In-situ growth of metal-organic frameworks on cellulose nanofiber aerogels for rapid adsorption of heterocyclic aromatic amines.

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are the main carcinogens produced during thermal processing of protein-rich foods. In this paper, a composite aerogel (TOCNFCa) with a stabilized dual-network structure was prepared via a template for the in-situ synthesis of UiO-66 on cellulose for the adsorption of HAAs in food. The dual-network structure of TOCNFCa provides the composite aerogel with excellent wet strength, maintaining excellent compressive properties. With the in-situ grown UiO-66 content up to 71.89 wt%, the hierarchical porosity endowed TOCNFCa@UiO-66 with the ability to rapidly adsorb HAAs molecules with high capacity (1.44-5.82 µmol/g). Based on excellent thermal stability, adsorption capacity and anti-interference, TOCNFCa@UiO-66 achieved satisfactory recoveries of HAAs in the boiled marinade, which is faster and more economical than the conventional SPE method. Moreover, TOCNFCa@UiO-66 could maintain 84.55 % of the initial adsorption capacity after 5 times of reuse.

Defective UiO-66/cellulose nanocomposite aerogel for the adsorption of heterocyclic aromatic amines.

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), arising as chemical derivatives during the high-temperature culinary treatment of proteinaceous comestibles, exhibit notable carcinogenic potential. In this paper, a composite aerogel (AGD-UiO-66) with high-capacity and fast adsorption of HAAs was made with anchoring defective UiO-66 (D-UiO-66) mediated by lauric acid on the backbone of cellulose nanofibers (CNF). AGD-UiO-66 with hierarchical porosity reduced the mass transfer efficiency for the adsorption of HAAs and achieved high adsorption amount (0.84-1.05 µmol/g) and fast adsorption (15 min). The isothermal adsorption model demonstrated that AGD-UiO-66 belonged to a multilayer adsorption mechanism for HAAs. Furthermore, AGD-UiO-66 was successfully used to adsorb 12 HAAs in different food (roasted beef, roasted pork, roasted salmon and marinade) with high recoveries of 94.65%-104.43%. The intrinsic potential of AGD-UiO-66 demonstrated that it could be widely applicable to the adsorption of HAAs in foods.

Construction of Magnolol Nanoparticles for Alleviation of Ethanol-Induced Acute Gastric Injury.

Ethanol (EtOH) has been identified as a potential pathogenic factor in gastric ulcer development primarily due to its association with gastric injury and excessive production of reactive oxygen species. Magnolol (Mag), the principal active compound in Magnolia officinalis extract, is well studied for its notable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, its limited solubility, propensity for agglomeration, and low absorption and utilization rates significantly restrict its therapeutic use. This study aims to overcome these challenges by developing a Mag nanoparticle system targeting the treatment and prevention of EtOH-induced gastric ulcers in mice. Utilizing a click chemistry approach, we successfully synthesized this system by reacting thiolated bovine serum albumin (BSA·SH) with Mag. The in vitro analysis revealed effective uptake of the BSA·SH-Mag nanoparticle system by human gastric epithelial cells (GES-1), showcasing its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. Additionally, BSA·SH-Mag exhibited gradual disintegration and release in simulated gastric fluid, resulting in a notable reduction of oxidative stress in gastric tissues and mucosal tissue repair and effectively reducing inflammatory expression. Furthermore, BSA·SH-Mag attenuated EtOH-induced gastric inflammation by decreasing the level of NOX4 protein expression and augmenting the level of Nrf2 protein expression. In conclusion, our findings indicate that BSA·SH-Mag represents a promising candidate as an oral therapeutic for gastric ulcer treatment.

Fabrication and characterization of salidroside W/O/W emulsion with sodium alginate.

