure of the molecular as found in fluorescence, CD, FTIR, DSC and TG analysis. This study revealed that UPT acted as a fast and simple technical way in improving cassava safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cassava juice showed high levels of cyanogenic glycosides (CNGs) • A significant difference of CNGs among cultivars was found. • Dietary intake of cyanide not posing chronic risk to Chinese consumers but acute risk. • The MRL of CNGs was proposed as 200 mg/kg in cassava. • Cyanide risk assessment should be based on CNGs quantification rather than CN– The intake of cassava would probably induce adverse health effects since there are toxic cyanide in cassava. However, the risk assessment of cassava consumption has not been reported in China. Therefore, this paper aimed to evaluate the dietary risks of cassava cyanide and proposed a maximum residue limit (MRL) for cyanogenic glycosides (CNGs) in cassava. The retention rate of CNGs and CN– were 61% and 11% after boiling, respectively. The acute dietary exposure of CN– and CNGs were 0.6-fold and 1.7-fold of acute risk reference dose, respectively. There was no chronic health risk across all populations concerning cassava consumption. The MRL of CNGs was proposed as 200 mg/kg in cassava. Risk assessment of cyanide for foods rich in CNGs was suggested to be based on CNGs quantification rather than that of CN–. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acteoside is one of the most widespread phenylethanoid glycosides with pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, neuroprotective property, etc. However, its bioavailability is poor due to the low absorption and P-gp efflux. This study aimed to select food derived P-gp inhibitors for promoting the acteoside absorption and investigate whether the inhibitors could increase the bioavailability and stability of acteoside. Results showed that EGCG and quercetin significantly decreased the BL-to-AP efflux and promoted the AP-to-BL influx of acteoside across Caco-2 monolayers with optimum concentrations of 320 μM EGCG or 240 μM quercetin adding to 320 μM acteoside. EGCG increased the bioavailability of acteoside to 1.43-fold, but quercetin had no such effect. Further study showed that EGCG and quercetin had no effects on the storage and digestion stability of acteoside. This work revealed that EGCG could improve the acteoside absorption across the Caco-2 monolayers and enhance the bioavailability of acteoside in rats. • EGCG and quercetin decreased the efflux and promoted the influx of acteoside. • Adding 320 μM EGCG or 240 μM quercetin enhanced acteoside absorption optimally. • EGCG increased the bioavailability of acteoside in rats to 1.43-fold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The main dietary contributor of selenium is meat. • Selenium-rich agro-food can be used as an effective selenium supplement. • Chromium in selenium-rich agro-food may endanger health for people under 18. • Selenium-rich rice and flour have higher selenium and associated metals contents. • The main dietary contributor of chromium is edible fungi and algae. Dietary consumption of selenium-rich agro-food is an effective way to avoid selenium deficiency diseases, however, over consumption of selenium-rich agro-food will result in potential risk of selenosis and problems with associated metals. In this study, we measured the concentrations of selenium and its associated metals in 2756 common and 4894 selenium-rich agro-food samples in 10 regions of China. We found that selenium-rich rice, flour, edible fungi and algae, meat, and tea contain higher levels of associated metals than other selenium-rich agro-food samples. Increasing the consumption of selenium-rich agro-food could make the actual intakes (AIs) of selenium for all population to meet respective recommended daily intakes (RDIs). Benefit-risk assessment results indicated that increasing the consumption of selenium-rich agro-food make AIs of selenium for all populations meet RDIs, chromium intakes for people under 18 years old exceed provisional tolerated daily intake (PTDIs), while arsenic and cadmium intakes are close to PTDIs. The main dietary contributors of selenium, chromium, arsenic and cadmium were meat, edible fungi and algae, rice, and rice, respectively. The study supported the consumption of selenium-rich agro-food for effective selenium supplement, but also emphasized potential risk from associated metals in selenium-rich agro-food, especially chromium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to prevent the photooxidation of phytosterols, a new type of Pickering emulsion was developed by regulating