The role of TRPA1 and TRPV1 in the perception of astringency.

Astringency, commonly described as a drying, roughening, and/or puckering sensation associated with polyphenol-rich foods affects their palatability. While the compounds eliciting astringency are known, its mechanism of action is debated. This study investigated the role of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels A1 and V1 in astringency perception. If TRP A1 or V1 have a functional role in astringency perception, then desensitizing these receptors should decrease perceived astringency. Thirty-seven panelists underwent unilateral lingual desensitization of TRP A1 and V1 channels using mustard oil and capsaicin, respectively. Panelists then evaluated four astringent stimuli: epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), tannic acid (TA), and potassium alum (Alum), via 2-AFC and intensity ratings. When TRPA1 receptors were desensitized on one half of the tongue via mustard oil, no significant differences were observed between the treated and untreated sides for both 2-AFC and intensity ratings. Similarly, when TRPV1 receptors were desensitized on one half of the tongue via capsaicin, no significant differences were observed between the treated and untreated sides for both 2-AFC and intensity ratings. These findings challenge the notion that TRP channels play a pivotal role in astringency perception.

Chitosan and inulin synergized with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LPP95 to improve the quality characteristics of low-salt pickled tuber mustard.

Low-salt pickled vegetables are in line with a healthier diet, yet ensuring consistent quality of such products is challenging. In this study, low-salt tuber mustard pickles fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LPP95 in the presence of chitosan and inulin were analyzed over a 30-day period, and quality changes were evaluated. Total acid productions along with high bacterial counts (106 CFU/mL) were observed in the initial 20 days during indoor storage temperature, in which the reduced fiber aperture was found significantly lead to an increase in crispness (16.94 ± 1.87 N) and the maintenance of a low nitrate content (1.23 ± 0.01 mg/kg). Moreover, the combined pickling treatment resulted in higher malic acid content, lower tartaric acid content, and a decrease in the content of bitter amino acids (e.g., isoleucine and leucine), thus leading to an increase in the proportion of sweet amino acids. Additionally, combined pickling led to the production of unique volatile flavor compounds, especially the distinct spicy flavor compounds isothiocyanates. Moreover, the combined pickling treatment resulted in an increase in the abundance of Lactiplantibacillus and promoted microbial diversity within the fermentation system. Thus, the synergistic effect among chitosan, inulin, and L. plantarum LPP95 significantly enhanced the quality of pickles. The study offers a promising strategy to standardize the quality of low-salt fermented vegetables.

Brassicaceae Mustards: Phytochemical Constituents, Pharmacological Effects, and Mechanisms of Action against Human Disease.

The Brassicaceae genus consists of many economically important mustards of value for food and medicinal purposes, namely Asian mustard (Brassica juncea), ball mustard (Neslia paniculata), black mustard (B. nigra), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale), Asian hedge mustard (S. orientale), oilseed rape (B. napus), rapeseed (B. rapa), treacle mustard (Erysimum repandum), smooth mustard (S. erysimoides), white ball mustard (Calepina irregularis), white mustard (Sinapis alba), and Canola. Some of these are commercially cultivated as oilseeds to meet the global demand for a healthy plant-derived oil, high in polyunsaturated fats, i.e., B. napus and B. juncea. Other species are foraged from the wild where they grow on roadsides and as a weed of arable land, i.e., E. repandum and S. erysimoides, and harvested for medicinal uses. These plants contain a diverse range of bioactive natural products including sulfur-containing glucosinolates and other potentially valuable compounds, namely omega-3-fatty acids, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, tannins, S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide, and trace-elements. Various parts of these plants and many of the molecules that are produced throughout the plant have been used in traditional medicines and more recently in the mainstream pharmaceutical and food industries. This study relates the uses of mustards in traditional medicines with their bioactive molecules and possible mechanisms of action and provides an overview of the current knowledge of Brassicaceae oilseeds and mustards, their phytochemicals, and their biological activities.

