This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect and underlying mechanism of ethanol extract from Chrysanthemum morifolium. 'Boju' (CME) on atherosclerosis (AS). An AS model was established using ApoE⁻/⁻ mice, which were randomly divided into a model group, low-, medium-, and high-dose CME groups (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg), a positive control group (simvastatin 3 mg/kg), and a normal control group, with an intervention period of 12 weeks. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in serum, and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1β in serum were measured. Pathological changes were observed via Oil Red O staining of the aorta and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining of the liver. The expressions of LXRα and ABCA1 in liver tissue and NF-κB p65 in the aorta were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. In in vitro experiments, a foam cell model was established by inducing RAW264.7 macrophages with ox-LDL, and the cells were divided into a control group, a model group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose CME groups (25, 50, and 100 μg/mL). Cell viability, foam cell rate, intracellular contents of TC, cholesteryl ester (CE), and free cholesterol (FC), as well as the expressions of genes and proteins related to relevant signaling pathways were detected. Additionally, the NF-κB inhibitor BAY11-7082 was used to verify the mechanism. The results showed that compared with the model group, CME significantly decreased the serum levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C, and increased the serum level of HDL-C (P<0.01). Pathological staining demonstrated that the low-, medium-, and high-dose CME groups could reduce aortic lipid deposition and hepatic steatosis in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, CME significantly upregulated the mRNA and protein expressions of LXRα and ABCA1 in liver tissue (P<0.01), with the protein level of LXRα upregulated from 0.31±0.04 in the model group to 0.91±0.06 in the high-dose CME group. In addition, CME reduced the protein expression of p-NF-κB p65 in the aorta and the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β (P<0.01), and the protein level of p-NF-κB p65 decreased from 1.85±0.18 in the model group to 0.92±0.11 in the high-dose CME group. Meanwhile, CME decreased the intracellular contents of TC and CE and the CE/TC ratio in RAW264.7 macrophages, thereby inhibiting foam cell formation. Moreover, it upregulated the expressions of PPARγ, LXRα, and ABCA1 and inhibited the activation of the NF-κB pathway, and no significant differences were observed in key indicators such as p-NF-κB p65, ABCA1, TC, CE, and CE/TC ratio between the high-dose CME group and the BAY11-7082 inhibitor group. These results indicated that AS could be significantly inhibited by CME through activating the LXRα/ABCA1 pathway to regulate cholesterol metabolism and inhibiting the NF-κB pathway to alleviate inflammatory responses.

Starch, the primary source of carbohydrates in food, plays a crucial role in nutrition and health owing to its digestive properties and functional regulation and has been a subject of extensive research. Recently, researchers have non-covalently combined polyphenols with starch, which significantly altered its structural and functional properties. As research has progressed, it has been observed that polyphenols can form covalent bonds with starch chains through chemical agent coupling, free radical grafting, enzymatic catalysis, and acid-mediated pathways. Synthesized covalent conjugates exhibit superior structural and functional performance compared to non-covalent complexes and have become a focal point in the field of starch functional regulation, achieving significant advancements. This review aims to comprehensively summarize the binding mechanisms of starch and polyphenols through non-covalent and covalent interactions, compare them with non-covalent interaction mechanisms, and analyze the advantages of covalent interactions in binding modes and structural characteristics using structural characterization techniques. Additionally, by analyzing the functional characteristics of both, it emphasizes the significant advantages of covalent conjugates in thermal stability, digestion resistance, and antioxidant activity. Subsequent researchers can focus on starch-polyphenol covalent binding technology, which is expected to provide innovative approaches for the combination of natural ingredients and functional foods and contribute to the sustainable development of the food industry.

In recent years, with the popularization of the concept of healthy diet, foods with glycemic index (GI) less than or equal to 55 (low GI) have gradually become the focus of consumers' attention. Among them, low GI noodles is a staple food that can regulate the level of blood sugar after meals, which have the advantages of reducing post-meal blood sugar fluctuations, preventing cardiovascular disease, regulating insulin levels, and enhancing satiety. In this manuscript, the research status of low GI noodles in recent years are summarized. The concept, classification, measurement method and influencing factors of GI are briefly described firstly, and then the influence mechanism of different types of raw materials, raw and auxiliary materials and different processing methods on the texture characteristics, sensory evaluation and starch content of low GI noodles are discussed, mainly focuses on the effects of different types of products on the level of postprandial blood glucose. Finally, the development prospect of low GI noodles is anticipated, in order to provide a theoretical basis for future research and market application in this field.

