Inspired by biomimetic concepts, this study aimed to screen potential calcium-chelating peptides (CCPs) from embryonic egg white (EEW) using an integrated approach combining separation-purification methods, peptidomics technology, and molecular simulation. Through separation-purification approach and molecular docking, 3 key skeleton CCPs, including MAQRASDLF, VVLRQDLMA, and LAEVSKPHAE, were identified from EEW (EEW-CCPs). These peptides, containing amino acids such as Glu and Arg, demonstrated strong calcium-binding capability. Additionally, using peptidomics combined with molecular docking, 3 vital EEW-CCPs-GRCELAAAMKR, AEVDCSRFPN, and CRPTVQAQST-containing amino acids like Arg and Ser were screened and shown to possess strong calcium chelation properties. This study provides both novel insights and a systematic comprehensive approach for screening active CCPs from food sources. (c) 2027 The authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

A novel emulsion based on an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structure was fabricated using fish gelatin (GE) and chemically modified insoluble soybean fiber (ISF) as matrices, and its application in preserving fish fillets was investigated. The IPN network was constructed through the synergistic interaction between GE and modified ISF, with cinnamon essential oil (CEO) encapsulated as an antimicrobial agent and hydrophobic additive. The physicochemical properties of the emulsion were systematically characterized, including droplet size, rheological properties, intermolecular interactions, and microstructure. The results demonstrated that the optimal addition concentration ISF was 0.6 % w/v. This concentration significantly reduced the emulsion droplet size to 14.01 mu m and synergistically enhanced emulsion stability through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The IPN emulsion exhibited excellent shear-thinning behavior, a high elastic modulus (G ' > G ''), as well as superior emulsifying activity (EAI: 20.258 m(2)/g) and emulsifying stability (ESI: 141.322 %). When applied to fish fillets, the IPN coating significantly decreased fillet weight loss, effectively inhibited microbial proliferation (TVC <7 log(10) CFU/g for 16 days), delayed lipid oxidation (TVB-N value of 14.28 mg/100 g on the 8th day of storage), and well preserved the textural properties and volatile flavor components of the fish meat. Collectively, the findings of this study confirm that the GE-CEO-ISF IPN emulsion, as a edible coating, holds broad application prospects in the field of sustainable fish preservation

This study investigated the influence of different grain fermentation substrates on the flavor development of sour meat. The results indicated that the fermentation substrate in the coix seed group, characterized by its high starch, protein, and fat content, created favorable conditions for the proliferation of Lactiplantibacillus. This promoted the accumulation of flavor compounds, including alcohols, aldehydes, and medium-chain fatty acids, which imparted distinctive grassy and fatty flavors to the product. Additionally, this substrate enhanced the product's sour profile while significantly increasing the levels of umami amino acids. Conversely, Staphylococcus predominated in the tartary buckwheat(TB) and highland barley (HB) groups. Its metabolic activity was primarily involved in the Ehrlich pathway for amino acid degradation. This process enriched aromatic compounds and branched-chain higher alcohols, resulting in rose-like floral aromas and a complex, mellow flavor profile. Latilactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, Fusarium, and Epicoccum were identified as the core microbiota in the CS group. Correlation analyses demonstrated that these genera were the primary contributors to flavor development in sour meat fermented with CS. These findings clarify the differential effects of fermentation substrates on the microbial composition of sour meat, thereby driving distinct metabolic pathways and flavor formation.

Gelatin is a natural biopolymer for biodegradable food packaging films, but its inherent hydrophilicity and unsatisfactory mechanical properties limit its application in packaging lipid-rich foods and edible oils. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cellulose I/Ⅱ nanocrystals (CNC-I, CNC-Ⅱ) and their lauric acid-modified derivatives (LCNC-I, LCNC-Ⅱ) on the physicochemical properties of gelatin-based films. The results showed that both CNCs and LCNCs were uniformly dispersed in the gelatin matrix. Compared with CNCs, the addition of LCNCs further increased the microstructural compactness, structural disorder, and disulfide bond content of gelatin-based films, and improved their hydrophobicity, mechanical properties, as well as UV, oxygen, and water vapor barrier properties. These improvements were attributed to the plasticizing effect of LCNCs, together with strengthened physical entanglement and interfacial compatibility between LCNCs and the gelatin matrix. Notably, 10% LCNC-I showed superior performance in reducing film solubility (25.51 ± 1.15%), prolonging dissolution time (1085.71 ± 31.16 s), and enhancing hydrophobicity (105.0 ± 1.3°). By contrast, 10% LCNC-Ⅱ exhibited greater potential in enhancing tensile strength (51.29 ± 0.79 MPa) and improving oxygen barrier properties. In camellia oil packaging and storage tests, compared with commercial films, gelatin-based films incorporated with 10% LCNCs effectively retarded oil oxidation and rancidity during storage; especially, films incorporated with LCNC-Ⅱ exhibited a slightly better protective effect. These findings demonstrate that LCNCs can serve as promising reinforcements to optimize the overall performance of gelatin films for food packaging.