Salidroside (Sal), the main bioactive substance in Rhodiola rosea, is a promising functional food component with a wide range of pharmacological effects, but its biological activity is challenging to sustain due to its short half-life, low oral bioavailability, and susceptibility to environmental factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium alginate (SA) concentration on the construction of W/O/W emulsion in the protection of Sal. With the escalation of SA concentrations, the range of droplet size distribution was smaller and the droplets were more uniform. When the concentration of SA was 2 %, the average droplet size reached 9.1 ± 0.1 µm, and the encapsulation efficiency of Sal was 77.8 ± 1.8 %. Moreover, the double emulsion with 2 % SA was the most stable for 28 days at 4 °C since the oil droplets were embedded in the network structure of SA.

Glycation-induced enhancement of yeast cell protein for improved stability and curcumin delivery in Pickering high internal phase emulsions.

Pickering high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) have gained significant attention for various applications within the food industry. Yeast cell protein (YCP), derived from spent brewer's yeast, stands out as a preferred stabilizing agent due to its cost-effectiveness, abundance, and safety profile. However, challenges persist in utilizing YCP, notably its instability under high salt concentration, thermal processing, and proximity to its isoelectric point. This study aimed to enhance YCP's emulsifying properties through glycation with glucose and evaluate its efficacy as a stabilizer for curcumin (CUR)-loaded HIPEs. The results revealed that glycation increased YCP's surface hydrophobicity, exposing hydrophobic groups. This augmentation, along with steric hindrance from grafted glucose molecules, improved emulsifying properties, resulting in a thicker interfacial layer around oil droplets. This fortified interfacial layer, in synergy with steric hindrance, bolstered resistance to pH changes, salt ions, and thermal degradation. Moreover, HIPEs stabilized with glycated YCP exhibited reduced oxidation rates and improved CUR protection. In vitro digestion studies demonstrated enhanced CUR bioaccessibility, attributed to a faster release of fatty acids. This study underscores the efficacy of glycation as a strategic approach to augment the applicability of biomass proteins, exemplified by glycated YCP, in formulating stable and functional HIPEs for diverse food applications.

Rapid and large-capacity adsorption of heterocyclic aromatic amines on heat resistant two-dimensional metal organic layer/cellulose nanofiber aerogels constructed by a thawing cross-linking strategy.

Composite aerogels, formed by the combination of nanoscale polymers and highly efficient adsorbents, offer the potential to deploy adsorbent distinct separation properties into a processable matrix. This paper presents a method for the fabrication of low energy bio-aerogels with high ductility, excellent wet strength and favorable heat resistance, based on cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) bound by calcium carbonate particles (CaCO3) via a simple process of ice induction, cross-linking during freezing and freeze-drying. Due to induced defects, two-dimensional metal-organic layers (MOLs) were rich in mesoporous structure and embedded in the aerogel (AGCa-MOL), which exhibited a powerful adsorption capacity. AGCa-MOL could take full advantage of their hierarchical pores and available surface area to obtain high adsorption capacity (0.694-5.470 µmol/g) and rapid adsorption kinetics (5 min) for 14 heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs). Moreover, the CaCO3 particles and MOLs gave the AGCa-MOL excellent thermal stability, so that it could maintain excellent adsorption capacity at a high temperature (100 °C) and be applied as an adsorbent to remove HAAs in the boiling marinade. The intrinsic potential of composite aerogels was revealed due to the synergistic properties of the various components in the composite aerogel.

Theory and protocol of dual mode unity solid-phase microextraction.

The solid-phase microextraction (SPME) bias problem limits comprehensive analysis of volatile compounds in real samples. The study introduces dual mode unity solid-phase microextraction (DMU-SPME) as a novel SPME mode to achieve balanced extraction of both volatile and low-volatile compounds. The DMU-SPME method exhibits excellent linearity (R2 ≥ 0.994), low quantitation limits (0.12-240 µg/L), and notable stability (relative standard deviations below 20 % for both intra-day and inter-day analyses). In practical application to soy sauce, the DMU-SPME method identified a total of 107 compounds, encompassing all those detected by both headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and direct immersion solid-phase microextraction (DI-SPME). Theoretical insights indicate that DMU-SPME is less influenced by Kfs0 and Kfs in comparison to HS/DI-SPME, rendering it suitable for complex matrices containing both volatile and low-volatile compounds. In conclusion, DMU-SPME emerges as a highly effective extraction mode for analyzing volatile and low-volatile compounds in food, medical, and environmental samples.

