Abstract:25-Hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25-hydroxyvitamin D3,25(OH)VD₃) is recognized as the primary active metabolite of vitamin D₃ (VD₃) in humans and animals. Compared with VD₃, higher physiological potency is exhibited, and the metabolic burden on the liver is significantly reduced, making it regarded as an important food and feed additive with growing market demand. At present, 25(OH)VD₃ is primarily produced on a small scale through chemical derivatization using sterols isolated from natural raw materials. However, several limitations are associated with this production process, including restricted raw material sources, the high cost of natural sterol separation and purification, and low overall yield due to the numerous chemical synthesis steps involved. With the rapid advancement of synthetic biology, various promising technologies have been developed, including the biotransformation of intermediates in the VD₃ synthetic pathway and even one-step production from glucose using engineered yeast. In this review, the advantages and disadvantages of total or semi-synthesis methods were introduced first, followed by a summary of the biotransformation of 25(OH)VD₃ from VD₃, and a detailed discussion is provided on the latest advances in the biosynthesis of 25(OH)VD₃ from glucose using engineered yeast. It is expected that this work will facilitate the exploration of promising industrial strategies for 25(OH)VD₃ in the future.

Abstract:Bovine whey protein accounts for about 20% of the total protein mass in cow's milk. With its rich nutritional value and multifunctionality, it is widely applied in the food industry and has substantial market demand. However, domestic production of bovine whey protein faces challenges such as insufficient raw materials and a lack of efficient separation technologies. Traditional production methods are complex and generate significant "three wastes" pollution. Recent advancements in synthetic biology have enabled the construction of microbial cell factories for the large-scale synthesis of food proteins. Currently, this heterologous protein expression technology has been gradually applied to bovine whey protein production. The functions and applications of bovine β?-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin are outlined, the current status of biosynthesis using various expression systems is described, and the future optimization of chassis cells and development of more efficient expression components for the industrial production of bovine whey proteins are envisioned.

Abstract:Diet-induced lipid metabolism disorders are associated with a variety of diseases and have gradually become a global public health concern. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that probiotics exhibit regulatory effects on lipid metabolism, highlighting their potential in preventing and mitigating diseases related to such disorders. The author provides a comprehensive overview of the alleviating effects of probiotics on gut microbiota dysbiosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and decreased immunity caused by diet-induced lipid metabolism disorders. The regulatory mechanisms of probiotics on lipid metabolism is elaborated from some perspectives including the gut-liver axis, key metabolic substances, and strain-specific characteristics. This review offers insights and references for developing probiotics with efficacy in modulating diet-induced lipid metabolism disorders.

Abstract:Berry seed oils are functional oils extracted from berry seeds, which are by-products of the berry processing industry. Berry seed oils are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid, as well as bioactive compounds including tocopherols, carotenoids, squalene and phytosterols. This compounds provide abundant nutrients and exert multiple health benefits, making berry seed oils ideal dietary supplements. The author reviewed the chemical compositions, bioactive properties, and potential applications of seed oils from sea buckthorn, raspberry, pomegranate, grape, blackberry, blueberry, and kiwi fruit seed oils in the fields of functional foods, medicine, and cosmetics. The limitations of the current research on berry seed oils and their bioactive properties were also elucidated, and key areas of future research was highlighted to provide a reference for further accelerating the development and utilization of berry seed oils and advancing the berry seed oil industry in China.

Abstract:Surface modification of attapulgite (ATP) using chitosan was conducted to investigate the improvements in the adsorption performance of ATP, and a DNA extraction method based on chitosan-modified ATP was established to achieve low-cost and high-efficiency extraction of genomic DNA from foodborne pathogens. The material was characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and other techniques, while adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm models were used to investigate the adsorption mechanism of modified materials on DNA. Genomic DNA of three foodborne pathogenic bacteria was selected for extraction to investigate the extraction yield, purity, integrity, and stability. The results showed that the experimental data were well-described by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Freundlich model. Chitosan modification can significantly improve the adsorption performance of ATP. The saturation adsorption capacity of chitosan-ATP for herring sperm DNA achieved 23.648 μg/mg with high-quality and high-purity, and the chitosan-ATP based extraction method also showed good repeatability.

