In this study, the interaction mechanism of isoflavones with β-conglycinin (BGG) and its effect on the structure and potential allergenicity of their complex were investigated. Fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism spectroscopy were used to analyze the types of quenching, the number of binding sites, the types of forces and the secondary structure content of BGG complexes with one of the two soy isoflavones genistein (Gen) and daidzein (Dai). The structure of isoflavone-BGG complexes prepared under different conditions was characterized, and the potential allergenicity of the complexes were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting. The result showed that isoflavones caused a static quench of the fluorescence of BGG, and the interaction was dominated by hydrophobic interactions, with one binding site. Furthermore, the interaction with isoflavones induced an increase in the polarity of the amino acid microenvironment of BGG, which led to unfolding of the peptide chain and a looser structure. ELISA and immunoblotting of digestion products showed that the potential allergenicity of the protein was enhanced by the binding of isoflavones. The results of this study would be helpful to understand how isoflavones affect the allergenicity of allergenic proteins in complex food matrices, and be significant for its further development and utilization for allergenicity reduction.

Crustacean products are popular for its rich nutritional value, despite causing serious allergy symptoms. The presence of allergens is one of the main factors restricting the further development of the consumer market of crustacean products. The Maillard reaction widely exists in the processing and storage of aquatic products and can affect the allergenicity of foods. This review systematically introduces readers to the Maillard reaction, and summarizes the recent progress in research on the structure and epitopes of crustacean allergens. More importantly, it reviews the changes in the allergenicity of crustacean allergens after Maillard reaction and the underlying mechanism. It is our hope that this paper will provide a reference for controlling and reducing the allergenicity of crustacean products by Maillard reaction.

To compare the allergenicity of native arginine kinase (nAK) and recombinant AK (rAK) from Scylla paramamosain and to identify the predominant allergenic domain of AK, AK was divided into 4 fragments: AK-E1 (amino acid (AA) 1–92), AK-E2 (AA 87–187), AK-E3 (AA 172–265), and AK-E4 (AA 276–357) based on the distribution of epitopes and the spatial structure of the AK molecule. The four recombinant fragments were expressed in the prokaryotic system Escherichia coli, and then nAK, rAK, and the recombinant fragments were purified. The allergenicity of recombinant proteins were evaluated using BALB/c mice. The results showed that the levels of specific antibodies in the serum and the secretion of Th2 type cytokines by the splenocytes of mice sensitized with rAK significantly increased, but the immunogenicity of rAK was weaker than that of nAK. Among the 4 fragments of AK, AK-E2 had the strongest immunogenicity. Meanwhile, rAK could stimulate RBL-2H3 cells to release β-hexokinase, but it was less effective than nAK. Among the 4 expressed fragments, AK-E2 and AK-E4 had a stronger stimulating effect on effector cells. In conclusion, the rAK expressed in the prokaryotic system showed weaker immunogenicity than nAK, and among the 4 fragments of AK, AA 87–187 has the strongest immunogenicity while AA 276–357 has the strongest immunoreactivity.

In this study, high-internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) were prepared by high speed shearing using quinoa protein isolate (QPI) as interfacial particles, corn oil as dispersed phase, and beef bone broth or beef powder solution as continuous phase, and their rheological properties, thermodynamic properties, color and volatile components were analyzed. The results showed that all 5 emulsions exhibited obvious shear thinning behavior of a pseudoplastic fluid, and their apparent viscosities decreased with the increase in shear rate. However, at the same shear rate, the emulsion with fish gelatin added to the aqueous phase showed the highest viscosity, which was more conducive to simulating the sticky taste of beef tallow. Addition of fish gelatin or starch into the aqueous phase significantly increased the storage modulus (G’), loss modulus (G”) and viscoelastic properties of Pickering emulsions, and the emulsion with fish gelatin had better viscoelastic properties and rheological properties closer to those of beef tallow than the emulsion with starch. Adding fish gelatin to the aqueous phase containing beef bone broth significantly increased the brightness and whiteness of Pickering emulsion (P < 0.05), whereas the opposite effect was observed when the aqueous phase was beef powder solution. Moreover, adding starch or fish gelatin into the aqueous phase could significantly increase the melting point of quinoa protein-stabilized Pickering emulsion. The results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that using beef bone broth as the aqueous phase increased the contents of flavor components such as hexanal, 4-isopropyl toluene, and pentadecylene, imparting the emulsion with part of the flavor of beef tallow. The composition of flavor components in the emulsion with beef powder solution was similar to that in the emulsion with beef bone broth, but the content of flavor compounds was lower in the emulsion with beef powder solution than with beef bone broth. In summary, quinoa protein-stabilized Pickering emulsion with an aqueous phase containing bovine bone broth and fish gelatin showed similar rheological properties, appearance and volatile flavor composition to beef tallow, and it possessed higher melting point, showing its potential and sustained research value in simulating saturated fat.

The polysaccharide purified from Undaria pinnatifida Suringar was phosphorylated using phosphate as a cross-linking agent. The structure of the phosphorylated polysaccharide was characterized by ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), periodate oxidation and Smith degradation, Congo red test, β-elimination reaction, and iodine-potassium iodide test, and the free radical scavenging capacity and hypoglycemic activity of the raw and modified polysaccharide were evaluated. The results showed that the substitution degree of phosphate was 9.26, and the characteristic absorption peaks of P=O and P–O–C appeared at 1 216 and 886 cm-1, indicating that the phosphorylation modification was successful. The maximum relative molecular mass of the phosphorylated polysaccharide was 94.4 × 103. It had a triple-stranded helical structure and was composed of glucopyranose unis linked together by β-glycosidic bonds. The polysaccharide and amino acids were linked together mainly by –O– glycopeptide bonds. The main linkages between monosaccharides were 1→3, 1→2,1→4 and 1→6 glycosidic bonds, the molar ratio was 0.494:0.504:0.002, and the sugar chain had a branched structure. The scavenging capacity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, superoxide anion radical (O2-·) and hydroxyl radical (·OH) and the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the polysaccharide were significantly increased by 34.76%, 12.30%, 76.05% and 3.70% after the phosphorylation modification (P < 0.05), indicating that phosphorylation modification enhanced the free radical scavenging capacity and hypoglycemic activity of the polysaccharide from Undaria pinnatifida Suringar.

