Systems Metabolic Engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the High-Level Production of (2S)-Eriodictyol.

(2S)-eriodictyol (ERD) is a flavonoid widely found in citrus fruits, vegetables, and important medicinal plants with neuroprotective, cardioprotective, antidiabetic, and anti-obesity effects. However, the microbial synthesis of ERD is limited by complex metabolic pathways and often results in a low production performance. Here, we engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae by fine-tuning the metabolism of the ERD synthesis pathway. The results showed that the ERD titer was effectively increased, and the intermediate metabolites levels were reduced. First, we successfully reconstructed the de novo synthesis pathway of p-coumaric acid in S. cerevisiae and fine-tuned the metabolic pathway using promoter engineering and terminator engineering for the high-level production of (2S)-naringenin. Subsequently, the synthesis of ERD was achieved by introducing the ThF3'H gene from Tricyrtis hirta. Finally, by multiplying the copy number of the ThF3'H gene, the production of ERD was further increased, reaching 132.08 mg L-1. Our work emphasizes the importance of regulating the metabolic balance to produce natural products in microbial cell factories.

Untargeted Metabolomic Analyses and Antilipidemic Effects of Citrus Physiological Premature Fruit Drop.

Increasingly globally prevalent obesity and related metabolic disorders have underscored the demand for safe and natural therapeutic approaches, given the limitations of weight loss drugs and surgeries. This study compared the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of five different varieties of citrus physiological premature fruit drop (CPFD). Untargeted metabolomics was employed to identify variations in metabolites among different CPFDs, and their antilipidemic effects in vitro were assessed. The results showed that Citrus aurantium L. 'Daidai' physiological premature fruit drop (DDPD) and Citrus aurantium 'Changshan-huyou' physiological premature fruit drop (HYPD) exhibited higher levels of phytochemicals and stronger antioxidant activity. There were 97 differential metabolites identified in DDPD and HYPD, including phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, organic acids, terpenes, and lipids. Additionally, DDPD and HYPD demonstrated potential antilipidemic effects against oleic acid (OA)-induced steatosis in HepG2 hepatocytes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In conclusion, our findings reveal the outstanding antioxidant activity and antilipidemic effects of CPFD, indicating its potential use as a natural antioxidant and health supplement and promoting the high-value utilization of this resource.

Development of a chitosan/pectin-based multi-active food packaging with both UV and microbial defense functions for effectively preserving of strawberry.

Multi-active food packaging was prepared for strawberry fruit preservation where epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)-containing pectin matrix and natamycin (NATA)-containing chitosan (CS) matrix were utilized to complete LBL electrostatic self-assembly. The results showed that the physicochemical properties of the multi-active packaging were closely related to the addition of NATA and EGCG. It was found that NATA and EGCG were embedded in the CS/pectin matrix through intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. The CN/PE 15 % multi-active films prepared based on the spectral stacking theory formed a barrier to UV light in the outer layer, exhibited excellent NATA protection under UV light exposure conditions at different times, and provided long-lasting and sustained bacterial inhibition in the inner layer. In addition, the CN/PE 15 % multi-active packaging extended the shelf life of strawberry at room temperature compared with the control samples. In conclusion, the developed CN/PE 15 % packaging provided potential applications for multi-active food packaging materials.

Reveal the relationship between the quality and the cuticle composition of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu) by postharvest heat treatment.

