Abstract:Diet has a crucial impact on human health, and therefore, reasonable nutrition and balanced diet are the foundation for disease prevention and health maintenance. Currently, we are still faced with problems such as insufficient nutritional regulation, imbalanced dietary structure, and lack of health-care products. There is an upward trend in the incidence of diet-related chronic diseases. This article reviewed the current development status of functional foods and dietary health from three aspects: residents' concerns about nutrition and health, regulatory policies for functional foods, and the regulatory role of functional foods on nutrition and health. The existing problems of functional food industry and the future development trends of the nutrition and health industry in China were also summarized.

Abstract:In 2021, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) issued a consensus statement defining postbiotics as a preparation of non-living microorganisms and/or their components promoting host health. Since then, the research on postbiotics has entered the upsurge. Compared with probiotics, the probiotic properties of postbiotics do not depend on strain activity, resulting in higher stability and safety, which make them more suitable for large-scale production and easier acceptance by consumers. This review summarizes postbiotics preparation technologies, mainly including thermal processing methods (pasteurization, sterilization, and ohmic heating) and non-thermal processing methods (pulse electric field, ultrasound, and ionizing radiation), and focuses on the probiotic effects of postbiotics in maintaining intestinal health, preventing obesity, preserving skin health, treating constipation, anti-diabetes, and improving oral health. This study aims to provide a reference for the future industrial production of postbiotics and clarify the mechanism of their probiotic effects.

Abstract:Disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism is an important factor contributing to the prevalence of common endogenous diseases, and the incidence of related diseases is increasing annually, severely impacting the quality of life of individuals. Probiotics, widely applied in daily foods as microorganisms beneficial to human health, can reduce blood glucose, regulate blood lipids, and improve the level of oxidative stress and inflammation by adjusting intestinal microbes. The author reviews the specific efficacy and relevant mechanisms of probiotics in three glucose-lipid metabolism disorder-related diseases, i.e., hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension. As a non-drug therapy for reducing blood sugar and lipids, probiotic provides a new prospect for the intervention and treatment of diseases related to glucose and lipid metabolism disorders.

Abstract:Breast milk-derived probiotics possess development and utilization advantage due to their safety and adaptability to human environment. The isolation, screening, and development of lactic acid bacteria in breast milk have become research hotspots in the dairy and lactic acid bacteria industry. Domestic and foreign scholars have carried out a lot of studies on the isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria in breast milk, as well as the screening and functional evaluation of probiotics. Delving into the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria in breast milk and exploring their potential in industrial applications will propel the high-quality development of China's lactic acid bacteria industry. This review summarizes the advances in research on the diversity of lactic acid bacteria in breast milk and the screening, development, and utilization of probiotics, aiming to provide insights into understanding the diversity of lactic acid bacteria in breast milk and the research on probiotics derived from breast milk.

Abstract:Viable strain formulation is widely used in various fields including food, cosmetics, agriculture, environmental governance, and healthcare, due to their unique bioactivity, stability, and convenience. The author reviews the physiological structure of bacteria and the influencing factors leading to the inactivation of viable strain formulations during production, processing, and storage. It enumerates the mechanisms of proteins, sugars, lipids, and other components as protective matrices in viable strain formulation. Additionally, the different requirements of protectants for strains of different genera and physiological states were summarized, aiming to provide research insights for the development and selection of protectants related to viable strain formulation.

Abstract:Gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host health and is closely related to bone metabolism disorders during aging. The author aimed to investigate the effects of Bama Ampelopsis Grossedentata (AG), known for its longevity properties, on bone metabolism in aging mice, to assess the potential of AG polyphenols to improve gut microbiota composition in aging mice. The results showed that polyphenols could up-regulate the levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and total antioxidant power, while down-regulate the content of malondialdehyde in the liver of mice. Simultaneously, AG polyphenols could promote bone formation and reduce bone resorption by improving the bone metabolism in aging mice, up-regulating the expression of Osterix gene, and reducing the expression of Acp5. Furthermore, AG polyphenols could modulate the gut microbiota composition in aging mice and promote the production of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid in feces. In conclusion, AG polyphenols have potential as a future prebiotic to mitigate age-related bone loss and regulate gut microbiota, thereby achieving the goal of delaying aging.

