Objective To develop a method for the determination of zearalenone (ZEN), ɑ-zearalenol (ɑ-ZOL) and β-zearalenol (β-ZOL) in maize flour by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and assess the dietary exposure risk. Methods The samples were extracted by 70% acetonitrile-water (V/V), purified by QuEChERS, then detected by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring mode and quantified by matrix matching curve. The pollution index and hazard quotient (HQ) are used for dietary exposure risk assessment. Results ZEN, ɑ-ZOL and β-ZOL showed good linearity within the ranges of 0.2-100.0, 0.2-100.0 and 0.5-100.0 μg/L respectively. The limits of detection of ZEN, ɑ-ZOL and β-ZOL were 0.5, 0.5 and 1.5 μg/kg, respectively; the limits of quantitation were 1.5, 1.5 and 4.5 μg/kg respectively. Within the addition concentration range of 5.0-60.0 μg/kg, the recovery rates of the 3 kinds of target substances were between 80.4% and 103.0%, and the precisions were all less than 15%. This method was used to test 30 commercially available maize flour samples. The detection rate of ZEN was 80%, while α-ZOL and β-ZOL were not detected. The pollution index of ZEN was less than 0.7 and the HQ of ZEN was less than 1, it indicated that there was no risk and the threat to human health was small.Conclusion The method is sensitive, accurate and effective for routine monitoring of ZEN, α-ZOL and β-ZOL in maize flour. This method can be expected to use for the determination of the ZEN, α-ZOL and β-ZOL in other grain and its products.

Objective To isolation and identification of caproate bacteria and metabolic analysis of mixed bacteria in cellar mud of strong-aroma white wine.Methods In this study, cellar mud from a winery in southern Sichuan was used as the research object. In the experiments of isolation and screening of caproacidobacteria in an anaerobic workstation, 120 experimental strains were finally obtained. These strains were screened using bacterial morphology analysis, gram staining, spore staining, physiological and biochemical tests, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and agarose gel electrophoresis of polymerase chain rreaction products. Results Followed enrichment and streaking screening, 8 target bacteria were selected and designated as SY1 to SY8. Further analysis identified SY4 as Clostridium kluyverii, SY1-SY3 as Bacillus Belesenii, and SY5-SY8 as Bacillus siamicus. Subsequent cultivation revealed that the fermentation products of these 8 strains contained caproic acid, a key organic acid component that significantly influences the flavor of liquor. The results demonstrated that these 8 strains were core producers of organic acids in the aromatic substance skeleton of strong-flavor liquor. Optimal fermentation conditions for SY4 were determined to be 34 °C, initial pH 6.0, ethanol concentration 2%, fermentation time 14 days, inoculation ratio 5%, with a caproic acid yield reaching up to 10.1 g/L. In co-culture fermentation experiments, the co-culture of Aspergillus fuchsinensis produced higher levels of volatile compounds compared to pure caproic acid-producing bacterial fermentation broth, including 10 kinds of alcohols, 21 kinds of esters, 9 kinds of acids and 3 kinds of aldehydes. Conclusion These findings not only provide a scientific basis for the screening of high-yield caproic acid-producing strains and the application of co-culture fermentation to enhance the flavor of strong-flavor liquor but also offer new insights into the research and development of volatile flavor compounds in liquor.

Objective To establish a method for determination of 17 kinds of amino acids in 3 kinds of animal blood tofu products (duck, pig, sheep) by ultra performance liquid chromatography with pre-column derivatization. Methods The samples were hydrolyzed in 6 mol/L HCl for 24 h at 110 ℃. Norvaline was used as the internal standard and 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate was used as the derivatizing agent. The derivative products were separated using an Acquity UPLC™BEH C₁₈ chromatographic column (2.1 mm×150 mm, 1.8 μm), with a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. The column temperature adopted the programmed temperature rise mode, and the detection wavelength was 260 nm. The quantification of amino acids was performed using an internal standard method. Results The calibration curves of 17 kinds of amino acids showed good linearity with correlation coefficients greater than 0.999. The limits of detection were 0.06-0.14 mg/g, the limits of quantitation were 0.19-0.45 mg/g. Recoveries were in range of 85.1%-108.8%, and the relative standard deviations were within 0.3%-6.7%. The established method was adopted to determine the 3 kinds of animal blood tofu sold online respectively. The 17 kinds of amino acids were found in all products. The content of total amino acids in duck, pig, sheep blood tofu was 63.82, 95.61, 93.52 mg/g. Conclusion The 17 kinds of amino acids can be separated completely within 22 min by use of this method. The established method has good repeatability and high accuracy, and is suitable for the 17 kinds of amino acids determination in animal blood tofu.

