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.

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.

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.

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.

Cork taint has devastating effects on the aroma and quality of the wine, which can cause an annual loss of may be up to more than one billion dollars. There are many causes of cork taint, but 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA) is a major contributor, giving the wine a wet-moldy smell. This study provided a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, detection, and control/remediation of 2,4,6-TCA. The occurrence and formation mechanisms of 2,4,6-TCA mainly include microbial O-methylation of chlorophenols and chlorination of anisole. The source of 2,4,6-TCA in wine is the cork or other woodworks, but it is also possible to contaminate wine from the environment. Due to the extremely low odor threshold concentration of 2,4,6-TCA, the effective sample pre-enrichment for instrument identification and quantification is more important. The control/remediation strategies of 2,4,6-TCA mainly include eliminating 2,4,6-TCA in cork and removing 2,4,6-TCA from wine by adsorption. Finally, the challenges and possible future research directions in this research field were discussed and proposed.

Cork taint has devastating effects on the aroma and quality of the wine, which can cause an annual loss of may be up to more than one billion dollars. There are many causes of cork taint, but 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA) is a major contributor, giving the wine a wet-moldy smell. This study provided a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, detection, and control/remediation of 2,4,6-TCA. The occurrence and formation mechanisms of 2,4,6-TCA mainly include microbial O-methylation of chlorophenols and chlorination of anisole. The source of 2,4,6-TCA in wine is the cork or other woodworks, but it is also possible to contaminate wine from the environment. Due to the extremely low odor threshold concentration of 2,4,6-TCA, the effective sample pre-enrichment for instrument identification and quantification is more important. The control/remediation strategies of 2,4,6-TCA mainly include eliminating 2,4,6-TCA in cork and removing 2,4,6-TCA from wine by adsorption. Finally, the challenges and possible future research directions in this research field were discussed and proposed.

Cork taint has devastating effects on the aroma and quality of the wine, which can cause an annual loss of may be up to more than one billion dollars. There are many causes of cork taint, but 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA) is a major contributor, giving the wine a wet-moldy smell. This study provided a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, detection, and control/remediation of 2,4,6-TCA. The occurrence and formation mechanisms of 2,4,6-TCA mainly include microbial O-methylation of chlorophenols and chlorination of anisole. The source of 2,4,6-TCA in wine is the cork or other woodworks, but it is also possible to contaminate wine from the environment. Due to the extremely low odor threshold concentration of 2,4,6-TCA, the effective sample pre-enrichment for instrument identification and quantification is more important. The control/remediation strategies of 2,4,6-TCA mainly include eliminating 2,4,6-TCA in cork and removing 2,4,6-TCA from wine by adsorption. Finally, the challenges and possible future research directions in this research field were discussed and proposed.

Plant seeds from the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family are commonly edible. However, little has been done to study the phytochemicals of red clover (Trifolium pratense) seeds. Our study aims to obtain comprehensive and novel findings on red clover seeds and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)-extracted oil, with the purpose of exploring their potential as a new source of functional ingredients for food and health care products. In our study, red clover seed oil was extracted by supercritical CO2. Forty-four phytochemical compounds were preliminarily identified in red clover seeds and the extracted oil by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS metabolomics method. These compounds mainly belong to lipids, phenolic compounds, terpenoids and phytosterols. Red clover seeds contain fatty acids (4,676.1 mg/100 g dried seeds) and bioactive components such as phenolic compounds (228.4 mg/100 g) and tocopherols (94.9 mg/100 g). In red clover seed oil, unsaturated fatty acids are over 83% and are rich in linoleic acid (54.7 g/100 g oil) and oleic acid (14.0 g/100 g oil). These findings provide important guidance for introducing red clover seed oil into pharmaceutical products or as functional foods.

Plant seeds from the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family are commonly edible. However, little has been done to study the phytochemicals of red clover (Trifolium pratense) seeds. Our study aims to obtain comprehensive and novel findings on red clover seeds and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)-extracted oil, with the purpose of exploring their potential as a new source of functional ingredients for food and health care products. In our study, red clover seed oil was extracted by supercritical CO2. Forty-four phytochemical compounds were preliminarily identified in red clover seeds and the extracted oil by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS metabolomics method. These compounds mainly belong to lipids, phenolic compounds, terpenoids and phytosterols. Red clover seeds contain fatty acids (4,676.1 mg/100 g dried seeds) and bioactive components such as phenolic compounds (228.4 mg/100 g) and tocopherols (94.9 mg/100 g). In red clover seed oil, unsaturated fatty acids are over 83% and are rich in linoleic acid (54.7 g/100 g oil) and oleic acid (14.0 g/100 g oil). These findings provide important guidance for introducing red clover seed oil into pharmaceutical products or as functional foods.

Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea are among the primary fungal pathogens of fruits, causing black spot and gray mold disease, respectively. They cause serious losses in yield as well as affect fruit quality. Controlling fruit postharvest diseases largely relies on the use of chemical fungicides. However, the overuse of fungicides makes the produce unsafe due to their residual effects on the environment and human health. Therefore, significant advancements are necessary to investigate and find sustainable ways to prevent postharvest disease of fruits and minimize postharvest losses. This review summarizes the recent developments in the application of biological control and other sustainable approaches in managing fruit postharvest diseases, with an emphasis on A. alternata and B. cinerea, respectively. Furthermore, several action mechanisms, challenges, and prospects for the application of biological control agents (BCAs) are also discussed. Biological control application has been proven to successfully reduce postharvest disease of fruits caused by A. alternata and B. cinerea. In recent years, it has gradually changed from being primarily an independent field to a more crucial part of integrated pest management. Due to their characteristics that are safe, eco-friendly, and non-toxic, several BCAs have also been developed and commercialized. Therefore, biological control has the potential to be a promising approach to replace the use of chemical fungicides in controlling postharvest disease of fruits.

Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea are among the primary fungal pathogens of fruits, causing black spot and gray mold disease, respectively. They cause serious losses in yield as well as affect fruit quality. Controlling fruit postharvest diseases largely relies on the use of chemical fungicides. However, the overuse of fungicides makes the produce unsafe due to their residual effects on the environment and human health. Therefore, significant advancements are necessary to investigate and find sustainable ways to prevent postharvest disease of fruits and minimize postharvest losses. This review summarizes the recent developments in the application of biological control and other sustainable approaches in managing fruit postharvest diseases, with an emphasis on A. alternata and B. cinerea, respectively. Furthermore, several action mechanisms, challenges, and prospects for the application of biological control agents (BCAs) are also discussed. Biological control application has been proven to successfully reduce postharvest disease of fruits caused by A. alternata and B. cinerea. In recent years, it has gradually changed from being primarily an independent field to a more crucial part of integrated pest management. Due to their characteristics that are safe, eco-friendly, and non-toxic, several BCAs have also been developed and commercialized. Therefore, biological control has the potential to be a promising approach to replace the use of chemical fungicides in controlling postharvest disease of fruits.

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.

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.

Carboxypeptidase A(CPA) has a great potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industry due to its capability to hydrolyze ochratoxin A(OTA) and remove the bitterness of peptide. However, CPA is a mesophilic enzyme that cannot adequately exert its catalytic activity at elevated temperatures, which seriously restricts its industrial application. In this study, the rational design of disulfide bonds was introduced to improve the thermostability of CPA. The highly flexible regions of CPA were predicted through the HotSpot Wizard program and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Then, DbD and MODIP online servers were conducted to predict potential residue pairs for introducing disulfide bonds in CPA. After the conservativeness analysis of the PSSM matrix and the structural analysis of the MD simulation, two mutants with potentially enhanced thermostability were screened. Results showed that these mutants D93C/F96C and K153C/S251C compared to the wild-type(WT) exhibited increase by 10 and 10 °C in Topt, 3.4 and 2.7 min in t1/2 at 65 °C, in addition to rise of 8.5 and 11.4 °C in T5015, respectively. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism responsible for thermostability was investigated from the perspective of advanced structure and molecular interactions. The enhanced thermostability of both mutants was not only associated with the more stable secondary structure and the introduction of disulfide bonds but also related to the changes in hydrogen bonds and the redistribution of surface charges in mutant regions. This study showed for the first time that the rational design of disulfide bonds is an effective strategy to enhance the thermostability of CPA, providing in this way a broader industrial application.

Carboxypeptidase A(CPA) has a great potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industry due to its capability to hydrolyze ochratoxin A(OTA) and remove the bitterness of peptide. However, CPA is a mesophilic enzyme that cannot adequately exert its catalytic activity at elevated temperatures, which seriously restricts its industrial application. In this study, the rational design of disulfide bonds was introduced to improve the thermostability of CPA. The highly flexible regions of CPA were predicted through the HotSpot Wizard program and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Then, DbD and MODIP online servers were conducted to predict potential residue pairs for introducing disulfide bonds in CPA. After the conservativeness analysis of the PSSM matrix and the structural analysis of the MD simulation, two mutants with potentially enhanced thermostability were screened. Results showed that these mutants D93C/F96C and K153C/S251C compared to the wild-type(WT) exhibited increase by 10 and 10 °C in Topt, 3.4 and 2.7 min in t1/2 at 65 °C, in addition to rise of 8.5 and 11.4 °C in T5015, respectively. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism responsible for thermostability was investigated from the perspective of advanced structure and molecular interactions. The enhanced thermostability of both mutants was not only associated with the more stable secondary structure and the introduction of disulfide bonds but also related to the changes in hydrogen bonds and the redistribution of surface charges in mutant regions. This study showed for the first time that the rational design of disulfide bonds is an effective strategy to enhance the thermostability of CPA, providing in this way a broader industrial application.