A chemometric approach to assess the oil composition and content of microwave-treated mustard (Brassica juncea) seeds using Vis-NIR-SWIR hyperspectral imaging.

The wide gap between the demand and supply of edible mustard oil can be overcome to a certain extent by enhancing the oil-recovery during mechanical oil expression. It has been reported that microwave (MW) pre-treatment of mustard seeds can have a positive effect on the availability of mechanically expressible oil. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) was used to understand the change in spatial spread of oil in the microwave (MW) treated seeds with bed thickness and time of exposure as variables, using visible near-infrared (Vis-NIR, 400-1000 nm) and short-wave infrared (SWIR, 1000-1700 nm) systems. The spectral data was analysed using chemometric techniques such as partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and regression (PLSR) to develop prediction models. The PLS-DA model demonstrated a strong capability to classify the mustard seeds subjected to different MW pre-treatments from control samples with a high accuracy level of 96.6 and 99.5% for Vis-NIR and SWIR-HSI, respectively. PLSR model developed with SWIR-HSI spectral data predicted (R2 > 0.90) the oil content and fatty acid components such as oleic acid, erucic acid, saturated fatty acids, and PUFAs closest to the results obtained by analytical techniques. However, these predictions (R2 > 0.70) were less accurate while using the Vis-NIR spectral data.

Using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to predict the nitrogen levels in the stem and root tissues of Brassica juncea (Indian mustard).

Brassica juncea depends heavily on nitrogen (N) fertilizers for growth and accumulation of seed protein. However, it is an inefficient mobilizer of applied N which leads to accumulation of excess N in the soil, posing environmental risks. Hence, it is imperative to systematically examine spatial-temporal pattern of crop N to efficiently manage N application. The Kjeldahl method is commonly used to estimate N status of crops but it is a destructive method that entails the use of perilous and expensive chemicals. Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) offers a safe, accurate, and non-destructive alternative for large-scale screening of seed metabolites. Currently, no NIRS model exists to quickly estimate N content in shoots and roots from large germplasm sets in any rapeseed-mustard crop. Developing such a model is essential to breed for enhanced nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). We used 738 shoot and 346 root samples from a B. juncea diversity set to construct the NIRS models. A diverse range of genetic variation in N content was recorded in the stem (0.21-6.61%) and root (0.15-3.04%) tissues of the crop raised on two different N levels (N0 and N100). Modified partial least squares (MPLS) method was employed to establish a regression equation linking reference N values with spectral changes. The developed models exhibited strong associations with reference values, with RSQ values of 0.884 for stem and 0.645 for roots. Furthermore, external validation confirms the reliability of the developed models. The developed models have strong predictive capabilities for rapid and reliable N estimation in various tissues of B. juncea plants.

Clinical Effect of Thioglycosides Extracted from White Mustard on Dental Plaque and Gingivitis: Randomized, Single-Blinded Clinical Trial.

The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect of thioglycosides has already been established. This study investigates the effects of thioglycosides extracted from white mustard, specifically the "Bamberka" variety, in the context of oral hygiene. The aim of the study is to clarify an evidence-based link between the documented antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects attributed to thioglycosides and their practical application in oral care. A randomized, single-blinded (patient-blinded) clinical study was performed on 66 patients using mustard-based toothpaste for oral hygiene. The patients were examined at baseline and after 6 and 12 months. The values of the Approximal Plaque Index (API), the Plaque Index (PI), and Bleeding on probing (BOP) were taken into consideration. The results show a significant reduction in plaque accumulation, especially after 6 months of using mustard-based toothpaste in all examined parameters. This suggests that thioglycosides from mustard contribute to a considerable decrease in dental plaque accumulation, confirming their potential in natural oral care solutions, which is indicated in the main conclusions or interpretations.

Improvement of phenolic profile and biological activities of wild mustard sprouts.