This study investigated the improvement of gel properties in low-salt chicken breast mince and its underlying mechanism by adding different proportions of egg yolk (EY). Results showed that adding 1.0% EY significantly improved the textural properties of the low-salt chicken breast mince, the hardness increased from 900 to 1 059 g, and the springiness rose from 0.88 to 0.95. Meanwhile, the cooking loss decreased from 12.3% to 9.02%, and the water-holding capacity (WHC) increased from 60.67% to 82.67%. The relaxation peaks of immobilized water (T22) and free water (T23) both shifted toward lower relaxation time, which resulted in a dense microstructure and enhanced WHC, comparable to the positive control group. Further extraction of myofibrillar protein (MP) revealed that 1.0% EY addition significantly increased particle size and surface hydrophobicity while reducing free sulfhydryl content, the particle size increased from 44.29 to 96.63 u03BCm, the surface hydrophobicity rose from 151.9 to 164.20 u03BCg, and the free sulfhydryl content decreased from 18.99 to 15.14 u03BCmol/g, this was accompanied by a structural shift from u03B1-helix to u03B2-sheet and enhanced fluorescence intensity. Additionally, increased disulfide bond and hydrophobic interactions enhanced cross-linking between EY and MP. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and laser confocal analysis confirmed protein aggregation, forming a compact gel network structure. This study elucidates the improvement of EY on the gel properties of low-salt minced meat and its mechanism of action, providing a theoretical basis for its application in low-salt minced meat products.

A novel lytic phage, PPR01, isolated from frozen chicken breast, infects the spoilage bacterium Pseudomonas fragi. Belonging to the class Caudoviricetes, its linear dsDNA genome is 40,030 bp (56.7% G + C) with 49 ORFs, lacking virulence, antibiotic resistance, or lysogeny genes. Optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI) is 0.001; adsorption reaches 92.6% in 9 min, with a 20-min latent period and 70-min lytic phase. PPR01 is stable at pH 3-11, sensitive to >50 degrees C and UV, and tolerates 12% chloroform. It exhibits high specificity for P. fragi. At 25 degrees C, it reduces host culturable counts by 4-5 log(10) CFU/mL in broth and chicken extract; at 4 degrees C, it still significantly inhibits growth. PPR01 also inhibits biofilm formation (64.16% at 6 h), reduces culturable bacteria in mature biofilms by 1.32 log(10) CFU/mL after 4 h, and removes biofilms from polystyrene and stainless steel surfaces by 1.17 and 0.59 log(10) CFU/cm(2), respectively. These results highlight PPR01 as a safe, stable, and effective antibacterial and anti-biofilm agent with strong host specificity.

The molecular structural characteristics of polysaccharides decisively influence their interactions with proteins. This study systematically investigated the mechanism by which the molecular weight (Mw) of fucoidan (FUC) affected its interaction with ovalbumin (OVA). The complexes were characterized using a multi-scale approach. Results indicated that the low Mw HUF fraction (2.43 & times; 104 Da), characterized by higher charge density and flexible chain conformation, formed the most stable complex with OVA at a 3:1 mass ratio, exhibiting the highest turbidity, smallest particle size, significantly enhanced surface hydrophobicity, and typical shear-thinning behavior. CLSM observations visually revealed differences in the microstructures of complexes formed by polysaccharides of varying Mw. FT-IR and fluorescence spectroscopy analysis indicated significant changes in the secondary and tertiary structures of OVA during complexation. ITC analysis confirmed that the binding process between OVA and HUF was enthalpy-driven, exhibiting the strongest binding affinity (Kd = 6.52 & times; 10-5 M). Molecular docking revealed that sulfate groups on FUC engaged key positive residues on OVA via salt bridges and hydrogen bonds. These findings elucidate Mw and charge density as decisive factors in protein-polysaccharide interactions, providing a foundation for designing functional composites in food and biomaterials.

