Objective To investigate the protective effects of Matricarla chamomilla L. extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and explore the mechanism by which Matricarla chamomilla L. extract alleviates ALI. Methods Forty-eight male SPF Kunming mice were randomly divided into control group, LPS group, dexamethasone (DEX) group, and low, middle and high doses of Matricarla chamomilla L. extract groups. The mice in each group were first continuously administered by gastric gavage for 7 days, and dexamethasone was administered intraperitoneally in the dexamethasone group 5 mg/kg. Matricarla chamomilla L. extract was administered 85, 170 and 340 mg/(kg·d) for gastric lavage in the low, medium and high dose groups, respectively. Mice of all groups, except those of control group, were induced into ALI mouse model by intratracheal instillation of LPS. Subsequently, the mice were subjected to the determination of their levels of the inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and perform Giemsa staining and white blood cell count on the BALF sediment. The content and activities of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were detected. Lung tissue was taken and the pathological morphology of the inferior lobes of the right lung was observed. The expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), recombinant myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in lung tissue were detected. Results Compared with the blank group, the alveolar lavage fluid of LPS model group mice TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, White blood cell count and serum MDA content significantly increased (P<0.05), serum SOD significantly decreased (P<0.05), HE staining showed severe interstitial inflammation infiltration in the lungs, structural damage and abnormal morphology of lung tissue, protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κBp65 in lung tissue of mices increased (P<0.05). Compared with the LPS model, the levels in mice of each treatment group TNF-α, white blood cell count, and serum MDA contents were significantly reduced (P<0.05), while serum SOD content was significantly increased (P<0.05). HE staining showed a decrease in inflammatory cell infiltration in mouse lung tissue, clearer alveolar spaces, more complete lung tissue morphology, and protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κBp65 in lung tissue of mice decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion Matricarla chamomilla L. extract can alleviate LPS induced pulmonary inflammation and overactivation of oxidative stress, thereby alleviating ALI in mice. Among them, a dose of 170 mg/(kg·d) has a better effect, and pathway such as TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB.

Carthamu stinctorius L. serves as a viable raw material for health supplements but is not classified as a general food item. It is rich in bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and organic acids. Carthamu stinctorius L. exhibits significant benefits including enhancing immunity, providing antioxidant properties, maintaining healthy blood lipid and glucose levels, improving chloasma, alleviating physical fatigue, delaying aging, aiding memory improvement, and offering auxiliary protection against chemical-induced liver injury. Consequently, it has garnered considerable attention from researchers and consumers both domestically and internationally. Currently, Carthamu stinctorius L. is extensively utilized in health supplements within our country; however, there is a lack of systematic analysis regarding its application. This paper aims to examine the current status of Carthamu stinctorius L. is application in health supplements, the regulatory framework for its compliant use, and the factors influencing the efficacy of its primary active components. Additionally, it delves into the principal health functions and mechanisms of Carthamu stinctorius L., with the objective of providing insights for compliant utilization and future research and development of Carthamu stinctorius L. in the health supplement industry within our country.

Objective To investigate the effects of different storage methods on the quality safety of high-moisture harvested Zea mays L.. Methods The Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) Zea mays L. variety was selected for the experiment, and the Zea mays L. harvested under the same moisture content was stored as ear Zea mays L. and grain Zea mays L.. Changes in fungi species, quantity, and mycotoxin content were measured. Results Predominant fungi during Zea mays L. storage were Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium. In the early stage of storage, the dominant fungal genus was Fusarium, and with the extension of storage time, the dominant fungal genera changed to Aspergillus and Penicillium; with the increase of storage days, the total number of fungi in Zea mays L. stored in ear and grain storage showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. The number of fungi in Zea mays L. stored in ears was significantly lower than that in Zea mays L. stored in grains (P<0.05). During the storage period of 10-100 days, the number of fungi in Zea mays L. stored in ears decreased by 90.3%-98.6% compared to Zea mays L. stored in grains; with the increase of storage days, except for gibberellin in Zea mays L. kernels stored in ear, the content of vomitoxin and gibberellin in Zea mays L. showed an increasing trend. The content of vomitoxin and gibberellin in Zea mays L. stored in ears was significantly lower than that in Zea mays L. stored in grains (P<0.05). And with the increase of storage days, the difference in the content of vomitoxin and gibberellin in Zea mays L. under the two storage methods increases. Conclusion After high-moisture harvesting, ear storage can reduce fungi quantity and mycotoxin content, ensuring the quality safety of Zea mays L..

