In the field of functional foods, the demand for the synergistic effects of multiple active substances was driven the development of co-encapsulation technology. This technology encapsulates two or more components in the same microcapsule, protecting the core materials while constructing a co-encapsulation system with synergistic functions, effectively enhancing the stability of the components, masking off-flavors, and improving bioavailability. This article systematically reviews the preparation methods of co-encapsulated microcapsules, such as emulsification, complex coacervation, and spray drying. The emulsification method was simple to operate, but the particle size of the emulsion after homogenization was uneven, making it difficult to control in industrial production. Complex coacervation has mild processing conditions, but the toxicity of organic curing agents limits its application in food. Spray drying was suitable for industrial production but may damage heat-sensitive components. In addition, this article also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different wall material types, as well as the research progress in the application of co-encapsulation systems for active ingredients (vitamins, lipids, polyphenols, and probiotics). Currently, this field faces challenges such as improving preparation efficiency, optimizing drug loading, ensuring the stability of large-scale production, and analyzing the mechanism of synergistic effects of active substances. In the future, it is necessary to further optimize the preparation process and wall material formula, deeply explore the interaction mechanism of active substances, and promote their industrial application through human verification. This review provides a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the design of multifunctional microcapsules and the efficient delivery of active food ingredients.

Oxidative stress, resulting from an imbalance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant processes within the body, is a critical inducer of liver damage. It mediates the progression of hepatic injury by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and modulating key signaling pathways, including kelch like ECH associated protein1(Keap1)/ nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/ antioxidant response element (ARE) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). In recent years, antioxidant peptides have become a focus of significant research owing to their potent antioxidant activity and multi-target regulatory properties. These peptides exert hepatoprotective effects by scavenging free radicals, activating antioxidant systems, and regulating lipid metabolism and inflammatory cascades. However, research on antioxidant peptides faces challenges, including non-standardized extraction processes and incomplete elucidation of synergistic mechanisms. Consequently, this review systematically summarizes antioxidant peptide sources and extraction technologies, analyzes their multi-target hepatoprotective mechanisms, and discusses applications of nanoparticle delivery systems and functional foods targeting alcohol metabolism and hepatoprotection, along with other recent advances. This review aims to provide a theoretical foundation for elucidating the hepatoprotective mechanisms of antioxidant peptides, standardizing preparation/extraction protocols, and facilitating the research, development, and clinical translation of related products.

Daqu serves as the core saccharification and fermentation starter in traditional Chinese Baijiu production. It is characterized by its abundant enzymatic systems, diverse flavor precursors, and complex microbial communities, which together provide the material basis and driving force for fermentation and play an irreplaceable role in shaping the flavor profile of the base liquor. Recent studies have indicated a significant positive correlation between the quality of Daqu and that of the resulting base liquor. However, current research studies have primarily focused on characterizing individual influencing factors, whereas the systematic integration of the key determinants affecting the quality of Daqu and elucidation of their underlying mechanisms remain insufficient. In this review, we comprehensively summarize—from the perspective of brewing microbial ecology—the mechanisms by which raw material properties (including moisture, starch, and protein contents), processing parameters (e.g., particle size), environmental factors (temperature and humidity), storage duration, and modern enhancement strategies (notably, the addition of functional microbial inoculants) influence the quality of Daqu. The aim of this review is to provide theoretical insights and technical support for the improvement and stabilization of Daqu quality for future applications.

Plant-derived bioactive attains increasing attention due to their advantages such as high target specificity, low production cost, and strong tissue permeability. While earlier research primarily focused on peptides from plant-derived high-protein foods, recent years have witnessed a growing interest in peptides from plant-derived low-protein foods. The systematic exploration of bioactive peptides in such foods not only expands the sources of bioactive peptides, but also promotes the diversification of food resources through the development of novel food matrices. This article first discusses the peptidomics-based analytical workflow for identifying peptides in plant-derived low-protein foods, with a focus on three key steps: extraction and enrichment, detection and analysis, and bioactivity prediction. It then reviews the main bioactive peptides found in these foods, including anti-hypertensive, lipid-lowering, hypoglycemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory peptides. Future research on bioactive peptides from plant-derived low-protein foods should shift from single-activity prediction and in vitro validation toward systematic studies encompassing synergistic effects, in vivo mechanisms, and processing stability. This study provides a methodological framework for mining bioactive peptides from plant-derived low-protein foods and offers insights for the development of related food resources.