The current study aimed to assess the effect of the germination process of wild mustard seeds on the phenolic profile, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antidiabetic properties, and some relevant enzyme activities. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents increased 5- and 10-fold, respectively, and were maximized on 5-days sprouts. One new phenolic compound was identified on 5-days sprout extract using HPLC. The concentrations of the identified phenolic compounds increased 1.5-4.3 folds on 5-days sprouts compared with dry seeds. The total antioxidant activity multiplied 17- and 21-fold on 5-days sprouts using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays, respectively. The activity of carbohydrate-cleaving, phenolic-synthesizing and antioxidant enzymes also increased during germination. On 5-days sprouts, there was a substantial correlation between the highest ß-glucosidase and peroxidase activities with highest phenolic and flavonoid levels and maximum antioxidant activity. The phenolic extract of 5-days sprouts exhibited antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and showed potent antidiabetic activity established by its inhibitory effect against α-amylase and α-glucosidase compared to dry seeds.

Physicochemical properties and fractal characterizations of the functionalized porous clinoptilolites for controlling alginate delivery in growing cauliflower and leaf mustard.

Using natural clinoptilolite (NCP) as a carrier and alginate (Alg)-calcium as an active species, the porous silicon calcium alginate nanocomposite (Alg-Ca-NCP) was successfully fabricated via adsorption-covalence-hydrogen bond. Its structural features and physicochemical properties were detailed investigated by various characterizations. The results indicated that Alg-Ca-NCP presented the disordered lamellar structures with approximately uniform particles in size of 300-500 nm. Specially, their surface fractal evolutions between the irregular roughness and dense structures were demonstrated via the SAXS patterns. The results elucidated that the abundant micropores of NCP were beneficial for unrestricted diffusing of Alg-Ca, which was conducive to facilitate a higher loading and sustainable releasing. The Ca content of leaf mustard treated with Alg-Ca-NCP-0.5 was 484.5 mg/100g on the 21st day, higher than that by water (CK) and CaCl2 solution treatments, respectively. Meanwhile, the prepared Alg-Ca-NCPs presented the obvious anti-aging effects on peroxidase drought stress of mustard leaves. These demonstrations provided a simple and effective method to synthesize Alg-Ca-NCPs as delivery nanocomposites, which is useful to improve the weak absorption and low utilization of calcium alginate by plants.

Effect of Far-Red Light on Biomass Accumulation, Plant Morphology, and Phytonutrient Composition of Ruby Streaks Mustard at Microgreen, Baby Leaf, and Flowering Stages.

Far-red (FR) light influences plant development significantly through shade avoidance response and photosynthetic modulation, but there is limited knowledge on how FR treatments influence the growth and nutrition of vegetables at different maturity stages in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Here, we comprehensively investigated the impacts of FR on the yield, morphology, and phytonutrients of ruby streaks mustard (RS) at microgreen, baby leaf, and flowering stages. Treatments including white control, white with supplementary FR, white followed by singularly applied FR, and enhanced white (WE) matching the extended daily light integral (eDLI) of FR were designed for separating the effects of light intensity and quality. Results showed that singular and supplemental FR affected plant development and nutrition similarly throughout the growth cycle, with light intensity and quality playing varying roles at different stages. Specifically, FR did not affect the fresh and dry weight of microgreens but increased those values for baby leaves, although not as effectively as WE. Meanwhile, FR caused significant morphological change and accelerated the development of leaves, flowers, and seedpods more dramatically than WE. With regard to phytonutrients, light treatments affected the metabolomic profiles for baby leaves more dramatically than microgreens and flowers. FR decreased the glucosinolate and anthocyanin contents in microgreens and baby leaves, while WE increased the contents of those compounds in baby leaves. This study illustrates the complex impacts of FR on RS and provides valuable information for selecting optimal lighting conditions in CEA.

The correlation between flavor formation and microbial community dynamics during the fermentation of zha cai.