The combination of Nisin with active substances can broaden its antibacterial spectrum and endow the system with antioxidant capacity, thereby synergistically enhancing food preservation efficacy. Consequently, it attracted much attention in the field of food safety research. In particular, the construction of composite films using Nisin-based compounds as functional components through different film-forming methods (such as coating, casting, extrusion, and electrospinning, etc.) became a research hotspot in the field of food active packaging in recent years. This article begins with a brief introduction to Nisin and its antibacterial mechanism, followed by a comprehensive overview of the bioactive substances utilized in conjunction with Nisin and their synergistic effects. Then, the research progress of Nisin compounds active films in food preservation, specifically from the aspects of different film-forming techniques, is mainly reviewed. Furthermore, the limitations of the current research and the future development directions are summarized and discussed, with the expectation of providing a reference for the efficient application of Nisin in the field of food preservation.

Peptidoglycan (PG) is a class of microbial polysaccharides with the functions of immunomodulation, anti-tumor, anti-inflammation, adsorption and toxicity reduction, which mainly exists in the bacterial cell wall. Due to its unique biological functions and structural properties, it has attracted much attention in scientific research and practical applications, and is now widely used in many fields such as medical, aquatic, and food. This paper summarizes the research progress of peptidoglycan in terms of its structure, biosynthetic pathway, extraction, function and application. In terms of extraction, the traditional physical and chemical methods, enzyme digestion and the emerging combined extraction method are described, and the advantages and disadvantages of each method are analyzed. The potential link between the biological functions of peptidoglycan and bacterial pathogenicity and immunomodulation is explored in depth. The results and challenges in practical applications are discussed, and the broad prospects of peptidoglycan research in multiple fields are envisioned for the future. By reviewing the current status of peptidoglycan research from multiple perspectives, it provides a reference for the subsequent in-depth study of its properties and the expansion of its applications.

The synergistic sterilization approach, which combines ultrasound with light, serves as an emerging green non-thermal sterilization technology that can effectively overcome the limitations of single technology application and markedly enhance antibacterial efficacy against foodborne pathogens. This enhancement in antibacterial efficacy is achieved through the direct synergistic effects of physical energy, without the need for exogenous sono/photosensitizers, and offers distinct advantages in terms of efficiency and environmental sustainability. This paper provides an overview of the current progress regarding the sterilization efficacy, mechanisms and practical applications of ultrasound, light (including UV light, blue light, infrared light and pulsed light) as well as their combination (primarily UV and blue light) on various microorganisms. Studies have demonstrated that ultrasound-light synergistic sterilization technology can not only remarkably improve the inactivation efficiency against foodborne pathogens, but also well preserve food product quality, thus providing a novel technical approach for food non-thermal sterilization. Future research should aim to further clarify the underlying synergistic mechanisms, expand the application scope, and accelerate the industrialization of this technology in the food sector. Overall, this paper provides a solid theoretical reference for the development and practical application of ultrasound-light synergistic sterilization technology.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) was a retinal degenerative disease with increasing risk of morbidity with age, and retinal oxidative stress was one of the important triggers of AMD. This study was conducted in light of the favorable antioxidant properties of Lonicera edulis, which has been shown to possess significant potential in combating oxidative stress. The study's objective was to develop a functional Lonicera edulis composite powder (LCP) for the purpose of eye protection. To this end, the formulation was optimized through the utilization of response surface methodology. The study encompassed a comprehensive examination of the powder's physical properties, antioxidant capacity, and its protective effect on hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative stress injury in ARPE-19 cells. The findings demonstrated that, following response surface optimization, the most effective LCP formulation was as follows: Lonicera edulis lyophilized powder (material-liquid ratio 1:4, maltodextrin addition 15%): Lycium barbarum polysaccharide:lutein ester:zeaxanthin=81:15:3.33:0.67. The LCP exhibited favorable water solubility, robust antioxidant activity, and non-toxicity. In addition, it was observed to markedly diminish (P<0.05) the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in oxidatively damaged ARPE-19 cells and augment the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and other antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, the LCP was found to stimulate cell proliferation. The cell survival rate of LCP at 800 μg/mL was 125.10%, which was 122.95% higher than that of the model group. The study demonstrated the efficacy of LCP in protecting retinal pigment epithelial cells and resisting oxidative stress damage, thereby establishing a theoretical foundation for the development of functional Lonicera edulis fruit products and promoting the growth of the Lonicera edulis fruit industry.