Fresh wet vermicelli, as an emerging product in the development of the food processing industry in recent years, is becoming more and more popular among consumers because of its greater ease of consumption and freshness. This paper summarized the current status of the production and processing of fresh and wet vermicelli, the research and application of food additives (alum substitutes) and anticorrosive and preservative agents in China. The processing technology covered the core steps of raw material selection (mainly sweet potato and potato starch), thickening, mixing, molding, aging, cutting, packaging and sterilizing. Food additives used polysaccharides, phosphates, proteins, etc. as improved quality. Peservative research focused on the application of chemical (potassium sorbate, citric acid, etc.) and biological preservatives (streptococcus lactis, natamycin, etc.) as well as compounding technology. And in response to the lack of preservative limit standards, high energy consumption of traditional processes and insufficient green preservation technology in the current production of fresh and wet vermicelli, propose the future needed to focus on natural preservatives to increase efficiency, intelligent packaging and cleaner production of the proposal for the development of China’s fresh and wet vermicelli to put forward higher requirements to enhance market competitiveness, to meet consumer demand for high-quality food.

Objective To establish a rapid quantitative detection method for ester content in Nongxiangxing crude Baijiu by using mid-infrared spectroscopy. Methods The mid-infrared spectroscopy analysis technology combined with gas chromatography was used to detect Nongxiangxing crude Baijiu. Partial least squares method was employed to establish mid-infrared quantitative detection models for ethyl hexanoate, ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and ethyl butyrate in Nongxiangxing crude Baijiu. Results The detection models for ethyl hexanoate, ethyl acetate and ethyl lactate exhibited linear coefficients (r²) exceeding 0.99 and root mean square error were below 0.07 g/L, indicating that the models had good goodness of fit and stability. The average relative error of the prediction results after external validation was lower than 3.50%, indicating that the models had good detection performance and the predicted values were close to the true values. Due to its low content and narrow spectral range, the prediction effect of the model for ethyl butyrate was poor. Conclusion This method have a good detection ability for the contents of ethyl hexanoate, ethyl acetate and ethyl lactate in Nongxiangxing crude Baijiu. It can meet the basic needs of enterprises for the rapid detection and analysis of crude Baijiu in daily production, providing a new development direction for the rapid detection analysis, and grading of Baijiu.

Objective To investigate the effects of high-voltage electric field (HVEF), acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) and their combined treatment on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) enrichment in germinating Fagopyrum esculentum. Methods Fagopyrum esculentum seeds were respectively treated with HVEF, AEW, and the combined AEW+HVEF treatment. Morphological indices (100-seed weight, germination rate, shoot length), GABA content, and activities of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), γ-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABA-T) and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) were measured at different time points during germination (0, 8, 12, 32 and 40 h) to analyze the effects of different treatments on GABA enrichment. Results All treatments increased GABA content in Fagopyrum esculentum, with the combined treatment showing a more significant effect. Under the combined treatment, GABA content in germinating Fagopyrum esculentum reached 198.72 mg/100 g at 24 h of germination, which was 35.6% higher than the control group, and 8.3% and 6.1% higher than the AEW and HVEF single-treatment groups, respectively, demonstrating a significant synergistic effect. The dual regulation of the combined treatment promoted GABA accumulation by activating GAD activity and inhibiting GABA-T and SSADH activities. Conclusion This study analyzes the changes in enzyme activities of the GABA metabolic pathway during Fagopyrum esculentum germination, revealing that the combined treatment of HVEF and AEW achieves efficient GABA enrichment through a dual mechanism of “activating synthesis enzymes and inhibiting decomposition enzymes”. The findings provide a new method for developing functional germinated Fagopyrum esculentum foods.