Lily bulbs are valued for their health benefits, and drying is a common method for their preservation. This study employed untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-QTOF-MS to analyze the phytochemical profiles of lily bulbs dried by hot air (HD), microwave (MD), and vacuum freeze (FD) methods. In terms of appearance, FD samples exhibited minimal browning and wrinkling, while HD bulbs showed the most severe changes. Nineteen potential markers were identified, with HD samples showing higher levels of bitter amino acids, peptides, and N-fructosyl phenylalanine. The markers of FD samples were glutamine, coumarin, and p-coumaric acid. Notably, eleutheroside E was detected in lily bulbs for the first time and confirmed as an MD marker, with levels 1.51-fold and 6.19-fold higher than in FD and HD samples, respectively. MD method shows promise for enriching bioactive compounds in dried lily bulbs.

Lily bulbs are valued for their health benefits, and drying is a common method for their preservation. This study employed untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-QTOF-MS to analyze the phytochemical profiles of lily bulbs dried by hot air (HD), microwave (MD), and vacuum freeze (FD) methods. In terms of appearance, FD samples exhibited minimal browning and wrinkling, while HD bulbs showed the most severe changes. Nineteen potential markers were identified, with HD samples showing higher levels of bitter amino acids, peptides, and N-fructosyl phenylalanine. The markers of FD samples were glutamine, coumarin, and p-coumaric acid. Notably, eleutheroside E was detected in lily bulbs for the first time and confirmed as an MD marker, with levels 1.51-fold and 6.19-fold higher than in FD and HD samples, respectively. MD method shows promise for enriching bioactive compounds in dried lily bulbs.

Given the side effects associated with synthetic antihypertensive drugs, there is a growing need among researchers to investigate angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides derived from food protein as safer therapeutic alternatives. This study used seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) seed meal as the raw material, and the protein was extracted by alkaline extraction and acid precipitation. After enzymatic digestion, peptides with molecular weight less than 3 kDa were selected for study. The screened peptide had an IC50 value of 4.358 mg/mL on ACE with a non-competitive inhibition mechanism and good inhibition stability. By employing infrared (IR) analysis, exclusively β-fold and β-helix structures were identified in the hydrolysate, while no other structural motifs were detected. X-ray diffraction revealed that it had an irregular amorphous structure. The peptide contains 17 amino acids that are both highly acidic and hydrophobic, with glutamic acid ranking first in terms of the number of individual amino acids. Compared with the database (NCBI, Uniport), ten peptides with ACE inhibitory activity were detected, and molecular docking showed the mechanism of each peptide inhibiting ACE, FRVAWTEKNDGQRAPLANN, LIISVAYARVAKKLWLCNMIGDVT-TEQY, VIRSRASDGCLEVKEFEDIPP, AGGGG-GGGGGGSRRL, LQPREGPAGGTT-ALREELSLGPEAALDTPPAGP, DDEARINQLFL, FAVSTLTSYDWSDRDDATQGR-KL, RQLSLEGSGLGVEDLKDN, GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGIGGGGGGGGGGGAR, and KEALGEGCFGNRIDRIGD. According to the results, AGGGGGG-GGGGSRRL is more stable in binding to ACE and may have better inhibitory activity. It has been shown that seabuckthorn protein can be an alternative source of ACE inhibitory peptides.

Given the side effects associated with synthetic antihypertensive drugs, there is a growing need among researchers to investigate angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides derived from food protein as safer therapeutic alternatives. This study used seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) seed meal as the raw material, and the protein was extracted by alkaline extraction and acid precipitation. After enzymatic digestion, peptides with molecular weight less than 3 kDa were selected for study. The screened peptide had an IC50 value of 4.358 mg/mL on ACE with a non-competitive inhibition mechanism and good inhibition stability. By employing infrared (IR) analysis, exclusively β-fold and β-helix structures were identified in the hydrolysate, while no other structural motifs were detected. X-ray diffraction revealed that it had an irregular amorphous structure. The peptide contains 17 amino acids that are both highly acidic and hydrophobic, with glutamic acid ranking first in terms of the number of individual amino acids. Compared with the database (NCBI, Uniport), ten peptides with ACE inhibitory activity were detected, and molecular docking showed the mechanism of each peptide inhibiting ACE, FRVAWTEKNDGQRAPLANN, LIISVAYARVAKKLWLCNMIGDVT-TEQY, VIRSRASDGCLEVKEFEDIPP, AGGGG-GGGGGGSRRL, LQPREGPAGGTT-ALREELSLGPEAALDTPPAGP, DDEARINQLFL, FAVSTLTSYDWSDRDDATQGR-KL, RQLSLEGSGLGVEDLKDN, GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGIGGGGGGGGGGGAR, and KEALGEGCFGNRIDRIGD. According to the results, AGGGGGG-GGGGSRRL is more stable in binding to ACE and may have better inhibitory activity. It has been shown that seabuckthorn protein can be an alternative source of ACE inhibitory peptides.