Retinoids are lipophilic compounds with high biological activity but poor stability and water solubility. Herein, novel zein/salecan (Zein/Sal) nanocomposite particles were fabricated via antisolvent precipitation with polysaccharide coating and used as carriers for hydroxypinacolone retinoate (HPR). The mass ratio of zein to Sal significantly affected particle properties, with a mass ratio of 2:1 yielding a homogeneous spherical morphology and high encapsulation efficiency, while HPR was integrated in an amorphous state. The integration of zein with HPR was due to hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. The resulting HPR-loaded Zein/Sal nanocomposite particles exhibited good colloidal stability over a wide pH range, under high ionic strength conditions, and during long-term storage. Encapsulation also remarkably improved HPR stability under different temperatures and light irradiation. In vitro assays revealed that the Zein/Sal nanocomposite particles had good biocompatibility, reduced the cytotoxicity of encapsulated HPR, and promoted cellular uptake and migration with the encapsulated HPR. Steady release and improved transdermal delivery of encapsulated HPR were also achieved. These results show that Sal serves as a functional stabilizer, improving both the structural and biological functions of zein nanoparticles, and offering a viable vehicle for the delivery of lipophilic retinoids in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications.

To enhance the gelling functionality of plant proteins, this study developed hybrid gels by blending casein with soy protein isolate (SPI) at various ratios using microbial transglutaminase (MTG) as a cross-linking catalyst. The gels were systematically characterized in terms of microstructure, water distribution, rheological and textural properties, secondary structure, and intermolecular interactions. Incorporation of casein significantly improved gel strength, water-holding capacity, and network uniformity. Notably, the 1:1 casein-to-SPI ratio yielded the highest performance, featuring extensive inter-protein cross-linking, an increased proportion of ordered secondary structures, and a finely porous matrix that effectively immobilized water. Mechanistically, MTG-catalyzed covalent bonding established the primary network scaffold, while hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bonds further stabilized the gel matrix. These findings demonstrate that MTG-induced Casein-SPI hybrid gels can enhance the functional properties of plant proteins and offer a viable strategy for designing sustainable protein-based food structures with tailored performance.

Fruit preservation poses a significant challenge, as conventional materials often fail to simultaneously mitigate microbial contamination, physicochemical degradation, and sustainability concerns. To address these limitations, this study developed a multifunctional chitosan (CS)-based film co-reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and nitrogen-phosphorus co-doped carbon dots (NPCDs) for fruit preservation. A two-step fabrication strategy was employed, wherein NPCDs were first homogenized with CNC and then blended into the CS matrix. The optimized CNC/NPCDs@CS film exhibited superior properties, including a tensile strength of 26.50 MPa (a 382.6% increase compared to pure CS film), a reduction in oxygen permeability of over 99% under tested conditions, efficient UV shielding (reducing UV-A and UV-B transmittance to 30.5% and 8.4%, respectively), and potent antibacterial activity (with inhibition rates against E. coli and S. aureus increased by 76.8% and 107.7%, respectively, compared to the pure CS film). Preservation trials demonstrated the film's efficacy in extending shelf-life, which was attributed to these enhanced material properties. Furthermore, microbial community analysis revealed suppressed microbial richness, optimized dominance, and stabilized microbiota, indicating a synergistic preservation mechanism involving physical barrier effects and antibacterial action. This film represents a sustainable, high-performance material for active food packaging, integrating material innovation with food safety and sustainability objectives.