To investigate the influence of heat treatment (HT) on Satsuma mandarin fruit's postharvest quality and cuticle composition, we immersed the fruit for 3 min in hot water at 52°C and subsequently stored them at room temperature (25°C) for 28 days, and fruit quality parameters, such as good fruit rate, weight loss rate, firmness, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid content, were monitored. Additionally, changes in the peel's cuticle composition were analyzed, and wax crystal morphologies on the fruit surface were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The findings revealed that appropriate HT effectively preserved fruit quality. The main compositions of wax and cutin on the fruit's surface remained consistent between the HT and the CK during storage. The total content of wax and cutin initially increased, peaking on the 14th day of storage, and then decreased, falling below the levels observed on day 0. Notably, the total amount of cutin in the HT group exceeded that of the control group. Specifically, ω-hydroxy fatty acids with mid-chain oxo groups and mid-oh-ω-hydroxy fatty acids constituted approximately 90% of the total cutin content. Moreover, the HT group exhibited higher (p < 0.05) total wax content in relation to the control. Fatty acids and alkanes were the predominant components, accounting for approximately 87.5% of the total wax. SEM analysis demonstrated that HT caused wax crystals to melt and redistribute, effectively filling wax gaps. It suggests that HT holds promising potential as a green, safe, and eco-friendly commercial treatment for preserving the postharvest quality of Satsuma mandarin. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In this study, Satsuma citrus (Citrus unshiu) underwent heat treatment (HT) and was subsequently preserved at room temperature (25°C) for 28 days. The findings revealed that HT significantly improved fruit quality compared to the control group. These findings provide valuable insights into the advancement of eco-friendly and pollution-free citrus preservation methods, offering essential strategies and process parameters for their practical application.

Progress in Mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus and Its Chemical Constituents on Multiple Sclerosis / 中国结合医学杂志

The primary chemical components of Astragalus membranaceus include polysaccharides, saponins, flavonoids, and amino acids. Recent studies have shown that Astragalus membranaceus has multiple functions, including improving immune function and exerting antioxidative, anti-radiation, anti-tumor, antibacterial, antiviral, and hormone-like effects. Astragalus membranaceus and its extracts are widely used in clinical practice because they have obvious therapeutic effects against various autoimmune diseases and relatively less adverse reaction. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of central nervous system (CNS), which mainly caused by immune disorder that leads to inflammatory demyelination, inflammatory cell infiltration, and axonal degeneration in the CNS. In this review, the authors analyzed the clinical manifestations of MS and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and focused on the efficacy of Astragalus membranaceus and its chemical components in the treatment of MS/EAE.

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticle composites based on hesperidin and pectin and their synergistic antibacterial mechanism.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were widely used in the antibacterial field because of their excellent antibacterial properties. In this study, we used hesperidin and pectin as reductants and stabilizers, and prepared uniform and stable Hesperidin-Pectin AgNPs (HP-AgNPs) by a simple microwave-assisted process. Increasing the proportion of hesperidin, P-AgNPs, HP-AgNPs1, HP-AgNPs2 and H-AgNPs were obtained respectively. With the increase of hesperidin ratio, the mean particle size and zeta potential increased gradually. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed that Ag+ was reduced by hesperidin and pectin. Antibacterial tests showed that HP-AgNPs2 showed the MIC values of 66.7 µg/mL against E. coli. In addition, HP-AgNPs2 was selected to clarify its antibacterial mechanism against E. coli. Morphological experiments showed that HP-AgNPs2 stress caused damage to the cell wall of E. coli, as well as leakage of its contents and an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). On the other hand, the release of Ag+ during cell co-culture was studied and the results showed that most of the Ag+ released was taken up by E. coli. The synergistic effect of hesperidin and pectin resulted in a significant enhancement of the antibacterial properties of AgNPs. These preliminary data suggest that HP-AgNPs has good antibacterial activity and may be developed as an effective antibacterial nanomaterial.

Heat shock treatment maintains the quality attributes of postharvest jujube fruits and delays their senescence process during cold storage.