Cyclodextrin-based metal-organic framework materials: Classifications, synthesis strategies and applications in variegated delivery systems.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are coordination compounds that possess an adjustable structure and controllable function. Despite their wide applications in various industries, the use of MOFs in the fields of food and biomedicine is limited mainly due to their potential biological toxicity. Researchers have thus focused on developing biocompatible MOFs to address this issue. Among them, cyclodextrin-based metal-organic frameworks (CD-MOFs) have emerged as a promising alternative. CD-MOFs are novel MOFs synthesized using naturally carbohydrate cyclodextrin and alkali metal cations, and possess renewable, non-toxic, and edible characteristics. Due to their high specific surface area, controllable porosity, great biocompatibility, CD-MOFs have been widely used in various delivery systems, such as encapsulation of nutraceuticals, flavors, and antibacterial agents. Although the field of CD-MOF materials is still in its early stages, they provide a promising direction for the development of MOF materials in the delivery field. This review describes classification and structural characteristics, followed by an introduction to formation mechanism and commonly used synthetic methods for CD-MOFs. Additionally, we discuss the status of the application of various delivery systems based on CD-MOFs. Finally, we address the challenges and prospects of CD-MOF materials, with the aim of providing new insights and ideas for their future development.

Development and characterization of self-emulsifying high internal phase emulsions using endogenous phospholipids from Antarctic krill oil.

High internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) have emerged as a promising structured oil system in food industry. This study developed self-emulsifying HIPEs (SHIPEs) using Antarctic krill oil (KO) with endogenous phospholipids as surfactant and algae oil as a diluent. The influence of phospholipids self-assembly on SHIPEs formation was investigated by evaluating the microstructures, particle size, rheological properties, and water distribution. Results demonstrated that the concentration and self-assembly behavior of phospholipids dominated the SHIPEs formation. Optimized SHIPEs with desirable gel properties contained 10 wt% krill oil in the oil phase at an 80 wt% oil phase level. Furthermore, these SHIPEs exhibited excellent performance in 3D printing applications. Hydrated phospholipids formed lamellar network at the oil-water interface, enhancing gel strength by crosslinking oil droplets. These findings shed light on the self-assembly of phospholipids during HIPEs formation and highlight the potential phospholipids-rich marine lipids in SHIPEs for functional food products development.

Enhanced batch sorting and rapid sensory analysis of Mackerel products using YOLOv5s algorithm and CBAM: Validation through TPA, colorimeter, and PLSR analysis.

This study employed the YOLOv5s algorithm to establish a rapid quality identification model for Pacific chub mackerel (S. japonicus) and Spanish mackerel (S. niphonius). Data augmentation was conducted using the copy-paste augmentation within the YOLOv5s network. Furthermore, a small object detection layer was integrated into the network structure's neck, while the convolutional block attention module (CBAM) was incorporated into the convolutional module to optimize the model. The model's accuracy was assessed through sensory evaluation, texture profile analysis, and colorimeter analysis. The findings indicated that the enhanced model achieved a mAP@0.5 score of 0.966, surpassing the original version's score of 0.953. Moreover, the improved model's params was only 7.848 M, and an average detection time of 115 ms/image (image resolution 2400 × 3200). Furthermore, sensory and physicochemical indicators are reliably distinguished between qualified and unqualified samples. The PLSR model exhibited R2X, R2Y, and Q2 values of 0.977, 0.956, and 0.663, respectively.

Rapid screening of sensory attributes of mackerel using big data mining techniques and rapid sensory evaluation methods.