the oriented distribution of antioxidants in colloidal lipid particles (CLPs) at the oil-water interface. High-melting-point and low-melting-point lipids were tested to modulate their protective effect against phytosterols photooxidation. Results showed that CLPs could stabilize Pickering emulsion and encapsulate antioxidants, providing a dual functional delivery system for phytosterols protection. The Pickering emulsion formed had a particle size of around 350-820 nm, and the crystallization and melting temperatures of tripalmitin particles were approximately 32 °C and 63.8 °C, respectively. The addition of tributyrin or tricaprylin reduced the crystallization and melting temperatures of Pal CLPs and improved the photooxidation emulsion stability. The prepared Pickering emulsion remained stable for a maximum of 12 days under accelerated light-induced oxidation. Among all formulations, the emulsion primarily composed of tripalmitin CLPs, with added tributyrin and resveratrol, exhibited the highest photooxidation stability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Phytosterol, recognized for its health benefits, is predominantly extracted from plants and exhibits significantly reduced stability under varying light conditions. Their photooxidation is significantly influenced by emulsion interfaces. This study examined the mechanism of interface structure on phytosterol photooxidation with unparalleled molecular precision, utilizing molecular dynamics simulations and experimental procedures. Hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl group at the C3 position of phytosterols and water molecules, coupled with van der Waals forces between the hydrophobic regions and the oil phase, induced phytosterol molecules to disperse toward the interface. The elevated polarity of the oil phase, specifically in tributyrin, facilitated the permeation of water molecules into the oil phase. This was achieved by diminishing the emulsion's interfacial tension, thereby fostering the development of more interface or micelles, and accelerating the photooxidation process of phytosterols. These simulations unraveled that the preponderance of phytosterol distribution is localized and oxidized at the oil-water interface., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this study, pullulanase-assisted bamboo leaf flavonoids (BLF) were employed to ameliorate limitations of fluidity and digestibility of cooked yam flour via physicochemical properties, digestion, structure and interaction analysis. The results showed that 1) Pullulanase-assisted BLF significantly increased the water solubility (9.02% → 69.38%) and inhibited the swelling (5.54 g/g → 2.29 g/g) during heating and cooling of yam flour, causing it to have liquid-like rheological properties (the tanδ tended to 1). 2) Pullulanase and BLF synergistically affected the anti-digestion of yam flour, reducing the estimated glycemic index to a lower level (58.27 → 48.26, dose-dependent of BLF). 3) Pullulanase-assisted BLF mainly interacted hydrophobic with various components, especially starch, increasing the short/long-range ordered structure of starch, changing the secondary structure of proteins, and forming a tight three-dimensional network structure. This study provided a theoretical foundation for the development of functional foods using yam flour and its potential application in liquid foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Phytosterol (PS) is a steroid, and its bioavailability can be enhanced by interacting with protein in the C-24 hydroxyl group. The interaction between sterols and amino acid residues in proteins can be enhanced by enzymatic hydrolysis. Phytosterol and whey insulation hydrolysates (WPH1-4) fabricated by the Alcalase enzyme at different enzymatic hydrolysis times were selected as delivery systems to simulate sterol C-24 hydroxyl group interaction with protein. Increasing hydrolysis time can promote the production of β-Lg, which raises the ratio of β-turn in the secondary structure and promotes the formation of interaction between WPH and PS. The correlation coefficient between hydrogen bonds and encapsulation efficiency (EE) and bioaccessibility is 0.91 and 0.88 ( P < 0.05), respectively, indicating that hydrogen bonds of two components significantly influenced the combination by concealing the hydrophobic amino acids and some residues, which improved PS EE and bioavailability by 3.03 and 2.84 times after PS was combined with the WPI hydrolysate. These findings are expected to enhance the absorption of PS and other macromolecules by protein enzymatic hydrolysis to broaden their applications for food.

