International audience | An innovative chemometric method was developed to exploit visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy to guide food formulation to reach the anticipated and constant quality of final products. First, a total of 671 spectral variables related to the puree quality characteristics were identified by spectral variable selection methods. Second, the concentration profiles from multivariate curve resolution-alternative least squares (MCR-ALS) made it possible to reconstruct the identified spectral variables of formulated purees. Partial least square based on the reconstructed Vis-NIR spectral variables was evidenced to predict the final puree quality, such as a* values (RPD = 3.30), total sugars (RPD = 2.64), titratable acidity (RPD = 2.55) and malic acid (RPD = 2.67), based only on the spectral data of composed puree cultivars. These results open the possibility of controlling puree formulation: a multiparameter optimization of the color and taste of final puree products can be obtained using only the VisNIR spectral data of single-cultivar purees.

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.

Soy milk, rich in vitamin D and calcium, is a common alternative to dairy milk. However, its distinct 'beany off-flavor' has limited its acceptance, particularly in Western countries. A new technique employing preformed 'empty' V-type starch has been introduced to scavenge this off-flavor, aiming to promote soy milk consumption. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of consumers' purchase intention of 'empty' V-type starch deodorized soy milk, particularly among college students. In this cross-sectional study, 105 college students were surveyed by a validated survey instrument that measures their perceptions of sensory quality, healthiness, price, environmental friendliness, food safety, and purchase intention of a novel product – 'empty' V-type starch deodorized soy milk. Additionally, demographic data were gathered to understand any correlations between these factors and the students' willingness-to-purchase of the deodorized soy milk. From the results, more than 80% of the participants expressed a positive attitude toward the 'empty' V-type starch-deodorized soy milk. The two dominant drivers behind their purchasing decision were Sensory Quality and Environmental Concern. Accordingly, it is crucial to highlight the improved sensory profile and the environmental friendliness of this soy milk product in order to achieve marketing success.

Umami peptides, the flavor compounds mainly derived from natural proteins, provide a pleasant taste for humans and exhibit a variety of biological activities, such as antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties. Marine proteins, which serve as excellent sources of umami peptides, have become a focal point of research. This review introduces the research progress on reported marine umami peptides. Firstly, it discusses the structural characteristics of umami peptides and the mechanism behind their formation to create an umami taste. It then presents several commonly used techniques for preparing and regulating umami peptides while summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. Finally, this review describes the potential application prospects for core technologies within Industry 4.0—such as molecular simulation, artificial intelligence, big data analysis, cloud computing, and blockchain technology—which could bring new opportunities for the development of marine umami peptides.

In this study, three representative pears ('Yali' Pear, 'Huangguan' Pear, and 'Xuehua' Pear) peel/flesh polyphenol extracts were characterized by their antioxidant activity, polyphenol composition, and in vitro cholesterol/cholates binding capacity. 'Yali' Pear polyphenol extracts were selected to further investigate the mechanism of in vitro cholesterol/cholates lowering capacity. Lagergren adsorption kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models confirmed the occurrence of this combination. Turbidity, average particle size, transmission electron microscopy, and zeta potential combined confirmed the existence of some interaction between polyphenols and cholesterol/cholates. Cholesterol/cholates quenched the exogenous fluorescence of polyphenols by static mechanism. The thermodynamic interaction results revealed that the interaction between polyphenols and cholesterol is a spontaneous process, primarily driven by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Overall, this study aimed to investigate the confirmation of the binding removal properties of pear polyphenols on cholesterol/cholates to mitigate the adverse health effects of a high-fat diet.

The colonic mucosal barrier is an important component of the intestinal barrier, and its integrity is crucial for maintaining digestive tract homeostasis and normal metabolism in the body. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms by which malvidin-3-O-galactoside (M3G) might ameliorate colonic mucosal barrier function, from the perspective of physical barrier function and immune barrier function. Male C57BL/6J mice were given dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to establish a mice model for colitis and then administrated with or without M3G for one week. The results showed that M3G supplementation significantly improved the disease activity index (DAI) score and colon tissue injury in mice with DSS-induced colitis. M3G improved the colonic physical barrier function by modulating the expression of mucin2 (MUC2), claudin-1, occludin, zona occludens 1 (ZO-1), and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (iFABP) in the colonic mucosa. Additionally, M3G also relieved the colonic immune barrier of mice by increasing the level of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in colon tissue and the percentages of CD4+T (CD3+CD4+) and CD8+T (CD3+CD8+) cells in colon lamina propria monocytes in mice. Furthermore, M3G down-regulated Notch signaling pathway-related proteins such as Notch1, notch intracellular domain (NICD), delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4), delta-like ligand 1 (DLL1), and hairy/enhancer of split 1 (Hes1) of colon tissue. The present results demonstrated that M3G can improve colonic mucosal barrier function by inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway.

In this study, static and dynamic desorption methods, infrared spectroscopy and, in vitro antioxidant modeling were used to isolate, purify, and investigate the bioactivity of melanoidins extracted from hypoheat-induced Lycium barbarum L. The results showed that melanoidin fractions with molecular weight in the range of 3−10 kDa were the dominant and most valuable fractions. In the purification phase, the optimal purification conditions were: a loading concentration of 4 mg·mL−1, elution volume of 6 BV, and an elution flow rate of 1 mL·min−1. Purified dominant melanoidin fractions (UF3) exhibited typical Maillard reaction (MR) characteristics in FTIR. The storage stability showed that sunlight and heat treatment exacerbated the instability of the purified UF3. At the same time it was relatively stable under dark conditions and incandescent light, with a retention rate of about 90%. After in vitro digestion, the purified UF3 still exhibited good antioxidant activity, and the DPPH scavenging activity and hydroxyl free radical scavenging ability reached more than 60%.