Changing the polyphenol composition and enhancing the enzyme activity of sorghum grain by solid-state fermentation with different microbial strains.

BACKGROUND: Solid-state fermentation (SSF) has been widely used in the processing of sorghum grain (SG) because it can produce products with improved sensory characteristics. To clarify the influence of different microbial strains on the SSF of SG, especially on the polyphenols content and composition, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rhizopus oryzae, Aspergillus oryzae, and Neurospora sitophila were used separately and together for SSF of SG. Furthermore, the relationship between the dynamic changes in polyphenols and enzyme activity closely related to the metabolism of polyphenols has also been measured and analyzed. Microstructural changes observed after SSF provide a visual representation of the SSF on the SG. RESULTS: After SSF, tannin content (TC) and free phenolic content (FPC) were decreased by 56.36% and 23.48%, respectively. Polyphenol oxidase, ß-glucosidase and cellulase activities were increased 5.25, 3.27, and 45.57 times, respectively. TC and FPC were negatively correlated with cellulase activity. A positive correlation between FPC and xylanase activity after 30 h SSF became negative after 48 h SSF. The SG surface was fragmented and porous, reducing the blocking effect of cortex. CONCLUSION: Cellulase played a crucial role in promoting the degradation of tannin (antinutrient) and phenolic compounds. Xylanase continued to release flavonoids while microbial metabolism consumed them with the extension of SSF time. SSF is an effective way to improve the bioactivity and processing characteristics of SG. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of Germination, Fermentation and Extrusion on the Nutritional, Cooking and Sensory Properties of Brown Rice Products: A Comparative Study.

In this study, cooked brown rice (BR), germinated brown rice (GBR), fermented brown rice (FBR) and white rice (WR) were prepared by traditional cooking techniques, and extruded brown rice (EBR) was obtained by extrusion processing technology. The nutritional, cooking and sensory properties of different BR products were investigated. The results indicated that the soluble dietary fiber (SDF) content, free total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS, T-AOC) in processed BR products were significantly higher than those in cooked BR and WR. The values of SDF, free TPC, TFC and T-AOC in EBR increased by 38.78%, 232.36%, 102.01% and 153.92%, respectively, compared with cooked BR. Cooked FBR and EBR had more nutrients, required less cooking time, had a softer texture and were whiter than cooked GBR and BR, especially EBR. In addition, the water absorption rate of EBR was 14.29% and 25.41% higher than that of cooked FBR and GBR. The hardness of EBR was significantly lower than that of cooked FBR and BR, even lower than that of cooked WR. However, there was no significant difference between the hardness of cooked GBR and that of cooked BR. The flavor compounds in EBR were similar to that of cooked WR, while those in cooked GBR and FBR did not differ greatly compared to cooked BR. Collectively, cooked FBR and EBR had better nutritional value, cooking and sensory properties than cooked BR, and the comprehensive value of EBR was higher.

Urolithin A Attenuates Diabetes-Associated Cognitive Impairment by Ameliorating Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction via N-glycan Biosynthesis Pathway.

SCOPE: This study aims to investigate the effect of Urolithin A (UA) on diabetes-associated cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mouse model induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ). METHODS AND RESULTS: The UA-treated T2DM mice display an attenuated cognitive impairment as well as reduced levels of metabolic endotoxemia and proinflammatory cytokines in serum. A systemic restraint of gut/brain inflammation in UA-treated T2DM mice is also observed as the downregulation of TLR4 and Myd88 in colon along with the inhibition of GFAP, Iba-1, NLRP3, and inflammation-related genes in brain. Moreover, UA ameliorates gut barrier dysfunction by upregulating tight-junction proteins levels. Furthermore, UA restores the hyperglycemia-mediated downregulation of genes involved in N-glycan biosynthesis both in vivo and in vitro, which plays a crucial role in barrier integrity. Although UA shares similar beneficial effects on diabetes with metformin, unlike metformin, the effect of UA is independent of gut microbiome and short chain fatty acids. Taken together, these data suggest that feeding UA can attenuate diabetes-associated cognitive impairment by ameliorating systemic inflammation and intestinal barrier dysfunction via N-glycan biosynthesis pathway. The study implies UA as a potential novel pharmaceutic target for diabetes therapy via manipulating gut-brain axis and N-glycan metabolism.

Assessment of changes in environmental factors in a tourism-oriented Island.

Tourism development has influenced industrial structure changes and has become a major driving force for China's new urbanization. However, the development will negatively impact natural resources and the ecological environment and will become an essential driving factor for land use change. Therefore, understanding the impact of tourism urbanization is crucial for sustainable local development. This study selected the Dachangshan Island in the Changhai County, Dalian, China, as the study area, because it is the only coastal island-type border county in China. During the study period, changes in local environmental factors were analyzed based on land use data, Landsat 5 and Landsat 8 data of 2009, 2014, and 2019. The results showed that: (1) the overall land surface temperature (LST) in the research region shows an increasing trend; the LST in 2014 and 2019 increased by 6.10 and 5.94 °C, respectively, compared with 2009. With respect to specific land types, impervious surfaces maintained a high land surface temperature (25.44, 32.38, and 31.86); however, surface temperatures for cropland, forest, grassland, and water bodies remained stable. (2) The land use land cover (LULC) change analysis from 2009-2019 indicates that impervious surfaces and cropland increased by 0.5653 km2 and 0.9941 km2, while the areas of forest, grassland, and water bodies decreased. The results also showed that forests (-1.3703 km2) are most affected by urbanization. (3) The results of the landscape index calculation showed that the variation at the patch scale is different for different LULC types. The patch density of impervious surfaces decreased, but the aggregation index increased over time, while the patch density of the forest increased continuously. At the landscape scale, overall patch type and distribution remained stable. The purpose of this study is to explore the environmental changes of islands and provide a reference for the sustainable development of islands.

Solutions for whole grain food development.

Owing to the health benefits associated with whole grains, there has been a sustained global effort to increase their consumption, with many countries developing guidelines for recommended amounts of whole grain intake. In China, the consumption of whole grains is low. This is due, in part, to technical obstacles in the development of whole grain foods. This review focuses on possible solutions in the whole value chain and the application of new food technologies to develop whole grain foods that taste better, have more appealing texture, are safe to consume, and better retain bioactive compounds.