BACKGROUND: Zha cai, a pickled vegetable with unique flavors, is produced by fermenting fresh mustard tubers. In this study, the main physicochemical indices and volatile flavor compounds were determined in three fermentation periods. The bacterial and fungal communities in the three fermentation periods of zha cai were also monitored using high-throughput sequencing. Key microbial communities were identified based on significant correlations with flavor substances. RESULTS: Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the main bacterial phyla found within the three fermentation periods. Lactic acid bacteria, namely Lactobacillus, was the predominant bacteria found at the genus level. Ascomycetes and Stenotrophomonas were the major fungal phyla found in the three fermentation periods. Yeast, namely Debaryomyces, was the predominant fungus found at the genus level. A total of 42 bacterial genera were negatively correlated with volatile flavor substances of zha cai, and 37 bacterial genera were positively correlated. Meanwhile, a total of 47 genera of fungi were negatively correlated with the volatile flavor substances of zha cai, while 50 genera were positively correlated. Several microbial genera were significantly correlated with volatile flavor compounds, including Lactobacillus, Halomonas, Rhodococcus, and Debaryomyces. CONCLUSION: This study identified the microbial classes that positively regulate the flavor of zha cai which could provide valuable help for flavor modulation in zha cai production. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Yellow mustard gum: pilot-scale production and characterization.

BACKGROUND: Yellow mustard gum (YMG), which is extracted from the mucilaginous part of yellow mustard bran, has been considered an emerging natural hydrocolloid gum but lacks commercial development and production. To promote the commercial utilization of YMG, this study developed a pilot-scale YMG production protocol in an economic and environmentally friendly way to produce a clean-label YMG product. This YMG produced at pilot scale (YMW) was characterized in terms of chemical composition, rheological properties, and interaction with a commercial gum, κ-carrageenan, and was compared with purified YMG through ethanol precipitation (YME). RESULTS: The protocol processed up to 100 L of raw material with zero solvent and a minimal number of steps and showed strong quasi-industrial potential. The YMW showed a similar chemical composition as YME. However, the YMW contained a slightly lower amount of carbohydrate and a much larger amount of ash and potassium than the YME. The rheological results concluded that both the YMW and YME solutions exhibited shear-thinning flow behavior and a weak gel, with YME showing higher viscosity and stronger gel structure. Most interestingly, YMW could form unpourable gels when blended with native κ-carrageenan whereas YME barely achieved this despite the equivalent total gum concentration. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the feasibility of YMG production at a large scale with economic and green procedures and discovered its new functionality for commercial utilization. The gelling ability of YMG could provide it with wider applications as a result of a new potential synergistic combination. All this information should accelerate the process of full commercialization of YMG as a clean-label functional ingredient. © 2024 His Majesty the King in Right of Canada. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

An enhanced productivity of pink oyster mushroom with improved nutritional profile, characterization and attempt for commercial exploitation.

BACKGROUND: An attempt has been made to explore the nutritional profile of pink oyster mushrooms that have been grown in various agricultural residues, including sugarcane bagasse, rice straw, coconut coir and sawdust, along with other nutrient supplements such as defatted mustard and chickpea powder, for appropriate growth and fruiting body formation in a short span of time. The spawn production was experimented with five different grain varieties. The study became interesting when the observations differed slightly from the traditional practices, with the addition of defatted mustard supplements resulting in a positive correlation with respect to reducing the fruiting time, as well as improving yield and the nutritional profile of Pleurotus djamor. RESULTS: An elevated yield of 651.93 g kg-1 was recorded in the medium where the RS and DM were used in the ratio of 1:0.01 (rice straw +1% w/w defatted mustard) bag, whereas, in terms of protein content, a maximum yield of 32.57 ± 0.79 mg g-1 was observed when SB:DM was in the same ratio (sugarcane bagasse +1% w/w defatted mustard) bag. CONCLUSION: To confer the best outcomes from the screened substrates, a series of experiments were performed by varying the concentration of RS and SB, with 1% w/w DM. It is worth noting that the highest protein content of 32.76 ± 0.38 mg g-1 was obtained along with the total yield of 702.56 ± 2.9 g kg-1 of mushroom when the ratio of RS:SB was 0.7:0.3. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluation and comparison of physicochemical properties, volatile substances, and microbial communities of leaf mustard (Brassica juncea var. multiceps) under natural and inoculated fermentation.

