Co-culturing Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis with Lactobacillus helveticus accelerates its growth and fermentation in milk through metabolic interactions.

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the interaction between Lactobacillus helveticus H9 (H9) and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis Probio-M8 (M8) through metabolomics analysis, focusing on understanding how co-culturing these strains can enhance bacterial growth and metabolism, thereby shortening the fermentation cycle and improving efficiency. [Methods] The H9 and M8 strains were cultured individually and in combination (1:1 ratio) in milk. The fermented milk metabolomes were analyzed using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. [Results] In the dual-strain fermentation, the M8 strain exhibited a 2.33-fold increase in viable bacterial count compared with single-strain fermentation. Additionally, the dual-strain fermentation resulted in greater metabolite abundance and diversity. Notably, the dual-strain fermented milk showed significantly elevated levels of metabolites, including 5-methyl-2-hexanone, (E)-3-octen-2-one, acetic acid, alanine, and 3-hydroxy-butanal. [Conclusion] Our results demonstrated that co-culturing the M8 and H9 strains accelerated growth and fermentation efficiency. This enhancement effect is likely attributed to the strong proteolytic ability of the H9 strain, which hydrolyzes casein to produce small molecular peptides, alanine, tyrosine, and other growth-promoting factors. The insights gained from this study have significant implications for probiotics and the dairy industry, potentially leading to shorter fermentation cycles, enhanced cost-effectiveness, and improved nutritional and functional properties of future fermented milk products. Additionally, these findings may contribute to advancements in probiotic research and applications.

Effects of postbiotics on chronic diarrhea in young adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial assessing clinical symptoms, gut microbiota, and metabolite profiles.

Chronic diarrhea has a considerable impact on quality of life. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover intervention trial was conducted with 69 participants (36 in Group A, 33 in Group B), aiming to investigate the potential of postbiotics in alleviating diarrhea-associated symptoms. Participants received postbiotic Probio-Eco® and placebo for 21 days each in alternating order, with a 14-day washout period between interventions. The results showed that postbiotic intake resulted in significant improvements in Bristol stool scale score, defecation frequency, urgency, and anxiety. Moreover, the postbiotic intervention increased beneficial intestinal bacteria, including Dysosmobacter welbionis and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, while reducing potential pathogens like Megamonas funiformis. The levels of gut Microviridae notably increased. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis revealed postbiotic-driven enrichment of beneficial metabolites, including α-linolenic acid and p-methoxycinnamic acid, and reduction of diarrhea-associated metabolites, including theophylline, piperine, capsaicin, and phenylalanine. Targeted metabolomics confirmed a significant increase in fecal butyric acid after postbiotic intervention. The levels of aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine and tryptophan, and their related metabolites, 5-hydroxytryptophan and kynurenine, decreased after the postbiotic intervention, suggesting diarrhea alleviation was through modulating the tryptophan-5-hydroxytryptamine and tryptophan-kynurenine pathways. Additionally, chenodeoxycholic acid, a diarrhea-linked primary bile acid, decreased substantially. In conclusion, postbiotics have shown promise in relieving chronic diarrhea.

Probio-M9, a breast milk-originated probiotic, alleviates mastitis and enhances antibiotic efficacy: Insights into the gut-mammary axis.

Breast milk naturally contains lactic acid bacteria, but their precise origin remains a subject of debate. In this study, we utilized a rat mastitis animal model to investigate the potential of a breast milk-derived probiotic strain, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9, in alleviating mastitis and enhancing the efficacy of antibiotic treatment. Through histopathological analysis of mammary tissue, we observed that Probio-M9 effectively relieved mastitis, mitigated inflammation, and improved the response to antibiotic treatment. Metagenomic analysis further revealed that Probio-M9 enhanced interactions among gut microbes, accompanied by an increase in the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae and the regulation of specific genes and carbohydrate-active enzymes, subsequently impacting host immunity. Additionally, an intriguing finding was the translocation of live Probio-M9 from the gut to the mammary tissue only during bacterial mastitis and lactation, likely facilitated through lymphatic circulation. These findings advance our understanding of the intricate gut-mammary axis and provide valuable insights into the potential health benefits of probiotic interventions.

Continue using or gathering dust? A mixed method research on the factors influencing the continuous use intention for an AI-powered adaptive learning system for rural middle school students.

