This study investigated the protective effects of alfalfa polysaccharide fraction II (APS-II) on immunosuppression induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) in mice. APS-II was extracted using ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction method and purified by DEAE-52 cellulose chromatography. Its structural characteristics, including molecular weight (Mw), monosaccharide composition, and thermal stability, were analyzed. A CTX-induced immunosuppressed mouse model was established to evaluate the effects of APS-II on immune organ indices, serum cytokines, antioxidant indicators in liver and spleen tissues, and intestinal microbiota. Results showed that APS-II, with main Mw of 28.05 kDa, consisted of glucose, galactose, mannose, arabinose, glucuronic acid, and rhamnose in the molar ratio of 8.04:1.22:1.18:0.92:1:0.06. Treatment with medium and high doses of APS-II significantly restored thymus and spleen indices (p < 0.05), increased serum cytokine levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) (p < 0.05), and ameliorated spleen and thymus histopathology. Antioxidant parameters of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) were elevated, and malondialdehyde (MDA) was reduced, reaching significance at the high dose (p < 0.05). Additionally, APS-II reshaped the gut microbiota by increasing Bacteroidota abundance and reducing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio (p < 0.05), enriching Muribaculaceae and Lactobacillus (p < 0.01), while decreasing potentially pathogenic Rikenellaceae. In conclusion, APS-II provides significant protection against CTX-induced immunosuppression and holds promise as a functional food ingredient for immune health. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Alfalfa polysaccharide fraction II (APS-II) exerts a protective effect on mice with CTX-induced immunosuppression, laying the scientific foundation for its development as an immunomodulatory ingredient in functional foods and dietary supplements.
Reducing postprandial blood glucose (PBG) constitutes a core objective in the clinical management of diabetes mellitus. Urtica cannabina L., a traditional medicinal and edible homologous plant, is widely distributed in China; however, research on its pharmacological activity and chemical composition remains relatively scarce. In the present study, the PBG-lowering potential of U. cannabina L. was confirmed both in vitro and in vivo, and its chemical constituents were preliminarily identified by UPLC-triple-TOF-MS/MS for the first time. Notably, acarbose (8 mg/kg), a clinically approved first-line α-glucosidase inhibitor, and UCE20 (20% ethanol extract of U. cannabina L.) at 10 mg/kg both significantly reduced PBG levels. Furthermore, UPLC-triple-TOF MS/MS analysis combined with correlation analysis has preliminarily indicated that hydroxycinnamoyl quinates and flavonoid C-glycosides may serve as the primary bioactive components responsible for the PBG-lowering effect. These findings suggested U. cannabina L. holds potential as a medicinal ingredient or health food to assist in the regulation of PBG levels.
Conventional food safety training has long been the primary approach for educating food handlers; however, gamification has emerged as an innovative strategy to enhance food safety learning and help prevent the risk of foodborne illnesses. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of gamification in food safety training by synthesizing the available evidence on its impact on educational outcomes, engagement, motivation, and food safety behavior compared with conventional instructional approaches. This systematic review followed the PRISMA-P methodology to screen and retrieve peer-reviewed articles published between 2006 and 2025 from databases including Web of Science and Scopus. Among the eight identified studies, the reported interventions primarily used web-based games, simulation activities, serious games, and gamified training platforms targeting topics such as hygiene, cross-contamination prevention, cooking temperatures, microbiological risks, and HACCP principles. Most studies employed quasi-experimental or randomized controlled designs and reported positive educational outcomes, including enhanced self-efficacy, behavioral awareness, problem-solving skills, and compliance with food safety practices. The findings suggest that gamification could offer a promising approach for food safety education; however, the current data remain inconclusive because of the limited number of heterogeneous studies and the lack of high-quality evidence assessing long-term behavioral change. It is suggested that future research could benefit from developing inclusive, AI-enhanced gamified food safety training tools that provide personalized, multilingual, culturally adapted, and literacy-sensitive learning experiences while integrating adaptive feedback, real-time analytics, and immersive technologies to improve accessibility, engagement, and long-term behavioral change across diverse populations.
