To systematically analyze the differences in flavor composition among five representative chili oils made from Ningxia Yangjiaojiao, Shaanxi Qinjiao, Guizhou Mantianxing, Guizhou Denglongjia and Sichuan Erjingtiao peppers, this study employed multi-dimensional detection techniques, including electronic nose (E-nose), headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS). Chemometric approaches such as principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) were applied, combined with odor activity values (OAV) to identify key differential aroma compounds. The results demonstrated that PCA based on E-nose data could effectively distinguished the five chili oil varieties, with significant differences (P<0.05) observed in the responses of W2S and W1W sensors, indicating notable variations in the content of alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, inorganic sulfides, and terpenes. A total of 41 and 99 volatile compounds were identified in the five chili oils via GC-IMS and HS-SPME-GC-MS, respectively. Among them, 14 key differential compounds with variable importance in projection (VIP)>1 were screened from GC-IMS, including 6 aldehydes, 5 ketones, 1 alcohol, 1 ester, and 1 aromatic hydrocarbon, which contributed significantly to fruity, sweet, nutty, fatty, and pungent notes. From HS-SPME-GC-MS, 17 key differential aroma compounds with both VIP>1 and OAV>1 were identified. Correlation analysis between sensory attributes and key differential aroma compounds revealed that (E)-2-octenal, methional, anethole, 2-pentylfuran, and 5-methylfurfural were closely associated with nutty, caramelized sweet, and fatty notes, hexanal, heptanal, 1-pentanol, (E)-2-hexenal, benzaldehyde, 1-octen-3-ol, and nonanal were correlated with greasy and smoky notes, while 2,3-pentanedione, toluene, 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine, 3-methylbutanal, and phenylacetaldehyde were correlated with green and pungent notes. Overall, the Sichuan Erjingtiao chili oil exhibited the best overall aroma profile, characterized by typical meaty and sweet notes, primarily attributed to methional, 2-pentylfuran, and 5-methylfurfural. The Shaanxi Qinjiao chili oil displayed the richest aroma characteristics with a strong spicy fragrance, mainly derived from 2-ethyl-6-methylpyrazine. The Guizhou Denglongjiao chili oil exhibited a unique floral aroma, largely contributed by 1-octen-3-ol and 2,3-pentanedione. In contrast, the Guizhou Mantianxing and Ningxia Yangjiaojiao chili oils showed less distinct aroma characteristics, indicating relatively weaker sensory qualities. By elucidating the compositional differences in aroma characteristics of chili oils from different pepper varieties, this study aims to provide a theoretical foundation for the flavor-oriented development and quality control of high-quality chili oils.

Kiwifruit is highly valued for its nutritional content and distinctive flavor but is prone to rapid deterioration, necessitating efficient drying techniques that preserve product quality. In this study, Xuxiang kiwifruit slices were subjected to vacuum freeze-drying (FD), microwave vacuum drying (MVD), and multiphase microwave drying (MMD), and their drying behavior, color, shrinkage, texture, microstructure (Micro-CT), volatile compounds, and nutritional attributes (vitamin C, total phenolics, and total sugars) were systematically compared. FD required the longest drying time (2880 min) but effectively preserved porous microstructure and overall flavor, whereas MVD markedly reduced drying time to 39 min but caused localized overheating, resulting in severe color degradation (ΔE=24.96±4.36), structural collapse, and flavor imbalance. In contrast, MMD achieved a comparable drying time (165 min) through staged regulation of microwave power and vacuum conditions, while exhibiting the lowest color difference (ΔE=8.43±0.56), well-maintained texture and microstructure, the highest volatile profile similarity to fresh kiwifruit (0.81), and superior retention of vitamin C, total phenolics, and total sugars. Overall, multiphase microwave drying demonstrated the best comprehensive performance in balancing drying efficiency and quality preservation, highlighting its potential for high-quality kiwifruit processing.

