BackgroundFigs (Ficus carica L.) are rich in sugars and bound aroma precursors that can be converted into aroma compounds.MethodsIn this study, the W-8 strain was isolated from fig epidermis and identified as Torulaspora delbrueckii by 26S rDNA sequencing. By optimizing fermentation conditions using single-factor experiments and an orthogonal design, aroma compound (AC) production was evaluated. The whole genome of strain W-8 was sequenced and annotated.ResultsAC production was 1.64 times that of the control. Isoamyl alcohol (0.264 mg/mL), phenethyl alcohol (0.053 mg/mL), isoamyl acetate (0.006 mg/mL), isobutyric acid (0.012 mg/mL), and 2-methylbutyric acid (0.004 mg/mL) were exclusively produced, and production of ethyl stearate and acetoin was increased by 4.20-fold and 2.30-fold, respectively. Strain W-8 harbors a complete genome of 9,224,546 bp. KEGG analysis showed prominent representation of amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism pathways, while GO annotation indicated enrichment in catalytic and metabolic processes. CAZy analysis identified key carbohydrate-active enzymes, including β-glucosidase.ConclusionGenome analysis showed that T. delbrueckii W-8 possesses β-glucosidases and aroma-related metabolic pathways, providing a genetic basis for the release of bound aroma precursors from fig substrates and their conversion into AC. These findings highlight T. delbrueckii W-8 as a promising starter for enhancing aroma quality in fermented fig products.

In this study, Chinese yam polysaccharides (CYPs) were fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum M616, and changes in the chemical composition, structure, and anti-inflammatory activity of CYPs before and after fermentation were investigated. The carbohydrate content of L. plantarum M616-fermented CYP (CYP-LP) increased from 71.03% ± 2.75 to 76.28% ± 2.37%, whereas protein and polyphenol content were almost unaffected compared with those of the unfermented CYP (CYP-NF). The monosaccharide composition of CYP-NF included rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, and mannose in a molar ratio of 0.493:0.6695:0.9738:0.7655:12.4365. CYP-LP had the same monosaccharides as CYP-NF, but the molar ratio was 0.3237:0.3457:0.8278:2.5541:10.4995. Meanwhile, the molecular weight and polydispersity of CYP-LP, respectively, increased from 124.774 kDa and 6.58 (CYP-NF) to 376.628 kDa and 17.928, indicating a low homogeneity. In vitro antioxidant analysis showed that L. plantarum M616 fermentation had varying effects on CYP-LP against DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl, and superoxide radicals. However, CYP-LP had superior anti-inflammatory activity to CYP-NF and is more effective in regulating superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 release in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. This study suggested that CYP-LP is a potential anti-inflammatory ingredient in drugs and functional food.

α-Terpineol, an abundant oxygenated monoterpene compound, shows a varied range of beneficial bioactivities. This study focused on the efficient extraction and purification of α-terpineol from the biotransformation of limonene using Penicillium digitatum DSM 62840 mutant (PdTP1-overexpressed OE2 strain). The α-terpineol was primarily distributed in the supernatant, with minimal association with the biomass. And the optimal extraction was achieved using ethyl acetate as the extractant, which can directly obtain the highest recovery of α-terpineol without sequential extractions. The equilibrium of mass transfer was quickly reached (≤20 s in vortex). Additionally, the purification method of α-terpineol using column chromatography was described, further improving the purity of product to 96.86% in gas chromatography. Structural identification of purified α-terpineol was confirmed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance. This simplified and efficient strategy for the extraction and purification of α-terpineol not only provides a solid theoretical basis for the final step in the relevant study of microbial synthesis of α-terpineol but also is of great significance for its industrial application.