Objective To explore the change of quality characteristics of Yunnan plateau specialty fresh Capsicum annuum L. and establish its evaluation system. Methods The 35 quality indexes of 59 samples of Yunnan plateau fresh Capsicum annuum L. were selected to determine and analyze, and the differences among the quality indexes of different samples of Capsicum annuum L. were investigated. The quality of Yunnan plateau specialty fresh Capsicum annuum L. was comprehensively evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA), and the evaluation model of Yunnan plateau specialty fresh Capsicum annuum L. quality was established. Results There were significant differences in quality indexes among samples of Capsicum annuum L. (P<0.05), and the coefficient of variation of the quality indexes were different, indicating that the plateau fresh Capsicum annuum L. presented varieties between different quality attributes. PCA showed that 5 principal components represented the 35 quality indicators Capsicum annuum L., making 89.005% cumulative contribution to the total variance. Based on the CA results, indicators such as spiciness, capsaicinoids, dietary fiber, protein, soluble solids, carotenoids, amino acids and organic acids could be used to comprehensively evaluate the quality of Yunnan plateau specialty fresh Capsicum annuum L.. Conclusion Among 59 different samples of Capsicum annuum L., ‘Ca38’ has the best quality. ‘Ca55’ has the worst quality. The comprehensive evaluation method of PCA and CA can provide reference for the quality evaluation of different Capsicum annuum L. varieties, and provide the oretical basis for the breeding of special plateau Capsicum annuum L., and the development and utilization of the germplasm resources of Yunnan plateau specialty Capsicum annuum L..

Objective To investigate the effects of zeaxanthin (Zea) on apoptosis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and Akt/GSK3β pathway of SH-SY5Y cells induced by tunicamycin (TM). Methods The cells were divided into 4 groups: The control, TM-induced injury (5 μg/mL TM), Zea (5 μmol/L Zea) and injury plus protection group (5 μmol/L Zea pretreatment+5 μg/mL TM co-treatment). The intracellular reactive oxygen species level was detected by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial dysfunction was analyzed by Seahorse XF cell energy metabolism instrument. The expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax, oxidative stress-related proteins Nrf2, Akt, p-Akt, GSK3β and p-GSK3β were determined by Western Blot. Results Zea (5 μmol/L) exerted a protective effect against apoptosis, increased the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and decreased the pro-apoptotic protein Bax/Bcl-2 ratio; alleviated cellular oxidative stress, decreased TM-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, and up-regulated the expression of the antioxidant protein nuclear factor E2-related factor (Nrf2); and increased the rate of oxygen consumption of the damaged cells, enhanced proton leakage capacity and spare respiratory capacity. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) decreased Akt activity, while down-regulating the phosphorylation level of its Ser473 site, which in turn weakened the phosphorylation level of the downstream GSK3β Ser9 site, leading to an increase in GSK3β activity, and Zea exerted a mitigating effect on TM-induced changes in this pathway. Conclusion Zea significantly alleviated TM-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress injury through multiple mechanisms, with potential applications in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in the early pathological process.

With the rapid development of the modern catering industry, public awareness of dietary nutrition has significantly increased. Cooking method and the change of nutritional content of Chinese cuisine is a key issue in culinary science, and scientific and reasonable cooking method is essential for preserving the nutrients of the dishes. A comprehensive and systematic understanding of the characteristics of cooking methods is essential for elucidating its mechanism and minimizing nutrient loss during cooking. This paper reviewed recent research progress on the effect of cooking method on the nutritional content of Chinese cuisine. Analysis of the relevant literature demonstrated that cooking, as an important stage of food processing, not only altered the flavour and the texture of the dishes but also significantly effected their nutrient composition. This paper systematically examined the effect of water-based and oil-based cooking methods on the nutritional content of plant-based, animal-based and fungal-algal dishes in Chinese cuisine, so as to provide valuable insights for scientific cooking practices and nutritional dietary, which also offering critical data references for establishing intelligent nutrition databases.

Objective To evaluate the toxicological safety of xylooligosaccharides. Methods According to the national food safety standards, the safety of xylooligosaccharides was evaluated through acute oral toxicity test in mice, micronucleus tests in mammalian bone marrow red blood cells, chromosomal aberration tests in spermatocytes, Bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test, and 28 day oral toxicity test. Results The acute maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of xylooligosaccharides in male and female mice was greater than 10000 mg/(kg·bw), which was classified as practically non-toxic; the micronucleus test of mammalian bone marrow red blood cells, chromosome aberration test of spermatocytes, and Ames test were all negative; set up 3 dose groups: 0 (basic feed control), 4167, 8333 and 16667 mg/(kg·bw) (equivalent to 25 times, 50 times and 100 times the maximum recommended intake), orally administered once a day for 28 consecutive days. The high-dose group of animals showed a decrease in total weight gain related to the test sample, changes in biochemical indicators such as alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, glucose and urea nitrogen, and a decrease in organ weight and visceral to body ratio in male rats. However, there were no corresponding changes observed in the medium and low-dose groups (equivalent to 50 times and 25 times the maximum recommended intake) and the Weixing group. Conclusion Xylooligosaccharides do not show acute toxicity or genetic toxicity; the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of the sample for 28 days of oral toxicity in female and male rats is 8333 mg/(kg·bw).