Objective: Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormally elevated serum uric-acid levels. This study investigated the inhibitory effect of a chrysanthemum compound formula (CCF) on xanthine oxidase (XOD) in vitro and further elucidated its urate-lowering mechanisms. Methods: The in vitro XOD inhibitory activity of CCF was first validated. Network pharmacology was then employed to identify key therapeutic targets, active ingredients, and signaling pathways involved in CCF-mediated treatment of HUA. Key active constituents were subjected to molecular docking with XOD. In animal experiments, a HUA mouse model was established, and mice were orally administered CCF at three doses (100, 150, and 200 mg/kg). Serum uric acid (UA) and liver XOD activity were measured, along with blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (CRE). Renal levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were quantified by ELISA, and histopathological examination of kidney tissue was performed. Western blotting was used to analyze urate transporters and relevant signaling pathways. Results: CCF dose-dependently inhibited XOD activity in vitro. Network pharmacology indicated that CCF might exert therapeutic effects against HUA via the NF-κB signaling pathway. Quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, β-sitosterol, and isorhamnetin were identified as the principal bioactive constituents; molecular docking confirmed their stable binding to XOD. In vivo, CCF significantly reduced serum UA levels in HUA mice (P<0.001) and alleviated renal inflammation. Western blot results showed down-regulation of the urate re-absorption transporters URAT1 and GLUT9, and up-regulation of the urate excretion transporters OAT1 and ABCG2 (P<0.001 or P<0.05), thereby promoting uric-acid excretion. In treated mice, IκBα expression increased, whereas the p-p65/p65 ratio decreased. Conclusion: CCF effectively reduces serum uric-acid levels and alleviates kidney damage, likely by modulating the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Sulforaphane (SFN) is a naturally occurring compound that has been demonstrated to possess a range of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, anti-glycation, and immunomodulatory effects. Nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) has been identified as a key target for the action of sulforaphane (SFN). This review summarises recent advances in research concerning the functional mechanisms and roles of SFN-activated Nrf2 signalling pathways in various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. The process of interaction between NRF2-Keap1 (Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1) has been extensively documented. The initial step in this process involves the binding of Nrf2 to Keap1, which subsequently leads to the ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of Nrf2. Upon stimulation by activators such as SFN or reactive oxygen species (ROS), Nrf2 dissociates from Keap1, translocates to the nucleus, and binds to Maf proteins. This process initiates the transcription of downstream genes regulated by the antioxidant response element (ARE), including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC). Consequently, this enhances the cellular antioxidant capacity. This article aims to systematically review dietary sources of sulforaphane (SFN) and its potential role, through the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway, in intervening in and delaying the progression of various neurological diseases, thereby providing a scientific basis for developing SFN-based dietary strategies for neurological health.

Bio-based aerogel is a lightweight, porous and high specific surface area nanomaterial prepared from natural biomacromolecules, which has shown great potential for application in the food field in recent years. Bio-based aerogels exhibit excellent adsorption, sustained release, and biocompatibility. In this paper, the preparation methods of bio-based aerogels, including the types of raw materials, the mechanism of the sol-gel method and the drying process are systematically reviewed. The physical and functional properties of bio-based aerogels are discussed. The applications of bio-based aerogels in food preservation mats, food freshness indication labels, nutrient delivery carriers, and fat in artificial meat substitutes are summarized. In addition, the challenges of bio-based aerogels in terms of large-scale production, food safety and consumer acceptance are discussed, and the future development of bio-based aerogels in functional food and industrial production is prospected.

As consumers increasingly pursue foods with superior quality and enriched flavor, fermented products have attracted considerable attention due to their unique sensory properties and nutritional advantages. Aroma-producing yeasts, as pivotal microbial catalysts in fermentation processes, are widely utilized in the production of a broad range of fermented foods, including alcoholic beverages, fermented dough-based products, and fermented soybean products. This review synthesizes recent research progress on aroma-producing yeasts in fermented foods, beginning with a systematic overview of their taxonomic classification and key biological characteristics. The primary aroma-active metabolites synthesized by these yeasts are esters and alcohols, which play a decisive role in determining the flavor profiles of fermented food products. Next, the mechanisms underlying aroma biosynthesis in these yeasts are elaborated. By regulating metabolic pathways, these yeasts synthesize a diverse array of aromatic metabolites, which in turn impart unique sensory attributes to fermented foods. In-depth exploration of these mechanisms not only facilitates the clarification of the functional roles of aroma-producing yeasts during fermentation but also establishes a solid theoretical foundation for further optimizing the flavor quality of fermented products. Lastly, the current application status of aroma-producing yeasts in fermented food manufacturing is summarized. This review offers valuable insights and guidance for the innovative development of the fermented food industry, while concurrently promoting in-depth research and expanded industrial application of aroma-producing yeasts in the field of food science and technology.