Objective To elucidate the influence of pH treatment on the structural and functional properties of Solanum tuberosum L. protein. Methods Solanum tuberosum L. protein was selected as the research subject, and the effects of pH on its physical and chemical properties, structure, and conformation were analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, particle size and potential analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Results Significant differences were observed in the protein subunit composition, particle size distribution, and potential values following treatments at different pH levels. Compared to pH 7, pH 10 enhanced the electrostatic repulsion of Solanum tuberosum L. proteins, significantly increasing protein solubility and viscosity to 89.2% and 19625.0 mPa·s, respectively. Additionally, λ_max in the endogenous fluorescence spectra of the proteins shifted to 343 nm, exposing more hydrophobic groups. The particle size of protein molecules decreased to 123.2 nm, while the absolute value of the Zeta potential increased to 41.3 mV. Protein molecules formed intramolecular disulfide bonds, leading to an increase in the denaturation temperature to 82.22 ℃. At pH 2, the protein aggregated and formed soluble aggregates while unfolding. However, viscosity decreased to 1860.6 mPa·s, λ_max in the fluorescence spectrum shifted to 341 nm, particle size increased to 369.3 nm, the absolute value of the Zeta potential decreased to 8.97 mV, and the number of disulfide bonds did not change significantly. This resulted in insufficient stability of Solanum tuberosum L. protein under acidic conditions, with a tendency for aggregation. Conclusion Different pH treatments can enhance the physicochemical properties of Solanum tuberosum L. protein, and this study aims to offer scientific guidance for its application in food processing.

Objective To develop and comprehensively evaluate the composite liquid beverage (CLB) based on the same source for Lonicera caerulea and other medicinal and edible materials. Methods Based on the binding rate of cholate, Lonicera caerulea, Auricularia and Crataegus pinnatifida were selected as the main raw materials and the ratio was optimized. Single-factor experiment, response surface experiment and more objective electronic tongue experiment were used to determine the amount of additives in the formulation, and the changes of physical properties, composition content and functional characteristics of CLB before and after sterilization were measured to evaluate the feasibility of pasteurization. Results The optimal ratio of extracts of Lonicera caerulea, Auricularia and Crataegus pinnatifida was 20:8:5 (V:V:V). The supplemental amounts of excipients were: Erythrolitol 13.00%, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) 0.40%, potassium sorbate 0.03%, soybean polysaccharide 0.50%. Before and after CLB sterilization, the polymer dispersity index (PDI) was less than 1, the centrifugal stability coefficient was more than 90%, and the chroma ΔE was less than 2, which showed good stability. The differences in soluble solids, pH, turbidity, centrifugal stability coefficient, hydroxyl radical scavenging rate, and active ingredients before and after CLB pasteurization were not significant, and it had good shear characteristics, indicating the feasibility of the sterilization method. Its viscosity value approached that of milk (0.01 Pa•s), and it had a good drinking taste. Conclusion This study provides a theoretical basis for expanding the development of Lonicera caerulea with poor palatability and the application of plant-derived health beverage.

Objective To investigate the solvent effect differences in the extraction of substances from flower discs of Helianthus annuus L. using non-targeted metabolomics technology, and to explore the impact of different solvent extraction methods on the metabolic composition of flower disc of Helianthus annuus L.. Methods Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) combined with non-targeted metabolomics was utilized to preprocess and statistically analyze the data. Results The study revealed that lipids and lipid-like molecules constituted the largest proportion of metabolites (21.5%), followed by shikimate and phenylpropanoid metabolites (13.4%), and organic heterocyclic compound metabolites (11.1%). Further identification led to the discovery of 8407 kinds of up-regulated and 1054 kinds of down-regulated metabolites, highlighting significant differences in metabolite composition resulting from various extraction methods. The main differential metabolites between the 2 kinds of solvent extraction methods encompassed lipids, shikimate and phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, etc., involving 96 metabolic pathways, with 20 pathways exhibiting significant differences. Based on fold change (FC), using criteria of log₂(FC)>0.6 or -0.2<log₂(FC)<0, and P<0.05 to screen for significantly differential metabolites between alcohol and water extracts, only 11 substances had a log₂(FC) value less than 1, indicating that alcohol extraction significantly increased the content of bioactive components extracted from the flower disc of Helianthus annuus L.. Conclusion The research method is simple and reliable, confirming the importance of non-targeted metabolomics analysis in studying solvent effect differences in flower disc of Helianthus annuus L.. It provides a novel approach for the analysis of flower disc of Helianthus annuus L. products and offers theoretical support for the subsequent development of health foods and pharmaceuticals.