Spray drying is widely employed to produce stable fruit powders and may facilitate the utilization of highly perishable raw materials rich in bioactive compounds. However, processing conditions, carrier selection, and feed preparation are critical factors governing powder quality, bioactive compound stability, and gastrointestinal release. This study evaluated the spray drying of araticum (Annona crassiflora), a native fruit of the Brazilian Cerrado, using maltodextrin and whey protein concentrate (WPC) as carrier materials. A Taguchi L9 design was applied to assess inlet air temperature (100, 125, and 150°C), maltodextrin concentration (15%, 30%, and 45%) and WPC concentration (0.5%, 5%, and 10%), while mechanical mixing or probe ultrasonication was included as a noise factor. The powders were characterized for technological properties, color, bioactive compound contents, antioxidant responses, in vitro gastrointestinal release, and bioaccessibility. All powders exhibited low moisture content (3.99% to 6.87%) and water activity (0.160 to 0.214), and high solubility (71.52%-82.18%). T5, produced at 125°C with 30% maltodextrin, and 10% WPC, exhibited the highest powder recovery (30.75%), total phenolic content (1925.94 mg GAE/100 g), total carotenoid content (64.78 mg/100 g) and ascorbic acid content (7.09 g/100 g). The highest ABTS radical scavenging activity was observed for T3 (96.16%). Following in vitro digestion, T5 exhibited high bioaccessibility of total phenolic compounds (95.65%), the ABTS response (88.55%) and ascorbic acid (95.98%). These findings indicate that combining Taguchi-based process evaluation, robustness to feed preparation, and maltodextrin-WPC carriers is an effective strategy for producing araticum juice powders with technological stability and potential application as functional food ingredients.
Gallic acid (GA)-copper nanozymes were prepared at GA:Cu2+ stoichiometric ratios ranging from 1:1 to 5:1 to elucidate how stoichiometry governs coordination assembly, colloidal stability, electronic structure, peroxidase-like catalysis, and antibacterial activity. Among all formulations, the 2:1 sample exhibited the smallest hydrodynamic diameter (95.65 ± 4.20 nm), the lowest polydispersity index (0.19 ± 0.01), and the most negative zeta potential (-27.7 ± 2.80 mV), indicating superior dispersion stability. Morphological and XRD analyses revealed a relatively uniform, weakly aggregated, and predominantly amorphous metal-phenolic network. FT-IR, 2D-COS, UV-Vis, and XPS collectively confirmed Cu─O coordination and stoichiometry-dependent modulation of the local electronic environment; the appearance of a new absorption band near 320 nm was attributed to ligand-to-metal charge transfer. The 2:1 nanozyme also showed the highest peroxidase-like activity, with Km values of 0.034 mM for TMB and 4.39 mM for H2O2. EPR analysis verified ·OH generation during H2O2 activation. DFT, BCP, and IGMH analyses further demonstrated that the optimal 2:1 configuration adopted the most stable coordination mode, with the lowest bond energy (-69.8834 kcal/mol) and a HOMO-LUMO gap of 5.7082 eV. In antibacterial assays, the optimized nanozyme exhibited concentration-dependent killing against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, which was markedly enhanced in the presence of H2O2. These results establish a stoichiometry-guided structure-performance relationship for GA-Cu nanozymes and demonstrate that stoichiometric regulation is an important design parameter for optimizing their coordination structure, colloidal stability, and catalytic activity. Overall, the optimized GA-Cu2:1 formulation provides a rational basis for further development and evaluation of metal-phenolic catalytic antibacterial materials for potential food-safety applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Utilizes naturally abundant gallic acid and copper ions as sustainable, low-cost raw materials for nanozyme construction. Stoichiometric regulation (GA:Cu2 = 2:1) achieves an optimal coordination structure, colloidal stability, and peroxidase-like activity, enabling enhanced ROS-mediated antibacterial efficacy. Offers a biocompatible, catalytic antibacterial system for active food packaging or antimicrobial coatings to extend the shelf life of chilled meat and other perishable foods.