Cassava starch exhibits insufficient hydrophobicity and tends to undergo retrogradation after gelatinization, which restricts its application expansion in the field of microcapsule embedding. In this study, cassava starch was modified through high-speed shearing, esterification modification, and high-speed shearing-assisted esterification treatment. The effects on its structural properties, gelatinization characteristics, and rheological properties were investigated. The results showed that high-speed shearing treatment significantly improved the solubility, swelling power, and transparency of the starch. However, the microstructure particles were fragmented and the crystal structure was damaged, which enhanced the efficiency of subsequent esterification reactions. Therefore, compared with OSA esterification-modified starch, the composite modified cassava starch (CS) exhibited remarkable modification effects under the synergistic action of high-speed shearing and OSA. SEM results indicated significant fracture of starch particles and disintegration of the crystal structure. CS demonstrated remarkable thickening ability, achieving the highest peak viscosity (269 ± 2.81 mPa s). Three modified starches were compounded with sodium caseinate to form a wall material for loading olive oil, and microcapsules were prepared by freeze-drying. The results showed that the olive oil encapsulation efficiency of microcapsules prepared from composite modified cassava starch (CSM) was the highest (86.6 ± 1.52 %). Structural analysis confirmed that the microencapsulation process was physical embedding, without generating new chemical groups, and CSM samples exhibited a higher tendency towards crystallization. This study confirmed that high-speed shearing-OSA synergistic modification can significantly enhance the functional properties of cassava starch, providing theoretical and practical support for its application as an efficient microcapsule wall material.

The microencapsulation can protect the volatile components of the passion fruit essential oil (PFEO). This study investigated the physicochemical and release properties of PFEO microcapsules prepared using gelatin (Gel) in combination with lauric acid-modified cellulose I/II nanocrystals (LCNC-I, LCNC-II). Results revealed that lauric acid was successfully grafted onto both needle-like LCNC-I and elliptical LCNC-II without destroying their crystal structures. Compared to LCNC-II, LCNC-I exhibited superior hydrophobicity and emulsifying properties due to its needle-like morphology and higher crystallinity, zeta potential, substitution degree, and contact angle, resulting in higher encapsulation efficiency of PFEO microcapsules prepared with LCNC-I as the emulsifiers. The highest encapsulation efficiencies (92.87 % for Gel/LCNC-I/PFEO and 87.12 % for Gel/LCNC-II/PFEO) were achieved with 13 wt% gelatin and a 1:5 mass ratio of core material (PFEO) to wall material (gelatin and LCNCs). Compared to Gel/LCNC-II/PFEO, Gel/LCNC-I/PFEO microcapsules exhibited a more uniform particle size, superior redispersion stability, and a longer dissolution time, attributed to the excellent emulsifying properties of LCNC-I and its strong interaction with gelatin. Gel/LCNC-I/PFEO and Gel/LCNC-II/PFEO microcapsules demonstrated good release characteristics, with Gel/LCNC-I/PFEO exhibiting a higher release of most aldehyde volatile compounds, the main volatiles in PFEO. This study provides a theoretical foundation for constructing essential oil microcapsules using LCNCs, facilitating their future applications in the food and chemical fields.

Constructing physical entanglement networks is an effective strategy to enhance the mechanical properties of protein-based gels. However, it remains challenging to induce the formation of stable and controllable physical entanglement structures in food-grade natural polymer systems. In this study, fish gelatin (FG) and carboxylated cellulose nanofibers (CNFc) were used as raw materials. The effects of ultrasound pretreatment duration (0-16 min, 360 W, 25 kHz) on the properties of FG-CNFc composite gels were systematically investigated, with the aim of revealing the regulatory mechanism by which ultrasound promotes the formation of gelatin-fiber physical entanglement networks. The results showed that the 12 min ultrasound-pretreated group (GC-U12) exhibited the best overall gel performance. Compared with the non-ultrasonicated group, the GC-U12 group exhibited significantly reduced particle size and markedly enhanced storage modulus. Meanwhile, its melting temperature increased to 36.19 °C, indicating improved thermal stability. In terms of mechanical properties, the tensile strength, toughness, and compressive strength of the GC-U12 group increased by 0.6-fold, 1.2-fold, and 0.3-fold, respectively, relative to the control group. Structural characterization revealed that ultrasound pretreatment induced an increase in β-sheet content of fish gelatin from 36.8% to 47.51%, accompanied by a transformation of the gel network from a loose and porous structure to a dense and uniform one. Stress damage resistance tests demonstrated that after 10 cycles of stress damage, the GC-U12 group exhibited superior thermal stability and crack propagation resistance compared with the GC-U0 group. In summary, moderate ultrasound pretreatment promotes the formation of physical entanglement networks between FG and CNFc, thereby significantly enhancing the mechanical properties and structural stability of the composite gels. This study provides a green and feasible technical pathway for constructing high-performance protein-polysaccharide composite gels.

