Bifunctional photocatalyst/hydrogel composites: Synergistic effects and degradation mechanisms for the degradation of benzo(a)pyrene in smoked sausages.

Benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) is a structurally stable and carcinogenic compound, and B(a)P deposition and transport from smoking environment particulates to smoked meat products is a global challenge. In this study, a novel photosensitive bifunctional composite gel (ST/SiO2-Mn) was successfully synthesized as a reliable material for reducing PM2.5-B(a)P in the smoke environment. B(a)P removal experiments demonstrated that the adsorption and filtration properties of the gel effectively reduced the emission of PM2.5-B(a)P in smoke environment. The ST/SiO2-Mn gel removed 88.5 % of PM2.5-B(a)P in 240 min, which further led to a 59.7 % decrease in B(a)P on the sausage surface. In addition, photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that the ST/SiO2-Mn composite could effectively remove B(a)P, and 50 µg/mL B(a)P could be completely degraded within 20 min. Free radical trapping experiments showed that superoxide radicals (•O2-) contributed significantly to the degradation process. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights for effective PM2.5-B(a)P degradation without increasing economic burden.

Decoding of the saltiness enhancement taste peptides from Jinhua ham and its molecular mechanism of interaction with ENaC/TMC4 receptors.

This study focused on unlocking the potential of Jinhua ham-derived peptides (JHP) for enhancing saltiness. JHP (<3 kDa) was obtained through ultrafiltration and desalting, reducing the salt content by 96 %. Four peptide fractions (JHP-P1/P2/P3/P4) were isolated using Sephadex G-25 gel filtration and anion-exchange chromatography. Sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis revealed that JHP-P2 (0.5 mg/mL) exhibited the highest saltiness which could replace four-fold NaCl salinity. Three peptides (DL, FMSALF, and HVRRK) identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS were simulated with salty taste receptors ENaC/TMC4. Results indicated that Ser84 and Phe89 of ENaC and Asn404 and Lys567 of TMC4 are crucial for peptide docking related to salty taste. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the three peptides bind to the TMC4 and ENaC through van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonds. These findings establish a robust theoretical foundation for salt reduction strategies and provide novel insights into the potential applications of Jinhua ham.

Bio-based hydrogels induced by salts.

In this study, we introduce a salt-responsive hydrogel system utilizing a sugar-derived surfactant featuring a polyhydroxy spacer in its headgroup. The inclusion of salts enhances and organizes the intermolecular hydrogen bonding within the hydrophilic region of the polyhydroxy spacer, promoting cross-linking among surfactant molecules.

Efficient Inhibition of Ice Recrystallization During Frozen Storage: Based on the Diffusional Suppression Effect of Silk Fibroin.

Effectively controlling ice recrystallization (IR) during the frozen storage of food remains highly challenging. Inspired by the structural characteristics of antifreeze proteins in nature, silk fibroin (SF) derived from silk fibers has been developed. Through dual validation using the "splat" assay and "sucrose sandwich" assay, the IR inhibition activity of SF at various concentrations was confirmed, revealing that its regular alternating hydrophilic/hydrophobic domains endow SF with the potential to inhibit the axial growth of single ice crystal and significantly reduce the average maximum crystal size by approximately 67%. Additionally, the quality stability of frozen muscle foods treated with SF was comprehensively evaluated. In stark contrast to traditional commercial antifreeze agents (4% sucrose and 4% sorbitol), prepared steaks with the addition of 2% SF maintained rich juiciness and excellent color acceptability over a three-month frozen storage period. Thus, SF holds promise as a potential protective agent for frozen muscle foods, enhancing their quality during storage.

Role of calcium salts in modulating benzo[a]pyrene levels in barbecued pork sausages: A study on quality attributes and safety.

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), known for its carcinogenic and mutagenic properties, is a marker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study aimed to investigate the effect of partially replacing sodium chloride with different calcium salts (calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, calcium citrate, and calcium lactate) on BaP formation in barbecued pork sausages. The results revealed that all four calcium salts inhibited BaP formation in barbecued pork sausages (P < 0.05). Specifically, calcium gluconate showed the most significant effect on BaP inhibition, with an inhibition rate of 61.82 %. Furthermore, calcium salts were found to inhibit lipid oxidation in barbecued pork sausages while promoting the Maillard reaction. Further validation experiments used resveratrol and sodium sulfite as lipid oxidation and Maillard reaction inhibitors, respectively. These results indicated that lipid oxidation is the primary pathway for BaP production in barbecued pork sausage and that the addition of calcium salts can effectively block this process.

