To address the poor processability and undesirable texture of low-concentration potato starch (PS) gels, we hypothesized that curdlan (CD) modulates these limitations through competitive water absorption and intermolecular interactions. This study systematically investigated PS/CD blend systems (5 wt%, ratios 100:0-70:30) using rapid visco analysis (RVA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheology, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), and texture profiling. During heating, CD competed with PS for water, delaying gelatinization (T-c up arrow 4.02 +/- 0.63 degrees C), reducing viscosity (peak viscosity down arrow 31.3 % at 95:5), and lowering gelatinization enthalpy (Delta H down arrow 37.8 %) by restricting amorphous hydration and facilitating crystalline domain disintegration. CD simultaneously attenuated shear-thinning behavior (n up arrow 38 %), enhancing processability. During cooling, CD accelerated network formation via hydrophobic associations and hydrogen bonding, increasing gel elasticity (G ' up arrow 336 % at 25 degrees C and 70:30) and fractal dimension (D up arrow 4.3 %). Optimal CD addition (95:5) yielded a denser dual-network structure with 50 % smaller pores and superior textural properties (hardness up arrow 21 %, chewiness up arrow 83 %). However, excessive CD (>20 %) inhibited network integrity due to increased molecular spacing. These findings demonstrate CD's dual role in inhibiting gelatinization yet accelerating gelation, providing a practical strategy to tailor the processability and texture of high-quality PS-based foods.

Butyric acid, a representative short-chain fatty acid, has gained considerable attention due to its noteworthy health benefits and widespread application. Nonetheless, the majority of commercially available butyric acid is currently synthesized through environmentally harmful chemical synthesis methods, which pose a significant obstacle to the development of the butyric acid industry. Therefore, there is a need to develop cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly methods for butyric acid production. This review commences with a systematic evaluation of the health effects and mechanisms of action of butyric acid. Subsequently, it outlines the advantages and disadvantages of different sources of butyric acid, including chemical synthesis and biosynthesis, along with their development trends. Finally, the review delves into high-efficiency strategies to enhance butyric acid production through targeted biosynthesis. This review not only serves as a valuable reference for researchers and practitioners interested in the diverse aspects of butyric acid but also offers insights into future trends in the development of butyric acid.

Barley flour is valued for its unique texture and resistance to starch digestion. However, its high bran content often compromises food quality. To address this, the effects of incorporating epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and ferulic acid (FA) into whole grain barley noodles were investigated. In terms of digestibility, resistant starch content increased from 24% (Control) to 37% (0.5% EGCG) and 26% (0.5% FA), while rapidly digestible starch decreased from 62% to 51% and 59%, respectively. These results indicate that EGCG and FA enhanced the anti-digestive property of noodles. Analyses using SEM, liquid chromatography, and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance revealed that the reduced digestibility was primarily attributed to protein polymerization and strengthened water-solid interactions, which promoted cross-linking of the gluten network and encapsulation of starch. This study demonstrates that incorporating dietary polyphenols is an effective strategy to improve the edible quality and functional properties of barley noodles, thereby promoting their potential utilization.

Hypercholesterolemia is a cardiovascular condition resulting from elevated cholesterol levels. This study screened seven Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains with efficient cholesterol (CHOL)-lowering abilities and investigated the mechanisms of CHOL degradation. HPLC analysis indicated that L. plantarum D5205 had high bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity with a bile salt metabolism rate of 31.65% ± 0.43%, while L. plantarum C4507 excelled with a CHOL metabolism rate of 61.12% ± 0.32%. Microscopic analysis revealed that these strains reduced CHOL mainly through extracellular binding and intracellular metabolism. The genomic analysis indicated that the BSH and transporter protein genes were strongly associated with the CHOL metabolism capabilities of these strains. The molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation analysis revealed the binding mechanism between sodium taurocholate and BSH. This study provides a method for screening CHOL-lowering lactic acid bacteria and uncovers their potential mechanisms for reducing CHOL levels.