The spoilage of meat necessitates sustainable packaging. We developed a multifunctional composite membrane using chitosan (CS) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). Negatively charged CNCs served as anionic carriers to adsorb cationic carvacrol-lysozyme complexes (LC), forming stable LC-CNC particles. These were incorporated into a CS matrix via charge-driven assembly, which enhanced interfacial compatibility through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic mediation, as evidenced by FTIR and XPS analyses. The optimal membrane (2.0 wt% LC-CNCs) exhibited significantly enhanced barrier properties, with oxygen and water vapor permeability reduced by 42.3% and 37.8%, respectively. It also exhibited strong bioactivity, achieving over 60% antibacterial activity against both S. aureus and E. coli under the tested conditions (final LC concentration of approximately 0.1 mg/mL, 1 h incubation at 37 degrees C). When applied to chilled chicken, the membrane extended its shelf life to 10 days at 4 degrees C, compared to 6 days for the uncoated control group. This LC-CNCs@CS membrane exhibits excellent functionality and is derived from renewable resources, showcasing high potential as an advanced food packaging material.

The industrial production of chicken soup has been a persistent challenge, underscoring the crucial importance of searching for suitable sustainable processing technologies. In this study, the effects of various ultra-high pressure (UHP) times (0, 5, 10, and 15 min) on the flavor of Tibetan chicken soup were investigated. When the processing time reached 10 min, the solubility of myofibrillar protein (MP) and the small-fragmentation index (MFI) increased by 66.41 % and 43.46 %, respectively. There was a significant decrease in α-helix content, while β-turn content showed a marked increase. This demonstrated the full release of macromolecules in the chicken, resulting in a notable rise in the nutrient content, such as proteins, fats, and sugars, in the chicken soup. Consequently, there was a gradual enlargement in the particle size of micro-nanoparticles (MNPs), causing instability phenomena like delamination and flocculation. Additionally, this study integrated six machine learning (ML) models to develop a novel strategy for screening characteristic flavor compounds in Tibetan chicken soup. Among these models, the RF model achieved the highest AUC value (AUC = 0.861) and exhibited a relatively small median residual, showcasing its excellent classification and predictive capabilities. Concurrently, its SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) analysis results revealed that hexanal, 2-pentylfuran, 1-octen-3-ol, and stearic acid were key contributors to the flavor profile of Tibetan chicken soup. 5'-IMP and Glu were consistently identified as key features across multiple models, highlighting their significant role in the flavor profile of Tibetan chicken soup. These components collectively contribute to the distinctive taste of the soup.

Pickering emulsion coatings enriched with antibacterial components is a promising approach for food preservation. In this study, a cinnamaldehyde-enriched nanoemulsion coating (Cin-O/W) was prepared and applied to the preservation of fish fillets, and its preservation effects during refrigerated storage were investigated. The results indicated that Cin-O/W exhibited high encapsulation efficiency and good homogeneity. The encapsulated Cin demonstrated a high release rate, with a cumulative release rate of (90.5 +/- 1.6) % achieved within 1 h. After 10 days of storage, Cin-O/W effectively improved the texture of the fish fillets. Compared to the control group, after 8 days of refrigeration, the emulsion coating reduced TVC and TVB-N values to 5.3 log CFU/g and 14.6 mg/ hg, respectively. It extended the shelf life of fish at 4 degrees C by approximately 3 days. High-throughput sequencing revealed that Shewanella spp. accounted for a relatively large proportion in both the emulsion and control groups. The Cin-O/W effectively inhibited the growth of spoilage Shewanella spp. at a concentration of 133.3 mg/mL, with the inhibition mechanism involving the disruption of cell membrane integrity. This study demonstrated that the Cin-O/W can effectively maintain the quality and extend the shelf life of fish fillets.

Tomato sour soup (TSS) is a traditional fermented food in the southwest of Guizhou province, China. In a previous study, we found that the purine nucleoside compound content in TSS was decreased after fermentation. In this study, we screened the nucleoside-degrading lactic acid bacteria in TSS and explored possible mechanisms for the degradation of purine nucleoside compound. Lp. plantarum ST-11 was chosen because of its strong guanosine and inosine degradation, low guanine and hypoxanthine production, safety, and probiotic characteristics. The whole genome sequence had 3,344,042 bp, and approximately 110 genes were related to nucleotide metabolism. Guanosine administration induced the downregulation of 26 metabolites and upregulation of 75 metabolites, which related to energy substances, purines, and pyrimidines et al. Thus, Lp. plantarum ST-11, with high nucleoside degradation and low purine production, was screened from TSS, as a potential probiotic to prevent hyperuricemia.