In order to study the β-nicotinamide mononucleotide-enriched fruit-vegetable Jiaosu and evaluate its bioactivity, cucumber powder, broccoli powder, banana powder and apple powder were used as substrates, and the process parameters were optimized by multi-species co-fermentation to investigate the effects of strain combinations, fermentation time, temperature and precursor addition on β-NMN enrichment. And the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase, lipase, and amylase in the Jiaosu, as well as the hydroxyl radical scavenging characteristics and total antioxidant capacity, were determined. Results demonstrated that synergistic co-fermentation employing Rhizopus oryzae, Monascus purpureus, yeast, and Lactobacillus plantarum strains yielded maximal β-NMN production under the optimal conditions, as the mass ratio of cucumber powder, broccoli powder, banana powder, apple powder was 2:2:1:1 (w/w), and cultured at 25 ℃ for 60 h. Under this condition, the content of β-NMN in the fermentation broth was 808.8 μg/L, which was 20.86 times higher than that before fermentation. The contents of total polyphenols, reducing sugar and protein after fermentation were 0.3425, 1.5556 and 3.7986 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, the total superoxide dismutase activity, lipase activity and amylase activity in the jiaosu powder were 50.9917, 9.5104 and 13.7088 U/mL, respectively, which were 1.98 and 2.05 times higher than the hydroxyl radical inhibition ability and total antioxidant capacity (FRAP) of the fruit and vegetable stock solution before fermentation. The results of this study provide a new reference for the development of β-NMN-rich jiaosu and their applications in the fields of food, medicine and cosmetics.

This study systematically compared the impact of traditional pasteurization (TP), thermosonication combined with nisin (TSN), and irradiation (IR) on the physicochemical properties, functional components, and sensory quality of grape juice. In addition, widely targeted metabolomics was employed to assess changes in the metabolite profile. Results showed that TP significantly increased the viscosity of the juice and led to noticeable color deterioration (P<0.05), while the IR group exhibited the lowest color difference, indicating its superior performance in color stability maintenance. All sterilization methods significantly increased the total phenolic and anthocyanin contents of the juice by 12.1%~21.7% and 27.8%~47.9%, respectively (P<0.05). The total flavonoid content decreased by 22.7%~36.0% in the TP and TSN groups, whereas it increased by 10% in the IR group. Metabolomics analysis revealed that TP induced the degradation of unsaturated fatty acids (α-linolenic acid and γ-linolenic acid) and essential amino acids (leucine and isoleucine), and the marked accumulation of furfural derivatives such as 2-furoic acid, which ultimately contributed to nutrition and flavor deterioration. TSN and IR had limited effects on organic acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and phenolic compounds, but IR led to a marked down-regulation of specific anthocyanin monomers, including cyanidin-3-O-glucosylrutinoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside-5-O-glucoside. In summary, IR outperformed thermal sterilization in enhancing the sensory quality and preserving the stability of functional components in grape juice, demonstrating its superior processing adaptability and application potential. These results provided theoretical basis and technical references for the high-value processing of grape juice.

This study investigated the hepatoprotective effects and mechanisms of fermented Angelica keiskei (FAK), produced through synergistic fermentation using Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, against alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. Male Kunming mice were randomly divided into seven groups (n=12 per group): normal control, model control, silibinin-treated, freeze-dried Angelica keiskei powder, and low-, medium-, and high-dose FAK groups. Alcohol-induced liver injury was established via 30-days intragastric administration of edible alcohol, with body weight monitored periodically. Post-intervention assessments included serum lipid profiles, organ indices, hepatic injury markers, antioxidant enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, and gut microbiota alterations. Results demonstrated that FAK significantly attenuated alcohol-induced weight loss (P<0.05) and reduced hepatic index, serum lipid levels, and hepatic injury markers. FAK intervention notably decreased hepatic lipid accumulation while enhancing antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (P<0.05), and could alleviate alcohol metabolism-induced hepatic oxidative damage. Mechanistic analyses revealed that FAK restored the Firmicutes-Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio to near-normal levels and ameliorated alcohol-induced phylum- and genus-level dysbiosis, and the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Muribaculaceae, increased. This alleviated the abnormal changes in community relative abundance at the phylum and genus levels by strengthening the gut barrier, which was achieved by reducing LPS translocation and promoting SCFA production (e.g., Muribaculaceae could produce SCFAs), thereby reducing the production and release of endotoxins. In this study, FAK primarily exerted its effects by modulating the structure of the gut microbiota, reflecting the unique concept of "using bacteria to combat bacterial imbalance". It was speculated that FAK might repair the intestinal barrier and maintain intestinal homeostasis in mice with alcoholic liver injury by altering the diversity and community structure of the gut microbiota. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the high-value utilization of Angelica keiskei resources and its potential application in functional foods targeting alcohol-related hepatic disorders.