This study aimed to investigate the moisture distribution, eating quality and flavor properties of Xinjiang-style roasted chicken made from different chicken breeds. Five chicken breeds from Xinjiang, namely Liangfenghua, Huangma, Suqinhuang, 817, and Hyline Brown, were selected as research subjects. A comprehensive analysis, including color, texture, water-holding capacity (WHC), moisture distribution, and volatile flavor compounds, was conducted to evaluate the quality characteristics of roasted chicken products made from five chicken breeds. Additionally, a multidimensional quality assessment was implemented using fuzzy mathematics-based sensory evaluation methodology. The results showed that Liangfenghua breed had superior water-holding capacity, with a 30.69% reduction in roasting loss relative to Suqinhuang breed. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) analysis demonstrated that Liangfenghua and 817 breeds contained higher levels of immobilized water, along with high and uniformly distributed hydrogen ion content, exhibiting stronger moisture retention capacity. Moreover, 817 and Liangfenghua breeds showed higher redness (a^*) and yellowness (b^*) values, presenting a glossy and bright surface. Hyline Brown breed had a tight texture and significantly higher shear force (P<0.05), which was unfavorable for chewing. The comprehensive scores of the five roasted chicken products, based on the fuzzy mathematics sensory evaluation, were ranked as follows: 817 > Liangfenghua > Suqinhuang > Huangma > Hyline Brown. Among the 29 important volatile compounds identified from the five roasted chicken samples, methylpyrazine, 2-pentanone, pentanal, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-nonenal, 1-octen-3-ol, and α-pinene were served as the characteristic flavor compounds that distinguish roasted chicken from different breeds. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the selection of Xinjiang roasted chicken breeds, roasted chicken product quality regulation, and the modernization of ethnic meat processing technologies.

To investigate the impact of ultrasound-assisted curing on the quality attributes and protein oxidation of stir-fried chicken dices and its underlying mechanism, chicken dices were cured under ultrasound conditions (120 W, 40 kHz) for varying durations (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 min). Changes in physicochemical properties, texture characteristics, sensory quality, oxidation indicators, and protein digestibility were systematically analyzed. The results demonstrated that ultrasound-assisted curing significantly increased the moisture content of stir-fried chicken dices (P<0.05) and improved color parameters, with the 90-min treatment group exhibiting optimal L^* and a^* values (60.83 and 7.44, respectively). Texture profile analysis revealed that ultrasound treatment significantly reduced hardness (from 3474.99 g to 2673.61 g) and chewiness, effectively enhancing tenderness. Protein oxidation analysis indicated that ultrasound accelerated the oxidation process of myofibrillar protein, characterized by a decrease in total sulfhydryl group content and an increase in carbonyl group content. However, SDS-PAGE results confirmed no significant protein degradation occurred. With the extension of ultrasound time, the in vitro digestibility of protein significantly increased from 40.3% in the control group to 86.4% in the 150-minute group, while the digestibility of the 90-minute treatment group was 72.3%, and the overall sensory score significantly improved. When the ultrasound treatment duration exceeded 90 min, excessive protein oxidation occurred, leading to quality deterioration. Comprehensive analysis identified 90 min as the optimal ultrasound-assisted curing time. Under these conditions, stir-fried chicken dices exhibited the best texture characteristics, sensory quality, and nutritional value.