Switching CO2 Electroreduction Pathways between Ethylene and Ethanol via Tuning Microenvironment of the Coating on Copper Nanofibers.

Engineering the microenvironment of electrode surface is one of the effective means to tune the reaction pathways in CO2RR. In this work, we prepared copper nanofibers with conductive polypyrrole coating by polymerization of pyrrole using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as template. As a result, the obtained copper nanofibers Cu/Cu2+1O/SHNC, exhibited a superhydrophobic surface, which demonstrated very high selectivity for ethanol with a Faraday efficiency (FE) of 66.5% at -1.1 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) in flow cell. However, the catalyst Cu/Cu2+1O/NC, which was prepared under the same conditions but without PVP, possessed a hydrophobic surface and exhibited high selectivity towards ethylene at the given potentials. The mechanism for switch of reaction pathways from ethylene to ethanol in CO2RR was studied. Incorporating pyrrolidone groups into the polymer coating results in the formation of a superhydrophobic surface. This surface weakens the hydrogen bonding interaction between interfacial water molecules and facilitates the transfer of CO2, thereby enhancing the local CO2/H2O ratio. The high coverage of *CO promotes the coupling of *CO and *CHO to form C2 intermediates, and reduces the reaction energy for the formation of *CHCHOH (ethanol path) at the interface. This ensures that the reaction pathway is directed towards ethanol.

Photodynamic inactivation of edible photosensitizers for fresh food preservation: Comprehensive mechanism of action and enhancement strategies.

Foodborne harmful bacteria not only cause waste of fresh food, but also pose a major threat to human health. Among many new sterilization and preservation technologies, photodynamic inactivation (PDI) has the advantages of low-cost, broad-spectrum, energy-saving, nontoxic, and high efficiency. In particular, PDI based on edible photosensitizers (PSs) has a broader application prospect due to edible, accessible, and renewable features, it also can maximize the retention of the nutritional characteristics and sensory quality of the food. Therefore, it is meaningful and necessary to review edible PSs and edible PSs-mediated PDI, which can help to arouse interest and concern and promote the further development of edible PSs-mediated PDI in the future field of nonthermally sterilized food preservation. Herein, the classification and modification of edible PSs, PS-mediated in vivo and PS-mediated in vitro mechanism of PDI, strengthening strategy to improve PDI efficiency by the structure change synergistic and multitechnical means, as well as the application in fresh food preservation were reviewed systematically. Finally, the deficiency and possible future perspectives of edible PSs-mediated PDI were articulated. This review aimed to provide new perspective for the future food preservation and microbial control.

Identifying freshness of various chilled pork cuts using rapid imaging analysis.

BACKGROUND: Determining the freshness of chilled pork is of paramount importance to consumers worldwide. Established freshness indicators such as total viable count, total volatile basic nitrogen and pH are destructive and time-consuming. Color change in chilled pork is also associated with freshness. However, traditional detection methods using handheld colorimeters are expensive, inconvenient and prone to limitations in accuracy. Substantial progress has been made in methods for pork preservation and freshness evaluation. However, traditional methods often necessitate expensive equipment or specialized expertise, restricting their accessibility to general consumers and small-scale traders. Therefore, developing a user-friendly, rapid and economical method is of particular importance. RESULTS: This study conducted image analysis of photographs captured by smartphone cameras of chilled pork stored at 4 °C for 7 days. The analysis tracked color changes, which were then used to develop predictive models for freshness indicators. Compared to handheld colorimeters, smartphone image analysis demonstrated superior stability and accuracy in color data acquisition. Machine learning regression models, particularly the random forest and decision tree models, achieved prediction accuracies of more than 80% and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study provides a feasible and practical non-destructive approach to determining the freshness of chilled pork. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chemometrics methods, sensory evaluation and intelligent sensory technologies combined with GAN-based integrated deep-learning framework to discriminate salted goose breeds.

The authenticity of salted goose products is concerning for consumers. This study describes an integrated deep-learning framework based on a generative adversarial network and combines it with data from headspace solid phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, headspace gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry, E-nose, E-tongue, quantitative descriptive analysis, and free amino acid and 5'-nucleotide analyses to achieve reliable discrimination of four salted goose breeds. Volatile and non-volatile compounds and sensory characteristics and intelligent sensory characteristics were analyzed. A preliminary composite dataset was generated in InfoGAN and provided to several base classifiers for training. The prediction results were fused via dynamic weighting to produce an integrated model prediction. An ablation study demonstrated that ensemble learning was indispensable to improving the generalization capability of the model. The framework has an accuracy of 95%, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.080, a precision of 0.9450, a recall of 0.9470, and an F1-score of 0.9460.