The incorporation of botanical ingredients into mead has emerged as a promising strategy for developing fermented beverages enriched with natural bioactive compounds with improved physicochemical quality and bioactive properties. This study evaluated the fermentation performance of mead production and the effects of post-fermentation incorporation of a hydroalcoholic Hibiscus sabdariffa extract on the physicochemical characteristics, color attributes, and antioxidant activity of the final beverage. Two formulations were produced: a control mead and a hibiscus-enriched mead containing 20% (v/v) extract. Fermentation kinetics demonstrated adequate fermentative performance despite incomplete sugar utilization, resulting in beverages with moderate ethanol content (∼4.7% v/v) and residual sugar concentrations of approximately 37 g/L. The hydroalcoholic extract contained high concentrations of total phenolics (1.59 mg GAE/mL), total flavonoids (0.091 mg EQ/mL), and total anthocyanins (0.441 mg CE/mL), which contributed to an approximately 10-fold increase in antioxidant activity, increased titratable acidity, a lower pH, reduced luminosity (L*), and higher redness (a*) owing to the presence of anthocyanin pigments and naturally occurring organic acids. Overall, post-fermentation incorporation of H. sabdariffa enhanced the physicochemical, chromatic, and functional quality of mead while preserving the fermentation characteristics previously achieved, highlighting its potential as a multifunctional natural ingredient for clean-label, value-added fermented beverages. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The incorporation of H. sabdariffa into mead improved physicochemical, visual, and functional properties while preserving the alcohol content and residual sugar profile established during fermentation. Hibiscus enhanced acidity, red coloration, and antioxidant activity, highlighting its potential as a natural colorant and source of bioactive compounds in clean-label fermented beverages. These results support the development of innovative, value-added mead formulations with greater functional and commercial appeal.
The rapid diversification of food products, frequent packaging updates, and seasonal variations pose significant challenges for vision-based food inspection and dietary monitoring in real-world food systems. To address the need for scalable and flexible food analysis, this study proposes a domain-adaptive open-vocabulary food object detection (OVFD) framework that enables the identification of both existing and previously unseen food categories without category-specific box annotations for new items. By leveraging open-vocabulary representations, the framework allows dynamic expansion of detectable food categories as new items emerge, supporting continuous adaptation to evolving products, recipes, and dietary patterns while reducing manual annotation requirements. The proposed method integrates a dynamic prompt distribution network (DPDN) to improve region-text alignment, along with a density-aware multiple instance learning (DA-MIL) strategy that uses weakly supervised image-level tags to improve generalization and suppress background-driven detections. To reduce semantic leakage, Food2K labels are filtered by normalized matching, synonym auditing, and overlap-based rules before training. The framework was evaluated on multiple benchmark food datasets under open-vocabulary settings, demonstrating consistent improvements in detection performance for both Base (seen) and Novel (unseen) food categories, with Novel-category gains also observed under AP75 (average precision at intersection-over-union = 0.75) and COCO-style AP. Repeated-run reporting, error analysis, and limited external evaluation support stability and practical plausibility. By enabling dynamic category expansion with reduced annotation overhead, the proposed approach provides an assistive localization module for downstream dietary assessment, sorting review, and quality-inspection workflows, while task-specific validation and human verification remain necessary before operational food-safety or production-line use. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study provides an OVFD approach that can be adapted to new food items with reduced category-specific box annotation. Bounding-box localization can support upstream perception for portion estimation, ingredient-level dietary logging, assisted sorting review, and quality-inspection workflows by identifying where food items are located before secondary human or automated assessment. The present evidence supports assistive use only; human verification and validation under pilot-plant or real production conditions remain necessary before operational use. The detector is therefore intended to provide spatial evidence for subsequent review, not to replace validated food-inspection, quality-assessment, or production-control procedures.