This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which basic amino acids (L-arginine/L-Arg, L-lysine/L-Lys, L-histidine/L-His) regulated oxidation resistance and gel network formation in yak meat myofibrillar protein (MP). Different concentrations (0.08%, 0.15%, 0.30%, 0.60%, w/v) of each amino acid were added to the MP system. Changes in structural properties (solubility, turbidity, surface hydrophobicity, secondary and tertiary structures) and oxidation indicators (carbonyl content, total and active sulfhydryl content) of MP, as well as gel properties (water-holding capacity, cooking loss, whiteness, strength, rheological behavior), were systematically analyzed. Results demonstrated that basic amino acids synergistically improved gel performance by neutralizing charges to reduce intermolecular repulsion, inducing conformational unfolding to expose hydrophobic groups and active sulfhydryls, and regulating secondary structures (L-Lys/L-Arg promoted α-helix to β-sheet conversion, while L-His maintained concurrent increases in both), but their effects exhibited concentration and type dependencies. In beneficial aspects, L-Lys and L-Arg significantly enhanced solubility (86.38% for 0.60% L-Arg,~25% higher than control) and reduced turbidity (suppressing aggregation). These structural optimizations combined with disulfide crosslinking from exposed active sulfhydryls formed uniform gel networks, specifically increasing water-holding capacity by~25% (L-Lys/L-Arg groups at 0.30%) and reducing cooking loss (58% reduction for 0.30% L-Lys), while significantly enhancing storage modulus G' at high temperatures (≥70 ℃, L-Lys≥0.30%, L-Arg 0.60%). L-His acted mildly, mainly increasing gel strength by 4.2% at 0.60% concentration via stabilizing α-helix/β-sheet coexistence. L-Lys and L-Arg reduced gel whiteness with increasing concentration. High concentrations (especially 0.60% L-Arg) intensified protein oxidation damage (peak carbonyl content: 5.54 nmol/mg) due to excessive unfolding and self-oxidation. In summary, L-Arg and L-Lys showed advantages in optimizing solubility, inhibiting aggregation, and promoting crosslinking through charge interactions and structural transformation, serving as effective strategies for improving gels of high-myoglobin, low-fat yak meat MP, yet requiring concentration control to balance oxidation risks. L-His provides a milder alternative. Practical applications can select amino acid types based on product requirements, offering a theoretical basis for developing low-sodium, low-phosphorus yak meat products.

In order to explore the effects of different drying processes on the physical properties, active ingredients and antioxidant capacity of pumpkin powder, the vacuum freeze drying (VFD), hot air drying (HAD), and heat pump drying (HPD) were used for drying pumpkin and characterized by SEM, XRD, and FTIR. The results showed that the pumpkin powder of VFD had the smallest particle size (the D₅₀ was 54.63±0.90 μm), great intact color, the best adsorption and solubility, but the flow and filling properties were poor. The pumpkin powder of VFD had the highest content of active ingredients such as total phenolics (3.56±0.02 mg/g), and the strongest antioxidant capacity, and in HAD and HPD, the total phenol, total flavonoid and the antioxidant capacity of pumpkin powder were higher at 50~60 ℃, while the content of vitamin C, β-carotene were higher at 40~45 ℃. The pumpkin powder of VFD had smooth surface and internal pores, lower relative crystallinity compared to HAD and HPD, but there was no difference in the types of functional group. The results can provide experimental basis for choosing suitable pumpkin process.

In this study, the effects of different treatment times (40, 50, 60 s) on the changes of physicochemical properties and enzyme activities of postharvest fresh-cut Dendrocalamus brandisii (D. brandisii) shoots during storage were investigated using dielectric barrier discharge-cold plasma (DBD-CP). The results showed that DBD-CP improved the brightness of fresh-cut D. brandisii shoots with the highest contents of total phenols, total flavonoids, soluble proteins, and soluble sugars compared with CK group. At the 30th day of storage of CP₁, CP₂, and CP₃-treated D. brandisii shoots, peroxidase activity decreased by 11.13, 15.96, and 5.03 U/g (P<0.05), polyphenol oxidase activity decreased by 0.28, 1.21, and 0.62 U/g (P<0.05), phenylalanine deaminase activity decreased by 1.99, 7.19, and 5.81 U/g (P<0.05), 4-coumaroyl-coenzyme A ligase activity decreased by 3.17, 4.41, and 1.81 U/g (P<0.05), pectin content increased by 23.61%, 58.33%, and 44.44% (P<0.05), and cumulative synthesis of cellulose and lignin decreased by 7.81, 37.24, and 13.86 mg/g (P<0.05), 0.54, 0.68, and 0.55 mg/g (P<0.05), respectively. Principal component analysis showed that CP₂ had the smallest confidence circle, indicating that it had the best quality stability of D. brandisii shoots. This study provides some theoretical basis for the application of DBD-CP technology in the field of postharvest preservation and processing of D. brandisii shoots.