Abstract:Monascus fermentation can produce various beneficial secondary metabolites, such as Monacolin K, Monascus pigments, and so on. Monacolin K can inhibit cholesterol synthesis and reduce blood lipid levels. However, wild-type Monascus strains have extremely low yields of Monacolin K, significantly limiting the application of functional Monascus products. The previous metabolomics analysis of the author’s research team revealed that the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TAC) is involved in regulating Monacolin K synthesis, and fumaric acid expression was positively correlated with the synthesis of Monacolin K. To further investigate the effect of fumaric acid on the growth and secondary metabolism of Monascus purpureus and to improve Monacolin K yield in Monascus purpureus, the author utilized the wild-type strain Monascus purpureus M1 as the fermentation strain. Using methods such as dry weight measurement, spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, and real-time quantitative PCR, this author investigated the impact of fumaric acid addition on Monascus growth and the synthesis of secondary metabolite Monacolin K, as well as the yellow, orange, and red pigments of Monascus. The results demonstrated that fumaric acid addition inhibited the growth of mycelia and the synthesis of Monascus pigments. However, it increased the degree of mycelial folding and density, with Monacolin K production showing a 49.38% increase compared to the control. Additionally, nine genes associated with Monacolin K synthesis exhibited varying degrees of upregulation.

Abstract:Various dietary factors, including probiotics, vitamin D, and inositol, have been shown to alleviate gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, research on the combined intervention of these dietary factors for GDM remains limited. The author aimed to combine these dietary factors and modulate various metabolic pathways to address the complex metabolic disturbances associated with GDM. A GDM mouse model was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) combined with a high-fat diet. The dosage was 5×10⁸ CFU/d for probiotics, 5 μg/(kg·d) for vitamin D, and 100 mg/(kg·d) for inositol. The results indicated that, compared to individual probiotic interventions or pairwise combinations, the three-component dietary intervention more effectively regulated the gut microbiome, alleviated inflammation, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and disturbances in hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as pancreatic damage, and improved glucose and insulin homeostasis. This supports the hypothesis that the synergistic effects of these three dietary factors, through their joint regulation of multiple metabolic pathways, can lead to improved health outcomes and greater economic benefits.

Abstract:Bamboo shoots are abundant in China but their utilization rate is low. To enhance the utilization rate of moso bamboo shoots, the author used moso bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla (Carr.) Mitford cv. Pubescens) shoots as the raw material, and investigated the impact of varying additions of moso bamboo shoot powder on the key parameters of steamed bun preparation processes and the final product quality. Additionally, an image segmentation technique based on the region-growing method and maximum entropy method was developed to analyze the distribution of pores within the steamed bun and their influence on product quality. The results showed that the steamed buns performed best in terms of overall quality when the moso bamboo shoot powder mass fraction was 2%. This study developed a computer vision algorithm (image segmentation algorithm) to address the issue of uneven light intensity distribution in images, and analyzed the microscopic pore structure inside the steamed buns, providing a novel approach for evaluating the quality of the steamed buns.

Abstract:Whipped cream, known for its excellent foaming properties and texture, is widely used in the production of ice cream, bread, and cakes. However, the high transportation costs and short shelf life associated with fresh cream in the composition of whipped cream limit its further development. This study prepared the butter-based whipped cream using butter as the fat source and investigated the impacts of emulsifiers with different hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values (monoglyceride, sucrose fatty acid ester) on the particle size, apparent viscosity, and microstructure before whipping, as well as the impacts of whipping time, whipping foam rate, hardness, whey leakage rate, and rheological properties after whipping. The results were interpreted from the perspectives of interfacial properties and crystallization characteristics. It was found that when the HLB value of the blended emulsifiers was 10, the emulsion particle size was (7.80±0.87) μm, the interfacial protein adsorption amount was (20.44±0.44) mg/m2, and the stability was good. The whipping time was moderate, the whipping foam rate was (167±2)%, and the whey leakage rate was (15±2)%. The butter-based whipped cream exhibited good whipping and storage properties, providing theoretical basis for the industrial production of butter-based whipped cream.

Abstract:Synbiotics is a microbial formulation composed of probiotics and prebiotics that can simultaneously exhibit the functions of both. The previous study of the author has confirmed that Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) CCFM8661 is a strain with significant protective effects against lead toxicity. Stachyose is a high-quality prebiotic oligosaccharide, known for its physiological functions such as regulating gut microbiota, providing antioxidant effects, and aiding in detoxification. The author investigated the effects of a synbiotic combination of L. plantarum CCFM8661 and stachyose on alleviating liver and kidney damage induced by lead exposure in mice, and explored its impacts on physiological and biochemical indicators in mouse tissues, gut microbiota structure, and fecal metabolites. The results showed that the combined application of of L. plantarum CCFM8661 and stachyose significantly enhanced the alleviation of lead poisoning, with the high-dose combination showing a more pronounced effect in reducing the lead mass fraction in tissues and mitigating antioxidative damage. Moreover, the combined intervention of L. plantarum CCFM8661 and stachyose significantly affected the abundance of specific gut bacteria such as Ruminococcaceae UCG-014, Ruminococcus 1, Alistipes, and Akkermansia. It also modulated gut microbiota metabolism, influencing the levels of hippuric acid, 3-phenylpropionic acid, estrophin, as well as various short-chain fatty acids and amino acids, which may provide potential benefits for mice with lead poisoning. These findings suggested CCFM8661 compound stachyose may serve as a novel formulation for the mitigation of intestinal lead toxicity.