Pickering double emulsions have attracted increasing interest due to their potential applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Currently, the preparation of Pickering double emulsions relies heavily on surface treatments of particle stabilizers, particularly in the one-step emulsification approach. This strategy is inconvenient and may result in limitations that hinder practical applications. Here, we demonstrate that oppositely charged starch nanocrystals and chitin nanocrystals can be used simultaneously to form Pickering double emulsions by using a one-step emulsification procedure that is independent of surface modifications. Starch nanocrystals and chitin nanocrystals exhibit a synergistic effect in stabilizing both the internal and the external droplets. Using both natural nanocrystals together produces Pickering double emulsions with improved stability, which is attributed to the adsorption of binary colloid complexes formed by the two nanocrystals at the oil/water interface of opposing curvatures. The electrostatic interactions between the nanocrystals drive the formation of binary colloid complexes. The starch/chitin mass ratio, aqueous pH, and salt concentration all influence the hydrodynamic size, ζ-potential, and surface wettability of the resulting complexes prior to emulsification, which collectively govern double emulsion formation and stability. As an illustration, the prepared Pickering double emulsion effectively protects the lipophilic β-carotene and hydrophilic riboflavin sodium phosphate simultaneously under different conditions.

Lauric acid (LA) is an antimicrobial medium-chain fatty acid, but its poor aqueous solubility limits its application in food matrices. To address this, ultrasound-assisted emulsion was developed using LA in vitamin E (VE) oil and chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol (CS-PVA) aqueous matrix. The emulsion exhibited uniformly dispersed oil droplets forming a compact network structure, along with superior stability and viscoelastic properties. No phase separation was observed during storage except for the 5 CP/VL system after 30 days, where CP/VL refers to the CS-PVA/VE-LA. Functionally, the emulsion disrupted bacterial membrane integrity and interfered with cellular energy metabolism. The 10 CP/VL formulation achieved a favorable balance between stability and bioactivity, with DPPH scavenging rate of 26.57% and 2.8 log CFU/mL reduction of Staphylococcus aureus after 2 h at 1% concentration. Overall, this study provides a feasible strategy for enhancing the dispersion and function of LA in aqueous systems for food-related applications.

This study reports the possibility of employing Zein/Spirulina protein isolate (Zein/SPI) nanocomposite particles as a functional carrier for lipophilic bioactives, using glabridin (GLA) as a model. Zein/SPI nanocomposite particles are synthesized using a conventional anti-solvent precipitation process. The combination of zein and SPI occurs because of electrostatic attraction, hydrophobic interaction, and hydrogen bonding. With an optimal Zein/SPI weight ratio, high encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of GLA are attained with Zein/SPI nanocomposite particles. GLA is successfully encapsulated in an amorphous form. The presence of SPI improves nanoparticle resilience to aggregation and sedimentation under different environmental conditions. Compared to free GLA, encapsulation enhances GLA stability against ultraviolet light, thermal treatment, and long-term storage. Encapsulated GLA also demonstrates better antioxidant activity than GLA dispersed in water. Additionally, a cytotoxicity study reveals that Zein/SPI nanocomposite particles are highly biocompatible. The in vitro release profile shows a steady and slow release of encapsulated GLA without a burst effect. These results suggest that Zein/SPI nanocomposite particles can be used as all-natural carriers for lipophilic and unstable bioactives in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Soy sauce aroma type Baijiu (SSAB) is a complex blend of seven rounds of raw SSAB, each with distinct aroma profiles that evolve during maturation. Tracking the aging of individual rounds is crucial for understanding flavor development. The round 1-4 SSABs were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and an electronic tongue over one-year aging. Results showed that short/medium-chain esters decrease while long-chain esters, acids, aldehydes, pyrazines, ketones, and furans increase. Kinetic analysis showed that short/mediumchain ethyl esters reach equilibrium in the esterification-hydrolysis reactions, whereas long-chain ethyl esters favor esterification, with their reaction quotient (Qc) diverging from the equilibrium point. Linoleic acid ethyl ester, identified as a key aging marker, was found to reduce the volatilization rate of critical aroma compounds in the finished glass, thereby prolonged the duration of lingering aromas. These findings provide a foundation for improving SSAB blending and storage, highlighting aging's key role in enhancing Baijiu quality.