Objective To establish a method for rapid determination of chromium content in aluminum food packaging based on fiber laser induced breakdown spectroscopy. Methods The sensitivity and limit of detection of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy and flame atomic absorption spectrometry optimized by laser pulse width, energy and baseline were evaluated with reference materials, and the 2 kinds of techniques were applied to the detection of aluminum food packaging samples, and the corresponding results were compared. Results For fiber laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, the time consumption was 2 min, the limit of detection was 5.2 μg/g, and the detected Cr content of coca cola packaging, aluminum foil paper and aluminum box were 45, 22, 21 μg/g, respectively. For flame atomic absorption spectrometry, the time consumption was 4 h, limit of detection was 7.2 μg/g, and the detected Cr content of these 3 samples were 136, 16, 14 μg/g, respectively. Conclusion This method is superior to the conventional flame atomic absorption spectrometry method in terms of analyzing speed, limit of detection and cost, and its detection results of commercial samples are similar to those of flame atomic absorption spectrometry, which proves the reliability of this method and its potential applicability in analysis tasks of limited time and large sample quantity.

Objective To study the change of benzoic acid content in water extract of Paeoniae Radix Alba after decocting, and the influence of different decocting time on the content of benzoic acid. Methods The raw materials were decocted separately or in combination, and concentrate to a density of 1.15-1.20, the content of benzoic acid in the water extract after decocting and concentrating was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Results Benzoic acid content was not detected (limit of quantification was 0.01 g/kg) in Paeoniae Radix Alba, the benzoic acid content in concentrated liquid of paeony increased to 2.91-3.77 g/kg after single decocting, and the benzoic acid content after two-stage decocting ranged from 3.26 g/kg to 4.02 g/kg. The content of benzoic acid in the mixed concentrate containing Paeoniae Radix Alba was 0.542 g/kg. Benzoic acid was not detected in others. Conclusion The content of benzoic acid in water extract of Paeoniae Radix Alba increased after high temperature decocting, and it's proportional to time. Therefore, when preparing food or health products with Paeoniae Radix Alba as the main raw material, attention should be paid to the control of decocting temperature and time, and the factory inspection of this item should be increased to prevent the harm caused by high content of benzoic acid.

Objective To investigate the effects of cured meat products on the gut microbiota of mice based on high-throughput sequencing technology. Methods Mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, with half male and half female. Each group consisted of 12 mice, including the control group, the low-dose group, and the high-dose group, and feeding for a period of time. The feces and intestinal content of mice were collected for microbial structure research, and the effects of consuming cured meat on the gut microbiota of mice was analyzed. Results There was no significant difference in total bacterial count between the control group and the experimental group (P>0.05), however the changes in the number of Gram negative bacterial colonies and Gram positive bacterial colonies were significant (P<0.05). The number of lactic acid bacteria in the high-dose group showed significant changes (P<0.05), while the low-dose group had no significant changes (P>0.05). The high-throughput sequencing analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) in the gut microbiota of mice showed that the alpha diversity of the gut microbiota in the high-dose group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05) starting from the 4th week of the experiment, and starting from 12th week, that of the low-dose group also began to decrease significantly. The types of bacteria that changed in the gut microbiota of mice in the high-dose and low-dose groups were almost the same, with an increase in the proportion of Gram positive bacteria, an increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Spirochetes, and a decrease in the relative abundance of Lactobacillus. Starting from the 4th week of the experiment, there were differences in metabolic pathways between each group of mice in terms of glucose metabolism, amino acid metabolism, protein metabolism, etc. The differences were self-compensated at the 8th week, and significant differences were observed between the high-dose and low-dose groups and the control group at the 12th week (P<0.05). The differences between the high-dose and low-dose groups increased. Conclusion Continuous intake of cured meat products can change the structure and composition of the gut microbiota, cause imbalance in the gut microbiota structure, and alter the colonization of beneficial and harmful microbiota in the intestine of mice, which may be related to the induction of intestinal diseases.

Objective To establish a method for the determination of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ferric sodium salt (NaFeEDTA) by microemulsion liquid chromatography. Methods After simple dilution and centrifugation of the sample, it could be filtered through a 0.22 μm microporous membrane and directly loaded onto a Waters BEH C₁₈ column (2.1 mm×150 mm, 1.7 µm) was the chromatographic column. The microemulsion mobile phase was 3.64 g/L cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-50 g/L acetonitrile-8 g/L ethyl acetate-6.8 g/L potassium dihydrogen phosphate. The flow rate was 0.30 mL/min and the detection wavelength was 254 nm. The column temperature was 30 ℃ temperature. External standard method was used for quantitative determination. Results Under the selected experimental conditions, the mass concentration of NaFeEDTA had a good linear relationship (r≥0.999) within the range of 0.50-35.00 µg/mL, the limits of detection were 50 mg/kg. The recovery rates of NaFeEDTA were investigated, with average recovery rates ranging from 92.7% to 97.7%. Conclusion This method is easy to operate and has good reproducibility. The method can be used for the detection of NaFeEDTA content in soy sauce.