The present study developed a novel resistant starch (RS-5) using a pilot-scale jacketed tank where sorghum/corn starches were separately complexed with stearic acid (SA) at 1%, 3%, and 5% levels during the gelatinization stage. The complexes containing starch slurry were spray-dried to obtain RS-5 in powdered form. These spray-dried starches were analyzed for long-range X-ray diffraction (XRD) and short-range Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy molecular order, along with determination of thermal, rheological, and digestibility properties and in vitro prebiotic potential. Complexation with 5% SA led to the highest RS content in both corn (63.76%) and sorghum (67.87%) starches. The increase in RS content correlated with the increase in complexation index and XRD percent crystallinity, while the 2θ peaks at 13° and 20° further confirmed the formation of V-type complexes in all RS5 samples. The V-type starch-SA complexation was found to reduce retrogradation enthalpies measured through a differential scanning calorimeter after 14 days of cold storage. Higher thermal stability in terms of higher decomposition temperatures was specifically observed for spray-dried corn starch-SA complexes. The corn and sorghum starches complexed with 1%-3% SA showed a higher in vitro prebiotic activity score (0.01-0.19) after 80 h. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The spray drying results in a less dense powder with a very fine particle size between 25 and 37 µm, which may allow easy blending in wheat flours. Spray-dried starches complexed with SA resulted in higher RS content and reduced GI (glycemic index), making it lucrative for utilization in medium- to low-GI pasta, breads, and breakfast cereals with an improved sensory profile as compared to conventional dietary fibers.
The Picanha, obtained from the Biceps femoris muscle, is highly valued worldwide. No official standard precisely defines this cut, leading slaughterhouses to rely on subjective criteria such as weight, length, or the location of the "third vein". Thus, this study aimed to characterize variations along the entire length of the Biceps femoris muscle to identify the location of the separation of Picanha. Four Biceps femoris muscles were sectioned into 12 consecutive steaks (2.5 cm each) along the proximal-distal axis and subjected to physicochemical and histological analyses. Between steaks 6 and 7, the average weight of the cut (∼1.5 kg) was consistent with empirical industry standards, and the "third vein" was identified at steak 6, reinforcing its practical relevance. A decrease in pH was observed along the proximal-distal axis (5.79 to 5.62; P < 0.05). Total fat decreased toward the distal region (P < 0.01), whereas total moisture and collagen content increased (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). Sarcomere length exhibited linear and quadratic effects (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively), with greater values in proximal steaks and progressive shortening toward distal regions. Similarly, Warner-Bratzler shear force showed a quadratic increase (P < 0.01), with steaks 1-6 classified as tender (≤ 4.4 kg) and steaks 7-12 as non-tender. Histological evaluation confirmed structural differences consistent with these findings. Overall, the transition in physicochemical and structural traits occurred around steaks 6-7, corresponding to the location of the "third vein." These results support its use as a practical and biologically meaningful anatomical reference for delimiting the Picanha cut. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The anatomical delimitation of the Biceps femoris muscle was evaluated under controlled experimental conditions using steaks of standardized thickness, which may differ from commercial fabrication practices. The results consistently identified physicochemical and structural transitions around the "third vein", supporting its use as a practical anatomical reference for standardizing the Picanha (sirloin cap or rump cap) and Coxão Duro (outside round or bottom round) cuts in the meat industry and gastronomy.
Repeated frying in soybean oil affects the flavor quality of fried meat products, but the mechanisms underlying flavor evolution remain unclear. Batter-coated meat strips (BCMSs) were used to investigate flavor changes during repeated frying. Sensory characteristics were evaluated using Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) and Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS), combined with electronic nose, electronic tongue, GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, and physicochemical analyses of frying oil. The results showed that BCMS flavor quality followed a "first improvement then deterioration" trend with increasing frying cycles. Samples fried within six to 30 batches exhibited the most desirable sensory characteristics, whereas prolonged frying increased greasy, oxidized, and rancid attributes. Lipid oxidation-derived volatile compounds were closely associated with oil deterioration and negative sensory perceptions. Overall, six to 30 frying batches were identified as the optimal frying range for BCMSs, and lipid oxidation was confirmed as the primary mechanism driving flavor deterioration during repeated frying.