Due to the uncontrolled fermentation process and unstable quality of naturally fermented leaf mustard, inoculated fermentation is receiving more attention. Here, the physicochemical properties, volatile compounds, and microbial community in leaf mustard under natural fermentation (NF) and inoculated fermentation (IF) were analyzed and compared. The contents of total acid, crude fiber, and nitrite of leaf mustard were measured. Headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and orthogonal projection on latent structure-discriminant analysis were used to analyze the differences of volatile compounds in NF and IF leaf mustard. Moreover, Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology was employed to reveal the composition of microbiota. The results showed that the nitrite content in leaf mustard after IF (3.69 mg/kg) was significantly lower than that after NF (4.43 mg/kg). A total of 31 and 25 kinds of volatile components were identified in IF and NF, respectively. Among the detected compounds, 11 compounds caused the differences between IF and NF leaf mustard. The results of inter-group difference analysis showed that there were significant differences in fungal flora between IF and NF samples. Saccharomycetes, Kazachstania, and Ascomycota were the landmark microorganisms in IF leaf mustard and the landmark microorganisms in NF were Mortierellomycota, Sordariomycetes, and Eurotiomycetes. The abundance of probiotics (such as Lactobacillus) in IF leaf mustard (51.22%) was higher than that in NF (35.20%) and the abundance of harmful molds (such as Mortierella and Aspergillus) was opposite. Therefore, IF leaf mustard showed the potential to reduce the content of nitrite and harmful molds and increase the beneficial volatile compounds and probiotics. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Leaf mustard of inoculated fermentation (IF) showed better fermented characteristics than natural fermentation in terms of lower nitrite content, greater beneficial volatile substances, and better potential for increasing probiotics and reducing harmful molds. These results provided a theoretical basis for IF leaf mustard and contributed to the industrial production of fermented leaf mustard.

Co-application of TiO2 nanoparticles and hyperaccumulator Brassica juncea L. for effective Cd removal from soil: Assessing the feasibility of using nano-phytoremediation.

Nano-phytoremediation is anticipated as a potential technology for the remediation of heavy metals from soil sites. This study evaluated the feasibility of using titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) at various concentrations (0, 100, 250, 500 mg/kg) along with a hyperaccumulator, Brassica juncea L., for effective removal of Cadmium (Cd) from the soil. Plants were grown for a whole life cycle in soil containing 10 mg/kg of Cd and spiked TiO2 NPs. We analyzed the plants for Cd tolerance, phytotoxicity, Cd removal, and translocation. Brassica plants displayed high Cd tolerance with a significant increase in plant growth, biomass, and photosynthetic activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Cd removal from the soil at TiO2 NPs concentrations of 0, 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg treatment was 32.46%, 11.62%, 17.55%, and 55.11%, respectively. The translocation factor for Cd was found to be 1.35, 0.96, 3.73, and 1.27 for 0, 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg concentrations. The results of this study indicate that TiO2 NPs applications in the soil can minimize Cd stress in plants and lead to its efficient removal from soil. Thus, the association of nanoparticles with the phytoremediation process can lead to good application prospects for the remediation of contaminated soil.

Biotransformation of white and black mustard grains through germination and enzymatic hydrolysis revealed important metabolites for antioxidant properties and cytotoxic activity against Caco-2 cells.