This paper investigates the factors influencing the continuous use intention of AI-powered adaptive learning systems among rural middle school students in China. Employing a mixed-method approach, this study integrates Technology Acceptance Model 3 with empirical data collected from rural middle schools in western China. The main contributions of this study include identifying key determinants of usage intention, such as computer self-efficacy, perceived enjoyment, system quality, and the perception of feedback. The findings provide insights into enhancing rural education through AI and suggest strategies for developing more effective and engaging adaptive learning systems. This research not only fills a significant gap in the understanding of AI in education but also offers practical implications for educators and policymakers aiming to improve learning outcomes in rural settings.

Probiotics and Cat Health: A Review of Progress and Prospects.

Cats are increasingly favored as companion animals; their health has drawn widespread attention. Given the continuous improvements in the required living standards of both humans and animals, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, diarrhea, constipation, periodontal disease, obesity, diabetes, and other health issues have become recognized as valid pet problems. Antibiotics are commonly used to treat pet diseases, greatly improving animal health. However, antibiotic abuse is common, especially when seeking to treat bacterial infections. Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that may be directly ingested in food or as feed additives; they improve the intestinal microflora balance, enhance immunity, and ensure healthy growth. However, cat data are usually inferred from reports on dogs or humans; cat research remains preliminary in nature. Therefore, we here describe the current understanding of how probiotics improve cat health, facilitating the further development and application of probiotics for cats.

Dietary supplementation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P-8 improves the growth performance and gut microbiota of weaned piglets.

Weaning is a stressful event in the pig life cycle. We hypothesized that probiotics could be potential alternatives to antibiotics for promoting growth and ameliorating stress in weaning piglets via gut microbiota modulation and, thus, investigated the beneficial effects of dietary probiotic supplementation in weaning pigs. Ninety weaning piglets (Landrace × large white, 45 males and 45 females, 25 days of age) were randomized into three dietary treatments (30 piglets/treatment, divided into five replicates/treatment, i.e., six piglets/replicate) in this 28-day trial: control (C group, basal diet); probiotic [lactic acid bacteria (LAB) group, basal diet plus Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P-8]; and antibiotic (A group; basal diet plus chlortetracycline). The piglets' growth performance [average daily gain, average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR)], immune and antioxidant markers, ileal mucosal morphology, and ileal and colonic microbiomes were compared among treatment groups. Compared to the C and A groups, probiotic supplementation significantly decreased the ADFI, FCR, and ileal mucosal crypt depth while increasing the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, hepatic glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities, and serum levels of interleukin-2. Both probiotic and antibiotic treatments modulated the piglets' gut microbiomes, with more L. plantarum in the LAB group and more Eubacterium rectale and Limosilactobacillus reuteri in the A group. Probiotic supplementation significantly increased the relative abundance of genes encoding the acetylene, galactose, and stachyose degradation pathways, potentially enhancing nutrient absorption, energy acquisition, and growth performance. Probiotics are effective alternatives to antibiotics for promoting the health of piglets, possibly via gut microbiome modulation.IMPORTANCEWeaning impacts piglet health, performance, and mortality. Antibiotic treatment during weaning can mitigate the negative effects on growth. However, antibiotic use in livestock production contributes to the emergence of antibiotic resistance, which is a threat to global public health. This comprehensive study describes the gut microbial composition and growth performance of weaned piglets after dietary supplementation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P-8 or antibiotics. L. plantarum P-8 ameliorated stress and improved antioxidant capacity and growth performance in weaned piglets, accompanied by gut microbiota improvement. L. plantarum P-8 is an effective substitute for antibiotics to promote the health of weaned piglets while avoiding the global concern of drug resistance.

Ginsenoside 24-OH-PD from red ginseng inhibits acute T-lymphocytic leukaemia by activating the mitochondrial pathway.