Due to the restricts of treatment methods and high costs, waste tobacco materials are usually discarded, which leads to resources waste and environmental pollution. Present work used waste tobacco leaves as carbon source to produce polysaccharide (CGP-TL) by Chaetomium globosum CGMCC 6882 via submerged fermentation. CGP-TL yield was 1.62 +/- 0.35 g/L, and the contents of carbohydrate and protein in which were 91.73% +/- 6.49% and 5.51% +/- 0.84%. Structural characterization showed CGP-TL was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose and xylose in a molar ratio of 9.9688: 6.8482: 19.6045: 29.4448: 0.8033: 0.5874. Meanwhile, its weight-average molecular weight, number-average molecular weight and polydispersity were 286.035 kDa, 118.146 kDa and 2.421, respectively. In vitro antioxidant analysis showed CGP-TL scavenged DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl and superoxide radicals positively correlated to its concentration, and the corresponding scavenging effects at 2.5 mg/mL were 75.53% +/- 1.89%, 96.24% +/- 2.32%, 52.91% +/- 2.28% and 65.26% +/- 2.47%. Furthermore, CGP-TL not only improved the antioxidative status of RAW 264.7 cells, but also exerted oxidative repairing effects on H2O2-damaged RAW 264.7 cells via increasing the levels of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px, and reducing MDA level. Overall, this work will provide references for green and efficient utilization of waste tobacco materials and cellulose resources.

Rehmannia radix is a kind of food and medicinal material, riched in monoterpenoids, phenylethanol glycosides, triterpenes, flavonoids, and other kinds of chemical compounds, among which monoterpenoids such as iridoids and ionones, and phenylethanol glycosides are the characteristic components of R. radix, with various biological activities. To excavate more characteristic active ingredients, the chemical compositions were identified from the 75% ethanol extract by v a variety of column methods and their hypoglycemic activities were evaluated in HepG2 cells. As a consequence, 13 compounds (1-13) were identified, including 4 iridoid compounds, 3 ionones, and 6 phenylethanol compounds, among them compound 3 was a new iridoid. The hypoglycemic activity showed that 7 compounds (1 similar to 2, 4 similar to 7 and 13) could promote glucose uptake of IR-HepG2 cells. And compound 6 could significantly upregulate protein levels of PI-3K, p-GSK3 beta, p-AKT and GLUT4, and significantly downregulated protein levels of PEPCK and G6Pase. These results revealed that compound 6 improved insulin resistance in HepG2 cells probably by activating PI-3K/AKT signaling pathway and inhibiting gluconeogenesis. These results succeeded in enriching the chemical composition of R. radix and provided an important scientific basis for the application of Rehmannia in the treatment of diabetes.

In this study, we preliminarily explored the key enzyme involved in the conversion of limonene to alpha-terpineol by Penicillium digitatum DSM62840. We investigated the optimum temperature, optimum pH, thermal stability of the enzyme reaction, and the effects of metal ions, organic solvents, and various inhibitors on enzyme activity. Utilizing CO differential spectrum and substrate induction, we hypothesized that the enzyme is inducible and likely a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase. Following the determination of the enzyme's location, five decontaminants were selected for the solubilization of microsomal P450, and we screened for suitable decontaminants and their optimal concentrations. After comparison, 0.8 % DDM was ultimately chosen for the subsequent isolation and purification of the limonene-converting enzyme. Additionally, we employed ammonium sulfate graded precipitation, PEG600 graded precipitation, and sucrose gradient centrifugation for the preliminary isolation and purification of the limonene-converting enzyme. Ultimately, the ammonium sulfate graded precipitation method was selected as the most effective. This study provides scientific data and a theoretical basis for the further industrial production of alpha-terpineol.

A reliable chemical synthesis method for the preparation of 1,4:3,6-Dianhydro-α-D-glucopyranose (DGP) has been developed on the first time, with an overall four-step yield of 20 % on a 200g scale. The method for 2-OH regioselective benzylation protection of Methyl α-D-glucopyranoside was systematically optimized, providing a more scalable and cost-effective approach. The 3,6-anhydro pyranose intermediate was obtained through a two-step one-pot process. It has been confirmed that 2-OH protection enhanced the ring stability of 3,6-anhydro pyranose and also found that the conformation of 3,6-anhydro pyranose indeed promoted the construction of 1,4-ether bonds. Overall, this work facilitated further application research of DGP in the fields of chemical synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and food chemistry.