Polyvinyl alcohol/soybean isolate protein composite pad with enhanced antioxidant and antimicrobial properties induced by novel ternary nanoparticles for fresh pork preservation.

In this study, oregano essential oil (OEO)-loaded soluble soybean polysaccharide (SSPS) -nisin nanoparticles (ONSNPs) were formulated through electrostatic attraction-driven and hydrophobic interactions utilizing SSPS, nisin, and OEO as raw materials. ONSNPs were integrated into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and soybean protein isolate (SPI) matrices to create composite pads (PS-ONSNPs) by physically cross-linked using a simple freeze-thaw cycling process. The effects of ONSNPs content on the structure and physicochemical properties were evaluated. The results revealed that strong intermolecular interactions between ONSNPs and the PS matrices affected the crystallinity, microstructure, and thermal stability of the pads. Upon incorporating 5 % to 15 % ONSNPs, the structure of composite pads became denser, and the mechanical properties and water resistance were enhanced. Concurrently, the PS-ONSNPs pads facilitated the protection and controlled release of OEO. Furthermore, ONSNPs significantly improved the antioxidant activity of the pads and effectively inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The prepared PS-ONSNPs 15 % pad was applied to storage experiments of fresh pork, which could extend the shelf life of meat to 10-12 days under 4 °C storage conditions. Therefore, the composite pad devised in this research holds promise as a viable option for intelligent active packaging of fresh meat.

Nanoparticles prepared with biotin-esterified debranched starch as an oral carrier to improve the stability and antioxidant activity of resveratrol.

In this study, biotin esterified debranched starch (Bio-DBS) nanoparticles with different molecular weights were prepared to improve the stability and antioxidant activity of resveratrol. The molecular weights of branched starch (DBS3, DBS9 and DBSp) determined by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) were 3306, 3696, and 4688, respectively. Biotin was covalently coupled to DBS through the esterification reaction as a new material to prepare nanoparticles. The morphology, particle size, and loading capacity of Bio-DBS nanoparticles were all related to the molecular weights of DBS. The 1H NMR results indicated that there was a hydrogen bonding interaction between Bio-DBS and resveratrol, which contributed to the photochemical and antioxidant activity of resveratrol in the nanoparticles. The highest encapsulation efficiency (78.9 %) and loading capacity (15.78 %) of resveratrol were observed in Bio-DBS3 nanoparticles. Additionally, the cell viability was over 80 % when the concentration of Bio-DBS3 reached to 200 µg/mL. The Bio-DBS nanoparticles significantly improved the thermal stability, photostability, and antioxidant properties of resveratrol. Therefore, the Bio-DBS nanoparticles prepared in this study can be used as a promising carrier to improve the stability and antioxidant activity of resveratrol and may have potential applications in oral delivery.

Decoding of Salty/Saltiness-Enhancing Peptides Derived from Goose Hemoglobin and the Interaction Mechanism with TMC4 Receptor.

Amid the growing concern for health-oriented food choices, salt reduction has received widespread attention, particularly in the exploitation of salt alternatives. Peptides with a saltiness-enhancing effect may provide an alternative method for salt reduction. The objective of this study was to isolate and extract novel peptides with salt-reducing effects by fermenting goose blood using a Lactobacillus plantarum strain. Five potential target peptides were screened by a virtual database prediction and molecular docking. Sensory evaluation and E-tongue analysis showed that five peptides (NEALQRM, GDAVKNLD, HAYNLRVD, PEMHAAFDK, and AEEKQLITGL) were identified as target peptides. Particularly, the results of E-tongue showed that GDAVKNLD can increase the saltiness intensity (2.87 ± 0.02) in the complex system. The sensory evaluation results also indicated an increase in saltiness intensity (46.67 ± 4.67 mmol/L NaCl) after adding GDAVKNLD. The results of molecular dynamics simulation indicated that five peptides have good ability to bind tightly to TMC4 receptor, thereby stimulating it to exert an active effect. And these peptides interacted with the TMC4 receptor via hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic interactions. This research lays a theoretical foundation for discovering novel salty/saltiness-enhancing peptides and provides meaningful contributions to efforts in salt reduction.

Odor and taste characteristics, transduction mechanism, and perceptual interaction in fermented foods: a review.