The present study aimed to investigate the potential of big data mining technology in conjunction with rapid sensory evaluation methods for the swift screening of sensory attributes of three kinds of frozen mackerel. Specifically, two rapid sensory evaluation methods, namely ideal profile method (IPM) and check-all-that-apply (CATA), were implemented and compared with the conventional descriptive analysis method. The results revealed that eight sensory attributes based on consumer network evaluations demonstrated significant consistency during the training process (p < .05). Notably, the application of web-based sensory attributes yielded highly comparable results between IPM and traditional descriptive analysis (0.915). Moreover, the results of the IPM preference map were in closer agreement with those of traditional descriptive analysis. While traditional sensory evaluation boasts high accuracy and a greater ability to detect nuances, the evolution of sensory evaluation technology has shifted its focus toward consumers. Rapid sensory evaluation analysis technology supports the collection of information directly from consumers, even by untrained or semi-trained groups, thereby presenting broad prospects for product qualitative analysis.

Colon-Targeting Angelica sinensis Polysaccharide Nanoparticles with Dual Responsiveness for Alleviation of Ulcerative Colitis.

Intestinal immune dysfunction and gut microbiota dysbiosis are critically causative factors in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC); however, the current first-line drugs for UC treatment in clinics often remain great challenges due to their nontargeting therapeutic efficacy and severe side effects. In the current study, colon-targeting nanoparticles based on Angelica sinensis polysaccharide with pH- and redox-responsiveness were fabricated to specifically release the naturally active compound ginsenoside Rh2 in the colonic inflammatory site, which greatly alleviated the UC symptoms and improved the gut microbial homeostasis. These dual responsive Rh2-loaded nanoparticles (Rh2/LA-UASP NPs) with a particle size of 117.00 ± 4.80 nm were prepared using the polymer LA-UASP obtained by grafting A. sinensis polysaccharide with urocanic acid and α-lipoic acid (α-LA). As expected, these Rh2/LA-UASP NPs achieved dual pH- and redox-responsive drug release at pH 5.5 and 10 mM GSH. The stability, biocompatibility, and in vivo safety experiments exhibited these prepared nanoparticles had excellent colon-targeting ability and significant accumulation of Rh2 in the inflammatory colon. Meanwhile, these Rh2/LA-UASP NPs could escape from lysosomes and be efficiently internalized into intestinal mucosal cells, thereby effectively inhibiting the release of proinflammatory cytokines. The animal experiments indicated that Rh2/LA-UASP NPs significantly improved the integrity of intestinal mucosa and increased the colon length compared with UC mice. Additionally, the weight loss, histological damage, and inflammation level were greatly ameliorated. The homeostasis of intestinal flora and the level of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were significantly improved after being treated with Rh2/LA-UASP NPs in UC mice. Our study proved that these Rh2/LA-UASP NPs with dual pH-and redox-responsiveness are promising candidates for UC treatment.

Integrated volatolomics and metabolomics analysis reveals the characteristic flavor formation in Chouguiyu, a traditional fermented mandarin fish of China.

Volatolomics and metabolomics were performed to explore the generation mechanism of the characteristic flavor of mandarin fish during fermentation. This study revealed a novel finding that umami-tasting amino acids, succinic acid, and peptides increased, while taste-presenting nucleotides decreased after fermentation. The results showed that 19 key aroma compounds were identified. The most nitrogenous compounds were produced after fermentation, the total concentration of which was >5 mg/kg. A high odor activity value of 443 was established for stinky indole. PLS-DA showed that sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, hypoxanthine, creatine, and trimethylamine N-oxide were the key metabolites associated with the key volatiles. Umami-tasting amino acids could contribute to the characteristic taste. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed that tryptophan metabolism, trimethylamine metabolism, and monoterpenoid biosynthesis were the potential generation pathways of indole, trimethylamine, and terpenoids, respectively. Collectively, the results provide thoughts for targeted controlling the flavor of fermented mandarin fish.

Hepatic-targeted delivery of astaxanthin for enhanced scavenging free radical scavenge and preventing mitochondrial depolarization.