In the pursuit of developing high-quality low-salt fish gelatin emulsion gel products, this study undertook a comprehensive investigation into the effects of varying concentration gradients of potassium chloride (KCl) and calcium chloride (CaCl₂) on the gel properties and structural characteristics of glycosylated fish gelatin emulsion gels. Specifically, the concentration gradients examined were 100, 200, 400, and 800 mmol/L. A multifaceted experimental approach was employed, encompassing analyses of particle size, Zeta potential, texture profile analysis (TPA), water holding capacity, rheological properties, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results demonstrated that as the salt ion concentration increased, several key parameters exhibited significant changes. The absolute value of Zeta potential, along with gelstrength, hardness, adhesiveness, chewiness, and water holding capacity of the glycosylated fish gelatin emulsion gels, were all markedly reduced. In contrast, the particle size displayed an increasing trend. Furthermore, the impact of CaCl₂ on the gel properties was substantially more pronounced than that of KCl. Under conditions of high salt ion concentration (800 mmol/L), the viscoelasticity and deformation resistance of the emulsion gels were significantly compromised. The gel network structure became loosened, and the formation process was considerably hindered. The findings revealed that excess salt ions disrupted hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, thereby inhibiting protein cross-linking and ultimately leading to a reduction in the properties of the emulsion gels.

To fabricate stable double emulsions for co-encapsulating functional compounds, octenyl succinic β-cyclodextrin ester (OS-β-CD) was synthesized via esterification of β-cyclodextrin with octenyl succinic anhydride, and its structure was characterized. W₁/O/W₂ double emulsions were prepared using OS-β-CD and lecithin (LEC) as emulsifiers. A comprehensive assessment was performed on the stability and rheological characteristics of double emulsions, followed by an investigation of their encapsulation efficiency and release behavior for curcumin and proanthocyanidins. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and ¹H NMR spectroscopy confirmed the successful synthesis of OS-β-CD, through the introduction of new functional groups. The modified OS-β-CD exhibited reduced particle size and increased absolute zeta potential. The W/O/W double emulsions prepared with OS-β-CD of the substitution degree 0.0076 at 1% (w/v) in W₂ phase, 0.5%(w/v) OS-β-CD in W₁ phase, 2% (w/v) LEC in oil phase, W₁:O volume ratio of 3:7, and W₁/O/W₂ ratio of 1:1 exhibited maximum apparent viscosity and storage modulus along with optimal emulsification stability. Confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis revealed that double emulsions had a well-defined two-membrane, three-phase compartmental structure. The double emulsion prepared under optimal conditions exhibited good thermal stability after the co-loading of proanthocyanidins and curcumin. Even after storage for five days at 37 ℃, the emulsification index remained as high as 90%. This system effectively delivered curcumin and proanthocyanidins together. Compared to emulsions loaded with a single component, the W_pac/O_cur/W emulsion significantly improved the retention rate of proanthocyanidins to 56.65% at 37 ℃, indicating a synergistic stabilization effect between the two components. Meanwhile, the co-delivered double emulsion exhibited DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging rates of 90.02% and 87.69%, respectively, significantly higher than those of mixtures of free curcumin and proanthocyanidins. In vitro simulated gastrointestinal release results revealed that the W_pac/O_cur/W emulsion enhanced curcumin release by 11.34%, compared to the W/O_cur/W emulsion. The W_pac/O/W emulsion showed a low release rate of proanthocyanidins in simulated gastric fluid, but its final release rate in simulated intestinal fluid was similar to that of the W_pac/O_cur/W system. This study confirms the potential of cyclodextrin ester/lecithin-stabilized double emulsions for co-delivery of functional compounds, providing both theoretical foundations and technical support for related research.