Taking gray Sufu inoculated with Mucor UV-M2 as the research object, the changes of volatile metabolites, microorganisms and their correlation during fermentation of grag Sufu were explored. In this study, the quality of the fermentation process was comprehensively evaluated using physicochemical indexes and sensory assessment methods. The results confirmed that the fermentation process reached an optimal state after 40 days. Non-targeted volatile metabolomics analysis revealed significant variations in metabolites at different fermentation stages. Based on the odor threshold, 18 compounds with an odor activity value (OAV)>1 were evaluated. Among them, 11 compounds contributed to the aroma profile, including esters, aldehydes, and ketones, while 7 compounds were associated with unpleasant odors, mainly sulfur-containing compounds. Microbiological analysis demonstrated that the diversity of fungi and bacteria decreased significantly as the fermentation progressed. Through Spearman correlation analysis, it was found that the bacteria Tetragenococcus and Halanaerobium exhibited positive correlations with most volatile compounds with OAV>1, whereas Acinetobacter showed negative correlations with these compounds. Among fungi, Mortierella, Aspergillus, Malassezia, Botrytis, Penicillium, and Sagenomella were positively correlated with most of the compounds, while Actinomucor and Candida showed negative correlations. Furthermore, the results of redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that, among bacteria, Weissella and other genera were positively correlated with salt content. In the fungal community, amino-acid nitrogen was positively correlated with Mortierella, salt content was positively correlated with Actinomucor, and pH was positively correlated with Kodamaea. These findings suggest that the quality indexes of gray Sufu are positively associated with the core microbial flora. Overall, the above results indicate a significant correlation between the aroma characteristics and the microbial community at different stages during the fermentation of gray Sufu. This study provides valuable references for enhancing the flavor quality of gray Sufu through microbial regulation techniques.

This study investigated the differences in physicochemical properties and volatile aroma components between fresh Hotan Red grapes (GR) and their dried products including dried raisins without drying agent pretreatment (NDAR) and drying agent-pretreated raisins (DAR). The results indicated that the color of raisins darkened after drying, with an increase in red-yellow values (a^*, b^*). The contents of reducing sugars, titratable acids, and ascorbic acid increased significantly. However, drying agent pretreatment reduced the lightness (L^*) and further enhanced the red-yellow values (a^*, b^*) of raisins. Additionally, it increased the reducing sugar content while decreasing titratable acidity and ascorbic acid levels. Electronic nose (E-nose) radar fingerprint plots exhibited distinct response patterns. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis of volatile compounds, 99, 109, and 108 volatile compounds were detected in GR, NDAR, and DAR, respectively. The dominant volatile classes were alcohols (48.45%) in GR, aldehydes (58.46%) in NDAR, and ketones (45.00%) in DAR. Compared to NDAR, drying agent pretreatment led to the degradation and disappearance of D-limonene, a 2.88% reduction inthe relative content of aldehydes and ketones, affecting the concentration of characteristic aroma components in raisins. Based on OAV (Odor Activity Value)>1, pretreatment with drying agents weakened the concentrations of furfural, 5-methylfurfural, and nine other key aroma compounds. Furthermore, sixteen key aroma compounds were screened using ROAV (Relative Odor Activity Value)≥1, and three critical compounds: decanal, E-2-nonenal, and ethyl 2-methylbutyrate were identified (VIP>1), playing a crucial role in distinguishing GR, NDAR, and DAR. While GR exhibited a significantly different aroma profile compared to NDAR and DAR, the overall aroma characteristics of NDAR and DAR were similar, but NDAR had more pronounced fruity and sweet aromas than DAR. This study elucidates the differences in physicochemical properties and volatile aroma compounds between Hotan Red grapes, drying agent pretreatment and drying agent-pretreated raisins, which provides data support and a theoretical foundation for optimizing subsequent drying processes and enhancing the flavor characteristics in Hotan Red raisin production.

