The characteristic chemical composition and healthy function of Jinzhai Baiye (JZ) and Fuding Shoumei (FD) were unknown. In this study, two white teas were comparatively evaluated in terms of their characteristic chemical composition and anti-DSS induced colitis. The non-volatile chemical constituents between JZ and FD white teas were systematically profiled by using un-targeted metabolomics analysis based on UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS approach. Then, anti-colitis of two white teas was explored based on recently developed DSS-induced chronic colitis model. The results showed that there were significant differences in chemical constituents between JZ and FD white teas. A total of 51 compounds with significant differences between two white teas were identified, including catechins, flavonoid glycosides, amino acids, phenolic acids, lipids. Among them, the contents of some catechins, flavonoid glycosides (rutin, kaempferol 3-O-arabinoglycoside, quercetin-3-galactoside), amino acids (theanine, arginine) were relatively high in FD. While the contents of some flavonoid glycosides (vitexin, kaempferol, 3-(6-acetylgalactoside)) and majority of phenolic acids were relatively high in JZ. After 4 cycles of 2% DSS induction, DSS group exhibited chronic syndrome of ulcerative colitis, showing significant decrease in body weight with an obvious undulating trend (P<0.001), shorten colon length, significant increase of DAI scores and splenic index (P<0.001). However, intervention with both JZ and FD significantly improved the syndrome of DSS-induced ulcerative colitis. Interestingly, JZ showed better protective effects than that of FD. Real-Time PCR data revealed that both JZ and FD significantly suppressed the major inflammatory cytokines gene expression, and increased anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 expression. JZ proved better anti-inflammatory effects than that of FD. This study provided the characteristic chemical compounds and their anti-inflammatory effects on DSS induced ulcerative colitis between the two white teas, which provided a basis for evaluating the chemical quality and potential health function of JZ white tea.

The present study aimed to investigate the complexation mechanism between soy protein isolate fibers (SPF) and Monascus pigments (Mps), as well as the effects of different conditions on the stability of Mps within the complex. Spectroscopic methods were employed to characterize the structural properties of the complex and to evaluate the thermal, pH, and photostability of Mps within the complex. The results demonstrated that the interaction between SPF and Mps in the complex was primarily driven by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces. The incorporation of Mps altered the microenvironment of SPF, reducing the hydrophobicity around tryptophan (Trp) and tyrosine (Tyr) residues and consequently modifying the secondary structure of the protein. Compared to pure SPF, in the SPF-Mps complex with a concentration of 3 mg/mL (SPM3.0), the relative content of α-helix and β-sheet in SPF decreased by 52.35% and 11.95%, respectively, while the relative content of β-turn and random coil increased by 19.04% and 69.56%, respectively. SPF enhanced the stability of Mps, as evidenced by significantly higher retention rates of Mps in the complex under various temperature, pH, and illumination conditions compared to free Mps. Specifically, under a condition of 4 ℃, the retention rates of Mps in the complex increased by 19.03% and 38.46% at absorbance wavelengths of 385 nm and 410 nm, respectively, compared to free Mps. At pH9.0, the largest increase in Mps retention rate was observed, with values of 79.21% and 230.41% at the two wavelengths. After 6 hours of illumination, the complex with a concentration of 20 mg/mL exhibited the highest increase in Mps retention rate, with values of 104.69% and 149.89% at the respective wavelengths. The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis for the color improvement and quality control of plant-based meat products.