In this study, the structural evolution of mung bean globular amyloid fibrils (MBGFs) during the formation process was investigated with different acid-heat treatment times, and the emulsification properties of MBGFs were also explored at each stage of the formation process. The results showed that the subunits of mung bean globulin (MBG) were gradually degraded and hydrolyzed into fibrous structure units mainly composed of small peptides during 0–12 h of heating. And a large number of β-sheet structures were produced, and its relative content increased from an initial level of (18.28 ± 0.75)% to (53.61 ± 1.15)% over the 12 heating period. Enhanced fluorescence intensity was recorded after combination with thioflavin-T. Morphologically, MBGFs gradually became elongated and pliable, and oriented fibril aggregation occurred in the heating process. Between 16 and 24 h, the structure of mature MBGFs gradually was dissociated and the structural characteristics of the fibers were destroyed. The emulsification activity, emulsion stability, protein adsorption rate and interfacial protein content of MBGF were significantly improved compared with those of MBG. MBGFs formed by acid-heat treatment for 4 h had the best emulsification properties. Oil droplets in the MBGF emulsion were small in size, uniformly and orderly distributed, and the emulsion had the highest apparent viscosity and showed an elastic gel structure. In conclusion, different acid-heat treatment times had significant effects on the structure and emulsification properties of MBGFs, and MBGFs had better emulsification properties than MBG. This study will provide theoretical support for clarifying the formation of MBGFs and ideas for the development of highly efficient food-grade emulsifiers.

In this study, 12 phenolic acids were theoretically calculated using the M06-2X functional. To explain their antioxidant and solvation effects, bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE), ionization potential (IP), proton dissociation enthalpy (PDE), proton affinity (PA) and electron transfer enthalpy (ETE) were calculated for each phenolic acid in the gas phase and solvents. The results showed that the BDE of gentianic acid (C5) in the gas phase was the lowest. In terms of BDE, caffeic acid (C6) had the strongest antioxidant effect in benzene, gentianic acid (C5) in acetone, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol (C2) in ethanol and water. In terms of IP, resveratrol had the best antioxidant activity in 4 solvents and in the gas phase. The antioxidant mechanism of phenolic acids was mainly related to hydrogen atom transfer (HAT). It was found that the ability of dehydrogenated anions and cations of phenolic acids to generate dehydrogenated free radicals was consistent with the influence of solvent polarity on IP, BDE, PDE, PA and ETE. In general, the antioxidant capacity of phenolic acids was the strongest in the weakly polar solvent acetone, followed by the strongly polar solvents water and ethanol, and phenolic acids had the weakest antioxidant capacity in non-polar solvents.

The composition of phenolics extracted from unripe banana flesh was identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS), and the inhibitory effects of banana polyphenols on α-amylase and α-glucosidase were estimated in vitro. In total, 28 compounds were identified, including 21 polyphenols such as esculetin, hyperoside, and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, 2 organic acids, 3 ellagitannin metabolites, vanillin and coumarin. In addition, dimethyl ellagic acid and urolithin A were the major chromatographic peaks. Banana polyphenols exhibited excellent inhibitory effects on both α-amylase and α-glucosidase with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.53 mg/mL and 35.76 µg/mL, respectively. At concentrations of 1.0 mg/mL and 160 µg/mL, the inhibition rates of α-amylase activity and α-glucosidase were (76.25 ± 3.79)% and (92.54 ± 0.69)%, respectively. Therefore, polyphenols may be one of the active ingredients contributing to the anti-hypoglycemic effect of unripe bananas.

Objective: To prepare antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as a new alternative to antibiotics from walnut glutenin. Methods: AMPs were prepared by solid-state fermentation using Bacillus subtilis synchronized with alkaline protease treatment, separated, purified, and screened by successive ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and molecular docking. The stability of AMPs was studied by using Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as indicator strains. Results: fractions WGP-IIIA and WGP-IIIC, obtained after gel filtration chromatography, had strong antibacterial activity. By LC-MS/MS combined with virtual screening, 6 peptides were identified from the 2 fractions, and 3 peptides were obtained by molecular docking, namely LAEAYNIPDTIARRL from WGP-IIIA and SHSVIYVIR and APQLLYIVK from WGP-IIIC. The results of molecular docking showed that the antibacterial activity of WGP-IIIC was stronger. The AMPs were stable to high temperature, ultraviolet light, varying pH and different proteases. Conclusion: Walnut AMPs have application value in the field of food preservation.

In this study, crude polysaccharides from soybean and natto were prepared by water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation. The chemical compositions, structural characteristics, water solubility, water-holding capacity (WHC) and fat-binding capacity (FBC) of soybean and natto polysaccharides were analyzed. Their in vitro antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and lipid-lowering activities were compared and analyzed. The results showed that the content of uronic acid was significantly higher in natto polysaccharide than in soybean polysaccharide (P < 0.05). The molecular masses of soybean and natto polysaccharides were 5.256 and 33.532 ku, respectively, and the monosaccharide compositions of soybean and natto polysaccharides were similar in the types but different in the proportions of monosaccharide. The surface of soybean polysaccharide was rough, whereas the surface of natto polysaccharide was smooth and dense. The water solubility of natto polysaccharide was 2.04 times as high as that of soybean polysaccharide, and the FBC was 2.99 times as high as that of natto polysaccharide. Natto polysaccharide exhibited better antioxidant activity, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of (0.049 ± 0.015) and (2.640 ± 0.072) mg/mL for scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical, respectively. The IC50 for the inhibition of α-amylase activity by natto polysaccharide was (3.297 ± 0.395) mg/mL. Natto polysaccharide had significantly higher in vitro hypoglycemic activity (P < 0.05), stronger cholate binding capacity and in vitro hypolipidemic activity than soybean polysaccharide. This study has provided an important theoretical basis for the structural analysis and biological activity evaluation of natto polysaccharide.