Ginsenoside 24-hydroxy-ginsengdiol (24-OH-PD), extracted from red ginseng, is a novel diol-type ginsenoside, strongly inhibits the growth of human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) CCRF-CEM cells. Our research aimed at investigating the mechanism underlying this inhibition. Cell viability was determined using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and NOD/SCID mice bearing CCRF-CEM cells were used to verify the therapeutic effect of 24-OH-PD on T-ALL in vivo. We equally analysed pathways related to 24-OH-PD in CCRF-CEM cells using RNA-Seq analysis. Cell apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) levels were detected by flow cytometry. The activity of caspase3 and caspase9 was detected by enzyme activity detection kits. The expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins and mRNA were determined through western blotting and quantitative reverse-transcription PCR assays (qRT-PCR). CCK-8 assay and animal xenograft experiments confirmed that 24-OH-PD significantly inhibited T-ALL in a dose-dependent manner, both in vivo and in vitro. RNA-Seq results suggest that mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway plays an important role in this process. Furthermore, intracellular ROS levels increased, mPTP opened, and ΔΨm decreased following 24-OH-PD treatment. Pretreatment with the antioxidant, NAC, reversed the effects of 24-OH-PD on apoptosis and ROS generation. Moreover, 24-OH-PD treatment increased the expression of Bax and caspase family members, thereby releasing cytochrome c (Cytc) and inducing apoptosis. Our findings showed that, 24-OH-PD induces apoptosis in CCRF-CEM cells by activating the mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis pathway through ROS accumulation. This inhibitory effect implies that 24-OH-PD could be further developed as treatment of T-ALL.

Effect of a co-fermentation system with high-GABA-yielding strains on soymilk properties: microbiological, physicochemical, and aromatic characterisations.

Biosynthesis is the safest method for preparing GABA; however, there are not enough GABA-producing strains to provide an effective resource. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using Lactobacillus fermentum SMN10-3(A) and Lactococcus lactis SMN15-6(B) to study the effects of strain complex pairing on the GABA formation, flavour, and metabolic pathways of fermented soymilk. It was found that group A2B1 had the highest acid production rate, GABA yield (1.76 ± 0.01 mg/mL), and flavour compound content. A total of 55 differential metabolites were produced after fermentation, of which 28 dominated by hexanal were significantly downregulated and 26 dominated by alcohols were significantly upregulated. The significant metabolic pathways involved were d-alanine, taurine and hypotaurine, and selenocompound metabolism. Finally, the components contributing to the aroma of fermented soymilk were identified, which included 2-pentylfuran and 2-butyl-2-octenal. These results provide a theoretical basis for future research on GABA-rich fermented foods.

Integrating metabolomics, bionics, and culturomics to study probiotics-driven drug metabolism.

Many drugs have been shown to be metabolized by the human gut microbiome, but probiotic-driven drug-metabolizing capacity is rarely explored. Here, we developed an integrated metabolomics, culturomics, and bionics framework for systematically studying probiotics-driven drug metabolism. We discovered that 75% (27/36 of the assayed drugs) were metabolized by five selected probiotics, and drugs containing nitro or azo groups were more readily metabolized. As proof-of-principle experiments, we showed that Lacticaseibacillus casei Zhang (LCZ) could metabolize racecadotril to its active products, S-acetylthiorphan and thiorphan, in monoculture, in a near-real simulated human digestion system, and in an ex vivo fecal co-culture system. However, a personalized effect was observed in the racecadotril-metabolizing activity of L. casei Zhang, depending on the individual's host gut microbiome composition. Based on data generated by our workflow, we proposed a possible mechanism of interactions among L. casei Zhang, racecadotril, and host gut microbiome, providing practical guidance for probiotic-drug co-treatment and novel insights into precision probiotics.

Variation and Correlation Analysis of Flavour and Bacterial Diversity of Low-Salt Hotpot Sauce during Storage.

Culinary circles have experienced a recent trend towards low-salt hotpot sauces. Here, changes in the physicochemical quality, flavour, and bacterial diversity of hotpot sauces with different salt concentrations were studied during storage. The results indicated that the peroxide and acid values of hotpot sauce increased gradually and that the quality began to deteriorate with storage. A storage temperature of 4 °C and salt concentration above 4.4% significantly reduced spoilage. The salt concentration had no significant effect on the flavour but extended storage resulted in significant differences in flavour reflected in the changes of sweet, sour, bitter, umami, aftertaste-A, abundance, organic sulphide, and alkanes. Significant differences were found in the bacterial composition between samples stored at different temperatures. Norank-f-o-Chloroplast was the main bacterium in the samples stored at low temperatures, which was beneficial for preservation. Bacillus was detected in 4.1% NaCl samples stored at 25 °C, directly promoting sauce spoilage and an unpleasant flavour. This bacterium signalled the spoilage of low-salt hotpot sauce stored at room temperature.