Objective: To investigate the optimal enzymatic hydrolysis process for peptides derived from the swim bladder of Basa catfish and to evaluate their protective effects against hydrogen peroxide-induced cellular senescence. Methods: Basa catfish swim bladder peptides (BBP) were prepared through enzymatic hydrolysis. Using the degree of hydrolysis and total reducing power as evaluation indicators, the optimal enzymatic hydrolysis conditions were determined via the single-factor experiments combined with response surface methodology. BBP-Ⅰ, BBP-Ⅱ, and BBP-Ⅲ were isolated and purified using Sephadex G-10 gel column chromatography. Their physicochemical properties were characterized in terms of molecular weight distribution, amino acid composition, and in vitro antioxidant activity. A hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced cellular senescence model was established using mouse fibroblast (L929) cells to evaluate the effects of BBP-Ⅰ, BBP-Ⅱ, and BBP-Ⅲ on cell viability, β-galactosidase activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, antioxidant enzyme activity, and collagen secretion, thereby assessing their protective effects against H₂O₂-induced skin senescence. Results: Results demonstrated that when flavor protease was used as the experimental enzyme, the optimal enzymatic conditions were as follows: a substrate concentration of 4%, a pH value of 5.0, a temperature of 50.5 ℃, an enzymatic time of 3.9 hours, and an enzyme dosage of 5000 U/g. Under these conditions, the total reducing power of BBP was determined to be 0.426±0.011. The molecular weights of BBP-Ⅰ, BBP-Ⅱ, and BBP-Ⅲ were 925, 809, and 640 Da, respectively. BBP-Ⅰ exhibited the highest content of aromatic amino acids, whereas BBP-Ⅱ contained a higher proportion of hydrophobic amino acids compared with BBP-Ⅰ and BBP-Ⅲ. All three active peptide fractions demonstrated effective scavenging activity against DPPH·, O₂⁻·, and ·OH radicals. Among them, BBP-Ⅰ exhibited the strongest scavenging capacity at the same concentration. In addition, BBP-Ⅰ, BBP-Ⅱ, and BBP-Ⅲ exhibited no cytotoxic effects. They effectively restored the viability of senescent L929 cells and significantly inhibited cellular senescence (P<0.05). These peptides also significantly reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde (P<0.05), while increasing the levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (P<0.05), thereby inhibited the occurrence of the oxidative stress response. Moreover, the three active peptides were found to upregulate the expression of type I and type Ⅲ collagen (P<0.05), indicating their potential in delaying skin aging. Conclusion: BBP-Ⅰ, BBP-Ⅱ, and BBP-Ⅲ derived from the swim bladder of Basa catfish, exhibited significant antioxidant and anti-cellular senescence activities, thereby providing a theoretical basis and technical support for the high-value utilization of aquatic by-products.

Pectin was extracted from the peels of Tainong No.1 mango via ultrasound-assisted acid hydrolysis, and four types of pectins with different degrees of esterification (DE) were prepared by alkaline deesterification, namely DEMP₁, DEMP₂, DEMP₃, and DEMP₄, with DE values of 66.26%, 55.32%, 47.19%, and 33.67%, respectively. These pectins were added to mango cloudy juice to evaluate their effects on the stability of the juice. Based on Stokes' theory, the gravitational sedimentation time was predicted, and the shelf life of mango cloudy juice was estimated through accelerated storage experiments conducted at 25~45 ℃. The results showed that the addition of low-ester mango peel pectins (DEMP₃/DEMP₄) effectively improved the stability of mango cloudy juice. Specifically, the juice added with DEMP₄ exhibited a centrifugal precipitation rate of 44.46%, with the suspension stability increased by 26.76% and the instability index reduced by 25.47%. Moreover, the gravitational sedimentation time was extended from 0.79 months (control group) to 6.30 months. The sedimentation kinetics were fitted using the Boltzmann and Logistic models, and it was found that DEMP₄ significantly prolonged the time of the sedimentation inflection point. The Zeta potential and water-holding capacity of DEMP₄ reached −36.09 mV and 14.72 g/g, respectively, and the particle size increase was the lowest during accelerated storage. These physicochemical properties were significantly positively correlated with the improved stability of the cloudy juice. Regression equations were established between the Gibbs free energy of centrifugal precipitation rate and temperature, as well as between sensory scores and centrifugal precipitation rate, yielding kinetic and thermodynamic models for juice stability. Based on the models, the stability time of the mango cloudy juice at different temperatures was predicted. At 25 ℃, compared with the control group (without pectin addition) which had a stability duration of 21 days, the stability durations of the juices added with DEMP₁, DEMP₂, DEMP₃, and DEMP₄ were extended to 30, 60, 185 and 195 days, respectively. Except for mango juice, the residual coefficients of variation for the prediction models were all below 15%, confirming their high predictive accuracy.

This study investigated the effects of α-amylase enzymatic hydrolysis, lactic acid bacteria fermentation, and combined enzymatic-fermentation treatments on the nutritional quality, antioxidant activity, bioaccessibility of total phenolics and flavonoids, and volatile flavor compounds of chestnut milk. The results demonstrated that both fermentation and enzymatic-fermentation treatments significantly increased the content of total phenolics and flavonoids in chestnut milk (P<0.05) compared to the control. Enzymatic-fermentation treatment exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, with significant improvements in hydroxyl radical, ABTS⁺ radical, and DPPH radical scavenging capacities by 15.80%, 14.84% and 29.29%, respectively. Additionally, enzymatic-fermentation significantly enhanced the bioaccessibility of total phenolics and flavonoids in both gastric and intestinal stages, with increases of 45.81% and 78.95% for phenolics, and 59.43% and 91.17% for flavonoids, respectively. The enzymatic-fermentation treatment also had the most profound effect on the volatile flavor compounds in chestnut milk. This combined approach resulted in the detection of 34 different aroma compounds, primarily including 2,3-butanedione, 1,2-butanediol and acetaldehyde, contributing to a creamy and fruity aroma profile. In conclusion, the combination of enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation effectively improved the nutritional components and flavor characteristics of chestnut milk, enhancing its nutritional value and antioxidant capacity.

