Diversity in storage age enables discrepancy in quality attributes and metabolic profile of Citrus grandis "Tomentosa" in China.

The folk proverb "the older, the better" is usually used to describe the quality of Citrus grandis "Tomentosa" (CGT) in China. In this study, CGT aged for 6-, 12-, 16-, and 19-years were collected for the investigation of infusion color, main bioactive components, antioxidant activity, metabolic composition, and pathway. The results found that infusion color, the total phenolic and flavonoid, and antioxidant activity of CGT were obviously changed by aging process. Through untargeted metabolomics, 55 critical metabolites were identified to in discrimination of CGT with different storage ages, mainly including phenylpropanoids, lipids, and organic oxygen compounds. Twenty compounds that showed good linear relationships with storage ages could be used for year prediction of CGT. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment pathway analysis uncovered important metabolic pathways related to the accumulation of naringin, kaempferol, and choline as well as the degradation of benzenoids, thus supporting that aged CGT might be more beneficial to health. Correlation analysis provided that some key metabolites with bitter taste and biological activity were involved in the darkening and reddening of CGT infusion during aging, and total phenolic and flavonoid were more strongly associated with the antioxidant activity of CGT. This study systematically revealed the quality changes and key metabolic pathways during CGT aging at first time. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study reveals the differences in quality attributes and metabolic profile between CGT with different storage ages, providing guidance for consumers' consumption, and also providing more scientific basis for the quality evaluation and improvement of CGT.

Revealing oxidative degradation of lipids and screening potential markers of four vegetable oils during thermal processing by pseudotargeted oxidative lipidomics.

The oxidative degradation of lipids in vegetable oils during thermal processing may present a risk to human health. However, not much is known about the evolution of lipids and their non-volatile derivatives in vegetable oils under different thermal processing conditions. In the present study, a pseudotargeted oxidative lipidomics approach was developed and the evolution of lipids and their non-volatile derivatives in palm oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, and flaxseed oil under different thermal processing conditions was investigated. The results showed that thermal processing resulted in the oxidative degradation of TGs in vegetable oils, which generated oxTGs, DGs, and FFAs, as well as TGs with smaller molecular weights. The lower the fatty acid saturation, the more severe the oxidative degradation of vegetable oils and thermal processing at high temperatures should be avoided if possible. From the accumulation of oxTGs concentrations, the hazards during thermal processing at high temperatures were, in descending order, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, flaxseed oil, and palm oil. The non-volatile potential markers were screened in palm oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, and flaxseed oil for 1, 7, 5, and 2 markers related to thermal processing time, respectively. The study provided suggestions for the consumption of vegetable oils from multiple perspectives and identified markers for monitored oxidative degradation of vegetable oils.

Integration of metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses reveals the mechanism of nano-selenium treated to activate phenylpropanoid metabolism and enhance the antioxidant activity of peach.

Foliar spraying to improve the quality of fruits is a general approach nowadays. In this study, 10 ppm nano-selenium (nano-Se) diluted with distilled water was sprayed on peach leaves every 10 days for a total of 7 sprays during the fruit set period. And then their fruit quality was compared with that of control group. It was found that the firmness, soluble solid concentration, total phenol, and proanthocyanidin content of the peaches were raised after the nano-Se treatment. Moreover, the ascorbic acid glutathione loop (ASA-GSH loop) was fully activated in the nano-Se treated group, and the associated antioxidant capacity and enzyme activity were significantly increased. Metabolomics revealed that nano-Se could upregulate some metabolites, such as phenylalanine, naringenin, and pinocembrin, to fully activate the metabolism of phenylpropanoids. Further, based on transcriptomics, nano-Se treatment was found to affect fruit quality by regulating genes related to phenylpropanoid metabolism, such as arogenate/prephenate dehydratase (ADT), genes related to abscisic acid metabolism such as (+)-abscisic acid 8'-hydroxylase (CYP707A), and some transcription factors such as MYB. Based on the comprehensive analysis of physicochemical indicators, metabolomics, and transcriptomics, it was found that nano-Se improved fruit quality by activating phenylpropanoid metabolism and enhancing antioxidant capacity. This work provides insights into the mechanism of the effect of nano-Se fertilizer on peach fruit quality. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The firmness and soluble solid concentration of peaches are higher after nano-Se treatment, which is more in line with people's demand for hard soluble peaches like "Yingzui." The antioxidant capacity, antioxidant substance content, and antioxidant enzyme activity of nano-Se-treated peaches are higher, with potential storage resistance and health effects on human body. The mechanism of nano-Se affecting peach quality was analyzed by metabolomics and transcriptomics, which is a reference and guide for the research and application of nano-Se.

Oxidative lipidomics to elucidate the non-volatile derivatives of four typical triglycerides in vegetable oils under simulated frying conditions.