Transcriptomic analysis of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Zhang in transition to the viable but non-culturable state by RNA sequencing.

Background: Some bacteria enter the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state to survive harsh environmental conditions and external stresses. This alters cell physiology and has implications for the food industry as some bacteria, such as lactobacilli, undergo similar changes during food processing. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the transcriptomic changes of a probiotic strain, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Zhang (L. paracasei Zhang), upon transition to the VBNC state using high throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Results: Bacteria were inoculated into the de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe medium and maintained at low temperature and pH to induce cell transition to the VBNC state. Cells were harvested for analysis at five stages of VBNC induction: 0, 3, 30, and 180 days after induction and 210 days when the cells entered the VBNC state. Our results showed that the expression of 2,617, 2,642, 2,577, 2,829, and 2,840 genes was altered at these five different stages. The function of differentially expressed genes (DEGs, compared to healthy cells collected at day 0) and their encoded pathways were analyzed by the Gene Ontology Consortium and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. A total of 10 DEGs were identified in cells that entered the VBNC state: five continuously upregulated (LCAZH_0621, LCAZH_1986, LCAZH_2038, LCAZH_2040, and LCAZH_2174) and five continuously downregulated (LCAZH_0024, LCAZH_0210, LCAZH_0339, LCAZH_0621, and LCAZH_0754). Conclusions: This study proposes a molecular model of the VBNC mechanism in L. paracasei Zhang, highlighting that changes in cell metabolism improve substrate utilization efficiency, thereby enhancing bacterial survival under adverse conditions. These data may be useful for improving the survival of probiotics in industrial food processing.

How Does Energy Intake Change in China? A Life Cycle Perspective.

China's population is showing the characteristics of "fewer children" and "aging", which will have a long-term and far-reaching impact on the food and nutritional needs of China and the world. In this paper, adult equivalent scale (AES) variables representing the household population structure were introduced into the energy intake model to quantify the impact of population structure changes on energy intake and reveal the characteristics of energy intake changes in the life cycle of Chinese residents. It is found that the change in the population structure has a significant impact on the energy intake of urban households in China, and the elasticity is 0.446. The energy intake of Chinese elderly over the age of 60 shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, especially after the age of 65, which indicates that the aging will promote a decline in food consumption in China. The energy intake of 1-10-year-old children, 22-30 year old, and 40-45 year old women all showed a change of first a decrease and then an increase, which may be related to parents' care for young children and women with children's management of body size. The average household size expressed by the adult equivalent scales of energy consumption is 2.341, which is smaller than the 3.052 calculated by the population number. The conclusion indicates that the prediction of the food and nutritional demand should be adjusted according to the changes and differences in accordance with the intensification of "fewer children" and "aging", as well as the life cycle changes in residents' energy intake, which is conducive to the formulation of food and nutrition security policies.

The Lactobacillus gasseri G098 Strain Mitigates Symptoms of DSS-Induced Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Mice.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a recurring inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract with unclear etiology, but it is thought to be related to factors like immune abnormalities and gut microbial dysbiosis. Probiotics can regulate host immunity and gut microbiota; thus, we investigated the alleviation effect and mechanism of the strain Lactobacillus gasseri G098 (G098) on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Three groups of mice (n = 8 per group) were included: normal control (NC), DSS-induced colitis mice (DSS), and colitis mice given strain (G098). Our results showed that administering G098 effectively reversed DSS-induced colitis-associated symptoms (mitigating weight loss, reducing disease activity index and pathology scores; p < 0.05 in all cases) and prevented DSS-induced mortality (62.5% in DSS group; 100% in G098 group). The mortality rate and symptom improvement by G098 administration was accompanied by a healthier serum cytokine balance (significant decreases in serum pro-inflammatory factors, interleukin (IL)-6 [p < 0.05], IL-1ß [p < 0.01], and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α [p < 0.001], and significant increase in the serum anti-inflammatory factor IL-13 [p < 0.01], compared with DSS group) and gut microbiome modulation (characterized by a higher gut microbiota diversity [p < 0.05], significantly more Firmicutes and Lachnoclostridium [p < 0.05], significantly fewer Bacteroidetes [p < 0.05], and significant higher gene abundances of sugar degradation-related pathways [p < 0.05], compared with DSS-treated group). Taken altogether, our results suggested that G098 intake could mitigate DSS-induced colitis through modulating host immunity and gut microbiome, and strain treatment is a promising strategy for managing IBD.