Fermentation is a critical technological process for flavor development in fermented foods. The combination of odor and taste, known as flavor, is crucial in enhancing people's perception and psychology toward fermented foods, thereby increasing their acceptance among consumers. This review summarized the determination and key flavor compound screening methods in fermented foods and analyzed the flavor perception, perceptual interactions, and evaluation methods. The flavor compounds in fermented foods could be separated, purified, and identified by instrument techniques, and a molecular sensory science approach could identify the key flavor compounds. How flavor compounds bind to their respective receptors determines flavor perception, which is influenced by their perceptual interactions, including odor-odor, taste-taste, and odor-taste. Evaluation methods of flavor perception mainly include human sensory evaluation, electronic sensors and biosensors, and neuroimaging techniques. Among them, the biosensor-based evaluation methods could facilitate the investigation of the flavor transduction mechanism and the neuroimaging technique could explain the brain's signals that relate to the perception of flavor and how they compare to signals from other senses. This review aims to elucidate the flavor profile of fermented foods and highlight the significance of comprehending the interactions between various flavor compounds, thus improving the healthiness and sensory attributes.

Developing animal fat substitute in low-fat meatballs: A strategy to use high internal phase emulsions stabilized by Prinsepia utilis Royle protein.

In promoting healthy diet, developing animal fat substitutes for meat products has been a prominent trend in food science. In this study, Prinsepia utilis Royle protein (PuRP) with amphiphilic property was extracted from waste oil pomace. High internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) were prepared with a 75% oil phase and stabilized with 2% (w/v) PuRP due to their excellent elastic-gel property. Furthermore, the PuRP-HIPEs were used to substitute animal fat in low-fat meatballs. Below 100 mM ionic strength, the uniformly distributed PuRP-HIPEs exhibited an approximate Gaussian size distribution with an average particle size of about 100 µm. The PuRP-HIPEs exhibited good thermodynamic stability and improved the texture of meatballs. Additionally, the PuRP-HIPEs significantly increased the mobile water content in steamed meatballs, resulting in better water retention and distribution than the free-fat and lard-added meatballs. Overall, the PuRP-HIPEs could substitute 100% animal fat in meatballs and maintain their cooking characteristics.

New findings on post-mortem chicken quality changes: The ROS-influenced MAPK-JNK signaling pathway affects chicken quality by regulating muscle cell apoptosis.

Research conducted previously has demonstrated that apoptosis significantly influences the chicken quality. While ROS are acknowledged as significant activators of apoptosis, the precise mechanism by which they influence muscle cell apoptosis in the post-mortem remains unclear. In this study, chicken samples were treated with rosemarinic acid and H2O2 to induce varying ROS levels, and the ROS-triggered apoptosis mechanism in chicken muscle cells in post-mortem was analyzed. The TUNEL results revealed that elevated ROS levels in chicken were associated with a greater degree of muscle cell apoptosis. Western-blot results suggested that sarcoplasmic ROS could initiate apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway by activating the MAPK-JNK signaling pathway. Moreover, TEM and shear force results demonstrated that muscle cell apoptosis initiates myofiber fragmentation and structural damage to sarcomeres, ultimately reducing chicken tenderness. This study enhances our understanding of post-mortem muscle cell apoptosis, providing valuable insights for regulating chicken quality.

Systematic evaluation of the meat qualities of free-range chicken (Xuan-Zhou) under different ages explored the optimal slaughter age.

Meat qualities of free-range chicken (Xuan-Zhou) (XZ-FRC) are closely associated with slaughter age and directly influence the economic benefits of supplier and consumer's preference. Understanding of the relationship between meat qualities and ages will be of prime important to explore a better slaughter age of XZ-FRC. In this study, the quality traits of breast and thigh muscles from XZ-FRCs at 9 to 14 wk were analyzed to establish a relatively reliable method for selecting a better slaughter age. The results showed that the effects of slaughter ages on color (CIE L*, a* and b* values), shear force, centrifugal loss, and flavor of XZ-FRCs were significant (P < 0.05). There were greater differences in meat qualities, whatever breast or thigh muscles, between same or different ages. Eleven feature indexes used for colligation evaluation of slaughter age were selected by combining the quality characteristics and data analysis. The score of colligation evaluation for XZ-FRCs at 12 wk was higher than that at 9 and 14 wk, suggesting that the 12 wk was an optimal slaughter age. This work would provide a reference method that helps the producers of livestock and poultry to select a better slaughter age.