Tea polyphenols (TP) have biological activities such as scavenging free radicals. The TP-EWP complex formed by the combination of TP and egg white protein (EWP) can enhance the structural stability and gel properties of the protein. TP, EWP, corn starch, xanthan gum, and gelatin were used as raw materials in this paper. The moisture distribution, rheological properties, secondary structure, textural properties, microstructure, and 3D printing behaviours of 3D printed gel system with different TP-EWP additions were evaluated. The results showed that TP-EWP was able to bind to polysaccharides through intermolecular interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions), which enhanced the network structure of the 3D printed gel system. The mobility of water molecules was reduced, with the result that some free water was gradually converted into immobile water. However, when TP-EWP was added in excess of 25%, it caused excessive cross-linking or network collapse, which increased porosity and improved water mobility. The inclusion of TP-EWP was enhanced the gels' rheological characteristics. The gels all showed pseudoplastic behavior and the G' of all samples increased with increasing frequency. With the increase of TP-EWP addition, the flowability of the gels improved and the G'' of the gels tended to decrease. When the amount of TP-EWP added was increased from 20% to 25%, the proportion of α-helices in the gel rose from 17.11% to 25.29%. However, when more than 25% of TP-EWP was added, the percentage of α-helices dropped. The strength, hardness, chewability, and viscosity of the gels were significantly impacted by the addition of various TP-EWP (P<0.05). This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of polyphenol-protein composite gel in the development of 3D printing ink for functional foods.

To study the umami peptides and umami mechanism of yellow beef in central Yunnan, ultrafiltration technology combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to identify the peptides in the water extract of yellow cattle meat from central Yunnan. Based on virtual screening, the characteristic umami peptides of central Yunnan yellow beef were identified, and their theoretical taste characteristics were predicted. Molecular docking was used to reveal the binding mechanism between umami peptides and the receptors T1R1/T1R3. The sensory evaluation showed that the water extract of beef with a molecular weight <1 kDa had the best umami taste. A total of 2609 peptides were identified using LC-MS/MS, and 124 potential umami peptides were obtained by virtual prediction. Four characteristic umami peptides (LRDW, DVF, APKIPEGE, and GVWD) with high umami activity, safety, and non-toxicity were selected based on the analysis of umami-active fragments and their physical and chemical properties. The molecular weight ranged from 379.17 to 839.44 Da. Molecular docking showed that the four umami peptides mainly bind to the T1R3 receptor by activating the key amino acid residues His145, Glu148, Ala302, and His278, with hydrogen bonding being the key force involved, followed by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving the structure-activity relationship and efficient screening of umami peptides, and also provides a theoretical basis for the in-depth development of local beef umami peptides.

To investigate the effect of electron beam irradiation (EBI) on the structure, physicochemical properties, and cooking quality, this study applied electron beam irradiation at different doses (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 kGy) to proso millet. The crystalline structure, short-range ordered structure, amylose content, damaged starch content, pasting properties, thermal properties, solubility, swelling power, cooking characteristics, and textural properties of proso millet were measured. The results showed that EBI destroyed the crystalline structure of proso millet. As the irradiation dose increased, the relative crystallinity significantly decreased from 19.46% to 11.76% (P<0.05), accompanied by a reduction in amylose content from 4.93% to 2.25% and an increase in the amylose index from 75.86% to 76.53%. Consistent with these structural alterations, EBI led to a substantial decline in the pasting properties, thermodynamic transition temperature, and swelling power (P<0.05). In contrast, the solubility increased considerably (P<0.05). These changes collectively contributed to an improvement in cooking quality, after 12 kGy irradiation, manifested by a reduction in the hardness and chewiness of the cooked proso millet by 54.93% and 81.02%, respectively, and an 285.44% increase in soluble solid content. EBI effectively improved the processability of proso millet, making it more suitable for making porridge with a thick texture and soft taste. The results revealed the influence of EBI on the quality of proso millet. It provides a scientific basis for the application of EBI in the efficient preservation and high-value processing of grain. Besides, this study is of great practical significance to promote the sustainable development of the proso millet industry.