To develop natural product complexes with synergistic hypoglycemic effects, small yellow ginger extract (GE) was used as the main material with dried tangerine peel (Citrus reticulata Blanco) and hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.) extracts (DTPE and CPE) as auxiliary materials. The α-glucosidase activity inhibition assay was integrated with the isobologram method and Chou-Talalay combination index method to comprehensively analyze and evaluate the α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and combination indices of the individual and combined extracts of small yellow ginger, dried tangerine peel, and hawthorn. Subsequently, the complex combinations exhibiting synergistic hypoglycemic effects were further investigated for their hypoglycemic activities using an insulin-resistant HepG2 (IR-HepG2) cell model and a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) hyperglycemic model. The results showed that GE-DTPE (1:2), GE-CPE (1:2) and GE-CPE (1:3) combinations exhibited synergistic hypoglycaemic effects (CI: 0.759, 0.837, and 0.861, respectively). In the IR-HepG2 cell experiments, when the sample concentration was 400 μg/mL, the GE, GE-DTPE (1:2), GE-CPE (1:2), GE-CPE (1:3), and acarbose increased IR-HepG2 cell glucose consumption by 16.86%, 18.09%, 22.51%, 18.97%, and 40.57%, and boosted glycogen synthesis by 13.18%, 14.90%, 17.10%, 15.67%, and 24.60%, respectively. In the high-glucose C. elegans model, GE-CPE (1:2) at a sample concentration of 200 μg/mL exhibited the strongest hypoglycemic potential compared to the high-glucose control group. It increased GSH and SOD levels by 69.89% and 46.99%, respectively, while reducing MDA, intracellular glucose, triglyceride, and lipid accumulation by 37.43%, 66.10%, 56.43%, and 47.35%, respectively. This study provides a theoretical reference for the study of synergistic hypoglycaemic activity of small yellow ginger extract series and the development of compound hypoglycaemic functional foods.

To clarify how substrate composition influenced the nutritive profile and protein nutritional value in Stropharia rugosoannulata under selenium enrichment, the nine agricultural by-products were used to cultivate Stropharia rugosoannulata, rice straw, corn stalks, corn cobs, weeds, peanut stalks, Lentinus edodes residue, Pleurotus ostreatus residue, Auricularia auricula waste substrate and bamboo leaves. The results showed that selenium-enriched cultivation significantly increased both yield and selenium concentration of Stropharia rugosoannulata (P<0.05). Specifically, the selenium content of Stropharia rugosoannulata cultivated with raw corn cobs was the highest, reaching 154.41 mg/kg, which represented a 203.53-fold increase compared with the non-enriched control grown on the same substrate. Significant variations were observed in the nutritional quality of selenium-enriched Stropharia rugosoannulata cultivated with different substrates. Selenium-enriched Stropharia rugosoannulata produced on corn cobs and weeds contained significantly more crude fat (P<0.05), whereas those cultivated on corn stalks and bamboo leaves showed higher crude protein but lower crude fibre (P<0.05). Regarding protein quality, fruiting bodies from spent Pleurotus ostreatus residue exhibited an essential amino-acid pattern closest to the WHO/FAO reference and the highest SRCAA (amino-acid ratio coefficient score). The highest AAS (amino acid score) and CS (chemical score) were obtained with mushrooms grown on Auricularia auricula waste substrate. The comprehensive evaluation showed that the selenium-enriched product from Auricularia auricula waste substrate had the highest protein nutritional value, and selenium-enrichment cultivation improved its protein nutritional value. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of selenium-enriched Stropharia rugosoannulata and its development as a new protein resource.

To investigate the active components and hypolipidemic effects of medicinal and edible plants, this study evaluated eight species (foxtail millet, coix seed, tangerine peel, hawthorn, lotus leaf, mulberry leaf, cassia seed, and ginseng) through quantitative analysis of bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, and lipid metabolism-related functional indices, followed by cluster analysis and principal component analysis. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were further employed to identify potential hypolipidemic targets and pathways. Results demonstrated that lotus leaf exhibited the highest flavonoid (75.81±2.87 mg RE/g DW) and total phenolic content (38.63±0.88 mg GAE/g DW), while hawthorn showed the highest total sugar content (67.54±1.13 mg DE/g DW). Notably, hawthorn displayed potent inhibitory effects on pancreatic lipase (1.59±0.04 μg Orlistat/g DW), α-amylase (4.26±0.23 mg Acarbose/g DW), and α-glucosidase (87.46±0.97 μg Acarbose/g DW), along with superior sodium glycocholate binding capacity (59.24%) and cholesterol adsorption (9.57 mg/g). Network pharmacology revealed that hawthorn, lotus leaf, and coix seed primarily targeted lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis pathways, particularly through insulin resistance regulation. Molecular docking simulations revealed that key bioactive compounds (including stigmasterol, sitosterol, and rutin) exhibited strong binding affinities with core targets (INS, ALB, IL-6, etc.). These findings highlight hawthorn, lotus leaf, and coix seed as promising candidates for developing natural hypolipidemic functional foods, supported by multi-omics evidence.