Germination and enzymatic hydrolysis are biological processes with well-recognized positive effects on phenolic composition and antioxidant potential. This study aimed to apply those processes to white (Sinapsis alba) and black (Brassica nigra) mustard grains and to analyze the influences on the total phenolic content (TPC); phenolic and peptide profile determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS); antioxidant potential (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays); and cytotoxicity against Caco-2, a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line. Enzyme combinations for hydrolysis were different for each mustard grain, but for both species, enzymatic hydrolysis and germination showed a positive effect on antioxidant properties. From UPLC-HRMS analysis and molecular network studies, 14 peptides and 17 phenolic compounds were identified as metabolites released from mustard after processes application, which were strongly correlated with increased antioxidant activity. In addition, enzymatic hydrolysis applied in germinated mustard grains for both mustards increased the cytotoxic activity against Caco-2 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line.

Changes in fatty acids in Brassica juncea L. oil grown under two simulated conditions of fluoride contamination.

Rapeseed, the second-most-important vegetable oil source, is cultivated in various areas of India where both groundwater and soil are contaminated with fluoride (F-). Furthermore, the frequent use of F- contaminated groundwater for irrigation leads to accumulation of F- in surface and sub-surface soil. The study aims to compare the morphological and biochemical changes in Brassica juncea L., the variations in its fatty acids (FAs) composition and oil yield, under two regimes of F- contaminated soils: (i) pre-contaminated soil (Tr) and (ii) irrigation with F- contaminated water (Ir). The level of F- (µg g-1) in the plant tissues (root, leaf, and grain) was significantly higher in Ir_10 (18.3, 14.7, and 2.8, respectively) than in Tr_10 (4.3, 2.6, and 0.77, respectively), while the oil yield was significantly lower with Ir_10 (19.5%) than with Tr_10 (44.9%). The phytoremediation potential of F- by Brassica juncea L. is greater in Tr regime than in the Ir regime. The erucic acid content (%), which is detrimental to cardiac health, increased to 67.37% (Ir_10) and 58.3% (Tr_10) from 57.73% (control). Thus, the present study shows that irrigation with F- contaminated water results in greater toxicity and accumulation in plants and is not safe for human health.

Irrigation with F^­ contaminated water results in a greater accumulation of F^­ in mustard than cultivated on pre-contaminated soil. The level of erucic acid in mustard oil enhances against F^­ exposure.

Use of Mustard Extracts Fermented by Lactic Acid Bacteria to Mitigate the Production of Fumonisin B1 and B2 by Fusarium verticillioides in Corn Ears.

Corn (Zea mays) is a worldwide crop subjected to infection by toxigenic fungi such as Fusarium verticillioides during the pre-harvest stage. Fusarium contamination can lead to the synthesis of highly toxic mycotoxins, such as Fumonisin B1 (FB1) and Fumonisin B2 (FB2), which compromises human and animal health. The work aimed to study the antifungal properties of fermented yellow and oriental mustard extracts using nine lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in vitro. Moreover, a chemical characterization of the main phenolic compounds and organic acids were carried out in the extracts. The results highlighted that the yellow mustard, fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains, avoided the growth of Fusarium spp. in vitro, showing Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) values, ranging from 7.8 to 15.6 g/L and 15.6 to 31.3 g/L, respectively. Then, the lyophilized yellow mustard fermented extract by L. plantarum TR71 was applied through spray-on corn ears contaminated with F. verticillioides to study the antimycotoxigenic activity. After 14 days of incubation, the control contained 14.71 mg/kg of FB1, while the treatment reduced the content to 1.09 mg/kg (92.6% reduction). Moreover, no FB2 was observed in the treated samples. The chemical characterization showed that lactic acid, 3-phenyllactic acid, and benzoic acid were the antifungal metabolites quantified in higher concentrations in the yellow mustard fermented extract with L. plantarum TR71. The results obtained confirmed the potential application of fermented mustard extracts as a solution to reduce the incidence of mycotoxins in corn ears.