This study explored how edible ethanol (0-5 %) affects fresh noodle quality and starch digestibility by examining its impact on gluten protein structure and redistribution. Ethanol treatment reduced dough mixing stability and extensibility, while increasing tensile resistance and stickiness. Microscopic structure images revealed ethanol-induced migration and redistribution of gluten/gliadin fractions. Chromatography showed partial solubilization and depolymerization of gliadin, enhancing its ability to coat starch granules. This led to increased starch enthalpy change (ΔH) and crystallinity, reducing starch digestion rates. Storage and thermal dehydration further promoted protein-starch interactions. Additionally, ethanol delayed browning and inhibited microbial growth, significantly extending noodle shelf life. Overall, ethanol treatment effectively reduces the starch digestion rate by altering the structure and distribution of gliadin proteins, offering a novel strategy for the development of fresh noodle products with a low glycemic index.

Sweet potato starch (SPS) gels often exhibit poor thermal stability and textural quality at low solid concentrations. This study investigated the mechanism by which curdlan (CD), a microbial β-(1,3)-glucan with unique thermoirreversible gelling properties, modulates the gelatinization, retrogradation, rheology, structure, and gel properties of SPS. Incorporating CD delayed SPS gelatinization, reduced gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH), and enhanced the thermal and shear stability of the paste, attributed to competitive hydration and robust SPS-CD interactions. Crucially, CD accelerated gel network formation during cooling, fostering stronger intermolecular hydrogen bonding (confirmed by FTIR redshift) and hydrophobic associations. Multi-scale structural analysis (SEM, SAXS) revealed that 5 % CD produced a composite gel with a significantly denser microstructure, smaller pore size, and higher fractal dimension. Consequently, this optimized structure yielded superior mechanical properties (increased storage modulus G', hardness, chewiness), enhanced water retention (LF-NMR), and improved gel stability. Composite gels with 5 % CD exhibited optimal overall properties (hardness ↑ 56.43 %, chewiness ↑ 55.62 %, water retention ↑ 15.09 %, gel thermal stability ↑ 18.31 %). These findings demonstrate that CD effectively modifies the structural assembly dynamics and intermolecular interactions within SPS gels, providing a fundamental basis for developing high-quality, stable SPS-based gel products with enhanced functional attributes.

Low-oil emulsion gels were prepared with 10 wt% oil droplets coated by bilayer or mixed interfacial layers of pea protein and curdlan. The fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, interaction forces, rheology, water holding capacity, freeze-thaw stability, and lipid digestion were assessed. Increasing curdlan concentration induced α-helix to β-sheet transitions in protein conformational, while hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions initially strengthened before plateauing. Emulsion gels with multilayered biopolymer interfaces showed higher viscoelasticity, water holding capacity, and textural attributes. Adding 2 wt% or more curdlan improved freeze-thaw stability of bilayer emulsion gel, with 3 wt% curdlan showing the lowest syneresis (27.7 %) and free water proportion (94.75 %). Bilayer emulsion gel with 3 wt% curdlan exhibited low free fatty acid release (22.1 %) after simulated digestion due to a thick interfacial layer around the oil droplets, restricting lipase access. This study presents an innovative method to reduce fat content in emulsified foods while maintaining textural qualities.

This study developed high-performance, water-resistant edible alginate-based straws by applying a dense zein coating to the surface through controlled phase separation and electrostatic assembly of zein and sodium alginate (SA) following gradient diffusion molding. The zein coating significantly enhanced the anti-swelling properties and surface hydrophobicity of the straws. Specifically, phase separation was introduced by disrupting the alcohol-water solvent system of the zein solution, enabling zein to solidify onto the straw surface. Simultaneously, the negatively charged alginate facilitated electrostatic interactions with the positively charged zein, ensuring stable interlayer bonding. The synergistic regulating of phase separation and electrostatic assembly was systematically investigated to achieve a robust integration with the straw matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging revealed that a continuous and uniform zein coating was formed using a 2 % zein solution at pH 4. Compared to the control, the water resistance of the straw improved significantly, with the water contact angle (1 min) increasing by 45.2 % and the swelling ratio (30 min) decreasing by 53.1 %. Additionally, the straws demonstrated complete degradation within 90 days, outperforming even paper straws. The zein-coated alginate-based straws exhibited superior overall performance, positioning it as a highly promising alternative to plastic straws.