To investigate the effects of five plant polyphenols (tea polyphenols, resveratrol, apple polyphenols, grape seed polyphenols, and curcumin) on the eating quality of pre-prepared grilled fish during repeated freeze-thaw cycles, polyphenol immersion pretreatment combined with roasting and five freeze-thaw cycles was applied to simulate cold chain temperature fluctuations. Quality was evaluated by measuring changes in appearance, water-holding capacity, texture, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), acid value (AV), and DPPH radical scavenging activity, systematically assessing polyphenols antioxidant capacity and their impact on product quality. Results indicated that all polyphenol treatments improved appearance stability after five freeze-thaw cycles, with apple and grape seed polyphenols exhibiting superior color retention. Both also significantly enhanced water-holding capacity (P<0.05), outperforming other groups. Texture profile analysis showed that resveratrol performed well in maintaining the chewiness and springiness of the samples, apple polyphenols contributed to the retention of chewiness, whereas tea polyphenols showed no obvious advantage in chewiness. For lipid oxidation, TBARS values in all polyphenol groups were significantly lower than the control (P<0.05), with apple polyphenols showing the greatest reduction (67.18%), followed by grape seed polyphenols (57.33%), resveratrol (50.33%), tea polyphenols (48.21%), and curcumin (15.75%). Grape seed polyphenols also most effectively suppressed AV (46.89% reduction, P<0.05). DPPH scavenging activity increased most significantly with apple polyphenols (42.79%), followed by grape seed polyphenols (36.53%) and resveratrol (35.09%), confirming strong antioxidant potential. Overall, apple and grape seed polyphenols demonstrated superior quality preservation and lipid oxidation inhibition. Considering antioxidant efficacy, product quality, and cost, grape seed polyphenols were identified as the optimal natural antioxidant. This study provides theoretical and technical support for quality control and formulation optimization of pre-prepared grilled fish during cold chain distribution.

This study utilized duck legs as experimental materials to analyze the effects of vacuum low-temperature braising on the protein structure of duck legs. The research methods included tissue structure observation, myofibrillar protein extraction, microstructure determination, protein solubility measurement, and myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI) determination. The results showed that the cross-sectional structure of unbraised duck legs was tightly packed and uniform in clumps. After being braised for 2 h, the cells shrank, the fiber gaps widened, sarcomeres displayed wavy deformations, and the M-lines loosened and disappeared. During the 0~2 h of braising period, the hydrophobic characteristics of myofibrillar protein significantly increased (P<0.05), the maximum emission wavelength (λ_max) of intrinsic fluorescence red-shifted to 351 nm, protein solubility decreased significantly by 62.09% (P<0.05), and MFI increased significantly (P<0.05), indicating enhanced protein thermal denaturation and increased meat hardness. From 2 to 8 h of braising, protein solubility first increased significantly (P<0.05) and then remained stable, while MFI showed no significant changes (P>0.05). The λ_max of intrinsic fluorescence blue-shifted from 351 nm to 349 nm, and the maximum fluorescence intensity (FT_max) increased by 3.56%. Meanwhile, larger molecular weight paramyosin gradually degraded. In the secondary structure, the proportion of β-fold initially increased and then decreased, whereas the β-turn proportion initially decreased and then increased, suggesting that protein denaturation decreased in the later stage, the structure became more compact, and tenderness improved. In conclusion, vacuum low-temperature braising technology can significantly improve the tenderness and texture of duck legs. This study provides scientific evidence for the application of vacuum low-temperature braising technology in duck legs processing.