Novel diosgenin-amino acid-benzoic acid mustard trihybrids exert antitumor effects via cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

In discovering new powerful antitumor agents, two series of novel diosgenin-amino acid-benzoic acid mustard trihybrids (7a-7 g and 12a-12 g) were designed and synthesized. The antiproliferative activities were tested against five human tumor cell lines and one normal cell line using CCK-8 assays. Among the trihybrids, 12e was the most promising compound, which inhibited T24 cells with IC50 value of 6.96 µM, and was stronger than its parent compound diosgenin (IC50 = 32.33 µM). In addition, 12e had weak cytotoxicity on the normal GES-1 cell line (IC50 = 213.74 µM). Moreover, 12e could cause G2/M cell cycle arrest, increase the percentage of apoptosis, induce mitochondrial depolarization, and promote reactive oxygen species generation in T24 cells. Further studies on antitumor mechanism demonstrated that 12e triggered the intrinsic (mitochondrial) and extrinsic (death receptor) apoptotic pathways. More importantly, 12e could inhibit T24 cell proliferation in an in vivo zebrafish xenograft model. Therefore, 12e, as a novel trihybrid with potent cytotoxicity, might be applied as a promising skeleton for antitumor agents, which deserved further optimization.

Evaluation of the Relationship among Biogenic Amines, Nitrite and Microbial Diversity in Fermented Mustard.

Biogenic amines (BAs) and nitrites are both considered harmful compounds for customer health, and are closely correlated with the microorganisms in fermented mustard (FM). In this study, BAs and nitrite contents in fifteen FM samples from different brands were analyzed. The concentrations of cadaverine in one sample and of histamine in one sample were above the toxic level. Moreover, five FM samples contained a high level of nitrite, exceeding the maximum residue limit (20 mg/kg) suggested by the National Food Safety Standard. Then, this study investigated bacterial and fungal communities by high-throughput sequencing analysis. Firmicutes and Basidiomycota were identified as the major bacteria and fungi phylum, respectively. The correlations among microorganisms, BAs and nitrite were analyzed. Typtamine showed a positive correlation with Lactobacillus and Pseudomonas. Cadaverine and nitrite is positively correlated with Leuconostoc. Furthermore, thirteen strains were selected from the samples to evaluate the accumulation and degradation properties of their BAs and nitrite. The results indicated that the Lactobacillus isolates, including L. plantarum GZ-2 and L. brevis SC-2, can significantly reduce BAs and nitrite in FM model experiments. This study not only assessed the contents of BAs and nitrite in FM samples, but also provided potential starter cultures for BAs and nitrite control in the FM products industry.

Bioaccessibility and bioavailability of bioactive compounds from yellow mustard flour and milk whey fermented with lactic acid bacteria.

Microbial fermentation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a natural food biopreservation method. Yellow mustard and milk whey are optimum substrates for LAB fermentation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of bioactive compounds from yellow mustard flour and milk whey both with and without LAB fermentation. All extracts were subjected to a simulated digestion process. Total polyphenols, DL-3-phenyllactic acid (PLA), lactic acid, and the antioxidant activity were determined in the studied matrices before and after simulated digestion. Yellow mustard flour was significantly richer in total polyphenols, whereas significantly higher concentrations of PLA and lactic acid were observed in milk whey. Similar antioxidant activity was determined in both ingredients being in all cases strongly reduced after in vitro digestion. Higher bioaccessibility was found for polyphenols and PLA in milk whey. Transepithelial transport of total polyphenols was higher in yellow mustard flour compared to milk whey, reaching bioavailability values between 3-7% and 1-2%, respectively. PLA transepithelial transport was only significant in both fermented matrices with bioavailability around 4-6%. Transepithelial transport of lactic acid reached values of 31-34% (bioavailability ∼ 22%) and 15-78% (bioavailability ∼ 3%) in milk whey and yellow mustard flour, respectively. LAB fermentation showed beneficial effects on enriching extracts with PLA, lactic acid, and antioxidant activity, as well as increasing bioaccessibility of these acids in yellow mustard flour and total polyphenol bioavailability in milk whey. Results pointed to yellow mustard flour and milk whey as natural preservative ingredients used in the food industry, especially when fermented with LAB.