We found Albiphasma heringi (Mell, 1922) and A. pieridoides (Liu & Gu, 1994) to be conspecific by the 658 bp COI gene sequences and male genitalia characters. Considering the distinguishable wing patterns and allopatric distribution of the two taxa, we treat pieridoides as a subspecies of heringi. Therefore, the genus Albiphasma Huang, Chiba, Wang and Fan, 2016, which was established for heringi and pieridoides, becomes monotypic, and in light of morphological similarities and close genetic distance between heringi and Pintara bowringi (Joicey & Talbot, 1921), we propose its synonymy with Pintara Evans, 1932. The adults and male genitalia of both P. heringi heringi (Mell, 1922) and P. heringi pieridoides (Liu & Gu, 1994) are illustrated.

Ionic strength condition is a crucial parameter for food processing, but it remains unclear how ionic strength alters the structure and digestibility of binary complexes containing starch and protein/protein hydrolysates. Here, the binary complex with varied ionic strength (0-0.40 M) was built by native corn starch (NS) and soy protein isolate (SPI)/hydrolysates (SPIH) through NaCl. The inclusion of SPI and SPIH allowed a compact network structure, especially the SPIH with reduced molecule size, which enriched the resistant starch (RS) of NS-SPIH. Particularly, the higher ionic strength caused the larger nonperiodic structures and induced loosener network structures, largely increasing the possibility of amylase for starch digestion and resulting in a decreased RS content from 19.07 % to 15.52 %. In other words, the SPIH hindered starch digestion while increasing ionic strength had the opposite effect, which should be considered in staple food production.

Five kinds of exopolysaccharides (EPS) were obtained by fermentation of Scleroderma areolatum Ehrenb. with sucrose, glucose, maltose, lactose, and fructose as carbon sources. Antioxidant abilities of the obtained EPSs were evaluated by inhibiting AAPH, HO·, and glutathione (GS·) induced oxidation of DNA and quenching 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) cationic radical (ABTS· and galvinoxyl radicals. The effects of carbon sources on the antioxidant properties of EPSs could be examined. The results showed that five EPSs can effectively inhibit radicals induced oxidation of DNA, and the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) percentages were 44.7%-80.8%, 52.3%-77.5%, and 44.7%-73.3% in inhibiting AAPH, HO·, and GS· induced oxidation of DNA, respectively. All five EPSs could scavenge ABTS· and galvinoxyh, and exhibit superior activity in scavenging free radicals. Antioxidant abilities of EPS with fructose as carbon source were highest among five EPS.

A set of nine unique tobacco extract samples was analyzed using a self-developed electronic nose (E-nose) system, a commercial E-nose, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The evaluation employed principal component analysis, statistical quality control, and soft independent modeling of class analogies (SIMCA). These multifaceted statistical methods scrutinized the collected data. Subsequently, a quality control model was devised to assess the stability of the sample quality. The results showed that the custom E-nose system could successfully distinguish between tobacco extracts with similar odors. After further training and the development of a quality control model for accepted tobacco extracts, it was possible to identify samples with normal and abnormal quality. To further validate our E-nose and extend its use within the tobacco industry, we collected and accurately classified the flavors of different tobacco leaf positions, with a remarkable accuracy rate of 0.9744. This finding facilitates the practical application of our E-nose system for the efficient identification of tobacco leaf positions.

Development of low temperature catalytic pyrolysis technology for heated tobacco sheets is expected to increase the aroma of heated tobacco products and improve their overall smoking quality. In this study, the low temperature pyrolysis performances of heated tobacco sheets catalyzed by various anionic sodium salts were investigated using TG-DTG, Py-GC-MS technology and smoke routine chemical composition analysis. The results showed that the total weight loss between 100°C and 300°C increased by 7.8%–13.15% after adding various anionic sodium salts, among which, sodium acetate and sodium tartrate showed a relatively higher weight loss. The relative content of free hydroxyacetone, furfuryl alcohol, butyrolactone and megastigmatrienone in the pyrolysis gas increased, while the relative content of free nicotine decreased. With the change of anionic species, the catalytic decomposition ability of cellulose, lignin, and other substances may change, resulting in the distribution alteration of compounds in the pyrolysis gas. After adding sodium acetate and sodium citrate, the release of total particulate matter (TPM), glycerol, and nicotine in flue gas increased. Overall, the addition of sodium acetate and sodium citrate showed a higher low temperature pyrolysis performance of heated tobacco sheets. The research results in this paper provide data support for changing the low temperature catalytic pyrolysis performance of heated tobacco sheets by adjusting the type of anions in sodium salts.