Yam is a dual-purpose crop as both medicine and food. However, the mechanism controlling the eating quality of yam remains to be elucidated. This study explored the influence of starch multiscale structure on the texture of yam. The results indicated that FS and RC yam have higher hardness and chewiness, while BZ, XM, and PL yam possess waxiness, Fineness, and Stickiness. Statistically, high amylose (AM) can increase hardness, chewiness, and compactness; and average molecular size (R h ) is positively correlated with stickiness, fineness, and waxiness. Specifically, medium- and long-chain amylose (1000 < X ≤ 10,000) and amylopectin (24 < X ≤ 100), particularly medium-chain amylose (1000 < X ≤ 5000) and long-chain amylopectin (24 < X ≤ 36), primarily affect sensory and rheological stickiness. The long chains of amylose form a straight chain interspersed in the crystalline and amorphous regions to support the entire lamellar structure. Higher proportion of amylose long chains, promoting the starch's structural rigidity, which in turn enhanced its hardness-related attributes. Moreover, a higher ratio of long chains within amylopectin results in tightly intertwined adjacent outer chains, forming double helix crystalline zones. This consequently augmenting the texture quality linked to stickiness-related attributes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We confirm that there are no any conflicts of interest with respect to this publication and there has been no financial support for this article that could influence the outcome., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The evolution of the starch fine structure during growth and its impact on the gelatinization behavior of cassava starch (CS) was investigated by isolating starch from South China 6068 (SC 6068 ) cassava harvested from the 4th to 9th growth period. During growth, the short-range ordered structure, crystallinity as well as particle size distribution of starch were increased. Meanwhile, the starch molecular size and amylopectin (AP) proportion increased, while the proportion of amylose (AM) exhibited a decreasing tendency. The chains of short-AM (X ~ 100-1000) were mainly significantly reduced, whereas the short and medium-AP chains (X ~ 6-24) had the most increment in AP. The solubility, thermal stability, shear resistance, and retrogradation resistance of starch were enhanced after gelatinized under the influence of the results mentioned above. This study presented a deeper insight into the variation of starch fine structure during growth and its influence on gelatinization behavior, which would provide a theoretical basis for starch industrial applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Xanthohumol (XN), possessing potent physiological activity, is exclusively derived from hops (Humulus lupulus L.) and exhibits high instability. However, its inherent instability often results in degradation during storage, leading to a decline in its activity due to the formation of various products. This study aimed to explore the stability of XN in beer under different storage conditions, establish or clarify degradation kinetic models, and understand the degradation mechanism. Our findings revealed that XN would degrade rapidly when exposed to high temperature and light. Its degradation followed a first-order kinetic model, involving reactions such as isomerization, hydration and ortho-position cyclization, resulting in the formation of five products. These insights shed light on the factors and mechanisms underlying the instability and degradability of XN, serving as a foundation for the development of a stable beer product enriched with functional XN., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Wencheng waxy yam is famous for its glutinous and resilient taste, similar to waxy rice, but there is currently a lack of systematic research on the quality of this featured product, and little is known about its pesticide residues. We carried out a 2 year investigation of Wencheng waxy yam at seven sites from 2021 to 2022 to determine the oxidase content and phytochemical characteristics, namely, amylose, amylopectin, protein, reducing sugar, and mineral contents, such as K, Fe, and Zn, including the status of pesticide residues. The results showed that the oxidase content was affected by rainfall, and adequate