Gastric mucosal injury (GMI) is a common pathology affecting many people around the world. Hericium erinaceus polysaccharides (HEP) have various biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, and protection of the gastrointestinal tract. HEP-1, a low molecular weight polysaccharide (1.67 × 104 Da) isolated from Hericium erinaceus, is composed of →6)-β-D-Glcp-(1→, →3)-β-D-Glcp-(1→, β-D-Glcp-(1→, and →3,6)-β-D-Glcp-(1→. However, whether HEP has preventive efficacy against GMI is unknown. This study investigated the intervention effect and potential mechanism of HEP-1 on GMI. Mice treated with HEP-1 for two weeks were treated with ethanol to induce gastric mucosal damage. The gastric mucosal tissue pathology, gastric tissue inflammatory factors, and gastric oxidative stress function were evaluated. The results showed that HEP-1 increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, reduced the release of inflammatory factors, promoted the production of nitric oxide (NO), inhibited the production of endothelin-1 (ET-1), and increased the blood flow of gastric mucosa to maintain the defensive function of the gastric mucosa. HEP-1 also activated the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, increased the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), promoted the expression of serum and glucocorticoid-induced kinase (SGK), and enhanced the biosynthesis of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), thereby facilitating the repair and healing of gastric mucosal injury (GMI). Therefore, HEP-1 has the potential to preserve the integrity of the gastric mucosa and is anticipated to be a key bioactive ingredient in the prevention and repair of GMI.

Fermented fish products are an integral part of the culinary heritage, celebrated for their unique flavors. However, these traditional foods face significant challenges related to safety and health, including biogenic amine accumulation, high salt content, and perishability during storage. This review synthesizes current research on addressing these issues through innovative approaches such as employing targeted starter cultures, optimizing fermentation parameters, and integrating advanced preservation technologies. Controlling biogenic amines, reducing sodium levels without compromising product quality, and extending shelf-life through natural preservatives and novel packaging methods are emphasized as key strategies. While promising, these approaches require further development to ensure feasibility and affordability for widespread application. The review underscores the importance of tailoring solutions to specific fermentation ecosystems and product types. By providing a roadmap for improving safety and health outcomes, this work aims to support the development of fermented fish products that balance cultural significance with modern consumer demands and health considerations.

The interactions between food nutrient constituents/matrixes (e.g., polysaccharides, proteins, and polyphenols) carry on spontaneously and rapidly in the food system (e.g., processing, chewing, and digestion). Understanding the variability of these interactions throughout the food chain/industry in terms of patterns and mechanisms is a challenging task, as the structures of these biomolecules are highly complex, and the binding forms and sites are quite flexible, which hinders their accurate identification and analysis. The comprehensive attribution of modern physical analysis techniques presents enormous strengths: it reveals the chemical composition and physical structure of components, the way in which they interact, their influence on matrix properties, and paves the way for other and more complex interactions in food systems. The aim of this review is to develop a practical, simplified, but unambiguous and comprehensive graphical guide to this demanding topic. It might advance the strategies applied to interaction experiments and analyzes, pinpointing the key home messages disclosed by each representation and proposing effective explanations for their mechanisms of interaction, as well as other key resources in the investigation of these biomacromolecular interactions.

The quality of wheat-based products is significantly influenced by the structure and properties of gluten, and these are affected by various endogenous enzymes. However, the specific mechanisms of these enzymes, such as sulfhydryl oxidase, protein disulfide isomerase, ascorbate oxidase, and dehydroascorbate reductase have not been well studied. The role of these enzymes in enhancing gluten network formation and dough properties is not yet fully understood. This review examines the types, structures, and mechanisms of these key enzymes, with a focus on their roles in promoting disulfide bond formation and improving dough rheology and bread quality. By elucidating the mechanisms through which these enzymes directly or indirectly influence the structure, function, and physicochemical properties of gluten proteins, this review provides critical insights that advance understanding of gluten cross-linking and lay the groundwork for practical strategies to enhance the quality and safety of wheat-based products in food processing.

Aging is a crucial process in fruit wine production, which refers to the storage and fermentation of fruit wine in a bottle or wooden barrel for a period of time to make its taste and flavor more mellow and complex. In traditional fruit wine production, aging usually takes several years. However, with the continuous development of technology, more and more artificial methods for accelerating aging have been developed, allowing fruit wine to achieve the desired aging effect faster. This article introduces some of the main artificial methods for accelerating aging, including traditional oak aging, ultra high-pressure aging, magnetic aging, ultrasonic aging, microwave aging, electron beam irradiation stimulation, micro-oxygen aging, and microbial aging. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods will be discussed, to promote the development of the fruit wine industry.

Ethanol, hyperosmotic stress, and certain levels of SO₂ are the main abiotic factors inhibiting the survival of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during winemaking, but how combinations of these stressors impact yeast growth and the underlying genetic basis are not well studied. To illustrate these questions, ten randomly selected Chinese indigenous haploid S. cerevisiae were first evaluated for multi-stressor tolerance using a three-factor, three-level orthogonal test. Great variation in growth was observed in a medium containing 6% v/v ethanol, 300 mg/L SO₂, and hyperosmotic stress equivalent to 200 g/L fructose. One hundred and eighteen haploids were further tested under the mentioned stress levels. Their growth shared common features of quantitative traits, which indicates the underlying mechanism can be investigated by quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. The parental haploids with opposite tolerance to the combined stressors were selected to generate the F1 hybrid and F2 segregants. Further characterization of the F2 population allowed the assembly of two pools, each composed of 15 individuals showing divergent tolerance to the multi-stressor. The associated major QTLs were mapped by genome-wide comparison of single-nucleotide polymorphism profiles between the two pools. Two regions located on Chromosomes III and XIV were identified to be associated with the multi-stressor tolerance. Based on GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, seven genes involved in nucleotide binding, methylation, and sterol synthesis were finally selected as potential quantitative trait genes that play a role in supporting yeast growth under the multi-stressor. The findings of this study expand current knowledge on the genetic determinants of variation in yeast tolerance to combined ethanol-hyperosmotic-SO₂ stressors.