A combined treatment integrating black bean protein isolate-gum Arabic (BBPI-GA) wet-heating conjugation and rosemary extract co-encapsulation was employed to improve the physicochemical characteristics and stability of citronella oil microcapsules. Changes in color, turbidity, molecular weight, and protein secondary structure confirmed the formation of BBPI-GA conjugates, with an optimal heating time of 1 h. Wet-heating conjugation increased the encapsulation efficiency (EE) of citronella oil from 91.97% (non-conjugated control) to 97.62% and produced microcapsules with a denser morphology and smaller particle size (34.26 µm). In contrast, additional incorporation of rosemary extract had negligible effects on EE (97.67%), morphology, and particle size (34.84 µm). In addition, the combined treatment remarkably elevated the thermal, storage, and oxidative stability of the encapsulated citronella oil and helped maintain its antibacterial activity and antioxidant capacity over time. Experimental results indicate that the integration of wet-heating conjugation and antioxidant co-encapsulation serves as an effective strategy for enhancing the stability and functional performance of citronella oil microcapsules.
The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of processing via ultrasonication on the physiochemical and antimicrobial properties of zein nanoemulsions (NE) loaded with essential oils (cinnamaldehyde [CA], D-limonene [Lim], and their combination [CO]). NE consisting of 2% zein and 1% EO were prepared using probe sonication. Nanofilms (NF) were prepared from the subsequent NE using the solvent casting technique. Zeta potential, particle size, and polydispersity index (PDI) were monitored for 30 days at 4 and 22°C. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), and microbial reductions were also determined. Ultrasonication effectively reduced particle size, increased storage stability, and enhanced antimicrobial efficacy. SEM imaging revealed that the nanomaterial droplets ranged from 93.98 nm to 227.95 nm in diameter and remained stable after 1 month of storage at 4 or 22°C. In-vitro results showed that NEs with CA and CO inhibited the growth of both Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EC) and Listeria monocytogenes (LM) at concentrations < 2000 ppm, whereas NEs with Lim had the least antimicrobial effect, with much higher MICs and MBCs than CA. NEs with CA exhibited bactericidal activity against EC and LM after 24 h of treatment. SEM imaging also showed that CA induced noticeable morphological changes in EC cells, indicating cell damage. Results confirm that essential oils, specifically cinnamaldehyde, can be loaded into zein-based films and may be used as antimicrobial preservatives to enhance food safety. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In recent years there has been an increase in foodborne disease outbreaks associated with ready-to-eat produce. Two major bacterial pathogens responsible for these outbreaks are Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Several studies have shown that encapsulation of natural antimicrobials into edible nanoemulsion coatings and films can enhance their antimicrobial activity in food systems. The results of this study demonstrate that films and coatings made from zein-based polymer loaded with cinnamaldehyde, limonene, and a combination of both essential oils effectively reduced populations of these pathogens. Our results also demonstrate that these nanoemulsions may be a promising tool to enhance the safety and quality of fresh produce.