water reduced the production of oxidase, including polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, during the late growth stage of waxy yam, which was beneficial for reducing browning in yam processing. Radar map analysis showed that, with comprehensive evaluation, standardized production sites 1 and 2 had a relatively higher quality than 3-7 with small farmers. The results of pesticide multiresidue testing showed that no pesticides were detected in 64.29% of the samples, and the detected residues in the samples were very low, making the consumption of yam safe for consumers. These findings could be beneficial for the exploitation of the health benefits of waxy yam tubers and the innovation of yam-based functional products., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Phytosterol organic acid esters are important food resources and the components of biomembrane structure. Due to the lack of extraction and synthesis techniques, more research has been focused on phytosterols, and the research on phytosterol acid esters have encountered a bottleneck, but phytosterol acid esters confer substantial benefits to human health. In this study, stigmasteryl vanillate (VAN), stigmasteryl protocatechuate (PRO) and stigmasteryl sinapate (SIN) were prepared through the Steglich reaction. The processes are promotable and the products reach up to 95% purity. In addition, their stability was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. HPLC analysis revealed an enhancement in water solubility after esterification with phenolic acid. In an in vitro digestion model, the bioaccessibility of stigmasteryl phenolates was significantly higher than that of stigmasterols (STIs). Regarding the anti-inflammatory properties, VAN, PRO, and SIN exhibit superior effects against TNF-α induced pro-inflammatory responses compared to STI. All stigmasteryl phenolates supplementation increased the ATP production, the basal, and maximal oxygen consumption rate in mitochondrial stress test. Overall, we present a synthesis method for stigmasteryl phenolates. It will contribute to the development and research of phytosterol acid ester analysis, functions and utilization in food. Moreover, the nutrient-stigmasterol hybrids tactic we have constructed is practical and can become a targeted mitochondrial delivery strategy with enhanced anti-inflammatory effects., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Fish oil, rich in a variety of long-chain ω-3 PUFAs, is widely used in fortified foods due to its broad-spectrum health benefits. However, its undesired characteristics include oxidation sensitivity, poor water solubility, and fishy off-flavor greatly hinder its exploitation in food field. Over the past two decades, constructing fish oil emulsions to encapsulate ω-3 PUFAs for improving their physicochemical and functional properties has undergone great progress. This review mainly focuses on understanding the fabrication strategies, stabilization mechanism, and potential applications of fish oil emulsions, including fish oil microemulsions, nanoemulsions, double emulsions, Pickering emulsions and emulsion gels. Furthermore, the role of oil-water interfacial stabilizers in the fish oil emulsions stability will be discussed with a highlight on food-grade single emulsifiers and natural complex systems for achieving this purpose. Additionally, its roles and applications in food industry and nutrition field are delineated. Finally, possible innovative food trends and applications are highlighted, such as novel fish oil-based delivery systems construction (e.g., Janus emulsions and nutraceutical co-delivery systems), exploring digestion and absorption mechanisms and enhancing functional evaluation (e.g., nutritional supplement enhancer, and novel fortified/functional foods). This review provides a reference for the application of fish oil-based emulsion systems in future precision diet intervention implementations.