INTRODUCTION:This study investigates the composition and antibacterial properties of essential oil extracted from Pinus koraiensis (Siebold & Zucc) pine needles using a liquid nitrogen freezing treatment combined with solvent-free microwave extraction (LNSFM). OBJECTIVE:The aim is to develop a low-energy, high-efficiency extraction method for conifer essential oils, analyze their chemical composition, and evaluate their antibacterial efficacy. METHODOLOGY:Pine needle samples were frozen with liquid nitrogen and subsequently crushed. The essential oil was extracted using solvent-free microwave technology. A single-factor test and response surface methodology were employed to optimize extraction parameters. The extraction efficiency of LNSFM was compared with traditional methods through kinetics, and the essential oil components were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activity of the extracted volatile oil was tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. CONCLUSION:LNSFM proves to be a green and efficient extraction method suitable for obtaining volatile oils from pine needles, which demonstrate significant antibacterial properties.

A series of specimens with some differences in wing patterns and male genitalia from different localities is recognized as Halpe paupera Devyatkin, 2002 by comparing the COI gene sequences. The morphological variability in male is discussed and illustrated. The intraspecific variation of the female of H. paupera walthewi Devyatkin, 2002 from the type locality is elucidated, and hence this subspecies is considered a synonym of H. paupera paupera. A distribution map and some bionomic information of the species are provided.

Staple foods with starch and protein components are usually consumed after thermal processing. To date, how including protein hydrolysates (with varied hydrolysis degrees) tailors the structure and digestion features of starch-based matrix with thermal processing has not yet been sufficiently understood. Here, corn starch (CS), soy protein isolate (SPI), and soy protein isolate hydrolysates (SPIH) with different hydrolysis time (5-60 min) were used to prepare starch-based binary matrices. With the addition of SPI or SPIH during thermal processing, the resultant binary systems exhibited higher thermal stability (breakdown visibility was increased by 1.9-10.8 times), denser networks, and fewer short-range orders (R995/1022 was decreased by up to 15.3 %). These structural changes allowed an inhibited starch digestion within the binary system, especially with increased SPI or SPIH content. Compared with CS, the content of resistant starch (RS) for CS-SPI binary complex (10:3 w/w) increased from 9.89 % to 16.69 %. Compared to SPI, SPIH inclusion displayed a stronger inhibitory effect on starch digestion since the reduced molecule size of SPIH probably enhanced its interplays with starch or amylase. For instance, the 10:3 w/w starch-SPIH 60 binary matrix possessed the highest RS content (19.07 %).

Controlling the digestion features of starch-based food matrices following thermal processing plays vital roles in reducing risks of metabolic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes. To date, it remains largely unclear how regulating the pH during thermal processing alters the microstructure and digestion features of starch-based matrix including protein hydrolysates. Considering this, corn starch (CS) and soybean protein isolate (SPI) (or its hydrolysates (SPIH)) were used to prepare thermally-processed CS-SPI and CS-SPIH binary matrices under different pH values (3 to 9), followed by inspection of changes in the structures and digestibility using combined methods. It was found that including SPI (especially SPIH) caused structural changes of those binary systems, such as reduced network sizes, increased V-crystals and reduced nanoscale structures, which could allow more resistant starch (RS). This phenomenon was especially true when including SPIH with regulated pH value. For instance, SPIH inclusion at pH 5 caused the highest RS content (about 20.30%), presumably linked to the reduced molecule size of SPIH with strengthened aggregation at pH 5. In contrast, the acidic (pH 3) and alkaline (pH 9) conditions allowed reduced short-range orders and tailored porous networks and thus less RS (ca. 17.46% at pH 3 and 16.74% at pH 9).