Mycotoxins, heavy metal ions, and pesticide residues present in grain and oil products pose potential threats to public health, highlighting the urgent need for the development of efficient and sensitive detection systems to ensure food safety. In this review, recent advances in electrochemical detection techniques for analyzing such contaminants in grain and oil matrices are systematically summarized. The application pathways for electrochemical sensing of mycotoxins, heavy metals, and pesticide residues are discussed, with particular emphasis placed on the integrated strategies involving ion-imprinted polymers, biomolecular recognition elements, and nanomaterial-modified electrodes for constructing functional sensing interfaces. Key technical breakthroughs in sensor configuration optimization, signal amplification mechanisms, and selective recognition are analyzed in the context of overcoming challenges posed by complex grain and oil matrices. Furthermore, current limitations—including sample matrix interferences, insufficient long-term stability, limited reusability, and high cost—are also discussed. Future research directions may focus on enhancing anti-interference capability, improving stability and reliability, and developing cost-effective sensor designs, to promote the practical application of electrochemical sensing technologies in grain and oil safety monitoring.

As an advanced non-thermal food-processing technology, high-pressure processing (HPP) is characterized by low processing temperatures and minimal nutritional loss, demonstrating unique advantages in maintaining food quality. Recently, its potential applications in dairy processing have attracted considerable attention. In the dairy processing sector, HPP has shown potential to replace pasteurization, offering significant value in ensuring dairy safety, extending shelf life, and enhancing product quality. This study systematically elucidated the differential inactivation effects of HPP on microorganisms in milk, including vegetative bacterial cells and spores. We investigates the pressure-dependent mechanisms by which HPP modulates conformational changes in casein micelles and whey proteins, as well as its effects on lipids and carbohydrates. This technology can also be applied to enhance the solubility of minerals and reduce the allergenicity of bovine milk, while preserving its bioactive components. Building on the current research, future studies should focus on developing kinetic models for the inactivation of pressure-resistant bacteria and clarifying the mechanisms underlying the effects of HPP on milk-derived bioactive components. This would facilitate the large-scale application of this technology in the dairy industry.

To investigate the metabolic differences in non-volatile compounds across honey processing methods, UPLC-MS/MS-based widely targeted metabolomics was employed to analyze green coffee beans systematically under different mucilage removal rates (CH, 100%; WH, approximately 80%; YH, 40%~50%; RH, 20%~25%; BH, 0%). The results revealed that 1682 metabolites were identified in green coffee beans subjected to five mucilage removal rate treatments; multivariate statistical analysis demonstrated that the removal rate significantly altered the metabolic profiles of non-volatile compounds. A total of 192 differential metabolites were screened using VIP>1, log₂|FC|>1, and P<0.05 as thresholds. Among them, amino acids and their derivatives, organic acids, phenolic acids, and saccharides emerged as the most dominant metabolite categories, playing pivotal roles in influencing the flavor characteristics of coffee beans. Trend analysis detected 93 non-volatile compounds exhibiting progressively increased relative contents in correlation with decreasing mucilage removal rates. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) results indicated that these compounds exhibited a significant enrichment (P<0.05) in inositol phosphate metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, galactose metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, streptomycin biosynthesis, indole alkaloid biosynthesis, and carbohydrate digestion and absorption. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model showed that ten potential marker compounds predominantly composed of N-acetyl amino acids were distinguished between honey processing methods with varying mucilage removal rates. The findings revealed the regulatory impact of coffee mucilage on the non-volatile compound profiles in coffee beans, providing a theoretical foundation for optimizing coffee flavor attributes through fermentation control strategies.