The effects of heat shock (HT), 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), or their combination (HT + 1-MCP) on the quality of fresh jujube fruits during cold storage were studied. Among them, HT showed the best preservation effect on jujube fruits, which was more effective than others in inhibiting the increase of red index, decay incidence, and weight loss and delaying the decrease of firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), and ascorbic acid (AsA) content. Besides, it could delay the degradation rate of the cell wall to maintain the integrity of cell membrane, and keep the high activity of active oxygen scavenging enzymes. During cold storage, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electrolyte leakage (REL) of the HT group were significantly lower than those of the control group, 1-MCP, and HT + 1-MCP group (p < .05), while superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) activities were significantly higher than those of other groups (p < .05). It was concluded that the postharvest HT treatment could effectively delay the senescence and decay of jujube fruits. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Jujube fruits have high nutritional value used for food and medicine. However, they are not tolerant to storage after harvest, resulting in high economic losses. Therefore, it is of great significance to find a suitable method to maintain the quality of jujube fruits. Our results revealed the effect of HT, 1-MCP, and their combination on the quality maintenance of jujube fruits, and found that HT could effectively maintain the quality of them, which could be used as an effective method for keeping jujube fruits fresh.

Effects of Different Treatment Methods of Dried Citrus Peel (Chenpi) on Intestinal Microflora and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Healthy Mice.

Chenpi is a kind of dried citrus peel from Citrus reticulata, and it is often used as traditional Chinese medicine to treat dyspepsia and respiratory tract inflammation. In this study, to determine which way of chenpi treatment plays a better effect on the prevention of obesity in healthy mice, we conducted 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing for intestinal microbiota and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detector (GC/MSD) analysis for short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) of female rats fed with either chenpi decoction or chenpi powder-based diet (n = 10 per group) for 3 weeks. Chenpi powder (CP) group significantly reduced abdominal adipose tissues, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and the serum level of total triacylglycerol (TG). At a deeper level, chenpi powder has a better tendency to increase the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes. It alters the Muribaculaceae and Muribaculum in intestinal microbiota, though it is not significant. The concentrations of acetic acid, valeric acid, and butyric acid increased slightly but not significantly in the CP group. Chenpi decoction just reduced perirenal adipose tissues, but it shows better antioxidant activity. It has little effect on intestinal microbiota. No differences were found for SCFAs in the chenpi decoction (CD) group. The results indicated that chenpi powder has a better effect in preventing obesity in mice. It can provide a basis for the development of functional products related to chenpi powder.

Comparison of the biochemical properties and thermal inactivation of polyphenol oxidase from three lily bulb cultivars.

The biochemical properties and thermal inactivation of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from three main planted lily cultivars in China, namely, Lilium lancifolium Thunb, Lilium brownie var. viridulum, and Lilium davidii var. unicolor cotton were evaluated. Data indicate that the PPO from three cultivars showed two optimum pH levels of 4.0 and 6.5-7.0 and temperature of 15°C and exhibited the highest affinity toward 4-methylcatechol. However, this enzyme did not exhibit monophenolase activity. Thiourea and L-cysteine were more effective than other inhibitors. The enzymatic activity of L. lancifolium Thunb PPO crude extract was higher than that of L. brownie var. viridulum and L. davidii var. unicolor cotton. For thermal inactivation, L. davidii var. unicolor cotton PPO showed the best thermal resistance at 65-75°C, and L. lancifolium Thunb showed stability at 45°C. The deactivation of the three types of PPO followed the first-order reaction kinetics, and the activation energy (Ea) was 144.28, 138.00, and 107.12 kJ/mol for L. lancifolium Thunb PPO, L. brownie var. viridulum PPO, and L. davidii var. unicolor cotton PPO, respectively. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Lilium is an ornamental and edible plant typically used for food and traditional Chinese medicine. Its flowers are used for decoration, and its underground bulbs are rich in various bioactive substances. Fresh lily bulbs easily turn brown and lose economic value during storage and processing. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is a crucial molecule involved in the enzymatic browning of fruit and vegetables. In this study, PPO was extracted from three main planted lily cultivars in China. Namely, Lilium lancifolium Thunb, Lilium brownie var. viridulum, Lilium davidii var. unicolor cotton and was partially characterized. The results are of considerable importance to further understand the PPO of lily bulbs and provide guidance for the inactivation of enzymes and the processing of lily bulb juice.