This study evaluated the aqueous extract of Pimpinella anisum seeds (AE-PAS) and its green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (PA-AgNPs) using integrated in vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches. LC-MS analysis identified 26 phytoconstituents, mainly sinapic acid (15.78%), hispidulin (15.35%), caffeic acid (11.09%), and rutin (8.86%). Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were 45.2 ± 2.1 mg GAE/g DE and 28.7 ± 1.5 mg QE/g DE, respectively. UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) supported nanoparticle formation, indicating dry-state particle or agglomerate features of approximately 60-90 nm, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 421 nm, 50.81% crystallinity, and a crystallite-domain size of 22.57 ± 1.2 nm. AE-PAS showed measurable antioxidant and albumin-denaturation-inhibitory responses (DPPH IC50 = 130.63 ± 1.3 µg/mL; albumin-denaturation IC50 = 721.79 ± 1.7 µg/mL). PA-AgNPs produced measurable inhibition zones in agar well diffusion screening, but antibacterial potency could not be established because MIC and MBC were not determined. The PA-AgNP DPPH result lacked a nanoparticle-only blank and should be regarded as an apparent assay-specific estimate. Hemolysis was concentration dependent, increasing from 5.20% at 50 µg/mL to 29.93% at 100 µg/mL. In behavioral models, PA-AgNPs (0.1 mg/kg) produced measurable antidepressant-like and analgesic responses; these findings represent preliminary behavioral evidence rather than confirmed efficacy. Molecular docking predicted favorable binding scores (-8.0 to -9.6 kcal/mol) for selected extract phytochemicals against MAO-A/B, COX-1/2, and TNF-α but did not establish target inhibition or a biological mechanism. Overall, the findings are preliminary and require comprehensive physicochemical characterization, appropriate silver-ion and material controls, quantitative antimicrobial testing, pharmacokinetic and mechanistic validation, and expanded safety assessment before biomedical translation.
Brewer's spent grain is a large, highly nutritious fraction remaining after the brewing of beer. Spent grain is usually used as animal feed, when destinations are closely available. It is also discarded in landfills, leading to economic and environmental concerns. This study explored the use of spent grain to enhance the nutritional content of fresh yellow alkaline noodles while also decreasing spent grain waste. Spent grain from a malting barley variety was produced, oven-dried, milled, and blended with wheat flour at 5%, 15%, and 25% of spent grain (w/w) to produce noodles. The impact of these test formulations on noodle quality, as well as composition, measured as total arabinoxylans and β-glucans, was investigated for both raw and cooked noodles. A commercial sample of buckwheat noodles (BW) was also tested for comparison. On average, noodles with 25% spent grain cooked 2 min faster than BW and a wheat control made without the addition of spent grain (p < 0.05). Spent grain noodles were slightly firmer, had lower cooking loss, and had lower weight increase compared to the control noodles. Portions of 100 g of cooked noodles made with 25% spent grain had 2.2 g more fiber than control noodles, measured as total arabinoxylans and β-glucans. The inclusion of 25% spent grain is a viable way to enhance noodle fiber content while maintaining noodle quality. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Dried and ground spent grain can be incorporated into noodles, simultaneously improving noodle fiber content and reducing cooking time. Noodles represent a potential new market for spent grain, preventing byproduct waste.
This study investigated the potential of hazelnut beverage, obtained from hazelnut cake through high-pressure homogenization (100 MPa), for use in water kefir production. The effects of different sugar concentrations (2.5%, 5%, and 7.5%) on product properties and hazelnut allergenicity were also examined. Sugar addition significantly stimulated microbial growth, resulting in significant increases in Lactobacilli, Lactococci, acetic acid bacteria, and yeast counts compared to the control sample. At the end of fermentation, the pH values of all samples (4.32-4.54) were found to be below the food safety critical limit of pH 4.6. The best water-holding capacity and physical stability were observed in the sample containing 5% sugar. Rheological analyses showed that the samples exhibited pseudoplastic behavior and that sugar addition increased viscosity. The addition of sugar contributed to an increase in the total phenolic content (11.26-15.15 mg GAE/100 mL) and antioxidant activity (DPPH: 16.77%-22.69%; ABTS: 42.68%-46.79%) at the end of fermentation. In the volatile aroma profile evaluation, 47 volatile compounds were tentatively identified based on mass spectral library matching, and increasing sugar concentration resulted in higher relative abundances of ethanol (6.72%-15.51%) and acetic acid (6.29%-13.88%). Allergen levels decreased from 16.6 µg/mL to 8.42-12.97 µg/mL with the addition of sugar. In conclusion, hazelnut cake, a byproduct with low added value, has been transformed into a new, functional, plant-based, low allergenic, and consumer-approved functional beverage. The developed hazelnut-based water kefir offers a significant alternative for individuals with milk protein allergy, lactose intolerance, and vegan/vegetarian consumers. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Hazelnut cake is a low-value by-product from cold-pressed hazelnut oil production. It can be transformed into a better functional beverage using water kefir fermentation. The hazelnut-based water kefir offers a sustainable and eco-friendly way to make use of food industry by-products. It also meets the growing demand for plant-based fermented drinks. Fermentation enhances the beverage's bioactive properties and lowers hazelnut allergen levels, increasing its potential for creating products with better functionality. In addition, the product serves as a great option for vegan and vegetarian consumers, as well as for those with lactose intolerance or milk protein allergies. The findings of this study may aid in creating new non-dairy fermented drinks and help diversify sustainable food products in the beverage industry. Using 5% sugar supplementation could be particularly beneficial for industrial uses because of its positive effects on physical stability, water-holding capacity, and overall product quality.