In our previous study, we found that cassava cyanogenic glycosides had an acute health risk. Therefore, to solve this problem, the improvement of specific degradation of cyanogenic glycosides of cassava linamarase during processing is the key. In this study, the catalytic activity and thermal stability of enzymes were screened before investigating the degradation efficiency of cyanogenic glycosides with a cassava linamarase mutant K263P-T53F-S366R-V335C-F339C (CASmut) -controlled technique. The CASmut was obtained with the optimum temperature of 45 °C, which was improved by 10 °C. The specific activity of CASmut was 85.1 ± 4.6 U/mg, which was 2.02 times higher than that of the wild type. Molecular dynamics simulation analysis and flexible docking showed there were more hydrogen bonding interactions at the pocket, and the aliphatic glycoside of the linamarin was partially surrounded by hydrophobic residues. The optimum conditions of degradation reactions was screened with CASmut addition of 47 mg/L at 45 °C, pH 6.0. The CASmut combined with ultrasonication improved the degradation from 478.2 ± 10.4 mg/kg to 86.7 ± 7.4 mg/kg. Those results indicating the great potential of CASmut in applying in the cassava food or cyanogenic food. However, challenges in terms of the catalytic mechanism research is worthy of being noticed in further studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Flavone glycosides, their aglycones, and metabolites are the major phytochemicals in dietary intake. However, there are still many unknowns about the cellular utilization and active sites of these natural products. Uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) in the endoplasmic reticulum have gene polymorphism distribution in the population and widely mediate the absorption and metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds by catalyzing the covalent addition of glucuronic acid and various lipophilic chemicals. Firstly, we found that rutin, a typical flavone O -glycoside, has a stronger UGT2B7 binding effect than its metabolites. After testing a larger number of flavonoids with different aglycones, their aglycones, and metabolites, we demonstrated that typical dietary flavone O -glycosides generally have high binding affinities towards UGT2B7 protein, but the flavone C -glycosides and the phenolic acid metabolites of flavones had no significant effect on this. With the disposition of 4-methylumbelliferone examined by HPLC assay, we determined that 10 μM rutin and nicotifiorin could significantly inhibit the activity of recombinant UGT2B7 protein, which is stronger than isovitexin, vitexin, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. In addition, in vitro experiments showed that in normal and doxorubicin-induced lipid composition, both flavone O -glycosides rutin and flavone C -glycosides isovitexin at 10 μM had no significant effect on the expression of UGT1A1 , UGT2B4 , UGT2B7 , and UGT2B15 genes for 24 h exposure. The obtained results enrich the regulatory properties of dietary flavone glycosides, aglycones, and metabolites towards the catalysis of UGTs and will contribute to the establishment of a precise nutritional intervention system based on lipid bilayers and theories of nutrients on endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria communication.

The interactions between dietary cholesterol and intestinal microbiota strongly affect host health. In recent years, relevant studies have greatly advanced this field and need to be summarized to deepen the understanding of dietary cholesterol-intestinal microbiota interactions and their effects on host health. This review covers the most recent frontiers on the effects of dietary cholesterol on the intestinal microbiota and its metabolites, the metabolism of cholesterol by the intestinal microbiota, and the effects of the interactions on host health. Several animal-feeding studies reported that dietary cholesterol altered different intestinal microbiota in the body, while mainly causing alterations in intestinal microbial metabolites such as bile acids, short-chain fatty acids, and tryptophan derivatives. Alterations in these metabolites may be a novel mechanism mediating cholesterol-related diseases. The cholesterol microbial metabolite, coprostanol, has a low absorption rate and is excreted in the feces. Thus, microbial conversion of cholesterol-to-coprostanol may be an important way of cholesterol-lowering by the organism. Cholesterol-3-sulfate is a recently discovered microbial metabolite of cholesterol, mainly metabolized by Bacteroides containing the Bt&#95;0416 gene. Its effects on host health have been preliminarily characterized and are mainly related to immune modulation and repair of the intestinal epithelium.