Green and efficient biosynthesis of pectin-based copper nanoparticles and their antimicrobial activities.

Herein, we reported a green biosynthesis method of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) at microwave irradiation condition by using pectin as a stabilizer and ascorbic acid as a reducing agent. Under the optimum conditions, CuNPs1 and 2 were synthesized under microwave times 0 and 3 min, respectively. Transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests showed that CuNPs1 and 2 had irregular polygon particles with average diameters of 61.9 ± 19.4 and 40.9 ± 13.6 nm, respectively. Zeta potentials of CuNPs1 and 2 were -45.2 and -48.7 mV, respectively. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the properties of CuNPs. Furthermore, inhibition zone tests showed that CuNPs2 exhibited higher antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Aspergillus japonicus than CuNPs1. The antibacterial activities were also studied by the bacterial growth kinetics in broth media, and CuNPs2 exhibited lower minimum bactericidal concentrations than CuNPs1.

A Rapid and Nondestructive Approach for the Classification of Different-Age Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Using Portable Near Infrared Spectroscopy.

Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP), has been used in China for hundreds of years as a functional food and medicine. However, some short-age CRPs are disguised as long-age CRPs by unscrupulous businessmen in order to obtain higher profits. In this paper, a rapid and nondestructive method for the classification of different-age CRPs was established using portable near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in diffuse reflectance mode combination with appropriate chemometric methods. The spectra of outer skin and inner capsule of CRPs at different storage ages were obtained directly without destroying the samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) with single and combined spectral pretreatment methods was used for the classification of different-age CRPs. Furthermore, the data were pretreated with the PCA method, and Fisher linear discriminant analysis (FLD) with optimized pretreatment methods was discussed for improving the accuracy of classification. Data pretreatment methods can be used to eliminate the noise and background interference. The classification accuracy of inner capsule is better than that of outer skin data. Furthermore, the best results with 100% prediction accuracy can be obtained with FLD method, even without pretreatment.

Effects of heat-moisture and acid treatments on the structural, physicochemical, and in vitro digestibility properties of lily starch.

Starch extracted from lily bulb (Lilium brownii var. Viridulum Baker) was modified via heat-moisture treatment (HMT) at different moisture levels (15-35%) and acid treatment (AT) with hydrochloric acid at five different concentrations (0.25-2.0 M). The effects of HMT and AT on the physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of lily starch were investigated. HMT and AT led to the clustering of the starch granules, whose surface became rougher, thereby increasing the particle size. X-ray diffraction results showed that HMT increased the relative crystallinity and transformed the crystalline structure from B- to A-type. The relative crystallinity and X-ray patterns of the AT starch significantly increased. The swelling power of HMT and AT starch was significantly reduced, whereas the solubility of HMT starch decreased. The solubility of AT starch was significantly higher than that of native starch (NS) (p < 0.05). Differential scanning calorimetry revealed that the gelatinization temperature of lily starch was higher than that of NS after two modifications, whereas the gelatinization enthalpy of the NS was lower than that of the modified samples. The starch with HMT at 25% showed the highest resistant starch content of 44.15% in cooked samples.

Thermoresponsive gating membranes embedded with liquid crystal(s) for pulsatile transdermal drug delivery: An overview and perspectives.

