Production of polyunsaturated fatty acids in pork backfat fermented by Mucor circinelloides.

Pork backfat (PB) contains excessive saturated fatty acids (SFAs), but lacks polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Excessive SFAs can be used as a substrate for the growth of certain microorganisms that convert them into PUFAs and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and the added value of PB can be enhanced. In this study, Mucor circinelloides CBS 277.49 and Lactiplantacillus plantarum CGMCC 24189 were co-cultured for conversion of PB into fermented pork backfat (FPB) with high level of PUFAs. Our results showed that the content of γ-linolenic acid (GLA) and linoleic acid (LA) in the surface of FPB reached 9.04 ± 0.14 mg/g and 107.31 ± 5.16 mg/g for 7-day fermentation, respectively. To convert the internal SFAs of PB, ultrasound combined with papain was used to promote the penetrative growth of M. circinelloides into the internal PB, and the GLA level in the third layer of fat reached 2.58 ± 0.31 mg/g FPB. The internal growth of M. circinelloides in PB was promoted by adjusting the oxygen rate and ventilation rate through the wind velocity sensor. When the oxygen rate is 2 m/s and the ventilation rate is 18 m3/h, the GLA level in the third layer of fat reached 4.13 ± 1.01 mg/g FPB. To further improve the level of PUFAs in PB, FPB was produced by M. circinelloides at 18 °C. The GLA content on the surface of FPB reached 15.73 ± 1.13 mg/g FPB, and the GLA yield in the second and third layers of fat reached 8.68 ± 1.77 mg/g FPB and 6.13 ± 1.28 mg/g FPB, the LA yield in the second and third layers of fat reached 105.45 ± 5.01 mg/g FPB and 98.46 ± 4.14 mg/g FPB, respectively. These results suggested that excessive SFAs in PB can be converted into PUFAs and provided a new technique for improving PUFAs in FPB. KEY POINTS: • This article achieved the conversion of PUFAs in pork backfat by Mucor circinelloides CBS 277.49 and Lactiplantacillus plantarum CGMCC 24189. • This article solved the internal growth of M. circinelloides CBS277.49 in pork backfat by ultrasound combined with papain. • This article proposed an innovative of promoting the internal growth of M. circinelloides and increasing the PUFAs production by oxygen ventilation in pork backfat.

Recent developments in horizontal gene transfer with the adaptive innovation of fermented foods.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has contributed significantly to the adaptability of bacteria, yeast and mold in fermented foods, whose evidence has been found in several fermented foods. Although not every HGT has biological significance, it plays an important role in improving the quality of fermented foods. In this review, how HGT facilitated microbial domestication and adaptive evolution in fermented foods was discussed. HGT can assist in the industrial innovation of fermented foods, and this adaptive evolution strategy can improve the quality of fermented foods. Additionally, the mechanism underlying HGT in fermented foods were analyzed. Furthermore, the critical bottlenecks involved in optimizing HGT during the production of fermented foods and strategies for optimizing HGT were proposed. Finally, the prospect of HGT for promoting the industrial innovation of fermented foods was highlighted. The comprehensive report on HGT in fermented foods provides a new trend for domesticating preferable starters for food fermentation, thus optimizing the quality and improving the industrial production of fermented foods.

Linoleic acid enrichment of cheese by okara flour and Geotrichum candidum overexpressing Δ12 fatty acid desaturase.

BACKGROUND: Mold-ripened cheeses have low levels of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). Geotrichum candidum is an adjunct culture for the development of Geotrichum-ripened cheese but has a low ability to produce high levels of UFAs. Δ12 fatty acid desaturase (FADS12) is a pivotal enzyme that converts oleic acid (OA) to linoleic acid (LA) and plays a vital role in UFA biosynthesis. By investigating FADS12 catalytic activity from various species with OA substrates, we found that FADS12 from Mucor circinelloides (McFADS12) had the highest catalytic activity for OA. RESULTS: In the current study, a plasmid harboring McFADS12 was constructed and overexpressed in G. candidum. Our results showed that LA production increased to 31.1 ± 1.4% in engineered G. candidum - three times higher than that in wild-type G. candidum. To enhance LA production, an exogenous substrate (OA) was supplemented, and the yield of LA was increased to 154 ± 6 mg L-1 in engineered G. candidum. Engineered G. candidum was used as an adjunct culture for Geotrichum-ripened cheese production. The LA level reached 74.3 ± 5.4 g kg-1 cheese, whereas the level of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) decreased by 9.9 ± 0.5%. In addition, the soybean byproduct (okara) was introduced into the engineered G. candidum growth and the level of LA increased to 126 ± 4 g kg-1 cheese and the percentage of UFAs:SFAs increased from 0.8:1 to 1.3:1. CONCLUSION: This study offers a suitable technology for converting SFAs to UFAs in Geotrichum-ripened cheeses and provides a novel trend for converting soybean waste into a value-added product. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Study on the protective effect of green tea on gastric, liver and esophageal cancers].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the protective effect of drinking green tea on the development of gastric, liver and esophageal cancers. METHODS: A population based study was conducted in Taixing, Jiangsu province, including 206, 204, 218 cases, respectively, and 415 population controls. RESULTS: Green tea decreased the development of gastric cancer risk by 40%. Dose-response relationships were observed between the length of time, concentration and quantity of green tea drinking and its protective effects on gastric cancer. For individuals who drink green tea for more than 250 g per month, the risk of gastric cancer reduced about 60%. Green tea might have protective effect on liver cancer. However, no protective effect of green tea was observed on esophageal cancer. CONCLUSION: Green tea drinking might be a protective factor for gastric cancer. However, the protective effects of green tea on liver and esophageal cancer were not obvious.