The aim of this study was to prepare a bilayer packaging material consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (Pva) electrospun nanofibres laminated with Pickering emulsion loaded with cinnamaldehyde (Cin). Hydrogen bonding interactions between the Pva electrospun nanofibres and the emulsion were confirmed by chemical and crystal structure analysis. Morphological observation showed uniform fibre morphology of the films. The bilayer fibre film exhibited strong hydrophobicity, which was beneficial in controlling microbial adhesion. The addition of Cin increased the mechanical properties of the film. The bilayer film was effective in controlling moisture loss, oxidation level and microbial changes in snakehead storage experiments. The Pva-l-s-c membrane reduced the TVC and TVB-N values to 5.86 log CFU & sdot;g-1 and 16.41 mg/100 g respectively at 6 days of refrigerated storage, still meeting the secondary freshness standards for consumption. Compared to the control group, the time for TVC of Pva-l-s-c to reach the spoilage threshold was delayed by 4 days. Due to the double encapsulation achieving gradual release of Cin, the Cin-loaded bilayer nanofibre film could extend the shelf-life. Key Strengths at a Glance:1. Dual-encapsulation design2. Reproducible manufacturing process3. Real-food validation at 4 degrees C4. Extended shelf life effect (Approximately 4 Days)

Microcapsules laden with camellia oil (CO), utilizing rice porous starch (PS) as the core material carrier, were successfully prepared through spray drying, employing whey protein isolate (WPI) and maltodextrin (MD) as composite wall materials. This study delved into the rheological characteristics, zeta potential, and physical stability of the CO emulsions. The results indicated a notable reduction in the apparent viscosity of the CO emulsions upon the incorporation of MD. During the WPI and MD compounding process, the W7M3 emulsions system exhibited optimal particle interactions, deformation resistance, and physical stability. Furthermore, the formation process, structural properties, and in vitro simulated digestion and release behaviors of various PS-based CO microcapsules were characterized. The encapsulation efficacy and physicochemical attributes of CO were closely associated with the characteristics of the PS carriers. FT-IR analyses confirmed the encapsulation of the essential oil in microcapsule form. PS-based microcapsules possessed a higher thermal stability. During the in vitro simulated digestion and release process, the gastric release of PS-based CO microcapsules was delayed, while the intestinal release was relatively gradual, exhibiting a superior sustained release effect. The final release amount of CO ranged between 82.60 % and 91.18 %.

The inherent instability and poor bioavailability of vitamin C (VC) and vitamin E (VE) significantly limit their applications in food systems. In this study, a novel microcapsule through Wgel/O/W2 multiple emulsion template was developed by incorporating VC in a gelatin-based hydrogel inner phase (Wgel), VE in the oil phase (O), and maltodextrin-whey protein isolate (MD-WPI) composite as the outer water phase (W2), followed by freeze-drying. Optimized microcapsules (MD:WPI = 1:4, 0.10 wt% VC and VE) exhibited superior encapsulation efficiency (91.86 % for VC, 88.33 % for VE). Storage stability studies showed that aluminum foil-sealed packaging at 4 °C provided optimal protection, with 3.35-fold and 1.56-fold extended half-lives for VC and VE respectively. The co-loaded microcapsules exhibited enhanced DPPH radical scavenging capacity (98.56 %) and demonstrated controlled release behavior, with bioavailability increased by 2.51-fold and 2.28-fold for VC and VE respectively. This microencapsulation strategy offers promising potential for dual-vitamin delivery in functional food applications.

This study thoroughly analyzed the mechanism by which ultrasound-synergized polyphenol treatment to improve the foaming properties of ovalbumin (OVA) from perspectives of physicochemistry and structure. The results demonstrated that ultrasound-synergized protocatechuic aldehyde (PA) or syringic acid (SA) enhanced the foaming ability (FA) of OVA by 27.5% and 34.5%, respectively, and foam stability (FS) increased by 5.5% and 3.7%. SA with a larger molecular exhibited stronger affinity to OVA, facilitating superior adsorption at the air-water interface and producing a more uniform and dense foam microstructure. Physicochemical characterization revealed that ultrasound-synergized polyphenol treatment increased the aggregation of soluble particles in the systems, improving solubility, surface hydrophobicity and thermal stability. The results of protein structure illustrated that PA bound to OVA through more polar hydrogen bonds, whereas SA bound to OVA via weaker polar van der Waals forces and carbon-hydrogen bonds. These findings suggested that polyphenol-protein interactions characterized by higher molecular weight and lower polarity favor enhanced foaming properties. Therefore, ultrasound-synergized polyphenol treatment is an effective strategy for improving OVA foaming properties. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying improvement of protein foaming properties and offers a theoretical foundation for practical applications.