Astaxanthin (AST), as natural hydrophobic nutrition, has exhibited health-promoting benefits for its outstanding antioxidant property. However, most studies tend to enhance its stability and solubility while the targeted delivery of AST is limited. In this study, liver-targeted nanocarriers were designed and prepared by lactobionic acid-modified (2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin) for efficient controlled delivery of AST. The minimum average size of AST nanoparticles was about 98 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.41. The lactobionic acid-modified AST nanoparticles exhibited significant cellular uptake, and an admirable ability to scavenge free radicals for H2O2-induced HepaRG cells in preventing mitochondrial depolarization. Moreover, accumulation of AST nanoparticles in liver was observed due to the modification of lactobionic acid (LA) of the nanocarriers through the specific binding of LA-asialoglycoprotein receptors. The results in this study provided a new idea for liver-specific nutrition delivery of AST in developing functional food for liver disease nutrition intervention.

Balanced extraction of volatile and semi-volatile compounds by dynamic linked position unity solid-phase microextraction.

Although the compound profiles in extracts are linked to the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) position (headspace or liquid), a theoretical interpretation of this scenario has not yet been provided. In this study, the dynamic linked position unity (DLPU)-SPME is proposed as a method that allows balanced extraction of volatile and semi-volatile compounds. Furthermore, the pH, temperature, and salt were confirmed as the key factors affecting the extraction efficiency of DLPU-SPME. Theoretical calculations indicated that Kfs0Kfs is a key factor directly indicating the SPME extraction position (Kfs0Kfs > 1, headspace; Kfs0Kfs = 1, any position; Kfs0Kfs < 1, in liquid), while the target analytes determined that VhKhs+VsVeKfhKhs regulates the effect of the extraction position on the extracted amount. The proposed DLPU-SPME method containing both extraction positions (i.e., headspace and liquid) can simultaneously extract volatile and semi-volatile compounds, thus avoiding extraction bias.

Differences in texture and digestive properties of different parts in boiled abalone muscles.

Differences in texture and digestive properties of different parts in 80 °C-boiled abalone muscle (adductor and transition part) after different processing time were investigated. With the extension of boiling time, the shear force and hardness of adductor increased first (6 min) and then decreased (30 min and 240 min), while the two indexes of transition part dramatically decreased after boiling for 6 min and then maintained until 240 min. Meanwhile, for adductor, the degree of protein hydrolysis, protein digestibility, and peptide transport levels declined with the extension of boiling time; While for transition part, those protein digestion and transport indexes significantly decreased first (6 min and 30 min) and then increased (240 min). By contrast, the adductor contained higher myofibrillar proteins content but lower collagen content than the transition part, which contributed to the differences in texture and digestive properties of the boiled samples.

Studying on effects of boiling on texture, microstructure and physiochemical properties of sea cucumber body wall and its mechanism using second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy.

The structural foundation of texture changes in sea cucumber body wall (SCBW) during boiling was investigated using second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy for the first time. The results from SHG signal imaging, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy indicated the hierarchical structures of collagen in SCBW underwent progressive destruction with the prolongation of boiling time, including the depolymerization of collagen fibres, the uncoiling and disaggregation of collagen fibrils, the destruction of collagen microfibrils, the loosing of triple helix structure of collagen, and the degradation and gelatinization of collagen, which contributed to the progressive decline in texture indicators including shear force and hardness. SHG analysis also indicated that although collagen macromolecules such as collagen fibres, collagen fibrils and collagen microfibrils could be observed in 0.5 h-boiled and 2 h-boiled SCBW, monomeric collagen, the basic structural components of those macromolecules, has been already damaged.

Improving the in vitro and in vivo bioavailability of pterostilbene using Yesso scallop gonad protein isolates-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) conjugate-based emulsions: effects of carrier oil.