Green tea drinking and multigenetic index on the risk of stomach cancer in a Chinese population.

The purpose of our study was to examine the roles of green tea drinking, other risk and protective factors, and polymorphism of susceptibility genes such as GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, and p53 codon 72 and their possible joint effects on the risk of stomach cancer. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Taixing, China, including 206 newly diagnosed cases with stomach cancer and 415 healthy control subjects. Epidemiological data were collected by in-person interviews using a standard questionnaire. Polymorphisms of susceptibility genes were assayed by PCR-RFLP techniques. A multigenetic index was created by summing up the number of risk genotypes. The data were analyzed using the logistic regression model. A reverse association between green tea drinking and risk of stomach cancer was observed with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.59 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.34-1.01). Dose-response relationship was shown (p-trend < 0.05). A higher score on the multigenetic index was associated with increased risk of stomach cancer with an adjusted OR of 2.21 (95% CI = 1.02-4.79) for those with at least 3 risk genotypes compared to those with <2 risk genotypes. Green tea drinking was suggested to have more than multiplicative interactions with alcohol consumption with an adjusted OR for interaction of 4.57 (95% CI = 1.62-12.89), and with higher multigenetic index with adjusted OR for interaction of 2.31 (95% CI = 0.88-6.03). The protective effect of green tea drinking was observed on the risk of stomach cancer and the possible effect modification by susceptibility genes was suggested.

HBV infection and familial aggregation of liver cancer: an analysis of case-control family study.

OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most important risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The specific aim of this study is to assess the influence of HBV infection on familial aggregation of HCC. METHODS: We conducted a population-based case-control family study of liver cancer in Taixing, China, in 2001-2002, with a total of 3611 individuals from 202 case families and 202 control families. Conditional logistic regression was used for the case-control data. The approach of GEE2 was used to analyze the family data and age and sex were adjusted in all marginal regression models. RESULTS: The odds ratio for HBV associated with HCC was 41.39 (95% confidence interval (CI): 23.03-74.30). The relatives of cases had a higher risk of liver cancer compared with the relatives of controls with a conditional odds-ratio of 3.06 (95% CI: 1.48-6.33). The association parameters among first- and second-degree relatives were no longer statistically significant when HbsAg was taken into consideration. CONCLUSION: HBV infection was likely a main reason for the familial aggregation of liver cancer in Southern China.

[A new statistical method on familial correlation dealing with family data from case-control studies].

OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a statistical method of familial correlation on family data from case-control studies. METHODS: Marginal mean models of the probands and the relatives conditional on the proband's disease status, as well as the marginal association model of the relatives were modeled integrately. Conditional odds-ratio and marginal odds-ratio were used to measure the familial correlation. RESULTS: The parameter's interpretation in the model was in accordance with sample characteristics. This method is more efficient due to making fully use of information of the probands and relatives. In addition, the method has all advantages of GEE2. CONCLUSION: The method in this paper efficiently and conveniently analyzes the family data from case-control studies to estimate the familial correlation on disease.

[A case-control study on the relationship between methyl-tetra-hydrofolic acid reductase 677 gene polymorphism and the risk of stomach cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between methyl-tetra-hydrofolic acid (MTHFR) 677 gene polymorphism and the risk of stomach cancer. METHODS: A population based case-control study was conducted and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to detect its genotypes. RESULTS: Among cases with stomach cancer, the frequency of C/C, C/T, T/T genotype were 25.8%, 54.6%, 19.6%, compared with controls as 34.5%, 50.9%, 14.6% respectively. Using C/C genotype as reference, the OR of C/T or T/T genotype was 1.52 (95% CI: 1.04 - 2.23). 53.3% C and 46.7% T allele were distributed in stomach cancer cases, while 60.0% C and 40.0% T in controls. The OR for T allele in relation to C allele was 1.31 (1.02 - 1.69) when C allele was used as reference. In addition, the present study showed that MTHFR677 AnyT genotype might interact with smoking, moldy food intake, wheat porridge intake, eating salty food and Hp CagA infection to increase the risk of stomach cancer. No interaction was observed between MTHFR677 AnyT genotype and alcohol drinking or green tea intake. CONCLUSION: MTHFR677 AnyT genotype, might increase the risk of stomach cancer development and the genotype might also interact with other environmental risk factors to increase the risk of stomach cancer.

[A case-control study on drinking green tea and decreasing risk of cancers in the alimentary canal among cigarette smokers and alcohol drinkers].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of green tea in decreasing the risks of gastric cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancer among alcohol drinkers or cigarette smokers. METHODS: A population based case-control study was conducted in Taixing, Jiangsu province. RESULTS: In Taixing city, identified cases of stomach, liver and esophageal cancers were chosen with informed consent. The numbers were 206, 204, 218 respectively. Controls were chosen from normal population having lived in the area for longer than 10 years, also with informed consent. Green tea drinking seemed to have decreased 81%, 78%, 39% risk for the development of gastric cancer, liver cancer and esophageal cancer among alcohol drinkers. It might also have decreased 16%, 43%, 31% on the risks of developing the three kinds of cancers among cigarette smokers. Interaction assessment showed that drinking green tea could significantly decrease the risk of gastric cancer and liver cancer among alcohol drinkers, with ORs of interaction item 0.23 (95% CI: 0.10 - 0.55) and 0.25 (95% CI: 0.11 - 0.57) respectively. CONCLUSION: Habit of drinking green tea seemed to have significant protective effects on the development of both gastric and liver cancer among alcohol drinkers while, green tea also having some protective effect on esophageal cancer among alcohol drinkers and on three kinds of cancers among cigarette smokers.