Due to the circadian rhythm regulation of almost every biological process in the human body, physiological and biochemical conditions vary considerably over the course of a 24-h period. Thus, optimal drug delivery and therapy should be effectively controlled to achieve the desired therapeutic plasma concentrations and therapeutic drug responses at the required time according to chronopharmacological concepts, rather than continuous maintenance of constant drug concentrations for an extended time period. For many drugs, it is not always necessary to constantly deliver a drug into the human body under disease conditions due to rhythmic variations. Pulsatile drug delivery systems (PDDSs) have been receiving more attention in pharmaceutical development by providing a predetermined lag period, followed by a fast or rate-controlled drug release after application. PDDSs are characterized by a programmed drug release, which may release a drug at repeatable pulses to match the biological and clinical needs of a given disease therapy. This review article focuses on thermoresponsive gating membranes embedded with liquid crystals (LCs) for transdermal drug delivery using PDDS technology. In addition, the principal rationale and the advanced approaches for the use of PDDSs, the marketed products of chronotherapeutic DDSs with pulsatile function designed by various PDDS technologies, pulsatile drug delivery designed with thermoresponsive polymers, challenges and opportunities of transdermal drug delivery, and novel approaches of LC systems for drug delivery are reviewed and discussed. A brief overview of all academic research articles concerning single LC- or binary LC-embedded thermoresponsive membranes with a switchable on-off permeation function through topical application by an external temperature control, which may modulate the dosing interval and administration time according to the therapeutic needs of the human body, is also compiled and presented. In the near future, since thermal-based approaches have become a well-accepted method to enhance transdermal delivery of different water-soluble drugs and macromolecules, a combination of the thermal-assisted approach with thermoresponsive LCs membranes will have the potential to improve PDDS applications but still poses a great challenge.

Effect of Ozone Treatment on Flavonoid Accumulation of Satsuma Mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) during Ambient Storage.

This study aimed to compare the flavonoid accumulation between ozone-treated and untreated Satsuma mandarin (Citrusunshiu Marc.) fruits. The fruits exposed to gaseous ozone were found to have higher antioxidant activities and content of flavonoid during the storage period by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). To reveal the molecular regulation of flavonoid accumulation by ozone, chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), ß-1,3-glucanase (GLU), chitinase (CHT), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and peroxidase (POD) were identified and their expression was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). These results support the promising application of ozone treatment as a safe food preservation technique for controlling postharvest disease and extending shelf-life of harvested Satsuma mandarin.

Efficient extraction and characterization of pectin from orange peel by a combined surfactant and microwave assisted process.

Surfactant and microwave assisted extraction (S-MAE) was used for pectin extraction from orange peel. First, we optimized the conditions of microwave assisted extraction (MAE), e.g., irradiation time, liquid-to-solid ratio (LSR), and pH on pectin yield (PY), galacturonic acid (GA) content, and degree of esterification (DE) using a Box-Behnken design. Under optimal conditions (pH 1.2, 7.0 min, and 21.5 v/w LSR), we obtained a PY of 28.0 ±â€¯0.5%, which was close to the predicted value (31.1%). Second, we analyzed the effect of surfactant on microwave extraction of pectin. Among the surfactants investigated, Tween-80 (8 g/L, w/v) increased PY by 17.0%. Compared with conventional solvent extraction, S-MAE is a novel and efficient method for pectin extraction, which generated a higher (p < 0.05) PY (32.8%), GA content (78.1%), DE (69.8%), and Mw (286.3 kDa).

Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharides Prevent Palmitic Acid-Evoked Apoptosis and Autophagy in Intestinal Porcine Epithelial Cell Line via Restoration of Mitochondrial Function and Regulation of MAPK and AMPK/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLP) extracted from Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst, a traditional Chinese medicine, is a biologically active substance reported to possess anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic, and neurological protection. However, it is unknown whether GLP have any protective effect against high-fat constituents-induced epithelial cell injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the protection and molecular mechanism of GLP on injury induced by palmitic acid (PA) in the intestinal porcine epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2). First, we tested whether the treatment of GLP attenuate PA-induced IPEC-J2 cell death. GLP markedly blocked PA-caused cytotoxicity and apoptosis in IPEC-J2 cells. Moreover, GLP recovered the decreased mitochondrial function and inhibited activation of caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway. Interestingly, PA promoted cell apoptosis and autophagy through stimulation of phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and inhibition of phosphorylation of Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which was reversed by GLP. Taken together, this study revealed a protective effect of GLP against PA-evoked IPEC-J2 cell death through anti-apoptotic and anti-autophagic properties.