Acteoside, an important phenylethanol glycoside, is the main active component in Osmanthus fragrans flower. Our previous study found that acteoside showed high antiaging effect but its absorption rate was low. We speculated acteoside palliated aging-related cognitive impairment before being absorbed, that was intestinal homeostasis underlie the antiaging effect of acteoside. In this study, acteoside was confirmed to palliate cognitive impairment in d-galactose induced aging mice. Acteoside treatment dramatically reduced oxidative stress, alleviated intestinal inflammation, restored intestinal mucosal barrier, rebuilt gut microbiome structure and upregulated gut microbiome metabolites short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and amino acids (AAs). Furthermore, antibiotic treatment revealed that the antiaging ability of acteoside was abolished in microbiota depleted mice, which offered direct evidence for the essential role of gut microbiota in the attenuation of cognitive impairment of acteoside. Together, our study indicated that acteoside palliated cognitive impairment by regulating intestinal homeostasisand acteoside intake might be a promising nutritional intervention in prevention of neurodegenerative diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: The rice gall midge (RGM, Orseolia oryzae, Wood-Mason), an important stem-feeding pest worldwide, has caused serious production losses over the past decades. Rice production practices indicate that the most reliable method for managing RGM is the deployment of cultivars that incorporate host resistance. However, the conventional phenotypic screening method of rice resistance to RGM suggested by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has been used for approximately 30 years, and only 12 rice varieties/lines (including controls) can be evaluated in one tray. It is not suitable for high-throughput phenotyping of rice germplasm. Moreover, a suitable method to prepare samples for molecular biological studies of rice resistance against RGM is imperative with the rapid development of modern molecular techniques., Results: The proper density of seedlings/RGM was determined for four seeding arrangements. A high-throughput phenotyping method (HTPM) for 60 lines/varieties infested with 36 female RGM adults in one tray, as described by method 4-3 (seeded 60 lines/varieties), was developed and verified using mutant screening. Furthermore, one RGM resistance gene flanked by markers 12RM28346 and 12RM28739 on chromosome 12 was simultaneously detected using method 2-2 (seeded 30 lines/varieties in one tray) treated with 24 RGM and analyzed using conventional and simplified grading systems. Genetic analysis of the RGM resistance gene was confirmed using a method identical to that suggested by IRRI. Finally, one bucket with 24 seedlings treated with at least five female RGM adults was efficacious and could offer adequate samples for insect development observation or molecular biological studies., Conclusion: A highly efficient and reliable procedure for evaluation of resistance in rice to RGM was developed and improved, and was verified through mutant screening, gene mapping, genetic analysis, and insect growth and development observations., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The different health effects between starch and whole flour from tubers are rarely studied. Here, we investigated the effects of cassava flour (CF), cassava starch (CS), potato flour (PF), and potato starch (PS) on gut health and gut microbiota of normal rats. Feed analysis showed that CF and PF diet provided significantly more slowly digestible and resistant starch, less rapidly digestible starch. Compared with rats fed with PS and CS diets, rats fed with PF and CF diets gained less body weight and have tighter intestinal barrier. Butyric acid contents were increased by tuber flours. CF and PF selectively promoted the relative abundance of Akkermansia and Eubacterium ruminantium in cecal and colonic content. In conclusion, tuber flour has intestinal protection, body weight control, and gut microbiota improving ability compared with starch. The different composition of starch might be the basis for these effects., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) are generally water-soluble phenolic compounds that occur in many medicinal plants. Until June 2020, more than 572 PhGs have been isolated and identified. PhGs possess antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, antioxidant, antiviral, and neuroprotective properties. Despite these promising benefits, PhGs have failed to fulfill their therapeutic applications due to their poor bioavailability. The attempts to understand their metabolic pathways to improve their bioavailability are investigated. In this review article, we will first summarize the number of PhGs compounds which is not accurate in the literature. The latest information on the biological activities, structure-activity relationships, mechanisms, and especially the clinical applications of PhGs will be reviewed. The bioavailability of PhGs will be summarized and factors leading to the low bioavailability will be analyzed. Recent advances in methods such as bioenhancers and nanotechnology to improve the bioavailability of PhGs are also summarized. The existing scientific gaps of PhGs in knowledge are also discussed, highlighting research directions in the future., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

This study aimed to establish a precise HPLC-MS approach to determine the concentrations and distribution of major phenolic acids in six categories of vegetables that are commonly consumed in China. We detected 17 phenolic acids within 15 min under optimized conditions. The method showed detection limits varying from 0.008 mg/L to 0.042 mg/L, average recoveries ranging from 71.0% to 110.7%, and a RSD of ≤9.98%. The average concentrations of total phenolic acids followed the order of flower > root > leafy > stem > bean > fruit vegetables. The phenolic acids were more abundant in the leafy, root, and stem vegetables than in the other vegetable samples. Furthermore, the levels of isoferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid were greater than those of other phenolic acids in the vegetables. Free soluble phenolic acids were the dominant species in all vegetables (P < 0.001), except in the stem vegetables (P < 0.027)., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Variations of phenylethanoid glycoside profiles and antioxidant activities in Osmanthus fragrans flowers through the digestive tract were evaluated by a simulated digestion model and UPLC/PDA/MS. Major phenylethanoid glycosides and phenolic acids, namely, salidroside, acteoside, isoacteoside, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid, were identified in four cultivars of O. fragrans flowers, and the concentration of acteoside was the highest, being up to 71.79 mg/g dry weight. After simulated digestion, total phenylethanoid glycoside contents and antioxidant activities were significantly decreased. Acteoside was identified as decomposing into caffeic acid, whereas salidroside was found to be stable during simulated digestion. According to Pearson's correlation analysis, acteoside contents showed good correlations with antioxidant activities during simulated digestion (R(2) = 0.994, P < 0.01). In conclusion, acteoside was the major contributor to the antioxidant activity of O. fragrans flowers, and salidroside was considered as the major antioxidant compound of O. fragrans flowers in vivo.