This study developed functional soybean protein isolate (SPI)-based films incorporated with plant-derived oleosomes (mustard, grape, and chili seeds) and systematically evaluated their physicochemical properties, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, and food preservation efficacy. Films were fabricated by integrating oleosomes into SPI matrices, followed by solvent casting. Physicochemical characterization revealed that films with grape seed oleosomes provided the most significant improvements compared to control SPI films: reduced transparency (56 %), water vapor permeability (11 %), and lipid peroxidation (43 % lower peroxide value); increased hydrophobicity (contact angle +20 %) and flexibility (elongation at break +16 %). All oleosome films exhibited potent antioxidant/antimicrobial activity. In refrigerated (4 °C) strawberry preservation trials over 7 days, grape seed oleosome films most effectively maintained firmness, vitamin C content, and microbial safety, outperforming polyethylene. These results highlight oleosomes as sustainable, multifunctional additives for active food packaging, offering tunable properties based on source-specific bioactive and structural advantages.

We developed a novel macrocyclic RGD-peptides (2-c) with high selectivity for α v β 3 Integrin in specific tumor imaging and therapy via one-pot Srt A-mediated on-resin in situ cyclization strategy.

Colloidal particles generated from plant-derived proteins and polysaccharides have high potential as particulate stabilizers since they are environmentally friendly, biocompatible, and biodegradable. It has also been shown that amphiphilic anisotropic particles are more effective particulate stabilizers at the oil/water interface. In this study, a one-dimensional all-in-one zein nanoparticle/cellulose nanofiber hybrid nanostructure (ZCHN) was successfully prepared by self-assembling hydrophilic cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and hydrophobic zein nanoparticles (ZNPs). The synthetic approach is based on the antisolvent-induced deposition of uniform and discrete ZNPs on the surface of CNFs, with the electrostatic interaction between the two thought to be the main factor for their binding. Furthermore, the microstructure of the generated ZCHN can be easily tuned by the initial mass ratio of zein and CNFs. When compared to ZNPs or CNFs alone or their simple mixture, the emulsion stabilized with ZCHN displayed better long-term, high-temperature, and centrifugation stability. The efficient reduction of oil/water interfacial tension, neutral wettability, and more uniform and high coverage of ZCHN on the droplet surface were the reasons for such better emulsion stability. As an illustration, the resulting emulsion protected β-carotene effectively, exhibiting a significant improvement in stability under UV radiation and high temperature. Therefore, the prepared biocompatible Pickering emulsion is anticipated to have promising applications for the preservation and delivery of fat-soluble bioactive compounds.

The polysaccharides originated from Enteromorpha species exhibited versatile physiological activities and great potential in food and medicine industries. The oligosaccharides, which prepared from polysaccharide by enzymatic hydrolysis, retained the excellent activity as polysaccharide, and then revealed better solubility, bioavailability and effectiveness. However, there are few reports on Enteromorpha polysaccharide (EP)-degrading enzymes for efficient degradation of EP and high-valued utilization of Enteromorpha biomass. Herein, a novel EPdegrading enzyme, EPD1, was identified and heterologously expressed. It could efficiently hydrolyze the EP with high activity (985.755 U/mg) and exhibited optimal activity at 50 degrees C and a pH of 10.0. The Km value of EPD1 was 7.5512 mg & sdot;mL- 1 and the Vmax value was 4.9109 mu mol & sdot;min- 1 & sdot;mL- 1. Furthermore, EPD1 demonstrated cold adaptation as evidenced by minimal activity loss following incubation at temperatures below 30 degrees C for 1 h. HPLC and ESI-MS analysis revealed that EPD1 could produce disaccharides, trisaccharides and tetrasaccharides as the final degradation products from EPs. In conclusion, a novel EP-degrading enzyme with high activity and excellent performance was identified and it can expand the database of EP-degrading enzymes and provide the possibility to make full use of EPs.