Modulation of Lipid Digestion by Nanoarchitectonics of Complex Interfacial Structures with Tween 80 and Lecithin.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in regulating lipid digestion through the construction of various interfacial structures. In the present work, a series of complex interfacial structures were designed by combining Tween 80 in the aqueous phase and lecithin in the oil phase at different concentration ratios. The emulsification properties, the roles in regulating lipid digestion, and the interfacial dilatational rheological properties of the composite emulsifying systems were characterized. The results showed that the combination of Tween 80 and lecithin at different ratios could effectively modulate the rate of lipid digestion. The polyoxyethylene chains of Tween 80 formed a network, that provided a spatial obstacle for the adsorption of bile salts and lipases. Thus, Tween 80 significantly delayed the lipid digestion. The introduction of lecithin gradually replaced Tween 80 molecules at the interface, thus providing space for the adsorption of bile salts and lipases. In addition, as the ratio of lecithin concentration to Tween 80 increased, lecithin gradually became the dominant factor in the interfacial properties. As a result, the rate of lipid digestion was accelerated. Therefore, by compounding different ratios of lecithin and Tween 80, a series of emulsions with different lipid digestion rates were obtained. This research provides a basis for rationally designing food emulsions according to specific needs.

Structural modifications and augmented affinity for bile salts in enzymatically denatured egg white.

Protein binding to bile salts (BSs) reduces cholesterol levels, but the exact mechanism is unclear. In this study, we performed simulated gastrointestinal digestion of egg white protein hydrolysate (EWPHs) and included an unenzyme digestion group (CK) to investigate the changes in BSs binding capacity before and after digestion, as well as the relationship between egg white protein (EWP) structure and BSs binding capacity. In addition, peptidomics and molecular docking were used to clarify EWP's binding mechanism. We found that the BSs binding ability of EWPHs was slightly decreased after digestion, but significantly higher than that of the CK group and the digested CK group (D-CK). Particle size analysis and electrophoresis demonstrated that smaller particles and lower molecular weights exhibited enhanced binding capacity to BSs. Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results revealed that a disordered structure favored BS binding ability enhancement. Peptides FVLPM and GGGVW displayed hypocholesterolemic efficacy.

Enhancement of colour formation of fermented sausages by overexpression of nitric oxide synthase in Staphylococcus vitulinus under hydrogen peroxide stress.

This study used hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment to overexpress the gene of nitric oxide synthase (nos) in Staphylococcus vitulinus, which was then inoculated into fermented sausages to observe its effect on colour development. The results showed that a low concentration of H2O2 (50 mM) could up-regulate the expression of nos by increasing the oxidative stress level of S. vitulinus. At 2 h after treatment, the expression of nos in S. vitulinus was the highest (P < 0.05), and the relative enzyme activity was increased to about 1.5 times that of the untreated. The growth of S. vitulinus was not substantially affected by 50-mM H2O2 treatment (P > 0.05). When H2O2-treated S. vitulinus was inoculated into fermented sausages, the content of nitrosomyoglobin was increased, and the a*-value (indicating redness) was not significantly different from that in the group treated with nitrite (P > 0.05). This study provides a potential method to enhance the ability of S. vitulinus for colourising fermented sausage by inducing the overexpression of nos.

Effects of temperature fluctuations on the quality and microbial diversity of beef meatballs during simulated cold chain distribution.

BACKGROUND: Cold chain distribution with multiple links maintains low temperatures to ensure the quality of meat products, whereas temperature fluctuations during this are often disregarded by the industry. The present study simulated two distinct temperatures cold chain distribution processes. Quality indicators and high-throughput sequencing were employed to investigate the effects of temperature fluctuations on the quality and microbial diversity of beef meatballs during cold chain distribution. RESULTS: Quality indicators revealed that temperature fluctuations during simulated cold chain distribution significantly (P < 0.05) exacerbated the quality deterioration of beef meatballs. High-throughput sequencing demonstrated that temperature fluctuations affected the diversity and structure of microbial community. Lower microbial species abundance and higher microbial species diversity were observed in the temperature fluctuations group. Proteobacteria and Pseudomonas were identified as the dominant phylum and genus in beef meatballs, respectively, exhibiting faster growth rates and greater relative abundance under temperature fluctuations. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that temperature fluctuations during simulated cold chain distribution can worsen spoilage and shorten the shelf life of beef meatballs. It also offers certain insights into the spoilage mechanism and preservation of meat products during cold chain distribution. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.