Swelling and texture deterioration of cooked noodles are significant challenges hindering the growth of the takeout noodle market. This study investigated the swelling behavior and structural/molecular changes in the starch-gluten matrix of cooked noodles upon common condiments addition. Oil treatment significantly increased swelling by 56.30 ± 0.57 %, accompanied by notable texture deterioration and formation of a cellular network. The oil addition disrupted gluten-starch compatibility, accelerated heat-induced gluten aggregation, and facilitated starch phase transition. Conversely, vinegar reduced swelling by 17.21 ± 1.98 %, forming an irregular dense network. Vinegar modulated gluten polymerization and gluten-starch interaction while inhibiting starch phase transition, agglomeration, and gluten fibril disruption during soaking. NaCl exhibited negligible effects on noodle swelling. These results demonstrate that oil promotes excessive noodle swelling during cooking, while vinegar effectively suppressed this process. This study offers theoretical insights and potential strategies for developing anti-swelling noodles.

The poor mechanical properties and freeze-thaw stability of soy protein hydrogels limit their application in meat analogue products. In this study, we developed an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel composed of two crosslinked biopolymers: soy protein isolate (SPI) crosslinked by transglutaminase, and sanxan crosslinked by cations. The presence of sanxan altered the secondary structure of SPI. The dominant molecular interactions in the composite gels were disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions. As the sanxan concentration increased, the mechanical properties of the composite hydrogels initially increased but then decreased. At an optimized SPI and sanxan composition (10 %/0.6 % w/v), the composite hydrogels exhibited the highest degree of crosslinking (Q = 49.92), Young's modulus (20 kPa), freeze-thaw stability (16.5 % syneresis), and the lowest phase transition temperature (-18.8 °C). Additionally, these hydrogels exhibited the least change in water mobility, porosity, stress-strain profile, and viscoelasticity after freeze-thaw treatment. This was due to the ability of sanxan to delay water crystallization during the freeze-thaw process. This study provides a promising strategy for enhancing the performance of plant-based meat analogues through improved mechanical and freeze-thaw stability.

This study aimed to develop a novel exopolysaccharides (EPS)-producing strain, Bacillus velezensis KUST4317 (BVK), isolated from soy sauce as a multifunctional starter culture for fermented foods. The evaluation mainly focused on its biosafety, metabolic potential, and functional characteristics. Genomic analysis confirmed the strain's biosafety, identifying only seven non-critical antibiotic resistance genes and no virulence factors. BVK exhibited a high EPS yield (250 mg/L), which contributed to increased soy sauce viscosity (1-1.2 mPa·s) and exhibited strong antioxidant activity (76.4 % DPPH scavenging). Metabolomic profiling revealed that BVK uniquely produces flavor-enhancing compounds (e.g., benzyl alcohol, pyrazines), while preserving essential taste components. Further mechanistic analysis identified ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters as key pathway involved in EPS biosynthesis. These findings highlight the potential of BVK to enhance both the functional and sensory qualities of fermented foods.

Composite biopolymer-based emulsion gels are commonly utilized in the food manufacturing industry. In this study, one-step (O) and two-step (T) interfacial assembly methods were used to fabricate pea protein/hydrolyzed rice glutelin fibril (PNP/HRGF)-sanxan emulsion gels. For all samples, the droplet size first significantly declined and then increased when the sanxan concentration was raised from 0 to 0.75 %. Under optimized conditions (0.5 % sanxan, two-step method), emulsion gels with small droplet sizes (3.42 μm) and good storage stability could be produced. The freeze-thaw stability of PNP/HRGF emulsion gels was significantly enhanced after the incorporation of sanxan, as seen by a lower free water content determined by NMR relaxation studies. Small and large amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS and LAOS) analysis showed that all the samples were predominantly elastic-like materials that exhibited strong shear thinning behavior. During simulated small intestinal digestion, PNP/HRGF emulsion gels containing 0.5 % sanxan had a significant lower final free fatty acid release when they were prepared using two-step method (69 %) than the one-step method (80 %), or when that did not contain sanxan (91 %). This study shows that emulsion gels capable of regulating lipid digestion can be created by changing the order of addition of proteins/polysaccharides at oil droplet surfaces.