A previous study demonstrated that Weissella confusa SJ-5, a strain isolated from sweet potato sour liquid during starch production, could efficiently flocculate sweet-potato starch, yet the underlying molecular mechanism and structural basis remained unclear. In this study, the bacterial surface was selectively enzymatically treated, and a combination of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Zeta-potential analysis, and bond-blocking assays was employed to elucidate the starch-flocculation mechanism of W. confusa SJ-5. Effect of pH and ionic strength on flocculation efficiency was also investigated. The results suggested that flocculation of starch by W. confusa SJ-5 was greatly influenced by surface protein, lipids, and extracellular polysaccharides. Heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and the chaperonin GroEL were identified as the key surface proteins responsible for starch-bonding. Interactions between the bacterium and starch were primarily mediated by ionic bonds, in accordance with the bridging-adsorption mechanism. Both pH and ion concentration significantly modulated flocculation performance. The flocculation rate initially increased and subsequently declined as pH or ionic strength rose, peaking at 69% under the optimized conditions of pH8.0 and 20 mmol/L K⁺. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of W. confusa SJ-5 as a low-cost biological flocculant in starch production.

This study aimed to screen "antioxidant+whitening" dual-function peptides from Morchella esculenta using bioinformatics methods, verify their efficacy, and explore their potential mechanisms of action. Through the integrated application of bioinformatics approaches including virtual enzymatic hydrolysis, activity prediction, physicochemical property and safety assessment, and molecular docking, four peptides from M. esculenta with potential "antioxidant+whitening" effects were virtually screened as follows: WWVCAK, WWV, RARW, and VMRWKP. In vitro experiments confirmed that the hexapeptide WWVCAK exhibited better antioxidant activity and tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Cell experiments further revealed that WWVCAK could significantly enhance the total antioxidant capacity of B16F10 cells, reduce intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and melanin levels, and effectively inhibit intracellular tyrosinase activity. Network pharmacology research indicated that SRC, HDAC1, ITGB2, ITGB1, PLG, MMP2, MMP9, HDAC2, ITGB3, and ITGAL were key targets of the "antioxidant+whitening" effects of WWVCAK. The peptide exerted its dual activity by participating in various biological processes including proteolysis, organization and disassembly of extracellular matrix, and collagen catabolic process, as well as by regulating multiple signaling pathways such as neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and leukocyte transendothelial migration. In conclusion, WWVCAK is a bioactive peptide with promising "antioxidant+whitening" properties and thus has potential for further development and application.

In this study, myosin was extracted from fresh mutton using precipitation centrifugation, purified via column chromatography, and concentrated through ammonium sulfate salting-out combined with ultrafiltration centrifugation. The results demonstrated that the improved protein extraction method was more efficient. The optimal loading amount of myosin onto the ion-exchange column was determined to be 20 mg, and the optimal saturation level for ammonium sulfate salting-out stood at 50%. To explore the impacts of hydroxyl radical oxidation on the structure and oxidation sites of myosin, a hydroxyl radical oxidation system was established by regulating the concentration of H₂O₂ (0, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, and 20 mmol/L), which enabled myosin to undergo oxidation to varying degrees. Research findings indicated that with the increase of H₂O₂ concentration, the carbonyl content of myosin increased by 2.376 times, while the contents of total sulfhydryl, free sulfhydryl, ionic bond and hydrogen bond decreased by 37.02%, 53.24%, 50.98% and 50.85%, respectively, upon treatment with 20 mmol/L H₂O₂ compared to the control group (0 mmol/L). In contrast, the disulfide bond content exhibited a tendency of first increasing and then decreasing. It reached its maximum value when the H₂O₂ concentration was 10 mmol/L, which was 2.28 times that of the control group. Measurements using a fully automatic amino acid analyzer revealed that four amino acids, namely Cys, Tyr, Phe, and His, were susceptible to oxidation, with the order of their susceptibility being Cys>Tyr>His>Phe. LC-MS/MS detection showed that under mild oxidation conditions, hydroxyl radicals mainly attacked the proteins around the SH1-SH2 region. When subjected to severe oxidation at an H₂O₂ concentration of 20 mmol/L, a large amount of myosin aggregated, and these aggregations primarily occurred in the head helical region and the 1502~1783 region of myosin.