It is a critical and common challenge for liquor enterprises to digitally and objectively describe and evaluate the sensory characteristics of Baijiu, thereby strengthening the connection with consumers and guiding the design of Baijiu body. This review explores how flavor chemical analysis tools, such as electronic tongue and electronic nose, combined with brain science tools like electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology, can contribute to establishing a modern sensory analysis technology system and guide the design of Baijiu body more scientifically. Through temporal dominance of sensations, professional panel tasting description, and spatial mapping with consumer experience descriptions, it is expected to effectively bridge professional sensory evaluation with consumer perception, enabling the accurate description of the quality characteristics of Baijiu while making it easy for consumers to understand and accept. With the continuous technological progress and evolving consumer tastes, enterprises must grasp the trends in consumer preferences and shifting demands by scientifically and digitally evaluating the sensory characteristics of alcoholic beverages, so as to proactively optimize product design.

Sous-vide is a culinary technique involving prolonged thermal processing of vacuum-sealed ingredients under precisely controlled low temperatures. Compared with conventional thermal methods, this approach significantly improves meat texture and tenderness by promoting collagen gelatinization while precisely regulating myofibrillar protein denaturation and water migration, thereby effectively reducing cooking loss and increasing product yield. Meanwhile, the vacuum environment inhibits excessive lipid oxidation and facilitates the controllable degradation of flavor precursors as well as maillard reaction under mild heating conditions. This enriches the composition and content of volatile flavor substances, thereby improving the overall flavor quality. This review synthesizes recent domestic and international research advancements regarding the effects of Sous-vide technology on key quality attributes (including texture, color, tenderness, and flavor profiles) of livestock and poultry meat products. The synthesis aims to provide theoretical foundations for further technological refinement and industrial applications, ultimately contributing to novel pathways for developing premium meat products.

As a significant category of plant-based dairy alternatives, nut-based plant milk has attracted extensive attention owing to its abundant high-quality proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, and bioactive components. However, its industrial production is still confronted with a series of challenges in quality regulation. This paper systematically reviews the classification, nutritional value and typical processing technologies of nut-based plant milk. It focuses on prominent problems encountered during processing and their root causes, including poor stability, difficult regulation of flavor and texture, nutritional imbalance, and the challenges in removing allergens and antinutritional factors. Furthermore, it summarizes the latest research advances in novel processing technologies applied to nut-based plant milk in recent years, covering emulsification and stability enhancement technologies, flavor and texture modification technologies, nutrient retention and fortification technologies, as well as allergen control and anti-nutritional substance removal technologies. The aforementioned novel technologies include high-pressure homogenization, ultrasonic treatment, microbial fermentation, enzymatic modification, non-thermal sterilization, and other processes. The purpose of this review is to provide a theoretical basis and technical support for technological innovation and industrial upgrading in this field.

The stability of protein emulsion gels is influenced by multiple factors, such as protein concentration, oil volume fraction, and ionic strength, limiting the widespread application of emulsion gels. In this study, emulsion gels were prepared using soy protein isolate (SPI) and soybean oil (SO) to investigate the effects of SO and NaCl addition on the stability of emulsion gels. Changes in textural properties, gel strength, water holding capacity, oil holding capacity, moisture distribution, rheological properties, microstructure, protein secondary structure, and intermolecular forces were examined, and the emulsion gels were applied to soy protein-based vegetarian luncheon meat. The results showed that appropriate amounts of Na⁺ and soybean oil significantly enhanced the stability of SPI emulsion gels enriched with soybean oil. In particular, with the addition of 30% SO and 0.434 mol/L Na⁺, the gels exhibited optimal water holding capacity (92.92%), oil holding capacity (96.47%), springiness (0.90), and cohesiveness (0.91) (P<0.05). The protein secondary structure shifted from α-helix to β-sheet. SPI, SO, and Na⁺ were pretreated to prepare emulsion gels, which were subsequently incorporated into soy protein-based vegetarian luncheon meat. The pretreated vegetarian luncheon meat exhibited a smooth surface, and its water holding capacity, oil holding capacity and springiness were comparable to those of the control. This study provides theoretical insights for enhancing the stability and gel strength of high-concentration protein-oil emulsion gels and emulsion droplet aggregation-type gels, facilitating their application in soy protein-based vegetarian meat product development.