Yeast is widely used in food processing, yet its unique cellular structure and the resulting potential for biosorption remains underutilized. A literature search was performed in databases including PubMed and ScienceDirect using a combination of relevant keywords, including yeast biosorption, food contaminants, bioactive compounds, and biosorption enhancement. The search was specifically focused on studies pertaining to food or food-related systems. This narrative review elucidates that rapid, passive surface biosorption mediated by the yeast cell membrane (primarily the mannan layer) conforms to pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir/Freundlich isotherm, while active, energy-driven intracellular accumulation dominates at trace levels. For food safety, optimized yeast-mediated processes achieve 70%-90% removal of heavy metals (Pb2+, Hg2+, Cd2+, Cu2+) and mycotoxins (patulin, ochratoxin A) in complex matrices, significantly reducing their in vivo bioavailability. In addition, yeast can serve as a protective carrier for sensitive bioactive substances, improving their gastrointestinal stability and bioavailability (e.g., the bioavailability of tea polyphenols increased from 12.2% to 73.2%). Biosorption is further upgraded via surface-display genetic engineering, alkaline pretreatments (improving polyphenol loading by 93.2%), and physical intensification (ultrasonic treatment or vacuum perfusion, etc.). Ultimately, transitioning to industrial food applications requires characterization of complex yeast-matrix interactions and the strategic utilization of active metabolic networks in viable yeast platforms.
Perlolyrine and flazin are bioactive β-carbolines belonging to naturally occurring alkaloids. In this study, perlolyrine was first isolated and identified in miso fermented at 50°C for 8 weeks. As affected by tryptophan and tryptamine-supplemented for fermentation and based on standard curves constructed by the isolated perlolyrine and flazin, perlolyrine ca. 0.83 mg/g miso was formed in both, whereas flazin ca. 3.9 mg/g miso was produced in the tryptophan-supplemented miso. As assessed and noticed spontaneously, hydrolysis of the miso isoflavones was potently inhibited by supplemented tryptamine. This inhibitory effect was also observed in hydrolysis of a soy-isoflavone isolate as a substrate by rice koji extract or almond β-glucosidase. In a model investigation, para-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (pNPG) was extensively hydrolyzed by β-glucosidase (in phosphate-buffered saline [PBS], pH 7.4) in the presence of tryptophan, but the reaction was inhibited by tryptamine in a dose-dependent manner. In quantification of para-nitrophenol (pNP) released from hydrolysis of pNPG at various concentrations, it shows that the electrostatic status attributed to different isoelectric points of tryptamine and tryptophan may exhibit mixed-competitive hindrance or blockage of the β-glucosidase-like activity originating from rice koji and result in varied effects on miso isoflavones hydrolysis. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study marks the first successful isolation and identification of perlolyrine and flazin-both are naturally occurring bioactive alkaloids-in miso. Miso fermentation is not only a traditional process in production of the historical fermented food but also identified as a carrier-food enriched with β-carbolines. Spectacularly, formation of these compounds could be enhanced by supplementation of tryptophan for miso fermentation.
