In this study, microfluidization was explored to inactivate autolytic spoilage enzymes (polyphenol oxidase, PPO, and peroxidase, POD) that significantly impact the nutritional and sensory qualities of tender coconut water (TCW). TCW was treated at three different pressure levels (70, 140, and 210 MPa) and five different number of passes/cycles (3, 5, 7, 9, and 11). The highest percentage reduction was obtained in the case of PPO (~61% in the 11th pass, at 210 MPa), while for POD, ~45% reduction was achieved in the 9th pass, at 70 MPa. The impact of different treatment conditions on the physicochemical properties of TCW, such as color, turbidity, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity, total phenolic content (TPC), and protein content was assessed. The pH and TSS remained unaffected; whereas, turbidity showed an increase with treatment intensity from 2.59% ± 0.14% (untreated) to 8.62% ± 0.39% (30,000 psi, 11 passes), and the highest color difference was observed for this sample (ΔE = 4.61 ± 0.018). Furthermore, TPC and antioxidant activity showed minimal changes upon treatment. Overall, the findings of this research provide new insights into the application of microfluidization for the processing of thermally sensitive products such as TCW, extending their shelf life without any additives and providing a clean label solution.

Gut microbiota-associated metabolites can be synthesized endogenously or derived from dietary nutrients and host compounds. Among them, alkaloids, terpenes, and flavones originating from edible and medicinal foods have attracted remarkable interest recently and play crucial roles in metabolic diseases. The efficacy of these metabolites is susceptible to dietary intervention, especially after food processing. Therefore, this review comprehensively summarizes the different sources of common gut microbial metabolites, including microbial self-synthesis, biodegradation of exogenous substances (mainly dietary nutrients), and participation in host metabolism. In addition, the latest studies on novel metabolites such as alkaloids, terpenoids, and flavonoids are discussed, and their action mechanisms on metabolic diseases are elaborated. How food processing impacts dietary nutrients and their metabolites is carefully examined, as well as their effects on disease modification. These insights could contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which diet efficacy helps prevent metabolic diseases, particularly through gut microbial metabolites.

Curcumin compounds are important bioactive compounds in ginger, yet their analysis is limited by their low concentrations. In the current research, a highly sensitive and reliable approach for simultaneous quantitative detection of three curcumin compounds in ginger samples was established using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The extraction solvent, volume of extraction solvent, sonication time, and oscillation time were optimized by a single factor experiment. The method validation results showed that the regression coefficients were higher than 0.9990, and the linearity was satisfactory. Matrix effects were negligible with the values of 94.6%–98.8%. The recovery at three spiking levels was between 81.7% and 100.0%, and the precision was less than 5.4%. The approach could be used to determine the curcumin components in ginger samples since the results demonstrate that it is easy to use, practicable, repeatable, and accurate.

To swiftly and noninvasively assess the freshness of bighead carp heads within simulated cold chain environments, an excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with a long short-term memory network (EEM-LSTM) model was developed. Through the parallel factor algorithm based on analysis of residuals, diagnosis of core consistency, and split-half evaluation, three key fluorescent components from fish fillets were extracted, with the most significant components linked to tryptophan and NADH, both indicative of fish freshness. The EEM-LSTM model exhibited coherent trends in freshness indicators and demonstrated exceptional predictive capabilities for four freshness indicators simultaneously, achieving R2 values exceeding 0.8840 in simulated cold chain situations. Relative errors in the supermarket direct sales cold chain were less than 10%, surpassing those of the long-distance transport cold chain. Hence, the EEM-LSTM model stands validated for predicting fish freshness in simulated cold chains, holding promise for real-world aquatic product freshness forecasting within cold chain scenarios.

Fresh walnuts (Juglans regia L.) are challenging to store due to their high water content and delicate green appearance. It has been reported that sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a nitric oxide donor) can promote stress tolerance. However, whether SNP affects the postharvest quality of fresh walnuts remains unknown. This research showed that appropriate SNP treatment contributed to walnut preservation; in particular, 0.5 mmol/L SNP treatment resulted in a better appearance and less decay (59.7%). Compared with the control, this treatment not only increased the levels of proteases related to fresh walnut disease (chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase) but also increased the overall antioxidant level and reduced oxidant damage. Moreover, respiratory metabolism and ethylene release were greatly suppressed (9.5%), and the overall sensory evaluation did not reveal any adverse effects associated with a lower acid or peroxide content. Thus, it was inferred that the optimal SNP dose activated disease-related enzymes, mediated the physiological metabolism rate, regulated the ROS-redox balance and therefore reduced decay and maintained the walnut quality. This is the first report of SNP (NO) application for the preservation of fresh walnuts and may provide information to facilitate practical application of this potential innovation.