Vegetable oils with different saturations have varied composition of triglycerides (TGs) and produce different non-volatile derivatives during oxidation. Precise characterization of the non-volatile derivatives of TGs is essential for understanding the degradation of TGs and the production pattern of non-volatile derivatives. Oxidative lipidomics was combined with collision-induced dissociation and electron-activated dissociation to elucidate the precise structures of non-volatile derivatives produced under simulated frying conditions by 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (POP), triolein (OOO), trilinolein (LLL), and trilinolenin (LnLnLn). The results indicate that the unsaturated fatty acyl chains at the sn-2 position were more susceptible to oxidation compared with those at the sn-1/3 position. Species of non-volatile derivatives included epoxy-, hydroperoxy-, hydroxy-, and oxo-TGs, as well as degradation products. The potential reaction pathways of TGs and their non-volatile derivatives were also proposed. This study elucidated oxidative degradation mechanisms of the four typical TGs and provided a theoretical basis for changes of vegetable oils during frying.

New insight into the evolution of volatile profiles in four vegetable oils with different saturations during thermal processing by integrated volatolomics and lipidomics analysis.

To compare the oxidation products of four types of vegetable oils (palm oil, soybean oil rapeseed oil, and flaxseed oil) during thermal processing, lipidomics, volatolomics and simulation analyses were integrated to investigate the evolution of volatile profiles. The evolution of volatile profiles in different vegetable oils were found to be different, which are attribute to their different lipid composition. There were potential markers of palmitic acid-based vegetable oils as undecanal, dodecanal and 2-hexanone. A potential marker of oleic acid-based vegetable oils was 2-undecenal. (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, 3-octen-2-one, and 3-nonen-2-one were potential markers of linoleic acid-based vegetable oils. The potential markers of linolenic acid-type vegetable oils were 1-penten-3-ol, (E)-2-butenal, (E)-2-pentenal, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal (2), 2-ethyl-furan (1), 2-pentanone, and 3-hexen-2-one. The present study provides a new and comprehensive strategy to elucidate the changes of volatile compounds in thermal processed vegetable oil.

The functional role of sulforaphane in intestinal inflammation: a review.

Intestinal inflammation represented by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has become a global epidemic disease and the number of patients with IBD continues to increase. This digestive tract disease not only affects the absorption of food components by destroying the intestinal epithelial structure, but also can induce diseases in remote organs via the gut-organ axis, seriously harming human health. Nowadays, increasing attention is being paid to the nutritional and medicinal value of food components with increasing awareness among the general public regarding health. As an important member of the isothiocyanates, sulforaphane (SFN) is abundant in cruciferous plants and is famous for its excellent anti-cancer effects. With the development of clinical research, more physiological activities of SFN, such as antidepressant, hypoglycemic and anti-inflammatory activities, have been discovered, supporting the fact that SFN and SFN-rich sources have great potential to be dietary supplements that are beneficial to health. This review summarizes the characteristics of intestinal inflammation, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of SFN and its various protective effects on intestinal inflammation, and the possible future applications of SFN for promoting intestinal health have also been discussed.

Rapid Classification and Quantification of Camellia (Camellia oleifera Abel.) Oil Blended with Rapeseed Oil Using FTIR-ATR Spectroscopy.

Currently, the authentication of camellia oil (CAO) has become very important due to the possible adulteration of CAO with cheaper vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil (RSO). Therefore, we report a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic method for detecting the authenticity of CAO and quantifying the blended levels of RSO. In this study, two characteristic spectral bands (1119 cm-1 and 1096 cm-1) were selected and used for monitoring the purity of CAO. In combination with principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis, qualitative and quantitative methods for the detection of camellia oil adulteration were proposed. The results showed that the calculated I1119/I1096 intensity ratio facilitated an initial check for pure CAO and six other edible oils. PCA was used on the optimized spectral region of 1800-650 cm-1. We observed the classification of CAO and RSO as well as discrimination of CAO with RSO adulterants. LDA was utilized to classify CAO from RSO. We could differentiate and classify RSO adulterants up to 1% v/v. In the quantitative PLSR models, the plots of actual values versus predicted values exhibited high linearity. Root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) and root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) values of the PLSR models were 1.4518%-3.3164% v/v and 1.7196%-3.8136% v/v, respectively. This method was successfully applied in the classification and quantification of CAO adulteration with RSO.

A metabolomics approach for authentication of Ophiocordyceps sinensis by liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (DCXC) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that exhibits various health-promoting effects. However, counterfeits and mimics of DCXC are frequently found in markets. In the present study, we examined the potential of quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS) coupled with ultrafast liquid chromatography (UFLC) for use in the authentication of DCXC. Metabolite fingerprinting was obtained and subjected to multivariate statistical analysis. Discrimination of genuine DCXC, its counterfeits, cultured mycelia, and mimics was carried out by principal component analysis-discriminant analysis (PCA-DA). Furthermore, 18 characteristic markers efficiently distinguishing DCXC and its adulterants were selected by creation of profile plots displaying the abundances of markers. Determination of molecular formulae and tentative identification of marker compounds were conducted using elemental formula calculation and online database searches based on accurate MS mass and MS/MS fragmentation information. These results suggested that UFLC-QTOF-based metabolomics has great potential for the rapid detection of DCXC adulteration.