In this study, 1.5% (m/m) tilapia myofibrillar protein (MP) and corn oil (0%, 10%, 68% or 70%, V/V) were used to prepare emulsions. Molecular dynamics (MD) combined with Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the structural changes of MP adsorbed at the emulsion interface. MD simulation showed that the spatial conformation of myosin was changed when the protein adsorbed onto the interface of emulsions with different proportions of oil phase; the secondary structure contained about 48% α-helix, and the structure remained relatively stable after the protein adsorbed onto the interface. The change of myosin spatial conformation was accompanied by the increase of solvent accessible surface area (SASA) and the enhancement of hydrophobic interaction, which made the emulsion stable. Raman spectra showed secondary structural changes similar to those of MD. In addition, Raman spectroscopy results showed that tryptophan (Trp) and tyrosine (Tyr) residues were exposed on the protein surface and participated in hydrogen bond formation and hydrophobic interaction, which was conducive to the stability of the emulsion system. In conclusion, changes in the spatial conformation and the microenvironment of side chain groups of MP adsorbed at the oil/water interface of emulsions can promote the hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction between protein molecules, and consequently the formation of a tight interfacial film at the oil/water interface, which is conducive to improving the stability of emulsions.

In order to determine compounds present in the aqueous extract of Cinnamomum kanehirae Hay (CWE) that promote the asexual sporulation of Antrodia cinnamomea in submerged fermentation. First, CWE was isolated by alcohol precipitation and fractional extraction with different organic solvents. The influence of the obtained fractions on the asexual sporulation of A. cinnamomea was investigated. It was showed that the chloroform (at 30 μg/mL) and ethyl acetate (at 50 μg/mL) extracts of the supernatant after ethanol precipitation of CWE presented remarkable promoting effects on the sporulation of A. cinnamomea, and the effect of LFE was significantly more pronounced than that of YZE, indicating that both LFE and YZE contained compounds that promote the sporulation of A. cinnamomea. Subsequently, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to analyze the chemical components of the fractions obtained from CWE, and erythritol was considered as the major component that promotes the sporulation of A. cinnamomea. Finally, the effect of erythritol with a purity of 98% on the fermentation performance of A. cinnamomead was investigated. The result showed that erythritol did significantly promote the sporulation of A. cinnamomea and increased the spore production by 55.17% compared with the control group at the optimal concentration of 1.0 μg/mL. Meanwhile, 1.0 μg/mL erythritol significantly promoted the mycelial growth and synthesis of intracellular polysaccharides (IPS) of A. cinnamomea in submerged fermentation and increased the biomass and the yield of IPS by 18.65% and 260.13%, respectively. However, erythritol had no significant effect on the synthesis of triterpenes in A. cinnamomea.

The changes in the microbial niche and community assembly of fermented grains for Nongxiangxing baijiu during fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae were analyzed to explore the mechanism for the influence of inoculation with S. cerevisiae on the microbial succession of fermented grains. In this study, a strain of S. cerevisiae isolated from fermented grains for Nongxiangxing baijiu was inoculated into distilled grains for fermentation experiments, and the microbial community structures of fermented grains with (experimental) and without (control) inoculation with S. cerevisiae were studied by high-throughput sequencing technology, and the niche changes of the control and experimental groups were studied by statistical analysis, and the mechanism of microbial community assembly was analyzed by the zero model. The results showed that compared with the control group, the diversity, species composition and niche width of microbial communities in the experimental group decreased, and the relative content of specialized species groups increased. In the co-occurrence network, the relative abundance of specialized species in the major modules of the experimental group increased, and the network complexity increased. The assembly of microbial communities in the two groups was mainly dominated by random processes, while ecological drift and homogeneous diffusion in the experimental group were less important for community construction, which made the microbial community succession more certain. This study revealed the ecological function of S. cerevisiae in Nongxiangxing baijiu fermentation, which could have an important impact on baijiu fermentation.

In order to clarify the succession pattern and potential functions of the microbial communities in fermented grains for Nongxiangxing baijiu, high-throughput sequencing was used to investigate the dynamic change of microbial community structure, and the correlations between microbial community structure and physicochemical indicators were analyzed at different fermentation stages. Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) was used to predict the potential functions of microbial communities in fermented grains. The results showed that Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota were the dominant phyla in fermented grains. The dominant genera were Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Thermoactinomyces, Kazachstania, Wickerhamomyces, Penicillium, Candida, Aspergillus, Meyerozyma, Debaryomyces, with Lactobacillus, Kazachstania and Wickerhamomyces being the absolutely dominant ones. The contents of reducing sugar and starch showed a significantly positive correlation with 8 bacterial genera (P < 0.05). Acidity and moisture content showed a significantly negative correlation with 10 bacterial genera. Some fungi were significantly correlated with physicochemical indicators. PICRUSt analysis showed that the relative abundance of functional enzymes was significantly different at different fermentation stages, and the dominant microorganisms in fermented grains participated in glycolysis, acid metabolism and ethanol synthesis to form a complete metabolic chain, indicating that the microbial community succession of fermented grains could be the major reason for the differences in metabolism at different fermentation stages. The findings of this study would provide a theoretical basis for the study of the metabolic mechanisms of microorganisms used for baijiu brewing.