Steryl ferulate (SF) is a bioactive mixture extracted from rice bran and shows higher inhibitory activity against inflammation than the corresponding free sterols. In this study, the aim was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect and prostate gene expression profiling of SF using a Xiaozhiling-induced non-bacterial prostatitis (NBP) rat model. The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by prostate weight, prostate index, acid phosphatase, density of lecithin corpuscles (DLC), white blood cell count (WBC), and prostatic histologic section. Prostate gene expression profiling was assessed by a cDNA microarray and validated by quantitative real-time PCR of five selected genes. Pathway analysis and Gene ontology (GO) analysis were applied to determine the roles of these differentially expressed genes involved in these biological pathways or GO terms. SF treatment could significantly inhibit prostate weight, prostate index, total acid phosphatase, prostatic acid phosphatase and WBC, suppress the severity of histological lesion and increase the DLC. Compared with the control group, the SF treatment group contained 238 up-regulated genes and 111 down-regulated genes. GO analysis demonstrated that the most significant expression genes were closely related to the terms of fibrinolysis, inflammatory response, high-density lipoprotein particle, protein-lipid complex, enzyme inhibitor activity, peptidase inhibitor activity and others. Canonical pathway analysis indicated five pathways were significantly regulated, which were associated with inflammation and tumorgenesis. In conclusion, SF may be used as a health supplement to prevent NBP, in that it could inhibit prostate inflammation in NBP patients by affecting the expression of genes in the related GO terms and pathways.

A novel ultra-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of four water-soluble vitamins, including vitamin B5 (VB5), vitamin B8 (VB8), vitamin B9 (VB9), and vitamin B12 (VB12) in fortified infant foods is developed and validated. A reverse phase UPLC separation system consisting of a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C-18 column (2.1 mm x 100 mm i.d., 1.7 microm) and a binary gradient acetonitrile-water mobile phase is applied for the separation of the four water-soluble vitamins. Formic acid is spiked into the mobile phase to enhance the ionization efficiency. Tandem MS-MS analysis is performed in multi-reaction monitoring mode (MRM). Product-ion traces at m/z 220.1 --> 89.9 for VB5, 245.1 --> 227.1 for VB8, 442.3 --> 295.2 for VB9, and 678.9 --> 147.0 for VB12 are used for quantitation of the corresponding vitamins, and traces at m/z 455.5 --> 308.0 are used for methotrexate (internal standard). Limits of quantitation (LOQs) are 0.016, 0.090, 0.020, and 0.019 microg/L for VB5, VB8, VB9, and VB12, respectively. Intra- and inter-day precisions for the determination of the four vitamins are better than 6.84% and 12.26% in relative standard deviations, and recoveries for the four vitamins are in the range of 86.0~101.5%. The developed approach is applied for the determination of the trace amounts of the vitamins in fortified milk powers and fortified rice powers.