Thermal treatment of rice starch, which is the main ingredient in rice noodles and has cooling-set gelling behavior, can disrupt hydrogen bonding, leading to a compromised gel structure. This can lead to a softer texture and reduced textural attributes and cooking characteristics of rice noodles. This study investigated how thermal sterilization and curdlan integration affect the rheological characteristics, microstructure, and quality of rice noodles. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, kinetic analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that the incorporation of curdlan, a thermally set polysaccharide gel, enhances hydrogen bonding, accelerates gel formation, and yields a denser gel structure to rice noodles. This enhancement improves solid-like behavior, storage modulus, textural properties, and cooking characteristics. Compared to pure rice noodles subjected to thermal sterilization, rice noodles incorporating 2.0% curdlan showed reductions of 74.71% in cooking breakage rate and 68.18% in cooking loss rate. Conversely, hardness and springiness increased by 19.82% and 18.75%, respectively. This study offers valuable insights for developing high-quality fresh rice noodles.

Beta-lactoglobulin (β-LG) is considered to be the major allergenic protein in milk. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) possess a protein hydrolysis system that holds great promise for hydrolyzing β-LG and reducing its allergenicity. Therefore, this study aimed to screen LAB with β-LG hydrolysis activity from Yunnan traditional fermented foods. The results showed that Pediococcus pentosaceus C1001, Pediococcus acidilactici E1601–1, and Lactobacillus paracasei E1601–2, could effectively hydrolyze β-LG and further reduce its sensitization (more than 40%). All 3 lactic acid bacteria hydrolyzed β-LG allergenic fragments V41–K60 and L149–I162. Moreover, they encode a variety of genes related to proteolysis, such as aminopeptidase pepC and pepN, proline peptidase pepIP and endopeptidase pepO, and L. paracasei E1601–2 contains extracellular protease coding gene prtP. And they encode a variety of genes associated with hydrolyzed proteins. The 3 strains screened in this study can be used to develop hypoallergenic dairy products.

Pea protein isolate (PPI)-hyaluronic acid (HA)-tannic acid (TA) ternary complexes were assembled using non-covalent interactions, their potential application in 3D printing and delivery of curcumin were investigated. As the HA-to-TA ratio in the complexes changed from 1:0 to 0:1, the oil-water interfacial tension first decreased and then increased, and the secondary structure of the proteins changed. The composition of the complexes (HA-to-TA ratio) was optimized to produce high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) containing small uniform oil droplets with good storage and thermal stability. When the HA to TA ratio is 7:1 (P-H7-T1), HIPEs exhibited better viscosity, viscoelasticity, and thixotropy, which contributed to its preferable 3D printing. Moreover, curcumin-loaded HIPEs stabilized by P-H7-T1 showed a high lipid digestibility (≈101%) and curcumin bioaccessibility (≈79%). In summary, the PPI-HA-TA-stabilized HIPEs have good potential to be 3D-printable materials that could be loaded with bioactive components.

The potential of using emulsion gels stabilized by binary plant protein nanoparticle mixtures for the encapsulation and delivery of lipophilic nutraceuticals was evaluated. The particle characteristics, physical stability, water diffusivity, microrheology, large amplitude oscillating shear (LAOS) properties, and in vitro digestion of emulsion gels prepared by different ratios of hydrolyzed rice glutelin fibrils (HRGFs) and pea protein nanoparticle (PNP) were characterized. The emulsion gel with P/H = 2:1 (0.84 mu m) exhibited the best storage stability and freeze-thaw stability, as seen by the smaller oil droplet size (1.02 and 1.42 mu m, respectively). Low-field pulsed NMR indicated that the majority of water in samples was highly mobile. All the samples were predominantly elastic-like materials. The P/H 2:1 emulsion gel had the lowest FI value (6.21 x 10-4 Hz), the highest MVI value (5.57 s/nm2), G '/ G '' values and enclosed area, showing that it had denser 3D network structures, higher stiffness values, and a high sensitivity to changes in strain. Additionally, P/H 2:1 emulsion gel had a relatively high lipid digestibility (96.1 %), curcumin bioaccessibility (58.9 %), and curcumin stability (94.2 %). This study showed that emulsion gels stabilized by binary protein nanoparticle mixtures (PNP/HRGF) have potential as edible delivery systems for lipophilic nutraceuticals.