Abstract:Extracellular vesicles are one of the important functional components in breast milk, and previous studies in the author's lab have found that breast milk extracellular vesicles (BM-EVs) could significantly promote the growth of Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12(B. lactis BB-12). However, the specific mechanism is unclear. In this study, BM-EVs were extracted from human milk using the combination of ultracentrifugation and ultrafiltration methods, and were characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Western-blot analysis. Transcriptome data analysis was used to explore and identify the key genes of BM-EVs promoting the growth of B. lactis BB-12. The results showed that after BM-EVs intervention, the expression levels of ABC oligopeptide transport system-related genes pstC, pstA, metI in B. lactis BB-12 were significantly increased, as well as starch and sucrose metabolism-related genes BIF_02090, pentose phosphate pathway-related genes prsA and BIF_01321, D-amino acid metabolism-related genes murD and BIF_02122, and Glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism- related gene pccA. In summary, BM-EVs may serve as a new type of prebiotic to promote the growth of Bifidobacterium in the intestine of infants，providing a theoretical basis for the development and application in next generation infant formula milk powder.

Abstract:Intrahepatic cholestasis is a pathological condition caused by abnormal bile secretion and excretion, which has a adverse impact on human health. A typical model of intrahepatic cholestasis induced by α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) was constructed to investigate the alleviating effect of Bifidobacterium longum CCFM1077 on intrahepatic cholestasis in mice. The results showed that B. longum CCFM1077 could ameliorate liver histological damage induced by ANIT, reducing the levels of major liver function-related enzymes in serum such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), as well as the levels of bile acids (BAs). Furthermore, B. longum CCFM1077 could significantly upregulate the expression of fxr gene by activating the enterohepatic axis FXR-FGF-15 signaling, thereby inhibiting the expression of cyp7a1, a gene involved in the synthesis of BAs. This strain significantly increased the abundance of gut commensals, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, with high bile salt hydrolase activity, decreased the levels of bound BAs (T-β-MCA, TCDCA, and TUDCA) in the liver of mice, and increased the levels of free BAs (CDCA, CA, DCA, and UDCA), thus promoting BAs excretion. B. longum CCFM1077 also reduced the relative abundance of Escherichia_Shigella and upregulated the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG_014 in the intestine of mice. These results indicate that intervention with B. longum CCFM1077 can inhibit the anabolism of BAs to alleviate intrahepatic cholestasis, which may be related to the regulation of the strain on the gut microbiota structure of mice.

Abstract:In this study, 8 strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented foods were used to screen the strains producing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, and further evaluation of in vitro probiotic properties were conducted. The results showed that Pediococcus acidilactici ZFM801, Leuconostoc mesenteroides ZFM803, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM804, Lactiplanti-bacillus plantarum ZFM805, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM806, and Weissella cibaria ZFM810, had the ability to produce CLA, among which Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM804 exhibited the highest CLA production capacity (mass concentration up to 21.7 mg/L) and consisted of c9,t11-CLA and t10,c12-CLA isomers. The results of prebiotic properties revealed that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM804 exhibited a high co-coagulation rate of 25% against three pathogenic bacteria. The tolerability study showed that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM804 could tolerate 4% mass fraction of NaCl and 0.1% mass fraction of bile salt, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM804 also showed high tolerance under a simulate gastrointestinal fluid environment, with a survival rate over 60% at pH 4.5. Moreover, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM804 demonstrated a significant inhibitory effect on Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus. In summary, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM804 possesses the potential for high CLA production and exhibits excellent prebiotic properties.

Abstract:Lead is a common environmental and industrial toxin, which can cause persistent damage to the human nervous system, liver, and kidney. Finding effective mitigation strategies is one of the urgent issues to address. To evaluate the dose-effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CCFM8661 on liver and kidney injury induced by heavy metal lead in mice, the changes of tissue physiological and biochemical indexes, microbial structure, and fecal metabolites in mice treated with different doses of L. plantarum CCFM8661 were investigated. The results showed that the heavy metal lead could significantly damage the liver, kidney, and other tissues of mice, mainly manifested as the significant reduction in enzyme activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH), and the disturbance of gut microbiota and its metabolites composition. Oral administration of L. plantarum CCFM8661 significantly alleviated these changes induced by lead in mice, not only up-regulating the enzyme activities of CAT and GSH, but also alleviating the pathological indicators of liver and kidney, and significantly up-regulating the relative abundance of intestinal Lactobacillus and the content of isobutyric acid and other products. These results suggest that L. plantarum may play a role in alleviating lead poisoning by regulating gut microbiota and its metabolites. Notably, L. plantarum CCFM8661 showed a significant dose effect on the mitigation of lead injury, making it essential to determine the appropriate intake dose for the future application and promotion of L. plantarum CCFM8661.