Lotus seed skin proanthocyanidin extract exhibits potent antioxidant property via activation of the Nrf2-ARE pathway.

Lotus seed is well known as traditional food and medicine, but its skin is usually discarded. Recent studies have shown that lotus seed skin contains a high concentration of proanthocyanidins that have multi-functions, such as antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and anti-cancer effects. In the present study, we aimed to isolate and purify the proanthocyanidins from lotus seed skin by acetone extraction and rotary evaporation, identify their chemical structures by HPLC-MS-MS and NMR, and further investigate the antioxidant properties of the extract purified by macroporous resin (PMR) from lotus seed skin both in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that PMR mainly contained oligomeric proanthocyanidins, especially dimeric procyanidin B1 (PB1), procyanidin B2 and procyanidin B4. Although it had limited ability to directly scavenge radicals in vitro, PMR could significantly enhance the expressions of antioxidant proteins via activation of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway in HepG2 cells. Molecular data revealed that PB1, a major component in PMR, stabilized Nrf2 by inhibiting the ubiquitination of Nrf2, which led to subsequent activation of the Nrf2-ARE pathway, including the enhancements of Nrf2 nuclear translocation, Nrf2-ARE binding and ARE transcriptional activity. Moreover, the in vivo results in high fat diet-induced mice further verified the powerful antioxidant property of PMR. These results revealed that lotus seed skin is a promising resource for functional food development.

Reseach on origin identification of commercially available Zaocys dhumnades / 中国中药杂志

Through market investigation, the adulteration of Zaocys dhumnades on markets was found out, and samples of authentic and adulterated Z. dhumnades on markets were collected. The origin and properties of the adulterated Z. dhumnades were studied in order to provide reference for the identification of Z. dhumnades. The counterfeit Z. dhumnades sold on markets were as follows: Ptyas korros, P. mucosus, Najanaja atra, Sinonatrix annularis, Dinodon septentrionalis, etc. It is found that there existed a obvious difference between the traits of the Z. dhumnades and counterfeits. Genuine Z. dhumnades with "sword ridge" "iron tail", strongly ribbed scales and other features, is the key point to identify the difference from adulterants.

Hypolipidemic, Antioxidant, and Antiapoptotic Effects of Polysaccharides Extracted from Reishi Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Leysser: Fr) Karst, in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

The mechanisms underlying the effect of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom) polysaccharides (GLP) on obesity are not clear. In this study, GLP were found to attenuate the oleic acid-induced cell viability loss and apoptosis dose dependently in splenic lymphocytes in vitro. The effects of GLP on lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in mice fed a high-fat diet (HD) were determined. GLP administration (200 and 400 mg/kg bw) significantly lowered the body-weight increases; liver, heart, and white adipose tissues indexes; serum lipid accumulation; and serum and small intestine oxidative stress in mice fed a HD. Moreover, GLP inhibited HD-induced apoptosis by decreasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and suppressing caspase-3 activation in splenic lymphocytes. These findings indicate that GLP can exert hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic effects in HD-induced obese mice.

Study the effects of drying processes on chemical compositions in daylily flowers using flow injection mass spectrometric fingerprinting method and chemometrics.

Daylily flowers is an important vegetable in eastern Asia, widely used in many dishes. Daylily flowers are usually sold in dried forms in the supermarkets. There are a few method for processing fresh daylily flowers, however, no study has been conducted to analyze the effects of the processing methods in the composition of final products. In the present study, a flow-injection mass spectrometric fingerprinting (FIMS) method in combination with principal component analysis (PCA) was used to differentiate two species of daylily flowers (Mengzi and Chongli) with three different treatments (vacuum freeze drying, solar drying and hot-air drying treatments) for each. The results showed the fast and simple FIMS method could successfully differentiate between species (raw material) and treatments among each species. However, the two species could not be discriminated very well after being processed in hot-air drying treatment. The difference in chemical profiles of species and treatments were discussed.