Abstract:To investigate the changes in the mass fraction of flavonoids in the germination process of black wheat, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was established for simultaneous determination of 10 flavonoids in germinated black wheat. An Agilent 1260 ZORBAX SB-C₁₈ column (4.6 mm×250 mm×5 μm) was used as the stationary phase, with a gradient elution of acetonitrile and 0.8% phosphoric acid aqueous solution as the mobile phase. The flow rate was set at 0.8 mL/min, with a detection wavelength of 225 nm and the column temperature maintained at 25 ℃. The results showed that the mass concentration of 10 flavonoids, including puerarin, epicatechin, rutin, luteolin, quercetin, apigenin, naringenin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, and chalcone, exhibited a good linear relationship with peak area (R²≥0.999 1, n=6) within the mass concentration range of 20~100 μg/mL. Precision, repeatability, and stability tests of these compounds showed that the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the peak area was less than 2.00%, and the spiked recovery rate ranged from 98.72% to 102.03%, demonstrating the accuracy and reliability of the established method. Additionally, the extraction method for 10 flavonoids in germinated black wheat was optimized, with the best efficiency achieved using a hydrochloric acid-ethanol solution with a 70% ethanol volume fraction(a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1 g∶25 mL), and refluxing at 85 ℃ for 90 min. The mass fractions of 10 flavonoid were also determined in black wheat germinated for 1, 3, 5, and 7 d. This research lays a foundation for studying functional bioactive ingredients in germinated black wheat and offers a reference for the quality control and evaluation of its products.

Abstract:The lotus seed red-skin is rich in various bioactive compounds, but its application is limited due to its bitter taste. In this study, a flavonoids-enriched extract with a purity of 90% was prepared and added to steamed buns. The specific volume, color, textural properties, sensory evaluation and in vitro digestion characteristics of steamed buns were measured. The results showed that the red-skin flavonoid extract exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase. With the increase in the mass fraction of lotus seed red-skin flavonoids, the specific volume of the steamed buns first increased and then decreased, while the L^* values of the crust and crumb gradually decreased. Hardness, adhesiveness, and chewiness gradually increased, while stickiness, springiness, elasticity, and cohesiveness gradually decreased. Sensory evaluation showed that steamed buns with 0.5% and 1.0% mass fractions of lotus seed red-skin flavonoids were highly acceptable, with no obvious bitterness or other undesirable flavors, have a better shape, improved resilience, and a stronger bite. Furthermore, lotus seed red-skin steamed buns effectively slowed the starch hydrolysis rate, significantly reducing the content of rapidly digestible starch while increasing the content of resistant starch. Compared with regular white steamed buns, the steamed buns with 2.0% mass fraction of red-skin flavonoids showed a significantly lower estimated glycemic index (eGI), comparable to that of commercially available low-glycemic index (GI) bread.

Abstract:This study aims to investigate the effects of seaweed biostimulant (BIO) and packaging materials on ‘Rainier’ sweet cherries produced from the Qinghai Plateau region. The gas composition in bags, fruit quality, physiological disorders, membrane peroxidation, antioxidant substances, antioxidant activity, and sensory quality were analyzed after the fruits were treated with different mass concentrations of BIO combined with polyethylene (PE) bags or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) during cold storage at 0 ℃ for 4 and 6 weeks. The results showed that after 6 weeks of cold storage with or without BIO treatment, the volume fractions of O₂ and CO₂ in PE bags were equal to those in the environment, while the MAP treatment demonstrated a reduction in the O₂ volume fraction and an elevation in the CO₂ volume fraction in bags. Under the treatments of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 g/L BIO combined with MAP, the volume fractions of O₂ and CO₂ in the packing were 7.13%~7.30% and 8.67%~9.40%, respectively, after 6 weeks of cold storage, which meant that the treatments inhibited the respiration of fruits. Additionally, the combinations of 2.5 g/L BIO combined with MAP significantly delayed the declines in fruit firmness, stem pull force, and titratable acids, inhibited the increases in weight loss, decay rate, stem browning rate, surface pitting index, and malondialdehyde level, and maintained high levels of total phenols and total flavonoids as well as high antioxidant activities and high sensory characteristics including texture, acidity, sweetness, and flavor during 6 weeks of cold storage. To effectively prolong the storage life and maintain the quality of ‘Rainier’ sweet cherries. The postharvest fruits should be immediately soaked in 0 ℃ distilled water containing 2.5 g/L BIO, packed with MAP, and sold within 6 weeks. The cherries treated according to this protocol had high storage quality, antioxidant properties, and sensory quality.