In order to improve the quality and flavor of fermented sausages, the effects of mixtures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y-8 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Z43 in different proportions on the physical and chemical properties, volatile flavor compounds and fatty acids of fermented sausages were explored. The volatile flavor compounds and fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively. The results showed that the addition of S. cerevisiae Y-8 promoted the production of esters and alcohols, reduced the acetic acid content, increased the final pH and the relative content of oleic acid, and rapidly reduced the number of enterobacteria in fermented sausages. Based on variable importance in the projection (VIP > 1) values obtained from the model established using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), 17 differential volatile flavor compounds were identified, which could effectively distinguish among all fermented sausage samples. Fermented sausage inoculated with L. plantarum Z43 and S. cerevisiae Y-8 in a ratio of 20:1 (the inoculum amount of L. plantarum Z43 was 107 CFU/g) had the highest overall sensory evaluation score and chrominance value, and its hardness was significantly higher than that of the other groups (P < 0.05). In addition, its content of 3-hydroxy-2-butanone was apparently higher than those of the other three groups. Inoculation with S. cerevisiae Y-8 could impart fermented sausages with high alcoholic and estery aromas, effectively eliminate the sour taste, and improve the quality and safety of fermented sausages. This finding can provide a reference for the application of S. cerevisiae in fermented meat products.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the protective effect of Armillaria mellea polysaccharides (AMP) against ethanol-induced vascular endothelial cell injury in rats. Altogether 40 SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal control, injury, low- and high-dose AMP. The rats from all groups except the normal control group were gavaged with 40% ethanol at 10 mL/kg mb to induce endothelial cell injury. The rats in the low- and high-dose groups were gavaged with AMP at 100 and 400 mg/kg mb, respectively, while the remaining groups were given an equal volume of physiological saline. The administration period lasted for 4 weeks. The histopathological changes of carotid arteries were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (T-CHO), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nitric oxide (NO), endothelin 1 (ET-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected. In addition, the effects of different doses (100 and 400 μg/mL) of AMP on the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial transmembrane potential, apoptosis, and the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins such as B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), and caspase-3 in human umbilical vein endothelial cell injured by 600 μmol/mL ethanol were investigated. Results: AMP attenuated ethanol-induced endothelial cell injury, decreased T-CHO, TG, LDL-C, iNOS, NO, ET-1, and MDA levels, and increased HDL-C and SOD activity. In vitro, AMP reduced cellular ROS levels, inhibited the ethanol-induced decrease in mitochondrial transmembrane potential and apoptosis, increased Bcl-2/Bax ratio and down-regulated the expression of cleaved caspase-3. Conclusion: AMP have a protective effect against ethanol-induced endothelial cell injury in rats, and the mechanism may be related to their lipid-lowering, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic effects.

Objective: To explore the preventive effect of Lactobacillus paracasei FZU103 (LP-FZU103) on alcoholic liver injury (ALI). Methods: Altogether 36 specific pathogen free- (SPF-) grade ICR mice were randomly divided into three groups: control, model and experimental (LP-FZU103 intervention). After the six-week experiment, body mass, organ coefficients, serum and liver biochemical indexes, liver histopathology and inflammatory cytokines, the transcription of liver function-related genes and intestinal flora composition were measured. Results: Compared with the model group, intervention of LP-FZU103 improved the organ coefficients and pathological liver damage in ALI mice, significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) as well as the activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the serum, increased the serum concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), significantly increased the activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of glutathione (GSH) in the liver, and decreased MDA content and interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) levels in the liver. Moreover, LP-FZU103 intervention significantly up-regulated the mRNA expression level of the lipid metabolism-related gene Ldlr and down-regulated the mRNA expression level of Acc1, Hmgcr and Cd36 as well as increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus paracasei in the gut of mice. Conclusion: LP-FZU103 intervention can prevent and control the occurrence of alcoholic liver injury in mice, which is closely related to the improved intestinal flora and liver metabolic function.

Objective: To explore the hypolipidemic activity and toxic side effect of lansiumamide B (LB) from chicken-heart shaped wampee (Clausena lansium) seeds in C57BL/6J mice fed on a high-fat-diet (HFD) model. Methods: The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of LB in mice was assessed by oral acute toxicity test. HFD-fed mice were intragastrically administered with LB at 1/100, 1/50 and 1/25 NOAEL for 4 weeks. To evaluate the lipid-lowering activity of LB, body mass, serum lipids, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress indicators were measured. Results: The NOAEL of LB was 2 g/kg mb. LB significantly reduced body mass in HFD-fed mice. Compared with the HFD model group, body mass decreased by 15.51% and Lee’s index declined by 3.25% in the high-dose LB group; the concentration of high-density lipid-cholesterol (HDL-C) increased by 38.04%, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) in the serum increased by 41.86%, 41.95%, and 105.50%, respectively. Conclusion: LB within the NOAEL range has significant lipid-lowering activity in mice without obvious toxicity.

Quantitative descriptive sensory analysis (QDSA), gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) and Heracles NEO electronic nose (E-nose) combined with chemometrics were used for differential analysis of volatile compounds in essential oils (EOs) extracted from sweet orange peels (blood and navel) using cold pressing (CP), microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) or spinning cone column (SCC). The results indicated that significant variations in flavor composition were found among the three EOs. The CP oil had the highest sensory preference with stronger fruity, sweet, and floral aromas. The MAHD oil had stronger fatty, green, and woody aromas, and the SCC oil had a lower aroma intensity. A total of 64 volatile components were identified by GC-IMS, terpenes, alcohols and aldehydes being the major ones, followed by acids, esters and other compounds. The fingerprint indicated that the contents of terpenes in the CP and MAHD oils were significantly higher than that in the SCC oil, whereas the contents of alcohols and aldehydes in the MAHD and SCC oils were significantly higher than those in the CP oil. Based on relative odor activity value (ROAV), β-myrcene and linalool were identified as the major contributors to the flavor of sweet orange EO. Moreover, using GC-IMS combined with partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and variable importance in the projection (VIP), 13 differential volatile compounds were identified as aroma markers to distinguish among the 6 oils. Additionally, E-nose combined with principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant factor analysis (DFA) also successfully distinguished among the 6 EOs according to their volatile compounds.

