Although green tea is a well-known source of polyphenols with pronounced antioxidant properties, few studies have explored its use in erythritol-based baked products. In this study, an erythritol-based green tea cookie (GTC) was developed using green tea powder (GTP), butter, and erythritol. The formula was then optimized by single-factor experiments and a Box–Behnken response surface design. The optimal formulation contained 7.88 g GTP, 72.13 g butter, and 39.63 g erythritol, with a predicted sensory score of 80.35, while the validated sensory score was 81.07 ± 1.87 as evaluated by 12 trained panelists. The optimized cookies exhibited a 4.5-fold increase in total phenolic content compared with the control butter cookies (BC) and significantly enhanced antioxidant activity, with a ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) value of 96.06 mg AAE/g dry weight (DW). GTP also modified the color and textural attributes of the cookies. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a denser and more homogeneous microstructure than that of the control butter cookies (BC), with the pore area fraction reduced from 17.8% to 8.0%. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis indicated a redistribution of protein secondary structural elements, suggesting possible structural rearrangement. Overall, these findings demonstrate that GTP enhances the antioxidant capacity and modifies the quality attributes of erythritol-based cookies, providing a potential approach for developing functional erythritol-based products.
The oyster Crassostrea hongkongensis is eaten raw and whole, so the endogenous peptides carried by its tissue reach the intestinal lumen unprocessed; functional work on food-derived peptides has concentrated on cationic sequences. This study asked whether the endogenous peptide population of this species is anionically skewed and whether a preparation of that population alters the cytoskeletal gene programme of human intestinal epithelial cells. The published plasma peptidome of this species (PXD025247) was re-analysed, an endogenous peptide fraction below 10 kDa was prepared from oyster soft tissues without adding any protease, and the preparation was applied to differentiated Caco-2 monolayers at 0.1–2.0 mg/mL for 6–24 h; nine transcripts were measured by quantitative PCR against vehicle, protease-digested and digestion-only controls. Of 333 peptides, 157 (47.1%) carried a net charge of −1 or lower at pH 7, 148 (44.4%) were near-neutral and 28 (8.4%) carried +2 or above, and anionic peptides outnumbered cationic peptides in all four detection strata (36.4–58.3% against 4.8–9.1%). Actin-family proteins were the largest precursor source (186 peptides, 55.9%; 68.3% coverage of actin). The preparation was recovered at 2.41 ± 0.23 mg/g of wet tissues and, at 2.0 mg/mL, increased transcription of the SRF targets CCN1 (2.91-fold), VIL1 (2.29-fold), MYH9 (2.17-fold) and ACTN1 (1.83-fold) (p < 0.01 for each) and of TMSB4X, CFL1 and PFN1 (1.90-, 1.75- and 1.55-fold; q < 0.05), whereas SRF and MRTFA transcripts were unchanged; proteinase K digestion abolished the response. An endogenous peptide preparation from oyster soft tissues therefore acts on the cytoskeletal gene programme of human intestinal epithelial cells, and the anionically skewed majority of this peptidome is the fraction that warrants direct functional characterisation.
To optimize the properties of gelatin-based films and expand their applications in the food industry, this study systematically investigated the interaction mechanisms between xylitol (Xyl), stearic acid (Ste), and gelatin (GA) using multispectral technology combined with thermodynamic analysis and molecular docking simulations. The results demonstrated that both Xyl and Ste formed stable non-covalent complexes with GA through static quenching, and the binding processes are spontaneous. The Xyl-GA complex acts on the amino acid residues of glycine GLY21, alanine ALA20, glutamine GLN19 and arginine ARG17, with a binding constant of 1.35 L/mol and a binding site number of 0.17, and elevated temperature can effectively promote its binding reaction. In contrast, stearic acid–gelatin forms stable complexes with alanine ALA20, valine VAL22, methionine MET23, phenylalanine PHE25 and arginine ARG17 through hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. The increase in temperature will weaken the binding force between Ste and GA. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy verified that the binding sites of xylitol and stearic acid were adjacent to the tryptophan residues of gelatin. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy further confirmed that the combination of the two additives can induce conformational changes in the gelatin polypeptide chain. This study characterized the binding sites, characteristic parameters and interaction rules of xylitol/stearic acid and gelatin, and the results may provide partial theoretical guidance for targeted modification of high-performance gelatin-based food packaging materials.
Understanding initial acceptance of mycoprotein foods requires examining consumers’ knowledge, product expectations and confidence in preparing them. An exploratory online survey of Chinese adults (N = 1197) assessed prior awareness and knowledge, followed by evaluations and acceptance intentions after a common description of mycoprotein production, food applications and ingredient-specific approval. Analyses comprised descriptive and conditional proportions, paired comparisons and multivariable regression. Most respondents had heard of mycoprotein (60.2%), but few reported high subjective knowledge (11.6%). After the description, willingness to try and purchase consideration were common (86.7% and 76.0%, respectively). Among willing-to-try respondents, low and moderate cooking confidence were reported by 22.2% and 29.1%. Overall impressions became more favourable across the survey sequence (n = 1069; paired mean difference = 0.334, 95% CI [0.296, 0.374]). Expected taste fit and curiosity were positively associated with both intentions. Nutritional expectations and cooking confidence were positively associated with purchase consideration, whereas worry was negatively associated. Safety, taste and nutrition were leading decision priorities. Initial acceptance encompassed different levels of knowledge and preparation confidence, identifying a need to consider consumers’ understanding and anticipated food use alongside acceptance correlates when planning product communication and testing.
A hen’s egg consists of an eggshell, eggshell membrane, egg yolk, and egg white, among which the egg yolk and egg white are consumed. Eggshells are usually discarded. The term eggshell is used to refer to the eggshell including the eggshell membrane, and both the eggshell membrane and the eggshell after removal of the eggshell membrane are known to exhibit health-promoting functions. The major component of the eggshell membrane is protein, and the major component of the eggshell after removal of the eggshell membrane is calcium (calcium carbonate). A characteristic feature of eggshells is their porous structure, and they are known to dissolve readily in gastric acid upon ingestion. Because dissolution by gastric acid is essential for absorption of dietary calcium, eggshells have attracted attention as a calcium source with high digestibility and bioavailability. High phosphorus intake inhibits calcium absorption, but eggshell calcium has low phosphorus content. This review discusses eggshell calcium’s health benefits: contributing to bone health (SOS in bone +40 m/s from baseline) and reduced blood pressure (systolic −8 mmHg, diastolic −4 mmHg from baseline). It also covers eggshell membrane’s absorbability, knee pain relief, and skin hydration improvement.