Quantification and purification of mangiferin from Chinese Mango (Mangifera indica L.) cultivars and its protective effect on human umbilical vein endothelial cells under H(2)O(2)-induced stress.

Mangiferin is a natural xanthonoid with various biological activities. Quantification of mangiferin in fruit peel, pulp, and seed kernel was carried out in 11 Chinese mango (Mangifera indica L.) cultivars. The highest mangiferin content was found in the peel of Lvpimang (LPM) fruit (7.49 mg/g DW). Efficient purification of mangiferin from mango fruit peel was then established for the first time by combination of macroporous HPD100 resin chromatography with optimized high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). Purified mangiferin was identified by both HPLC and LC-MS, and it showed higher DPPH(•) free-radical scavenging capacities and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) than by l-ascorbic acid (Vc) or Trolox. In addition, it showed significant protective effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) under H(2)O(2)-induced stress. Cells treated with mangiferin resulted in significant enhanced cell survival under of H(2)O(2) stress. Therefore, mangiferin from mango fruit provides a promising perspective for the prevention of oxidative stress-associated diseases.

Purification of naringin and neohesperidin from Huyou (Citrus changshanensis) fruit and their effects on glucose consumption in human HepG2 cells.

Huyou (Citrus changshanensis) is rich in naringin and neohesperidin, which are natural flavanone glycosides with a range of biological activities. Among the different fruit parts, i.e. flavedo, albedo, segment membrane (SM), and juice sacs (JS), albedo showed the highest contents of both compounds, with 27.00 and 19.09mg/g DW for naringin and neohesperidin, respectively. Efficient simultaneous purification of naringin and neohesperidin from Huyou albedo was established by the combination of macroporous D101 resin chromatography and high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). Purified naringin and neohesperidin were identified by both HPLC and LC-MS, and their effects on glucose consumption were investigated in HepG2 cells. Cells treated with naringin and neohesperidin showed increased consumption of glucose, and this was associated with increased phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Therefore, naringin and neohesperidin from Huyou may act as potential hypoglycaemic agents through regulation of glucose metabolism.

Separation and purification of neohesperidin from the albedo of Citrus reticulata cv. Suavissima by combination of macroporous resin and high-speed counter-current chromatography.

In this article, a simple and efficient protocol for rapid preparation and separation of neohesperidin from the albedo of Citrus reticulata cv. Suavissima was established by the combination of macroporous resin column chromatography and high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). Six types of resin were investigated by adsorption and desorption tests, and D101 macroporous resin was selected for the first cleaning-up procedure, in which 55% aqueous ethanol was used to elute neohesperidin. After treatment with D101 resin, the neohesperidin purity increased 11.83-fold from 4.92% in the crude extract to 58.22% in the resin-refined sample, with a recovery of 68.97%. The resin-refined sample was directly subjected to HSCCC purification with a two-phase solvent system composed of ethyl acetate-n-butanol-water (4:1:5, v/v), and 23.6 mg neohesperidin with 97.47% purity was obtained from 60 mg sample in only one run. The recovery of neohesperidin in HSCCC separation procedure was 65.85%. The chemical structure of the purified neohesperidin was identified by both HPLC and LC-MS. The established purification process will be helpful for further characterization and utilization of Citrus neohesperidin.

Cyanidin-3-glucoside-rich extract from Chinese bayberry fruit protects pancreatic ß cells and ameliorates hyperglycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Chinese bayberry fruit is a rich source of anthocyanins, especially cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G). The present study investigated the protective effects of C3G-rich bayberry fruit extract (CRBFE) against pancreatic ß cells against oxidative stress-induced injury as well as its hypoglycemic effect in diabetic mice. Bayberry extract from "Biqi" was used for both in vitro and in vivo testing because of its high C3G content and high antioxidant capacity. Pretreatment of ß cells with CRBFE (containing 0.5 µmol/L C3G) prevented cell death, increased cellular viability, and decreased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production and cell necrosis induced by 800 or 1,200 µmol/L H2O2. CRBFE dose-dependently up-regulated pancreatic duodenal homeobox 1 gene expression, contributing to increased insulin-like growth factor II gene transcript levels and insulin protein in INS-1 cells. In addition, administration of CRBFE (150 µg of C3G/10 g of body weight twice per day) significantly reduced blood glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic ICR mice and increased the glucose tolerance in an oral glucose tolerance test (P<.05). Such results indicated that CRBFE might be useful in prevention and control of diabetes mellitus and diabetes-associated complications.