Arecoline, the principal active alkaloid in the areca nut, is known for its ability to induce euphoric sensations. Since ancient times, arecoline has garnered attention for its therapeutic potential in addressing psychiatric disorders and alleviating gastrointestinal ailments. However, in 2020, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified arecoline as 'probably carcinogenic to humans' (Group 2B carcinogen), supported by compelling mechanistic evidence. The mechanism of action of arecoline has been extensively studied, but the results of these studies are scattered and lack systematic integration and generalization. In this paper, we have systematically summarized the mechanism of arecoline within the oral cavity, central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and digestion system, in terms of both health functions and toxic effects. In addition, we found some concentration-effect relationship between arecoline in the central nervous system and digestive system, i.e., low doses are beneficial and high doses are harmful. By summarizing the mechanisms of arecoline, this review is poised to provide in-depth and valuable insights into the clinical practice and targeted therapy of arecoline in the future.

Studying the metabolic patterns underlying the key quality traits during the growth and development of melon is very important for the quality improvement and breeding of melon fruit. In this study, we employed transcriptomics and metabolomics to analyze the primary metabolic changes occurring in melon ('Xizhoumi 25') across five growth and development stages. We identified a total of 666 metabolites and their co-expressed genes, which were categorized into five different metabolic and gene modules. Through the analysis of these modules, the main metabolic pathways during the growth and development of melon were demonstrated from a global perspective. We also discussed the contribution of sucrose accumulation, the TCA cycle, and amino acid metabolism to the quality and flavor of melon. Enzymes related to amino acid metabolism were proposed, including Amine oxidase (AOC), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), tryptophan synthase (TRPB), etc. These results and data can provide new insights for further study on the metabolic regulation of melon quality and improve fruit quality.

Changes in the quality of blue honeysuckle fruit following exposure to air or controlled atmospheres (CA1: 20% O2 and 20% CO2; CA2: 5% O2 and 20% CO2; CA3: 5% O2 and 10% CO2) were investigated. The 'Lanjingling’ blue honeysuckle was stored at a temperature of −1 °C for a duration of 28 d. An elevated concentration of CO2 led to a reduction in fruit weight loss, ethanol content, and respiration rate, while simultaneously increasing the epicuticular wax coverage index, firmness, TSS, ascorbic acid, polyphenols, and antioxidant capacity. Notably, treatment with high levels of carbon dioxide (20% CO2) led to an approximately 150% increase in total anthocyanin content compared to control conditions. Additionally, it was observed that reducing the oxygen content from 20% to 5% had a detrimental effect on the antioxidant capacity of blue honeysuckle during storage. Specifically, there were decreases of 10.4%, 16.8%, and 6.7% in DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP, respectively. The respiration rate is increased by treatment with 5% O2 and 5% CO2, which may result in accelerated senescence of blue honeysuckle. After 28 d, the treatment resulted in a respiration rate that was 1.49 times higher than the control. Hence, it can be deduced that maintaining a controlled atmosphere containing 20% O2 and 20% CO2 can be deemed an effective method of blue honeysuckle for prolonging storage life and safeguarding its bioactive components.

In this work, the gastrointestinal digestive outcome of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide (TFP) was examined using in vitro simulated experiments, together with its effect on the intestinal microbiota. TFP did not significantly alter during the stage of oral digestion, according to an in vitro digestion investigation. Nevertheless, glycosidic connections of TFP were broken throughout the intestinal and stomach digesting phases, which resulted in the dissociation of macromolecular aggregates, a marked rise in decreasing sugar content (CR), as well as a drop in molecular weight (Mw). Additionally, microbial community analysis following fecal fermentation in vitro indicated that TFP might control the alpha and beta diversity of gut microbiota and change the genus- and phylum-level community composition. It increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria including Megasphaera, Phascolarctobacterium, and Bacteroides, and suppressed the growth of harmful bacteria like Escherichia-shigella and Fusobacterium, thus contributing to maintaining gut homeostasis. These results suggested that TFP could have a positive impact on health through enhancing the gut microbiota environment, giving a theoretical basis for its use as a prebiotic.

Microalgae are increasingly regarded as a sustainable source of novel food and functional products due to their nutritional composition. This study aimed to conduct an in-depth analysis of the chemical, microstructural and rheological, and volatile-flavour related properties of Arthrospira, Isochrysis, Nannochloropsis, and Tetraselmis species. Chemometric data analysis was employed to integrate the multivariate data, investigate the classification among the four species, and identify discriminating and distinct features. Arthrospira is high in protein content, and Nannochloropsis is lipid-rich with dominantly polyunsaturated fatty acids. Isochrysis is rich in carotenoids and total phenolics, while Tetraselmis is high in carbohydrates. Key discriminant volatile markers encompass aldehydes, terpenes, and hydrocarbons for Arthrospira; ketones and alcohols for Nannochloropsis; aldehydes, ketones, and sulfur-containing compounds for Tetraselmis; and furans and aldehydes for Isochrysis. Moreover, Arthrospira and Isochrysis demonstrate elevated viscosity and notable thickening potential. In summary, the different microalgal biomass studied in this study showcase unique compositional, rheological, and volatile properties, highlighting their potential as functional ingredients for diverse applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.