How Does Income Heterogeneity Affect Future Perspectives on Food Consumption? Empirical Evidence from Urban China.

China is undergoing a rapid dietary transition as well as a changing income distribution. In this paper, we examine the impacts of income heterogeneity on the prediction of food consumption using a dataset that covered 22,210 urban households in China's 6 provinces. The two-stage Exact Affine Stone Index Implicit Marshallian Demand System (EASI demand system) model, which deals with the problem of censoring and endogeneity, is applied to estimate demand elasticity across income strata. Additionally, a dynamic simulation method considering income heterogeneity is conducted to predict future food consumption trends. The results reveal that income elasticity follows a decreasing trend with income growth. Furthermore, the results show that the consumption of major food items in the 15th period will increase by 7.9% to 42.0% over the base period. The growth potential of low-income groups is significantly higher than that of middle- and high-income groups. However, the prediction results may be overestimated if the differences in consumer behavior across income groups and the dynamic simulation procedure are not taken into account. Our study indicates that the consumption features of different income groups need to be included in food consumption forecasts. Moreover, the government should formulate food policies for different income groups to promote a sustainable food system transformation.

Assessment of Clinical Features in HIV-Infected Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in China.

Objectives: We aimed to compare coronary risk factors, burden of coronary artery disease (CAD), and 1-year prognosis of people living with HIV (PLWH) and HIV-negative controls who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndromes (ACSs). Background: Cardiovascular disease is drawing more and more attention in PLWH since effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been available. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of PLWH undergoing PCI for ACS in China remain unknown. Methods: We compared demographic characteristics, angiographic features, and 1-year outcomes of 48 PLWH versus 48 HIV-negative controls matched for age (±2 years), sex, diabetes mellitus, and year of PCI (±2 years) in Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2008 to November 2020. Results: In PLWH (mean age: 53.6 ± 10.6 years, 95.8% male, and 79.2% on ART), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was lower than in HIV-negative controls; however, the statin use was more common, the incidence of hypertension was lower, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the body mass index were significantly lower than in controls. Two groups had a similar extent of coronary atherosclerosis as measured by the presence of multivessel diseases and the median Gensini score; however, lesions of PLWH were longer and were more likely to locate at the proximal segment of the coronary artery. In addition, the risk of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at 1 year was similar in both groups. Conclusion: PLWH undergoing PCI displayed similar CAD burden and 1-year prognosis compared with HIV-negative patients. Early detection of cardiovascular risk factors and appropriate secondary prevention of CAD in PLWH might alleviate the risk of severe adverse cardiovascular events.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P9 improved gut microbial metabolites and alleviated inflammatory response in pesticide exposure cohorts.

Multiple pesticide residue accumulations increase the probability of chronic metabolic diseases in humans. Thus, we applied multi-omics techniques to reveal how the gut microbiome responded to pesticide exposure. Then, we explored how probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P9 (P9) consumption impacted the gut microbiota and immune factors after high pesticide exposure. Multi-omics results indicated frequent exposure to pesticides did not alter the composition of the intestinal microbiota, but it did increase the abundance of Lipopolysaccharide in the gut, which might contribute to chronic inflammation. Supplementation with P9 maintained the homeostasis of the gut microbiota and reduced the abundance of pathogens in the high pesticide-exposed subjects. By detecting metabolites, we observed uridine and 5-oxoproline concentrations increased significantly after P9 consumption. Furthermore, P9 alleviated immune factors disorder and promoted pesticide residue excretion. Our findings provide new insights into the application of probiotics for pesticide detoxification, and suggest probiotics as daily supplements for pesticide exposure prevention.