Plant-based fermented beverages are increasingly valued for their nutritional and potential health benefits. Co-fermenting nutrient-dense grains with medicinal herbs offers a promising strategy for novel functional drinks. This study investigated the mixed-culture fermentation of germinated quinoa and wolfberry with composite lactic acid bacteria. The synergistic evolution of microbiota and metabolites was elucidated via 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. Fermentation was carried out at 31°C for 48 h with a wolfberry-to-quinoa ratio of 1:3 (m/m) and 0.05% inoculum. Fermentation drastically restructured the microbial community, where Firmicutes became dominant, and the relative abundance of Lactiplantibacillus reached 82.99%, effectively suppressing potential spoilage organisms. Metabolomic analysis revealed the directional enrichment of functional metabolites, including indole-3-lactic acid, dihydroferulic acid, and acetic acid. Correlation analysis verified that the proliferation of Lactiplantibacillus promoted the accumulation of these beneficial metabolites. Overall, selective proliferation of Lactiplantibacillus concurrently improved microbial safety and functional attributes by orchestrating a synergistic microbiota-metabolism conversion.
Anthocyanins (ACNs) are natural bioactive compounds with promising anti-colitis potential; however, their poor stability in the gastrointestinal tract limits effective colonic delivery. To address this challenge, this study developed a tannic acid (TA)-based multilayer hydrogel delivery system incorporating ACN-loaded microcapsules. In this system, TA participates in the formation of a mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN)-associated TA-Fe3 + coordination network, which is subsequently embedded within a sodium alginate (SA)/Ca2 + hydrogel matrix. ACNs were first loaded into MSN, followed by the deposition of a TA-Fe3 + coating to form microcapsules with an encapsulation efficiency of 87.20%. These microcapsules were subsequently embedded in an SA hydrogel to obtain the final formulation, designated AMTS (ACNs@MSN@TA-Fe3 +@SA). In vitro simulated digestion showed that AMTS reduced the premature loss of ACNs during gastrointestinal transit and maintained a relatively stable detectable ACN fraction in the digestion medium, supporting the protective role of the carrier and its potential for subsequent delivery to the simulated colonic enzymatic phase. In vivo results showed that AMTS alleviated DSS-induced colonic injury, reduced inflammatory responses, and enhanced intestinal barrier integrity. Compared with free ACNs, AMTS produced more pronounced improvements across several evaluated indices. Collectively, these findings indicate that AMTS represents a promising oral delivery platform to support the potential colonic delivery of ACNs and enhance their protective efficacy in the DSS-induced colitis model, and may offer a practical strategy for the oral delivery of structurally labile natural bioactive compounds.
The previous study found that a structured lipid rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA-SL) is prone to oxidative rancidity due to its high degree of unsaturation. To improve its oxidative stability and targeted slow-release behavior during gastrointestinal digestion, ALA-SL microcapsules (ALA-SLMs) were prepared by freeze-drying in this study. Under optimal conditions, ALA-SLMs exhibited an excellent embedding efficiency of 98.00% ± 0.46%, with an approximately spherical structure, particle size concentrated between 1 and 10 µm, and good uniformity verified by a span value of 1.92. After 60 days of storage at 4°C, 25°C, 40°C, and 60°C, the peroxide value (PV) of unencapsulated ALA-SL was 1.02-, 1.06-, 1.01-, and 1.11-fold higher than that of ALA-SLMs, respectively. In vitro simulated digestion demonstrated its characteristic intestinal sustained-release behavior, which provides preliminary in vitro evidence that may favor enhanced intestinal absorption of α-linolenic acid (ALA); however, further cellular or animal trials are required to quantitatively validate its actual in vivo bioavailability improvement. Molecular docking predicted that β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) only forms weak shallow non-covalent complexes with ALA via cavity-mouth hydrogen bonds, which offers limited molecular-level protection for unsaturated fatty acids.
