Lily bulbs are valued for their health benefits, and drying is a common method for their preservation. This study employed untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-QTOF-MS to analyze the phytochemical profiles of lily bulbs dried by hot air (HD), microwave (MD), and vacuum freeze (FD) methods. In terms of appearance, FD samples exhibited minimal browning and wrinkling, while HD bulbs showed the most severe changes. Nineteen potential markers were identified, with HD samples showing higher levels of bitter amino acids, peptides, and N-fructosyl phenylalanine. The markers of FD samples were glutamine, coumarin, and p-coumaric acid. Notably, eleutheroside E was detected in lily bulbs for the first time and confirmed as an MD marker, with levels 1.51-fold and 6.19-fold higher than in FD and HD samples, respectively. MD method shows promise for enriching bioactive compounds in dried lily bulbs.
Chlorophyll (Chl), the most widely distributed natural pigment in nature, is limited in use due to its poor stability. This study refers to the aggregation structure of Chl and carotene (Car) in natural photosynthetic systems, hoping to improve the photostability of Chl by constructing Chl/Car aggregates. The stability protection effect of Car on Chl was explored by designing different ratios of Chl and Car aggregation systems. The configuration of Chl/Car aggregates was optimized through ab initio molecular dynamics, and the aggregation mechanism of the aggregates and the photoprotection mechanism of Chl by Car were elucidated through quantum chemical calculations and wave function analysis. Chl/Car had a 27.22% higher Chl retention rate than free Chl after 7 d of illumination, with a Chl to Car ratio of 1.66:1. A configuration of the Chl/Car aggregates which Car's conjugated olefin chain interacts extensively with the porphyrin ring and bent phytyl chain of Chl made them more stable. The photoprotective mechanism of Car on Chl in the Chl/Car aggregates is elucidated. Car's conjugated polyene chain provides HOMO orbitals to the Chl/Car aggregates. It demonstrated that Car supplies electrons in the low-lying excited states S2 and S4, indicating it is more susceptible to damage, protecting Chl. This research will promote the development of natural color formulas and ensure the health of consumers.
The promising future of natural colors in the food industry aligns with the shift in consumer preference toward healthier food options. These naturally derived ingredients gradually replace their artificial counterparts and find applications in a wide range of food categories, and aquatic products have emerged as one of them. In this work, we introduced the characteristics and extraction of several main types of natural pigments and also explored the positive outcomes of integrating the pigments, such as carotenoids, curcumin, anthocyanins, and betalains, in aquatic product processing and preservation. Their outstanding antioxidant and dyeing properties contribute to the production and storage of various aquatic products. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of natural pigment applications in aquatic products and to provide inspiration for future research and industry practices.
Carotenoids are colored bioactive substances increasingly used due to their antioxidant properties, vitamin A precursor role, and ability to function as a natural food color. Knowledge of carotenoid behavior during high-heat processing and subsequent storage in emulsified food matrix is essential to expand their application natural food colors and neutraceuticals. Firstly, the physical, thermal, and colloidal stability of emulsions constructed from octenyl succinic anhydride-modified starch (OSA starch)-chitosan multilayered interfaces were investigated. Results of charge reversal from −32.4 ± 1.9 mV to +38.0 ± 0.8 mV indicate that multilayered interfaces were formed in emulsions. As measured by Z-average size, the emulsions were stable after the thermal treatment at 121 °C for 60 min, thus demonstrating a novel heat-stable multilayered emulsion. Subsequently, a select multilayered emulsion was loaded with β-carotene, and its storage stability was assessed. The degradation of β-carotene in an oil-in-water emulsion was better described with zeroth order kinetics; β-carotene dissolved in bulk oil was better described using a second-order kinetic equation. The presence of an encapsulating material around the oil droplets loaded with β-carotene enhanced its stability, which makes it instrumental in extending shelf-life and maintaining a consistent appearance. The results can be used to predict the availability of β-carotene during storage.
Umami peptides, the flavor compounds mainly derived from natural proteins, provide a pleasant taste for humans and exhibit a variety of biological activities, such as antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties. Marine proteins, which serve as excellent sources of umami peptides, have become a focal point of research. This review introduces the research progress on reported marine umami peptides. Firstly, it discusses the structural characteristics of umami peptides and the mechanism behind their formation to create an umami taste. It then presents several commonly used techniques for preparing and regulating umami peptides while summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. Finally, this review describes the potential application prospects for core technologies within Industry 4.0—such as molecular simulation, artificial intelligence, big data analysis, cloud computing, and blockchain technology—which could bring new opportunities for the development of marine umami peptides.
In this study, three representative pears ('Yali' Pear, 'Huangguan' Pear, and 'Xuehua' Pear) peel/flesh polyphenol extracts were characterized by their antioxidant activity, polyphenol composition, and in vitro cholesterol/cholates binding capacity. 'Yali' Pear polyphenol extracts were selected to further investigate the mechanism of in vitro cholesterol/cholates lowering capacity. Lagergren adsorption kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models confirmed the occurrence of this combination. Turbidity, average particle size, transmission electron microscopy, and zeta potential combined confirmed the existence of some interaction between polyphenols and cholesterol/cholates. Cholesterol/cholates quenched the exogenous fluorescence of polyphenols by static mechanism. The thermodynamic interaction results revealed that the interaction between polyphenols and cholesterol is a spontaneous process, primarily driven by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Overall, this study aimed to investigate the confirmation of the binding removal properties of pear polyphenols on cholesterol/cholates to mitigate the adverse health effects of a high-fat diet.