In order to improve the accuracy and reliability of the prediction results of the vitamin C (VC) content in potatoes by hyperspectral imaging, a method for constructing input variables for predictive models based on Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA) separable data fusion was proposed. First, hyperspectral information of 200 potato samples was collected by hyperspectral imaging technology, and by comparing the modeling results obtained with the spectral data before and after preprocessing by 6 spectral preprocessing methods, multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) was determined as the optimal preprocessing method. Second, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), successive projections algorithm (SPA) and CARS-SPA algorithm were used to extract the feature wavelengths, and 34 effective feature wavelengths were finally determined through comparative analysis. Third, the effective feature wavelengths were fused by FDA to achieve data separability, and the fused new variables were screened for their capacity to discriminate the differences among samples in order to determine the input variables for predictive models. Finally, predictive models using partial least squares (PLS) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) were established based on the variables selected before and after FDA fusion, and the results from these models were compared and analyzed. It was shown that the correlation coefficient of the BPNN model increased from 0.972 6 to 0.999 0, and the root mean square error (RMSE) reduced from 0.772 3 to 0.172 7 when the 34 effective feature wavelengths extracted by CARS were used for FDA fusion and the first three fused variables were used as the input variables, which not only greatly reduced data dimensionality, but also improved the accuracy of the detection results. Therefore, constructing input variables for the detection model based on FDA separable data fusion could improve the accuracy of the detection of potato VC content.

In order to identify the differences in flavor among different grades of stir-fried Pixian broad bean paste, solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS), GC-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and odor activity value (OAV) were applied to determine the key flavor compounds. The results showed that SPME-GC-MS identified 88 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including 15 aldehydes, 11 alcohols, 17 esters, 13 ketones, 5 acids, 5 olefins, 6 alkanes, 7 heterocycles, 2 phenols, 7 ethers and other compounds. Among them, 34 were common to all samples. A total of 57 compounds were identified by GC-IMS, and 16 key flavor compounds with variable importance in the projection (VIP) values > 1 were identified by OPLS-DA. According to their OAV values, ethyl butyrate contributed to the apple-like aroma of super grade Pixian broad bean paste, and isovaleraldehyde contributed to its malty aroma; ethyl isovalerate contributed to the fruity aroma of first grade Pixian broad bean paste, and 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde was responsible for its roasted potato-like and soy sauce-like aroma; ethyl isbutyric acid contributed to the fruity aroma of second grade Pixian broad bean paste, and isovaleraldehyde and isobutyraldehyde were responsible for its malty aroma. Finally, it was determined that the overall aroma characteristics of stir-fried Pixian broad bean paste were fruity, wine-like, malty, sour, herbaceous, cocoa-like, almond-like and soy sauce-like. These results can serve as references for determining the aroma characteristics of stir-fried Pixian bean paste in the future, and provide a basis for the early design of sensory descriptors for quantitative descriptive analysis.

Volatiles are an important aspect of the flavor quality of tomato fruits. However, whether volatiles in tomato fruits respond to the regulation of exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) remains unclear. In this study, four concentrations of MeJA (1, 10, 100 and 200 μmol/L) were sprayed on ‘Chaoyan 298’ tomatoes before harvest, and an equal volume of ultrapure water was used as the control. Ripe fruits were harvested and analyzed for the composition and content of volatile compounds by headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Meanwhile, the optimal concentration of MeJA for improving the flavor quality of tomatoes was determined by multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that a total of 71 volatile components were detected in the 5 groups, including 23 aldehydes, 17 alcohols, 8 ketones, 7 esters, 6 hydrocarbons and 10 other substances. Compared with the control group, exogenous application of MeJA increased the number and total amount of volatile compounds in tomato fruits, which increased first and then decreased with the increase in MeJA concentration, reaching the maximum value at 100 μmol/L MeJA concentration. Altogether 33 components were common to all groups, with the most abundant one being (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol. A total of 13 characteristic aroma components were identified in all tomato fruits, which mainly contributed to green, fruity and flowery notes. Overall, our results provide theoretical support that exogenous MeJA can improve that flavor quality of tomato fruits, which are conducive to further exploring the regulation mechanism of volatile compound biosynthesis in tomato fruits.

The sensory quality and metabolite profiles of the fresh and dried buds and leaves of Lycium from 26 cultivars (lines) were analyzed by sensory evaluation and metabolomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis. The results of sensory evaluation showed that the dried buds and leaves of Lycium had a mellow, fresh and sweet taste, and by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), 879 metabolites were identified in Lycium buds and leaves, including amino acids and their derivatives, flavonoids, phenolic acids, saccharides, nucleotides and their derivatives, lignans and coumarins, alkaloids, terpenoids, organic acids, and lipids. Using partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), 211 differential metabolites were selected, which were mainly enriched in the linoleic acid metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, flavonoids and flavanols biosynthesis, phenylpropanol biosynthesis, and galactose metabolism pathways. In addition, it was found that amino acids and their derivatives, flavonoids, sugars, and lipids were important components to discriminate the metabolites of different cultivars (lines). Partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis showed that 26 metabolites including epicatechin, isoquercitrin, and rutin collectively affected the taste of Lycium tea such as mellow, thick, fresh, sweet and bitter. The results of sensory evaluation and PLSR analysis showed that seven cultivars (lines) of Lycium including ‘Ningqicai No. 1’, ‘Ningqi No. 9’, Z90, Z68, Q3, Q6-13, and Z48 had better sensory quality and rich flavor substances.