This study investigated the influence of carrier oils on the in vitro and in vivo bioavailability of PTE encapsulated in scallop gonad protein isolates (SGPIs)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) conjugate stabilized emulsions. The SGPIs-EGCG stabilized emulsions were subjected to an in vitro simulated digestion, and the resulting corn oil and MCT micelles were used to evaluate the PTE transportation using the Caco-2 cell model. Both emulsions remarkably improved the bioaccessibility of PTE in the micelle phase. Nevertheless, corn oil emulsions increased trans-enterocyte transportation of PTE more efficiently than MCT emulsions. Furthermore, the maximum plasma concentrations of PTE and its metabolites in mice fed with PTE emulsions were prominently higher than those in mice fed with PTE solution, while the in vivo metabolic patterns of PTE in different oil-stabilized emulsions were different. Therefore, SGPIs-EGCG stabilized emulsions could enhance the bioavailability of PTE through controlled release, in which corn oil is more suitable than MCT.

Hierarchical Porous Nanocellulose Aerogels Loaded with Metal-Organic Framework Particles for the Adsorption Application of Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines.

This work overcomes the long-standing challenge of cumbersome pretreatment methods in the detection of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs). A UiO-66/nanocellulose composite aerogel (CMC-CNC-UiO-66) with layered pores and low density prepared by a self-cross-linking method is applied as a simple and rapid adsorbent for capturing 14 HAAs via strong electrostatic interactions, van der Waals force, and the steric effect. The adsorption capacity of CMC-CNC-UiO-66 to 14 HAAs reached 98.00-188.00 nmol/mg at equilibrium within 10 min. The adsorption and desorption abilities of CMC-CNC-UiO-66 were retained with values of 93.36 and 97.34% after two cycles. In the meantime, the kinetics study demonstrated the chemisorption between HAA molecules and CMC-CNC-UiO-66 due to the excellent agreement with the pseudo-second-order adsorption models. The fit with the Freundlich isotherm models suggested a multilayer adsorption mechanism between HAA molecules and materials with heterogeneous surfaces. Moreover, coupled with the ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection, the CMC-CNC-UiO-66 extraction process can be completed with a high average recovery ranging from 86.68 to 115.33%, indicating a potential application of CMC-CNC-UiO-66 in HAA adsorption for further quantitative analysis.

Formation and stability of electrostatic complexes formed between scallop female gonad protein isolates and sodium alginate: Influence of pH, total concentration, blend ratio, and ionic strength.

The complex coacervation between scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) female gonad protein isolates (SFGPIs) and sodium alginate (SA) was determined by the turbidimetric method. The impact of pH, total biopolymer concentration, biopolymer blend ratio, and various salt ionic on the mechanisms governing the complex coacervation of SFGPIs-SA complexes were also investigated. For the SFGPIs:SA ratio of 2:1 without adding NaCl, insoluble and soluble complexes were observed at pH 5.8 (pHφ1 ) and pH 8.2 (pHc ) with the optimum biopolymer interactions appearing at pH 2.6 (pHopt ). The maximum turbidity value increased with the increment of the total biopolymer concentration from 0.37 to 1.83 until attaining the critical value (0.75%). As the blend ratios rose from 1:3 to 12:1, the critical pH values (pHc , pHφ1 , and pHopt ) moved to higher pH. Furthermore, the addition of NaCl led to a remarkable decrease in turbidity over the whole pH region in SFGPIs-SA complexes. Moreover, monovalent ions (Na+ and K+ ) had the same effect on the formation of the SFGPIs-SA complex, whereas the divalent cations (Mg2+ and Ca2+ ) lessened the complex formation in comparison with the monovalent ions. This study offers a methodological and theoretical basis for the design of complex SFGPIs-SA systems by understanding the complex coacervation under different conditions. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In recent years, several protein-polysaccharides complexes have been widely applied in food and biological systems. Scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) female gonads are deemed as good marine sources for developing protein matrices on account of their high protein content and nutrients. In our study, the effects of different conditions on the mechanisms governing the complex coacervation of SFGPI-SA mixtures were investigated, and the instability of the system could be overcome by understanding the conditions for SFGPIs/SA complex formation, which have a feasible role in developing marine source-protein as a functional food base such as kamaboko gels, can, sausage, fat substitutes, and delivery vehicles for bioactive compounds.