The colonic mucosal barrier is an important component of the intestinal barrier, and its integrity is crucial for maintaining digestive tract homeostasis and normal metabolism in the body. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms by which malvidin-3-O-galactoside (M3G) might ameliorate colonic mucosal barrier function, from the perspective of physical barrier function and immune barrier function. Male C57BL/6J mice were given dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to establish a mice model for colitis and then administrated with or without M3G for one week. The results showed that M3G supplementation significantly improved the disease activity index (DAI) score and colon tissue injury in mice with DSS-induced colitis. M3G improved the colonic physical barrier function by modulating the expression of mucin2 (MUC2), claudin-1, occludin, zona occludens 1 (ZO-1), and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (iFABP) in the colonic mucosa. Additionally, M3G also relieved the colonic immune barrier of mice by increasing the level of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in colon tissue and the percentages of CD4+T (CD3+CD4+) and CD8+T (CD3+CD8+) cells in colon lamina propria monocytes in mice. Furthermore, M3G down-regulated Notch signaling pathway-related proteins such as Notch1, notch intracellular domain (NICD), delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4), delta-like ligand 1 (DLL1), and hairy/enhancer of split 1 (Hes1) of colon tissue. The present results demonstrated that M3G can improve colonic mucosal barrier function by inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway.
In this study, static and dynamic desorption methods, infrared spectroscopy and, in vitro antioxidant modeling were used to isolate, purify, and investigate the bioactivity of melanoidins extracted from hypoheat-induced Lycium barbarum L. The results showed that melanoidin fractions with molecular weight in the range of 3−10 kDa were the dominant and most valuable fractions. In the purification phase, the optimal purification conditions were: a loading concentration of 4 mg·mL −1, elution volume of 6 BV, and an elution flow rate of 1 mL·min −1. Purified dominant melanoidin fractions (UF3) exhibited typical Maillard reaction (MR) characteristics in FTIR. The storage stability showed that sunlight and heat treatment exacerbated the instability of the purified UF3. At the same time it was relatively stable under dark conditions and incandescent light, with a retention rate of about 90%. After in vitro digestion, the purified UF3 still exhibited good antioxidant activity, and the DPPH scavenging activity and hydroxyl free radical scavenging ability reached more than 60%.
Given the side effects associated with synthetic antihypertensive drugs, there is a growing need among researchers to investigate angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides derived from food protein as safer therapeutic alternatives. This study used seabuckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides L.) seed meal as the raw material, and the protein was extracted by alkaline extraction and acid precipitation. After enzymatic digestion, peptides with molecular weight less than 3 kDa were selected for study. The screened peptide had an IC 50 value of 4.358 mg/mL on ACE with a non-competitive inhibition mechanism and good inhibition stability. By employing infrared (IR) analysis, exclusively β-fold and β-helix structures were identified in the hydrolysate, while no other structural motifs were detected. X-ray diffraction revealed that it had an irregular amorphous structure. The peptide contains 17 amino acids that are both highly acidic and hydrophobic, with glutamic acid ranking first in terms of the number of individual amino acids. Compared with the database (NCBI, Uniport), ten peptides with ACE inhibitory activity were detected, and molecular docking showed the mechanism of each peptide inhibiting ACE, FRVAWTEKNDGQRAPLANN, LIISVAYARVAKKLWLCNMIGDVT-TEQY, VIRSRASDGCLEVKEFEDIPP, AGGGG-GGGGGGSRRL, LQPREGPAGGTT-ALREELSLGPEAALDTPPAGP, DDEARINQLFL, FAVSTLTSYDWSDRDDATQGR-KL, RQLSLEGSGLGVEDLKDN, GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGIGGGGGGGGGGGAR, and KEALGEGCFGNRIDRIGD. According to the results, AGGGGGG-GGGGSRRL is more stable in binding to ACE and may have better inhibitory activity. It has been shown that seabuckthorn protein can be an alternative source of ACE inhibitory peptides.
Essential oils (EOs) are plant aromas used in the food industry. They have attracted considerable attention due to their diverse properties, i.e., antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities, with natural aroma and flavor as beneficial food additives. However, the instability, degradability, and hydrophobicity of EOs have limited their practical use in the food industry. Nanoencapsulation, a process where EOs are enclosed in a protective shell at the nanoscale, promises to enhance the biological properties of EOs. This process empowers EOs with excellent physiochemical stability and solubility, allowing for better distribution in food systems and controlled release for prolonged availability of EOs without rapid evaporation and instability. This review summarizes the recent works on encapsulating EOs to enhance their biological properties, providing a comprehensive overview of various specific nano-carriers and their applications in the food industry.