In this study, to understand the effect of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) treatment on the interaction between catechin and soy protein isolate (SPI) and the structural and functional properties of the conjugates, we explored the changes in binding between catechin and SPI as well as the ultraviolet (UV) absorption and fluorescence spectra, free sulfhydryl and amino group contents, surface hydrophobicity, average particle size, zeta potential, secondary structure, and antioxidant properties of the formed conjugates before and after HC treatment. The results showed that HC treatment could promote the interaction between catechin and SPI. At 2.0 mg/mL catechin concentration, HC treatment could increase the amount of catechin bound to SPI from (21.82 ± 0.18) to (62.55 ± 0.36) mg/g. Compared with the untreated sample, HC treatment enhanced the UV absorption intensity, weakened the fluorescence intensity, increased the average particle size, decreased the absolute value of the zeta potential and surface hydrophobicity, and reduced the free sulfhydryl and amino group contents. Additionally, HC treatment caused an increase in α-helix, β-turn, and random coil relative contents and a decrease in β-sheet relative content. Furthermore, after HC treatment, the antioxidant activity of the catechin-SPI conjugates was significantly enhanced. For the conjugate formed at 2.0 mg/mL catechin concentration, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrayl (DPPH) free radical scavenging capacity increased from (48.64 ± 1.24)% to (84.72 ± 0.12)%, the 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical scavenging capacity from (35.60 ± 1.21)% to (75.51 ± 0.79)%, and the ferric reducing power from 0.81 ± 0.02 to 1.52 ± 0.05. It can be seen that HC treatment can promote the combination of catechin and SPI, change the structural properties of the resulting conjugates, and enhance its antioxidant activity.

Changes in the functional properties of myosin and the tissue microstructure of hooked, trawl-netted, and radar-netted hairtail (Trichiurus haumela) were investigated under different heating temperatures. Hairtails were water bathed at 30, 50, 70 or 90 ℃ and evaluated for cooking loss and water-holding capacity (WHC) as well as myosin turbidity, solubility, emulsifying capacity, foaming capacity and foam stability, and carbonyl content after 10 min. Besides, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to analyze the effects of different heating temperatures on the tissue microstructure of hairtails. The results showed that as the heating temperature rose, the cooking loss and water-holding capacity of muscle decreased gradually for the three kinds of hairtail. Myosin turbidity and carbonyl content increased, and solubility, emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI), foaming capacity and foam stability decreased continuously. The decrease in muscle WHC and myosin solubility and the increase in myosin turbidity were all smaller in radar-netted hairtails than in the two other kinds. In addition, the HE staining results showed that with increasing heating temperature, the space between muscle fiber bundles in muscle tissues increased for all kinds of hairtail, and different degrees of breakage occurred. When the heating temperature was 50 ℃, the structure of collagen and muscle fibers was the most complete in the muscle tissue of radar-netted hairtail. Summarily, the muscle quality of all three kinds of hairtail decreased with the increase in heating temperature, and the muscle quality of radar-netted hairtail was the most stable.

This study analyzed the effects of radio frequency-hot air treatment under different conditions of initial corn moisture content (19.05%, 22.25%, and 25.55%), radio frequency heating temperature (55, 65, 75, and 85 ℃) and heating time (10, 15, 20, and 25 min) on the degradation of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and corn quality. The results showed that radio frequency-hot air treatment could effectively degrade AFB1. For corn with high initial water content, at the same heating temperature and time, higher initial moisture content resulted in higher residual amount of AFB1. At the same initial water content, the residual amount of AFB1 decreased with the increase in heating temperature and time. Heating time had a greater effect on AFB1 degradation than temperature. Radio frequency-hot air treatment affected corn quality. With increasing heating temperature and time, neither protein nor fat contents significantly changed compared with the control group (P > 0.05), while viscosity significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis showed marked changes in water mobility during radio frequency heating, and water mobility characteristics were significantly correlated with the gelatinization characteristics, protein, and fat contents of corn (P < 0.05).

In this study, the effects of different recovery methods on the structure and functional properties of sarcoplasmic proteins from silver carp surimi wash water were analyzed. The results showed that acidic pH-shifting and heat treatment had a great effect on the degree of conversion of –SH groups to disulfide bonds, surface hydrophobicity, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence intensity, solubility and foamability of sarcoplasmic proteins. Secondary structure analysis showed that freeze drying and heat treatment gave rise to a higher relative content of β-sheet; isoelectric point precipitation, acidic pH-shifting alone and in combination with chitosan flocculation resulted in a higher relative content of random coil; chitosan flocculation led to a higher relative content of β-turn. These methods consistently yielded a lower relative content of α-helix, and caused the secondary structure of sarcoplasmic proteins to transform from an ordered to a disordered state. In addition, chitosan could bind to sarcoplasmic proteins to form large molecular mass complexes, whereas acidic pH-shifting caused partial decomposition of sarcoplasmic proteins. The structural changes cause by the different recovery methods affected the functional properties of sarcoplasmic proteins. The sarcoplasmic proteins prepared by acidic pH-shifting coupled with chitosan flocculation had much higher surface hydrophobicity and consequently poorer emulsifying properties, while those obtained by freeze drying, isoelectric point precipitation, and chitosan flocculation had stronger emulsifying properties. Notably, chitosan treatment significantly improved the emulsifying properties of sarcoplasmic proteins.

In this study, the effect of alginate and/or transglutaminase (TGase) in combination with ultrasonic treatment on the heat-induced gel quality, water-holding capacity (WHC) and myosin conformational changes of unwashed surimi was investigated. The results showed that the addition of trehalose (4.5%, m/m) and/or TGase (0.5%, m/m) together with ultrasonic treatment increased the gel strength by 35.11%−169.25%. Trehalose prevented protein unfolding while TGase had the opposite effect. However, ultrasonic treatment inhibited the catalytic activity of TGase, thereby reducing the gel strength to 4 737.23 g·mm, decreasing the relative content of free water to 19.52%, and alleviating excessive cross-linking of proteins. Furthermore, ultrasonic promoted protein unfolding even under the protection of trehalose. When added simultaneously, trehalose and TGase weakened their respective effects on protein structure.