Intake of Bifidobacterium lactis Probio-M8 fermented milk protects against alcoholic liver disease.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a liver disease caused by long-term heavy drinking, which is characterized by increased inflammation and oxidative stress in the liver and gut dysbiosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of administering ordinary and probiotic- (containing the Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis Probio-M8 strain; M8) fermented milk to rats. Several biochemical parameters and the fecal metagenomes were monitored before (d 0) and after (d 42) the intervention. Our results confirmed that alcohol could cause significant changes in the liver levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1ß, antioxidation indicators, and liver function-related indicators; meanwhile, the gut bacterial and viral microbiota were disrupted with significant reduction in microbial diversity and richness. Feeding the rats with Probio-M8-fermented milk effectively maintained the gut microbiota stability, reduced liver inflammation and oxidative stress, and mitigated liver damages in ALD. Moreover, the Probio-M8-fermented milk reversed alcohol-induced dysbiosis by restoring the gut microbiota diversity, richness, and composition. Four predicted fecal metabolites (inositol, tryptophan, cortisol, and vitamin K2) increased after the intervention, which might help regulate liver metabolism and alleviate ALD-related symptoms. In short, our data supported that consuming Probio-M8-fermented milk effectively mitigated ALD. The protective effect against ALD could be related to changes in the gut microbiome after probiotic-fermented milk consumption. However, such observation and the causal relationship among probiotic milk consumption, changes in gut microbiome, and disease alleviation would still need to be further confirmed. Nevertheless, this study has shown in a rat model that consuming probiotic-fermented milk could protect against ALD.

Impacts of China's bioethanol policy on the global maize market: a partial equilibrium analysis to 2030.

Maize is a major component of China's cereal production. It is also one of the main feedstocks for China's bioethanol production. To ensure food security, there is flexibility in China's ethanol policy. In this paper, we build a multicountry and multisector partial equilibrium model to simulate the possible impacts of biofuel policy on maize markets and food security. Considering normal macroeconomic conditions, China's bioethanol promotion policy would result in a net increase in maize imports to 26 mmt in 2030. Meanwhile, China's maize self-sufficiency ratio would decrease to 92% in 2030 as a result of the country's bioethanol promotion policy. In addition, simulation results indicate that China's bioethanol promotion policy could increase the world maize price index by 5% and the world bioethanol price index by 4% in 2030. Based on this modeling study, the Chinese government may take measures in advance to prepare for large-scale maize imports, adjust its strategy in order to make better use of the international market, and strengthen international trade and stock cooperation with maize import regions and countries. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12571-021-01212-5.

Novel Insight into the Formation of Odour-Active Compounds in Sea Buckthorn Wine and Distilled Liquor Based on GC-MS and E-Nose Analysis.

Sea buckthorn wine (SW) and distilled liquor (DL) are fruit wines with beneficial health effects. However, their unpleasant flavour limits their development and widespread acceptance. Therefore, it is necessary to analyse their flavour composition and changes. In this study, differential metabolites of sea buckthorn DL during processing were analysed, and the relationships between E-nose sensor values and key volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were established. The results show that 133 VOCs were identified, with 22 aroma-contributing components. Fermentation significantly increased the content of VOCs, especially esters. A total of seven and 51 VOCs were significantly upregulated after fermentation and distillation, respectively. Meanwhile, seven sensors were positively correlated with the increased level of alcohols and esters, and reflected the increasing trends of 10 key VOCs.

Highly efficient electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction to syngas with tunable ratios over pyridinic- nitrogen rich ultrathin carbon nanosheets.

Developing nonmetallic carbon-based electrocatalysts that are affordable and have high activity and stability for carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction to syngas is a new and challenging strategy for solving the energy crisis. Here, we prepared a highly active ultrathin nitrogen (N)-doped carbon nanosheet (UNCN) electrocatalyst. By tuning the applied potential of the UNCN-900 (900 represents the carbonization temperature) electrode, we could tune the H2/CO ratio in clean syngas within a wide range with extra-high Faradic efficiency (FE). The maximum FECO reached 91%, which represented the highest value among the reported nonmetallic carbon-based electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction to syngas. According to the results of experiments and density functional theory calculations, we proved that pyridinic-N in UNCNs-900 is the active site of the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and that graphitic-N may be the active site for the hydrogen evolution reaction. These results provide a useful case for electrochemical CO2 reduction to syngas with a tunable H2/CO ratio using nonmetallic carbon-based electrocatalysts.