This study delves into the effects of curdlan integration and thermal sterilization on the rheological properties, structure, and quality attributes of concentrated rice starch gel. Acting as a heat-set polysaccharide, curdlan established a dual-network gel structure with rice starch gel, displaying strong interactions with rice starch, as confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The addition of curdlan expedited the gel formation of rice starch, yielding a denser gel structure. Consequently, this enhanced G ' , solid-like behavior, textural properties, and cooking quality while reducing frequency-dependence. Given the cooling-induced gelation behavior of pure rice starch, thermal treatment disrupted inter-chain hydrogen bonding, compromising the structural integrity of the gel. This disruption manifested in a softer texture and diminished mechanical properties and cooking quality. Notably, this decline in mechanical properties and cooking quality of rice starch gel was markedly ameliorated with the incorporation of curdlan, particularly at a content of >= 1.0 %. Compared with pure RS, 1.0 % CD inclusion showed a reduction in cooking breakage rate by 30.69 % and an increase in hardness by 38.04 %. This work provides valuable insights for the advancement of fresh starch gel-based foods that exhibit exceptional quality and an extended shelf life.

Thermal sterilization is the most economical and efficient method to guarantee the shelf life of extruded fresh rice noodles, but it often leads to a high cooking breakage rate and poor elongation at break of the noodles. The aim of this study was to improve the edible quality of sterilized fresh rice noodles through the addition of low concentrations of curdlan (0.38 %-1.13 %), which can form a thermal -irreversible gel to resist high -temperature sterilization. Compared with the control group without curdlan, the cooking breakage rate of sterilized fresh rice noodles with 1.13 % curdlan decreased from 16.85 % to 5.22 %, the tensile strain increased from 91.15 % to 147.05 %, and the microstructure was more dense and uniform. The results showed that adding the proper amount of curdlan is an effective strategy to improve the quality of sterilized fresh rice noodles.

Hydroxypropyl starch-based composite system has high potential for many applications such as food packaging and biomedical fields. Here, how the incorporation of curdlan, a thermo-irreversible heating-set gel, tailors the processability, structure, and film performance of hydroxypropyl starch, a cooling-set gel, has been systematically investigated, aiming to achieve enhanced material properties favorable for edible packaging applications. Curdlan incorporation increased the shear-thinning behavior and viscosity of hydroxypropyl starch solution, which was also strongly affected by temperature. The miscibility and comparability between the two polymers with distinct gelation behaviors is a practical and interesting scientific topic. Scanning electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis all indicated good compatibility between hydroxypropyl starch and curdlan. There was no observable phase boundary between the two materials, and all composite films showed only a single relaxation peak and only one polymer thermal decomposition peak. This resulted in improved structural density and overall performance. Compared with pure HPS film, the 7:3 HPS/CD film showed increases in tensile strength by 66.12 % and thermal decomposition temperature by 3 degrees C, and a reduction in water solubility by 11.72 %. This knowledge gained here may facilitate the development of edible films based on hydroxypropyl starch with satisfying film performance and processability.

This study investigated the impact of non-covalent interactions of pea protein isolate (PPI), quillaja saponin (QS) and tannic acid (TA) on the physiochemical, interfacial, and emulsifying properties of curcumin (Cur)-loaded composite nanoparticles from microscopic to macroscopic scales. Hydrogen bonding was important for all the nanoparticles, while hydrophobic interaction was also the dominate driving force to maintain internal structure of Cur/PPI and Cur/PPI-QS 2:1 nanoparticle. The presence of TA decreased the particle size but increased the encapsulation efficiency of Cur. The encapsulation efficiency of Cur/PPI and TA-Cur/PPI were 49.7% and 74.7%, respectively. The thermal and light stability of Cur were enhanced with the addition of TA. X-ray Diffraction result verified that Cur was successfully captured into composite nanoparticles in an amorphous state. Both of Cur/PPI-QS 2:1 and TA-Cur/PPI-QS 2:1 exhibited relative lower interfacial tension (6.3 and 5.2 mN/m, respectively) and the near-neutral wettability (74.5 degrees and 88.1 degrees, respectively), indicating their stronger interfacial adsorption capability. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) analyses confirmed that TA-Cur/ PPI-QS 2:1 showed more viscoelasticity interfacial film with highest K4 (0.179 x 10-6 Hz). Furthermore, the TA-Cur/PPI-QS 2:1 Pickering emulsion exhibited solid-like behavior and stronger gel network structure. Both of TA-Cur/PPI-QS 2:1-and Cur/PPI-QS 2:1-stabilized Pickering emulsions showed better storage stability than other samples. This study presents a practical strategy for the structural design of protein nanoparticles by tuning non-covalent interactions, and provides theoretical support for multi-scale exploration of structure-properties relationships of nanoparticle.