This study investigated the effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment on the physicochemical properties and microstructure of frozen pea protein gels and elucidated the underlying gelation mechanisms. Heat-induced pea protein gels were subjected to three HHP conditions (100, 300, and 600 MPa for 15 min each) and evaluated in terms of their color, textural attributes, solubility, and subunit composition before and after freezing. Compared with the native pea protein isolate (PPI), HHP-treated gels demonstrated significantly reduced gel hardness, which gradually declined as pressure increased. Dynamic rheological analysis revealed that HHP-treated gels exhibited enhanced elasticity and viscosity, accompanied with a dense and highly homogeneous network structure. The subunit composition involved in gel formation changed notably after HHP treatment, and the number of participating proteins and the content of free sulfhydryl groups decreased with increasing pressure (100 MPa<300 MPa<PPI<600 MPa). The water-holding capacity of HHP-treated gels improved, following the trend of 600 MPa>100 MPa>PPI>300 MPa. Dynamic rheological results further confirmed that in all samples, the storage modulus exceeded the loss modulus, indicating a predominantly elastic gel network. Freezing disrupted the gel structure under all treatments, reducing surface smoothness, and gel hardness before and after freezing decreased progressively with increasing pressure. Soluble protein content followed the order of 100 MPa<300 MPa<PPI<600 MPa. After freezing, the total thiol content at 100 MPa increased by 0.60%, suggesting increased protein participation in gel formation and extensive disulfide bond formation at this pressure. Water distribution and differential scanning calorimetry analyses demonstrated that ice crystal formation at 100 MPa caused minimal structural damage, with only slight alterations in water distribution. The enthalpy change in the HHP-treated gels had decreased significantly compared with that in the control, as follows: 3.54% at 100 MPa, 1.79% at 300 MPa, and 9.46% at 600 MPa. In summary, among gels, the pea protein gel treated at 100 MPa for 15 min had the best freeze resistance. HHP treatment effectively modulates the gelation mechanism of pea protein, promoting the formation of a fine and compact gel network. It also mitigated structural degradation after freezing and enhances the freeze-thaw stability of pea protein gels. These findings provide valuable insights into the application of HHP for the structural modification of plant proteins and the development of high-quality frozen food products.

To construct an efficient and stable delivery carrier for dihydroquercetin (DHQ), DHQ/dual-protein complexes were prepared using soy protein isolate (SPI) and whey protein isolate (WPI) as matrices by adjusting the mass ratios of SPI to WPI at 100:0, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, and 0:100. The physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and antioxidant activities of the complexes were systematically investigated. The results showed that the blending ratio of SPI to WPI significantly regulated the properties of the complexes. When the mass ratio of SPI to WPI was 30:70, the particle size of the complex was 171.2 nm, the polydispersity index was 0.22, and the absolute value of Zeta potential was higher than 30 mV, forming a stable colloidal system. Meanwhile, the encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of DHQ reached 96.06%±1.4% and 0.96%±0.01%, respectively. Structural characterization confirmed that DHQ could bind to the dual-protein via non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions to form stable complexes. With the increase of WPI proportion, the α-helix content in the complexes increased significantly, while the β-sheet content decreased significantly (P<0.05). Antioxidant assays indicated that the radical scavenging ability of all complexes were significantly superior to those of pure DHQ (P<0.05), and the radical scavenging rate of complexes with SPI proportion ≥50% was higher than 80%. In this study, DHQ/dual-protein delivery carriers were successfully constructed by regulating the mass ratio of SPI to WPI. The complex with SPI:WPI at 30:70 exhibited the optimal physicochemical properties and encapsulation performance.