Polysaccharide-modulated plant protein nanoparticles offer a promising strategy for polyphenol delivery. In this study, flaxseed gum oligosaccharides (FGOS) were used to modify apigenin (Ap)-loaded nanoparticles assembled from perilla (PPI), flaxseed (FPI), and sesame (SPI) protein isolates via a pH-driven method, forming FGOS/PPI@Ap, FGOS/FPI@Ap, and FGOS/SPI@Ap. FGOS coating reduced particle size and increased surface charge, enhancing encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant activity, and stability. In these three nanoparticles, FGOS/PPI@Ap exhibited superior performance in encapsulation, in vitro sustained release, and significantly improved bioaccessibility and oral bioavailability. Fluorescence quenching, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations revealed stronger Ap-PPI interactions mediated by hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic, and electrostatic forces. Pharmacokinetic results further validated the in vivo delivery advantages of FGOS/PPI@Ap. This work provides insight into FGOS-protein-polyphenol ternary systems and identifies FGOS as a stabilizing agent and PPI as an efficient protein-based carrier for enhancing polyphenol delivery in functional foods.

Integrins, particularly the αvβ3 subtype, are critical receptors involved in cell adhesion, migration, and signaling, playing a significant role in tumor progression and metastasis. Despite extensive research into integrin-targeted therapies, challenges remain in developing ligands that exhibit high selectivity for αvβ3 over other integrin subtypes, such as αvβ5. This study employs a one-pot sortase A-mediated on-resin peptide cleavage and in situ cyclization method to synthesize two generations of macrocyclic RGD-peptide libraries. Systematic screening through surface plasmon resonance and cell-based competition assays identified the lead compound, c-(G5RGDKcLPET), which demonstrated high affinity and selectivity for αvβ3. Additionally, the optimized cyclic peptide was functionalized with a fluorescent dye (Cy5) and the cytotoxic drug monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), enhancing its potential for cancer imaging and targeted therapy. This work contributes a novel platform for developing integrin-targeted diagnostics and therapeutics, highlighting the importance of macrocyclic peptides in cancer treatment strategies.

Partial or limited hydrolysis, polyphenol conjugation, and polysaccharide complexation are widely used methods to improve emulsifying properties of plant proteins. These modifications enable proteins to encapsulate essential oils more effectively, thereby expanding their potential applications. In this study, plum seed protein isolate (PSPI) was modified by enzymatic hydrolysis (Alcalase, pepsin, and flavourzyme), followed by conjugation with polyphenols (catechin, curcumin, and proanthocyanidin), complexation with polysaccharides (gum Arabic, sodium alginate, and wolfberry polysaccharides) to evaluate their effects on PSPI's structure and functional properties. The results showed that all three methods significantly improved PSPI's emulsifying and encapsulating properties by modulating its structure, solubility, surface hydrophobicity, and interfacial tension. These modification methods significantly affected stability of essential oil emulsions and physicochemical properties of the resulting capsules. Hydrolysis with Alcalase, coacervation with gum Arabic, and conjugation with catechin produced emulsions with excellent storage, thermal, and ionic stability. The resulting capsules exhibited higher encapsulation efficiency, improved dispersion, greater thermal stability, enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial activities, and a slower release rate. These findings suggest that PSPI hydrolysates, conjugates, and complexes could serve as preservatives, flavor enhancers, and antimicrobial agents, with potential applications in food packaging, oral care products (chewing gum, mouthwashes, and toothpaste), and niche pharmaceutical formulations.

In this study, ‌perilla seed oil body protein (PO), hempseed oil body protein (HO), and cucumber seed oil body protein (CO) were utilized to prepare artificial oil bodies (AOBs), and the impact of protein type on their physicochemical properties was investigated.‌ ‌Compared to HO and CO, PO exhibited a lower zeta potential value of -48.27 mV, a higher surface hydrophobicity of 21,122.67, and a smaller particle size of 105.71 nm. Its emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI) were 83.06 m2/g and 167.9 %, respectively. ‌Furthermore, AOBs stabilized by PO demonstrated smaller particle size and a higher amount of interfacial adsorbed protein compared to those prepared by HO and CO.‌ ‌Additionally, the encapsulation results indicated that PO-AOBs exhibited a higher encapsulation efficiency of 98.34 %. The retention rates of the loaded curcumin were 56.94 % after exposure to 90 °C and 94.06 % after UV light exposure for 7 h. ‌Moreover, both digestion and antioxidant experiments indicated that PO-AOBs facilitated better release of curcumin in the intestine, leading to enhanced antioxidant properties and increased bioavailability.‌ These findings offer ‌new insights into the development of novel AOBs, which hold promise for diverse applications in food delivery systems.