Abstract:To promote the deeper utilization of Stropharia rugosoannulata (S. rugosoannulata) a flavorful and functional peptide base was prepared. The optimal enzymatic hydrolysis process for the soluble peptides from S. rugosoannulata was studied, and the molecular weight distribution characteristics and in vitro antioxidation activity of hydrolysate were analyzed. Based on the evaluation index of soluble peptide mass fraction, assisted by the results of bionic electronic tongue, the best protease, enzymatic hydrolysis mode, enzymatic hydrolysis temperature, enzymatic hydrolysis time, enzyme addition amount and material liquid ratio were screened, and then three factor and three level experiments were designed by using Design Expert software to determine the optimal enzymatic hydrolysis preparation process. The results showed that neutral protease and flavor protease had better hydrolysis effect. The optimum process for polypeptide preparation was as follows: the hydrolysis process was double enzyme step hydrolysis, temperature was 50 ℃, the ratio of material to liquid was 1 g∶30 mL, neutral protease hydrolysis time was 76 min, the amount of enzyme added was 1 175 U/g, the hydrolysis pH was 7.5, flavor protease hydrolysis time was 20 min, the addition amount was 490 U/g, and the hydrolysis pH was 7.0. With the optimal conditions, the soluble peptide mass fraction of the hydrolysate was 245.45 mg/g, and the umami and salty value were high, which can effectively improve the bad flavor. Meanwhile, the molecular weight of polypeptide was low and concentrated, and the proportion of polypeptide with molecular weight less than 500 is 83.55%. Moreover, enzymatic hydrolysate had good antioxidant activity in vitro. The scavenging rates of 1.0 mg/mL hydrolysate to DPPH and ABTS were 81.84% and 65.25%, respectively, and the IC₅₀ were 0.19 mg/mL and 0.56 mg/mL, respectively. To sum up, through optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis process, the hydrolysate of S. rugosoannulata had high polypeptide content, low molecular weight, demonstrated both good taste and antioxidant capacity.

Abstract:To investigate the antioxidant activity of non-centrifugal sugar, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced Caco-2 cells were used as the model of oxidative damage to assess the effects of non-centrifugal sugar crude extracts on cell viability, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA). Additionally, high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was employed to analyze the main active phenolic compounds in non-centrifugal sugar. The results demonstrated that the non-centrifugal sugar extract could alleviate apoptosis induced by t-BHP, significantly reduce intracellular ROS levels, and exhibit notable antioxidant activity. The CAA value of the non-centrifugal sugar extract was equivalent to 12.27 μmol quercetin per gram of extract. Moreover, the non-centrifugal sugar extract contained phenols substances such as protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, cyanidin chloride, coumarin, and apigenin. This study provides a theoretical foundation for exploring the bioactivity of non-centrifugal sugar and its extracts, as well as the development of related functional products.

Abstract:To explore the further development and utilization of mango and its by-products, this study focused on the extraction of mango starch from both the flesh and kernel of Keitt mangoes and compared the physicochemical properties of mango flesh starch, mango kernel starch, and the dried residue powder after extraction. The results showed that the starch content in mango flesh (90.02 μg/mg) was higher than that in mango kernel (78.64 μg/mg). Both starches primarily consist of amylopectin, with mango kernel starch containing a particularly high amylopectin content, accounting for 93.15%. Further analysis of the physicochemical properties of mango starch and its residual dry powder revealed that although there was no significant difference in gelatinization between mango flesh starch and mango kernel starch, mango flesh starch had the smallest particle size, with uniformly round particles. It also exhibited stronger expansion capacity, and the starch gelled completely at 80 ℃ to form a honeycomb-like network structure. In addition, the dried powder of mango residue showed improved solubility and swelling capacity after extraction. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the development of new food raw materials and the enrichment of starch varieties. Moreover, they contribute to expand the application of mango and its by-products in the food industry and beyond, so as to facilitate the high-value utilization of mango and its by-products.