This study investigated the effects of adding different amounts of sesame oleosomes on the properties of polysaccharide edible films, and explored the application of the film incorporated with sesame oleosomes in strawberry preservation in terms of sensory evaluation and physicochemical indexes. The results showed that the extracted sesame oleosomes contained 72.3% fat, which could maintain good oxidative stability for 8 days. Adding an appropriate amount of sesame oleosomes to edible films could effectively improve the softness, water vapor barrier, solubility and elongation. However, adding excess sesame oleosomes (≥ 5.6%) decreased the mechanical properties and transparency. Taken together, the optimal proportion of oleosome addition was 1.2%. Compared with the blank and oleosome-free control groups, the oleosome-incorporated film effectively delayed the rotting and softening of strawberry fruits as well as the decrease in moisture, soluble solids and titratable acids, and extended the shelf life by at least 1 day. This study showed that a certain amount of oleosomes can be used as lipid derivatives in lipid-based edible films to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.

To extend its shelf life, vacuum freeze-dried Toona sinensis (VFDTS) powder was packaged in sealed polyethylene (PE) bags, sealed aluminum foil bags, composite vacuum bags, or aluminum foil vacuum bags. Changes in the sensory quality, moisture content, color, flavor components and total bacterial count of VFDTS powder were monitored during storage under accelerated conditions at (55 ± 1) ℃ and (40 ± 3)% relative humidity (RH). The results showed that VFDTS powder packaged in sealed PE bags exhibited severe moisture absorption and browning with prolonged storage time, and the total bacterial count significantly increased. On the other hand, the moisture content, color and total bacterial count of the powder stored in aluminum foil vacuum bags remained substantially unchanged. A total of 56 volatile compounds were identified in VFDTS powder stored in the different packaging systems, including 13 alcohols, 11 aldehydes, 3 acids, 3 terpenes, 7 ketones, 9 esters, one ether, 2 sulfur compounds, 3 alkanes, and 4 heterocycles. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the volatile compounds showed clear separation among VFDTS powder samples stored in the 4 packaging systems. Based on variable importance in projection (VIP > 1) from orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), a total of 14 differential volatile compounds were selected, and their clustering heatmaps could be used to effectively classify the samples in different packaging systems. The samples in aluminum foil vacuum bags had the best quality, followed by sealed aluminum foil bags and composite vacuum bags, while the greatest changes in moisture, color, flavor and microbiological quality were observed in VFDTS powder in sealed PE bags during storage.

The aging degree of rice has a direct influence on its eating quality, and the requirements for the aging degree of rice during processing vary according to the form of final products. In order to determine the correlation indexes and threshold intervals of rice suitable for the processing of cooked rice and rice noodles and to establish a rapid method to identify the eating quality of cooked rice and rice noodles, this study measured the biochemical and gelatinization properties of rice with different aging degrees stored under accelerated conditions and evaluated the eating quality attributes of cooked rice and rice noodles made from aged rice. The data obtained were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA) and stepwise regression (SR). The aging degree of rice was detected using acid-base indicators and L*, a* and b* were recorded. Finally, the color was restored by image processing software to develop a colorimetric card for rapidly identifying the eating quality of cooked rice and rice noodles based on rice grain quality. The results showed that the regression equation between the comprehensive score of cooked rice (Y) and its fatty acid content (X) was Y = 7.729 − 0.236X. Based on Y, the quality of cooked rice could be divided into excellent (Y ≥ 2.361), medium (− 1.039 ≤ Y < 2.361), and poor (Y < − 1.039) and the corresponding thresholds for fatty acid contents were X ≤ 23 mg/100 g, 23 mg/100 g < X ≤ 37 mg/100 g, and X > 37 mg/100 g, respectively. The regression equation between the comprehensive score (Y) and fatty acid content (X) of rice noodles was Y = − 17.030 + 1.021X − 0.015X2. Likewise, the quality of rice noodles could be divided into 3 grades: excellent (Y ≥ 0.244), medium (− 1.589 ≤ Y < 0.244), and poor (Y < − 1.589), and the corresponding thresholds for fatty acid contents were 31 mg/100 g ≤ X ≤ 37 mg/100 g, 37 mg/100 g < X ≤ 45 mg/100 g, and X > 45 mg/100 g, respectively. The colorimetric card based on fatty acid content allows direct identification of the suitability of rice for the processing of cooked rice and rice noodles, which will providing a basis and guidance for the processing of rice grains.

Food packaging films effectively preserve food from adverse environmental factors (such as oxygen, water vapor, microorganisms, and light), thereby ensuring food quality and safety and extending its shelf life. Starch, a biodegradable biopolymer naturally produced by plants, has shown great potential in the development of environmental-friendly food packaging materials due to its advantages of low price, wide sources, renewability, and excellent film-forming properties. Compared with films prepared by casting and extrusion blowing, films composed of micro- or nanofibers exhibit higher specific surface area, porosity, and loading capacity, which have received considerable interest in the development of food packaging films. In this article, the principles and influential factors of the three major starch fiber preparation techniques including solution blow spinning, electrospinning, and centrifugal spinning are reviewed, and their advantages and disadvantages are compared. More importantly, the relationship between the structural changes of electrospun starch fibers caused by different physical and chemical modification methods and the packaging properties of modified starch fibers is analyzed. Finally, future prospects for the application of starch-based fiber films in food packaging are discussed.

Fermentation is a traditional way of fish storage. During the fermentation process, microorganisms in raw materials or the environment can promote the decomposition and utilization of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats through metabolism, thereby generating rich flavor substances. People in different regions make different types of fermented fish products with different flavors by using different raw materials and ingredients and controlling conditions such as salt content, fermentation temperature, and fermentation time. The differences in the microbial community composition in various types of fermented fish products result in different compositions of characteristic flavor substances. Therefore, the microbial community composition in different fermented fish products and the correlation between microbial metabolism and the formation of characteristic flavor compounds are current research hotspots. This review summarizes recent studies on the fermentation process, microbial community composition, characteristic flavor substances and their formation mechanisms in different types of fermented fish products in China, and analyzes the impact of fermentation conditions on the microbial community composition and flavor formation. Besides, this review compares the characteristics of research methods for the correlation between different microorganisms and flavor substances. This review will provide a reference and direction for exploring the formation mechanism of the flavor of fermented fish and for the precise regulation of fermented fish flavor in the future.