Lignin, an underutilized aromatic biopolymer from agricultural waste, is promising for functional hydrogels. However, the complex composition, molecular heterogeneity, and low active site accessibility of lignin severely restrict its practical applications. Traditional lignin extraction methods result in over 80% cleavage of beta-O-4 bonds and a significant loss of phenolic hydroxyl groups. In this study, four different molecular weight lignins (F1-F4) were obtained from cotton stalks via gamma-valerolactone pretreatment. The molecular weights of F1-F4 were 5203, 2926, 1956, and 938g/mol, with total phenolic hydroxyl contents of 0.03, 0.09, 0.27, and 0.54 mmol/g, respectively. Compared with hydrogels of the high-molecular-weight lignin (F1), the low-molecular-weight lignin-based hydrogel (F4) exhibited 3.32-fold enhanced elasticity, 4.23-fold improved conductivity, and 1.52-fold higher antibacterial activity. Notably, the gamma-valerolactone pretreatment preserved beta-O-4 bonds more effectively, while increasing the pore size by 1.57-fold. These results indicated that the low-molecular-weight lignin with high phenolic hydroxyl content conferred the hydrogel with significantly enhanced elasticity, conductivity, and antibacterial activity, making it highly promising for applications in drug delivery, wound healing, and wearable biosensors. This work demonstrates a green route to valorize agricultural lignin into high-performance hydrogel materials.

The study aimed to prepare cornstarch-chlorophyllin (CS-Chl) composite films with coconut oil (CO), oregano essential oil (OEO), and beeswax (BW) at percentages of 0.5 %, 1.0 % and 1.5 %, to address the key limitation of the hydrophilic nature of the CS-Chl matrix, and the physiochemical, structural and photoactive antibacterial properties of the films were evaluated. The moisture content, water solubility, swelling ability, and water vapor permeability were significantly reduced in all COx/OEOx/BWx samples, with average values of 12.58 %, 15.41 %, 29.30 %, and 1.78 x 10-10 gm- 1s- 1Pa- 1, respectively. Regarding mechanical properties, the tensile strength (TS) in COx and BWx films increased, while the elongation at break (EAB) decreased with the increasing CO and BW percentages. However, in OEOx films, initially, the TS was increased, then reduced with the rising OEO percentage. The FTIR spectrum indicated better CO, OEO, and BW molecule integration with the CS matrix and Chl molecules. XRD spectrum showed low crystallinity, while SEM images visualized rough surfaces with heterogenous structures in the cross-section. Despite the similarity in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in COx/OEOx/BWx films, shrimp wrapped in these films were safe for consumption after 5 days. The results highlighted the impact of lipid concentration and ROS generation, confirming that CS-Chl films with COx/OEOx/ BWx offer enhanced antibacterial properties compared to polyethylene (PE) films, positioning them as innovative solutions for food packaging in practical applications.

The nutritional efficacy of fish oil is significantly limited by its high susceptibility to oxidative degradation and low bioavailability. In this study, a non-covalent complex composed of anthocyanins (ANC) and whey protein (WP), was rationally designed and utilized to develop a fish oil emulsion system aimed at enhancing oxidative stability and bioaccessibility. The fluorescence spectroscopy (INF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Far UV circular dichroism (CD) demonstrated specific molecular interactions were generated between ANC and WP. Upon emulsification, the WP-ANC complex at 0.4 wt% acted as an effective emulsifier, yielding emulsions with reduced droplet size and enhanced antioxidative stability. Comparative analysis revealed that WP-ANC stabilized emulsions exhibited superior inhibition of lipid oxidation compared to those stabilized solely by WP, thereby significantly enhancing the stability of fish oil. Under simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, the emulsion formulated with 0.4 % ANC and WP promoted lipid droplet breakdown, suppressed oxidative degradation during digestion, decreased the release rate of free fatty acids, and consequently enhanced the bioavailability of fish oil.