Abstract:Using Lactobacillus paracasei SR10-1, Lactobacillus casei H1, and Lactobacillus fermentum GZSC-1 to ferment Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice as the research object, the quality changes of Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice before and after fermentation were compared. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS) and electronic nose (E-nose) technology were used to analyze the composition and differences of volatile flavor compounds in Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice fermented by different lactic acid bacteria. The results showed that the loss rate of VC and SOD in SR10-1 fermented Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice was the lowest (P <0.05), and the tannin degradation rate in H1 fermented Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice was the highest, reaching (41.37±1.08)%. The electronic nose analysis showed that the aroma profiles of Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice fermented by three lactic acid bacteria were similar, however, the aroma contribution of SR10-1 fermented Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice was the highest. A total of 54 volatile components were isolated from three groups of lactic acid bacteria fermented samples, diluted 4-fold Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice, and original sample of Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice by GC-IMS, and 44 compounds were identified, mainly including esters, aldehydes, alcohols, and acids. The volatile flavor substances shared by the three different lactic acid bacteria fermented samples included leaf alcohol, ethanol, propyl acetate, 3-pentanone, ethyl acetate, acetone, and so on. Dimethyl sulfide, acetone, and ethyl butyrate were the characteristic flavor compounds of SR10-1, GZSC-1, and H1 fermented samples, respectively. The main flavor components of H1 and GZSC-1 fermented samples were similar, which was consistent with the electronic nose results. These results indicated that the fermentation of Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice by lactic acid bacteria retained the main nutrients of Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice, generated new metabolic substances, enhanced the fruit flavor of Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice, and positively affected the flavor improvement of Rosa roxburghii Tratt juice.

Abstract:The study investigated the effects of a compound lactic acid bacteria powder containing Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis XLTG11, Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM8661, 文字Lactobacillus paracasei Glory LP16, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus Glory LG12 on the intestinal microbiota of mice. After adaptive feeding for 7 d, 48 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into negative control, low-, middle-, and high-dose of compound lactic acid bacteria groups. The negative control group received an equal volume of physiological saline via gavage, while the test groups received 5×10⁶, 5×10⁷, and 5×10⁸ CFU of the compound lactic acid bacteria powder, respectively. After 14 d of gavage, the body weight, intestinal microbiota, histopathology, intestinal barrier, intestinal permeability, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration of mice were determined. The results showed that compared with the control group, the feeding of compound lactic acid bacteria significantly increased the body weight of mice and the number of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the feces, while significantly decreased the number of Clostridium perfringens. The concentration of short-chain fatty acids increased significantly, accompanied by a significant decrease in LPS and D-lactose. Overall, the compound lactic acid bacteria powder demonstrated the significant improvements in regulating the intestinal microbiota of mice.

Abstract:To determine the optimal snybiotics of Lactiplantibacillus rhamnosus(LGG) and prebiotics, the LGG-galactooligosaccharide combination is significantly superior to other combinations through growth and pH changes. The maximum biomass OD₆₀₀ of LGG and HN001 were 1.253 and 1.552, respectively, and the maximum specific growth rates were 0.316 and 0.290 h^-1 when galacto- oligosaccharide was used as the sole carbon source. Similarly, the lactic acid yield also showed a significant preference for this combination over others, with yields of 3.654 and 10.914 g/L, respectively. Meanwhile, in order to confirm that the combination can successfully pass through the gastrointestinal tract and exhibit probiotic functions, the tolerance of LGG and HN001 under different pH and bile salt mass concentration was determined respectively when galacto-oligosaccharide was used as the sole carbon source. The results revealed a significant difference in the maximum biomass under 1 g/L bile salt and pH 4.0 conditions compared to other synbiotics, with OD₆₀₀ values of 0.712, 0.694 (1 g/L bile salt), 0.639, and 0.728 (pH 4.0), respectively. This study provides theoretical basis and experimental evidence for the subsequent development of related probiotic-prebiotic products.

Abstract:To investigate the effect of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Glory LG12 on the intestinal flora of mice, 60 BALB/c mice were acclimatized and fed for 1 week, and then randomly divided into control, model, low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups. The control group was gavaged with an equal volume of saline, while the model group was gavaged with clindamycin and the same volume of saline. The test groups were gavaged with Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Glory LG12 at doses of 1.5×10⁶, 1.5×10⁷, and 1.5×10⁸ CFU/mouse, respectively. After 14 d of gavage, determination of body mass, intestinal flora structure, histopathologic changes, intestinal barrier function, intestinal permeability, and short-chain fatty acid concentration in mice. The results showed that compared with the control group, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Glory LG12 significantly increased the number of beneficial bacteria such as Lacticaseibacillus and Bifidobacterium, significantly decreased the number of Clostridium perfringens, and significantly increased in the concentration of short-chain fatty acids in the feces of the mice. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Glory LG12 demonstrated a significant improvement in regulating the intestinal flora of mice.