Peaches are an ancient fruit in China, with great nutritional and commercial value. Peach fruit is a typical respiratory climacteric fruit, which is prone to browning within a short period of time after harvesting, and rapid browning and high browning degree occur during peach processing, which are difficult to control, affecting the quality and economic value of the fruit. At present, systematic research on the characteristics and mechanism of peach browning is lacking, as well as effective control techniques and methods. In this paper, the current status of research on the characteristics and mechanism of and the key factors for enzymatic browning in peach fruit is reviewed, and the techniques used for its control are summarized, aiming to provide a reference for the regulation of enzymatic browning during peach storage and processing and consequently to promote the quality improvement of fresh and processed peach products.

Selenium-rich foods serve the dual-function of providing nutrients and organic selenium. In the situation of selenium deficiency in the entire population, it is crucial to understand the sources of selenium and its circulation in the natural environment and biological systems. Current research on selenium-rich foods focuses mostly on chemical synthesis and bio-organic conversion, which is highly specialized and not suitable for horizontal comparison of different selenium-rich foods. There are few studies on the circulation of selenium and the selenium contents and health benefits of different selenium-rich foods. This article summarizes the sources, circulation and metabolism of selenium, the sources and forms of natural selenium in selenium-rich foods, and the selenium absorption and metabolism pathways in plants, animals, and microorganisms. Next, it reviews the current status of research on selenium-rich foods from various sources, and gives an outlook on the future of selenium-rich foods. This review may serve as a foundation for in-depth comparison of selenium-rich foods from various sources, and provide scientific guidance for the research and development of novel healthy selenium-rich foods.

Food safety incidents caused by foodborne pathogens have attracted widespread attention. In order to ensure food safety, it is essential to adopt effective detection means. The emerging clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) system, consisting of CRISPR and Cas, is an acquired immune system widely found in bacteria and archaea, which efficiently and specifically recognizes and cleave exogenous nucleic acids and is more efficient than conventional techniques for detecting pathogenic bacteria. Based on a review of recent progress in research on CRISPR/Cas biosensing system coupled with isothermal amplification technology, this paper summarizes the classification and principle of CRISPR/Cas and recent progress in the application of CRISPR/Cas coupled with isothermal amplification in foodborne pathogen detection, and discusses the prospects and challenges for CRISPR/Cas coupled with isothermal amplification in the real-time detection of foodborne pathogens. We expect that this review will provide a reference for the further development of CRISPR/Cas biosensing system.

Anticancer chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide (CTX) is accompanied by toxic side effects such as bone marrow suppression and intestinal mucosal injury, which seriously affects the treatment tolerance and prognosis of patients. In recent years, polysaccharides have been used as detoxifying and synergistic adjuncts for antitumor drugs due to their anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory activities. This paper systematically summarizes polysaccharide purification technologies, elaborates on the detoxification mechanism of polysaccharides on CTX from multiple perspectives such as immunomodulation, antioxidation, intestinal protection, liver and kidney protection, and reproductive system protection, and discusses the synergistic effect of polysaccharides with CTX by directly or indirectly killing tumors. Furthermore, the regulatory pathways of polysaccharides in cancer chemotherapy are summarized from two aspects: toxicity reduction and efficacy enhancement. We hope that this review could provide a reference for research on the mechanism of action of polysaccharides in reducing the toxicity and enhancing the efficacy of CTX, and provide new directions for reducing the toxic side effects of CTX.

Fecal microbial contamination in the food chain is a significant concern in the field of food safety as it is one of the most important pathways causing foodborne diseases. Microbial source tracking (MST) is an effective approach to address this issue, which can track the sources and contamination of fecal microbes. MST methods can be categorized into two types: library-dependent methods (LDMs) and library-independent methods (LIMs), with LIMs including culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. The non-culture-dependent method using 16S rRNA and host-microbial interaction genes as specific molecular markers has been widely used to investigate microbial contamination in the food chain. This review provides an overview of the basic principle and characteristics of MST, and focuses on recent advances in MST methods based on host-specific molecular markers for tracing microbial contamination in the food chain. Furthermore, future prospects of MST are discussed based on its unique advantages and disadvantages.

As one of the important indicators for evaluating the quality of pears, stone cells exhibit a supportive effect on pear fruits and improve its storability. However, excess stone cells in pear fruits are not conducive to the accumulation of nutrients, affecting the taste, flavor and health benefits, ultimately reducing the marketability of pears. Gaining insights into the formation pathways of stone cells and developing methods to regulate the formation of stone cells are beneficial to improve the quality of pear fruits and promote the development of processed pear products. In this article, we review the key internal factors controlling the development of stone cells in pear fruits such as enzymes, lignin, vascular bundles and genes and the external factors affecting the distribution, size and content of stone cells in pear fruits such as exogenous calcium, hormones, and the environment. Moreover, we also discuss the effects of stone cells on the sensory and nutritional quality of pear fruits. It is our hope that this review will provide a reference for the deep processing and utilization of pear fruits in the future.

Gelation, an important quality attribute of meat products, significantly influences the appearance, flavor, and texture of meat products. Enhancing gelation in meat products holds immense importance in improving the production process and the quality. The gel properties of meat products are influenced by the content and structure of protein aggregates and the aggregation rate during processing. Protein additives have the potential to partially replace myofibrillar proteins in gelation and emulsification properties, leading to cost reduction, and therefore have attracted much research interest for the development of new meat products and the optimization of the processing technology. This paper summarizes recent studies on the gelation mechanism of myofibrillar proteins, and reviews the properties and applications of the major protein additives as well as recent progress in using protein additives combined with polysaccharide colloids, enzymes or phosphates to enhance the gelation of meat products. This review may serve as a valuable reference for enhancing the quality of gel-type meat products.