Fermentation serves as a critical process in coffee fruit processing for flavor development. Microbial metabolites produced during this biochemical transformation substantially contribute to the aromatic profile and flavor characteristics of roasted coffee beans. Microorganisms degrade coffee fruit mucilage and produce metabolites such as esters, ketones, alcohols, acids, and aldehydes. The interactions between these compounds contribute to the complexity of the final flavor profile of coffee. This review systematically summarizes the predominant microbial community structures and succession of coffee fermentation processes (wet, dry, and semi-dry methods), elucidates the impacts of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, other bacterial, and filamentous fungi on flavor development, and the underlying metabolic pathways involved in these biochemical interactions. This review aims to establish a theoretical framework for targeted flavor modulation in coffee and to advance the sustainable efficiency of coffee industry practices.

Objective: Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-electrostatic orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS) and network pharmacology methods were used to study the metabolic absorption and potential biological activity of spray-dried mulberry leaves. Methods: UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS was used to detect the phenolic components of spray-dried mulberry leaves in simulated in vitro digestion, intestinal microbial fermentation and in vivo metabolic processes. Based on the detected phenolic components, the corresponding material targets were found through the database analysis platform Swiss Target and Pharmmapper, and the aging targets were obtained by searching the HAGR and Genecards databases. The PPI (Protein-Protein Interaction) network was constructed using String11.5 database and Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. DAVID 6.8 was used for gene ontology (GO) annotation and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Analysis) pathway enrichment analysis to analyze core targets and action pathways, and then the "components-targets-pathway" network was constructed. Results: The phenolic compounds of spray-dried mulberry leaves mainly underwent hydrolysis or deglycosidation during the gastrointestinal digestion stage. After being absorbed, these substances mainly underwent phase Ⅰ and Ⅱ reactions such as reduction, hydroxylation, glucuronidation and sulfation in the body. The prototype compounds and metabolites of phenolic compounds in spray-dried mulberry leaves co-existed in the blood circulation. Through the network pharmacology method, 476 intersection targets of phenolic substances and aging were screened out. After constructing PPI, 47 core targets were screened out. The top ten targets were GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase ), ALB (albumin), AKT1 (protein kinase B1), INS (insulin), ACTβ (β-actin), TP53 (tumor protein p53), TNF (tumor necrosis factor), IL6 (interleukin 6), EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), IL1β (interleukin 1β). KEGG results showed that phenolic compounds of spray-dried mulberry leaves might play an anti-aging role by regulating Wnt and TGF-β signaling pathways. Conclusion: The phenolic compounds of spray-dried mulberry leaves may play an anti-aging role through multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway.

This research aimed to investigate the effects of degree of milling on phenolic profiles, antioxidant activities and flavor components of cooked sea rice. The contents of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and the antioxidant capacity of cooked sea rice were analyzed by microplate reader, the flavor components of cooked sea rice were analyzed by HS-SPME combined with GC-MS. The results showed that with the increase of milling time from 0 s to 10, 20, 30, 40 s, the average total phenol content of cooked sea rice decreased by 65.91%, 74.55%, 84.39% and 90.19%. The average total flavonoid content decreased by 60.82%, 78.14%, 86.93% and 92.11%. The total FRAP antioxidant activity decreased by 67.42%, 73.52%, 85.07% and 91.20%. The total ORAC antioxidant activity decreased by 51.61%, 74.16%, 83.48% and 89.16%. The volatile compounds content of cooked sea rice decreased by 50.85%, 75.61%, 78.42% and 88.37%. The 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline contributed the most to the flavor of cooked sea rice, and the OAV decreased by 76.01% after 40 s milling. Furthermore, sea rice with the same degrees of milling decreased after cooking for total phenols, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins and total FRAP antioxidant activity, total ORAC antioxidant activity. Therefore, the degree of milling should be carefully controlled at 8%~10% to improve the balance of sensory quality and retain phenolic profiles, antioxidant activities and volatile compounds during cooked sea rice milling.