This study aimed to screen lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with high exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing capacity from traditional yak yogurt in Western Sichuan, and to characterize the structure and functional properties of the EPS. Among 185 LAB strains isolated, Limosilactobacillus fermentum 197 was identified as a high EPS producer. The fermentation medium was optimized through single-factor experiments, and the EPS was purified using DEAE-52 and CL-6B column chromatography. The purified fraction EPS1 was structurally characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance, and its bioactivities were evaluated in vitro. The results showed that the optimal carbon and nitrogen sources for EPS production were maltose and soybean peptone, both at 40 g/L. After optimization, the EPS yield reached 1699.83±34.31 mg/L, representing a 5-fold increase compared to the original yield. The purified EPS1, with a yield of 15.07%, had a molecular weight of 2.11×10⁵ Da and was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, and mannose. It contained both α- and β-glycosidic bonds, exhibited a triple-helix structure, and displayed a flaky porous morphology under microscopy. In vitro assays demonstrated that EPS1 at 10 mg/mL exhibited scavenging rates against ABTS⁺, DPPH, and hydroxyl radicals of 57.07%, 46.54%, and 49.68%, respectively, and an α-amylase inhibition rate of 51.46%. This study reveals the relationship between the structure of EPS1 and its antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities, providing a theoretical basis for developing functional dairy products using LAB-derived EPS and offering new insights into the utilization of lactic acid bacteria resources from plateau pastoral areas.

To enhance the sensory quality of gluten-free highland barley flour products, this study investigated the effects of incorporating a highland barley flour-zein composite gel (at levels of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%, mass fractions) on the dough processing characteristics and noodle quality. The results showed that with the increase of the addition amount from 0% to 50%, the peak gelatinization temperature of dough freeze-dried powder increased from 76.57 ℃ to 83.58 ℃, the breakdown value decreased from 876.00 cP to 349.67 cP, and the setback value decreased from 1141.00 cP to 816.67 cP. After adding composite gel, the viscoelasticity of the dough was enhanced, and the microstructure also confirmed that zein formed a continuous network structure, and the composite gel network could provide structural support for highland barley dough. Compared with the 0% addition of composite gel, the highland barley noodles with 40% compound gel had good cooking quality and texture characteristics, and the cooking loss of highland barley noodles was reduced by 55.75%, the breakage rate was reduced by 76.67%, the hardness was increased by 58.09 N, and the sensory score was higher than that of the other noodles. In conclusion, the highland barley flour-zein gel network serves as a structural support mechanism in gluten-free highland barley doughs and significantly improves cooking quality in highland barley noodles.

The present study investigated the effects of resistant corn starch (RCS) heat-treated at various temperatures (25, 40, 60, 80, and 100 ℃) on tilapia myofibrillar protein (MP) emulsion gel viscoelastic properties, particle size distribution, microstructure, centrifugal stability, Raman spectroscopy and three-dimensional (3D) printing characteristics. The results showed that the RCS heat-treatment temperature significantly modulated the hydrophobic interactions, thereby affecting the emulsion gel rheology and structural stability. When the RCS heat treatment temperature was 40 ℃, RCS swelled moderately, and the emulsion gel exhibited optimal performance, demonstrating pseudoplastic flow behavior, high elasticity, and a uniform particle size distribution. Apparent viscosity, storage modulus (G'), thixotropic recovery rate, and particle size uniformity increased significantly, thus enhancing the gel network structure and stability. This formulation exhibited excellent 3D printing extrudability and self-supporting ability, maintaining its structural integrity even after astaxanthin loading. Raman spectroscopy revealed that hydrophobic forces primarily governed gel network formation without covalent bond involvement. When the RCS heat treatment temperature exceeds 60 ℃, the the linear starch in the RCS leaches out, causing decrease in apparent viscosity and shear stress.Collectively, this study elucidated the mechanism through which heat-treatment temperature regulated RCS to influence RCS-MP emulsion gel stability. The findings showed that 40 ℃ was the optimal temperature for enhancing rheology and 3D printing performance, thereby providing a crucial theoretical basis for developing high-precision, personalized 3D printing food-grade inks and expanding RCS applications in functional foods.