Photothermal materials for solar evaporators need to have broad light absorption ability and be able to convert into heat efficiently. At present, organic photothermal materials mainly have the problems of narrow absorption spectrum range and low photothermal conversion efficiency. In recent years, the development of photovoltaic materials has attracted the attention of researchers. However, the application of photovoltaic materials to the field of solar driven water evaporation is still rare. Poly(3-hexylthiophene), P3HT, is a typical p-type conjugated polymer that can achieve high power conversion efficiency. P3HT powder has a solar-thermal conversion efficiency of 11.26%. Its absorption range at 300-900 nm provides effective utilization of sunlight and has the potential as an excellent photothermal conversion material. We loaded P3HT into non-woven fabric to obtain an integrated device for simultaneous water evaporation and thermoelectric power generation, with evaporation rate of 1.04 kg m- 2 h-1 and output voltage of 58 mV under 1 kW m- 2 simulated solar irradiation. This study enriches the application of traditional photovoltaic materials in the field of solar-heat technique and provides guidance in the construction of solar evaporation devices for water-electricity co-generation.

Abstract Cembranoids compounds are mainly distributed in higher plants of the Pinaceae and Solanaceae families, as well as soft corals, and serve as important aroma precursors. Their degradation products are widely used in various aspects of life, such as farnesal, which finds extensive applications in the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, a strain (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia H3-1) was isolated from soil, which can efficiently degrade α-cedriene-4,6-diol.Based on GC-MS detection of α-cembratriene-4,6-diol degradation efficiency of the H3-1 strain, it was determined that the optimal culture conditions for H3-1 are 40°C, pH 8, maltose concentration of 2 g/L, and ammonium sulfate concentration of 2 g/L. Under the optimum culture conditions, the degradation rate of 1 mg/mL α-cembratriene-4,6-diol by H3-1 strain within 36 h was as high as 85.86%. This indicates the strong biodegradation ability of the H3-1 strain towards α-cembratriene-4,6-diol. Through GC-MS analysis, we identified the biodegradation products of α-cembratriene-4,6-diol, including farnesal. This provides a theoretical basis and microbial resources for further study on the degradation products and applications of α-cembratriene-4,6-diol.

The existing pneumatic driers in tobacco industry generally associate with some shortcomings,such as long drying path,high air velocity and higher tobacco degradation,a low velocity pneumatic cut stem drier was designed,its core part was an inverted cone-shaped drier.The feeding duct was divided into two layers to prevent stem from depositing.An air spreading device,a stem spreader and a foreign matter rejector were arranged at the bottom of drying duct to improve heat exchanging efficiency.The air velocity at the upper part of drying duct was set at about 3 m/s.The internal structure and inner wall surface of drying duct were specially treated and the flow parameters were optimized to reduce system??s loss.The results of application showed that the drier had the merits of low hot air velocity and uniform material heating.The uniformity of moisture content in output cut stem was effectively improved,the breakage of cut stem was reduced,the proportion of long strands increased by about 5 percentage points,while that of short strands decreased by about 1 percentage point and the extreme difference of moisture content in output cut stem decreased by 1.5 percentage points.

The automatic dense end location monitoring system in YJ19 cigarette maker exists skip and dwell phenomena,which affects the reliability of the system and results in high rate of loose end cigarettes and low accuracy of cigarette weight control.In light of the principle of velocity compensation,the original adjusting device was improved by using a planet gear differential mechanism as its transmission mechanism.The results of application showed that: after improvement,the qualified rate of weight difference between cigarettes of inside and outside rows increased by 23.6 percentage points,the rate of loose end cigarette decreased by 0.3 percentage points,the amount of cut tobacco loss from cigarette end reduced by 1.84 mg/cig.,and the precision and stability of the control system were effectively improved.