FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
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2026
·
IF 8.8
Houle Xiang,Shuo Zhang,Shijin Xue,Qingguo Liu,Wei Zhuang,Jinglan Wu,Yong Chen,Hanjie Ying
Protein isolation increased digestibility from 42.98% to 93.98%. • Removal of chitin–glucan matrix improved protease accessibility. • Isolation enhanced peptide release, EAA availability, antioxidant and ACE inhibition. • PCMPI achieved high nutritional quality with PDCAAS of 1.0. Fungal mycelial proteins are promising sustainable protein sources, yet their nutritional utilization is often limited by structural constraints. This study systematically evaluated the effects of protein isolation on the proteomic composition, gastrointestinal digestion behavior, amino acid utilization, and bioactivity of Pleurotus citrinopileatus mycelial proteins. Quantitative proteomics identified 3591 proteins, of which 3374 were shared between mycelial flour (PCMF) and protein isolate (PCMPI), indicating that PCMPI primarily represents the soluble proteome fraction. In vitro digestion revealed that PCMPI exhibited significantly higher digestibility (93.98%) than PCMF (42.98%) ( p < 0.05), reaching levels comparable to whey protein isolate. Enhanced enzymatic accessibility in PCMPI promoted rapid peptide generation during the gastric phase and efficient amino acid release during the intestinal phase, resulting in higher peptide (634.76 mg/g) and free amino acid levels (341.69 mg/g) at the digestion endpoint. Consequently, PCMPI achieved a balanced amino acid profile with a PDCAAS of 1.0. Moreover, its digestion products exhibited stronger antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 8.36 mg/mL) and ACE inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 15.65 mg/mL) compared with PCMF. Mechanistically, protein isolation disrupted the cell wall matrix, shifting digestion from a structure-limited to an accessibility-driven regime. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that protein isolation markedly enhances the digestibility, nutritional quality, and functional potential of mycelial proteins, supporting their application as high-value sustainable protein ingredients. Download: Download high-res image (182KB) Download: Download full-size image
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高影响因子
FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2026
·
IF 10.4
Zehao Huang,Yi Zhang,Lingjin Li,Yahui Gao,Zhengbiao Gu,Li Cheng,Yan Hong
Redox status significantly shapes high-amylose maize starch fermentation patterns. • Redox elevation increases acetate proportion but reduces butyrate fraction. • Redox elevation selectively enriches facultative anaerobes and acetate producers. • Redox status reshapes microbial metabolic functions. We investigated the effects of continuous redox gradients (0–12% O 2 ) on the metabolic profiles of high-amylose maize starch (HAMS) in an in vitro human fecal fermentation system. After 24 h fermentation, total short-chain fatty acid production remained stable under mild oxidation (2% O 2 ). However, a clear metabolic shift occurred: acetate proportions increased from 25.70% to 32.55%, whereas butyrate declined from 16.19% to 9.88%. Under high oxidation (12% O 2 ), total fermentation was markedly suppressed (from 52.69 to 15.25 mmol/L), with metabolism shifting drastically toward acetate (69.09%) over butyrate (2.18%). This shift resulted from the selective enrichment of facultative anaerobes and acetate producers ( e.g. , Klebsiella and Parabacteroides ) and the depletion of strict anaerobic butyrate producers ( e.g. , Butyricicoccus ). Functional predictions revealed that oxidative stress redirected microbial metabolism from anaerobic fermentation to aerobic stress-response pathways. Overall, redox status critically shapes the HAMS fermentation profile, offering a theoretical foundation for redox-targeted dietary interventions with HAMS. Download: Download high-res image (208KB) Download: Download full-size image
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Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies
·
2026
·
IF 6.9
Junli Lv,Zhilong Ren,Jiali Zou,Nan Wang
Ferulic acid (FA) possesses significant therapeutic potential but is severely limited by its poor water solubility and instability. Although β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) inclusion complexation represents a promising strategy to overcome these limitations, the influence of host-guest molar ratios on complex properties remains inadequately understood. This study addresses this knowledge gap through an integrated experimental-computational approach, systematically investigating FA/β-CD complexes at three molar ratios (1:2, 1:1, 2:1) via structural characterization, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and comprehensive physicochemical evaluation. Successful complex formation at all ratios was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and 1 H NMR spectroscopy analysis. MD simulations demonstrated that van der Waals forces primarily drive complex formation, while hydrogen bonds significantly contribute to structural stability. The 2:1 complex exhibited the highest loading efficiency of 21.5% and a 5.03-fold water solubility enhancement compared to pure FA, along with superior antioxidant activity as evidenced by IC 50 values of 0.024 mg/mL for DPPH and 0.042 mg/mL for ABTS radical scavenging. The 1:2 complex demonstrated the highest encapsulation efficiency of 93.3% and best light stability with only 8.53% loss after six days of exposure, and remarkably achieved the highest in vitro bioaccessibility of 93.6% after intestinal digestion. Conversely, the 1:1 complex exhibited optimal thermal stability with 95.18% retention after heating and the highest antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli with an inhibition zone diameter of 18.7 mm. These findings provide comprehensive theoretical guidance for selecting appropriate FA/β-CD molar ratios based on specific application requirements in food preservation, packaging materials, and pharmaceutical formulations.
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Food Bioscience
·
2026
·
IF 6.2
Juntao Yu,Tonghao Du,Xingyu Zhu,Jiajia Zhang,Chengzhe Liu,Xiaobin Ruan,Xiaoxia Sun,Li Yang,Tao Xiong,Mingyong Xie,Tao Huang
Lacticaseibacillus paracasei NCU215 was recognized for its robust probiotic activities and excellent fermentation capabilities. In the present study, whole-genome, comparative genomics analysis, and experimental validation were integrated to systematically investigate the potential functional traits of NCU215. Genomic analysis revealed that NCU215 harbors a repertoire of functional genes and is devoid of genes associated with human pathogenicity. Additionally, the metabolic pathways involved in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism in NCU215 were computationally predicted. Based on average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI), and core-genome phylogenetic reconstruction, the taxonomic assignment of NCU215 was revised from Lacticaseibacillus casei to Lacticaseibacillus paracasei . Comparative genomic analysis indicated that NCU215 contains higher abundance of genes associated with cell adhesion, carbohydrate metabolism, and a unique amino acid metabolic gene cluster ( cysK–ctl1–cysE ). Experimental validation confirmed that NCU215 displays a high adhesion rate of 7.86 ± 0.65% to Caco-2 cells, the ability to convert methionine to cysteine, enhanced utilization of galactose, mannose, fructooligosaccharides, and inulin, as well as bile salt hydrolase activity and a high cholesterol-lowering efficacy of 47.30 ± 2.61%. Furthermore, soymilk fermented with NCU215 exhibited a substantial reduction in volatile compounds such as hexanal and 1-octen-3-ol, while the contents of acetoin and 2,3-butanedione were notably elevated.
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Foods
·
2026
·Vol. 15
·期 4
·633
·
IF 6
Shuliang Tan,Ying Zhang,Lingling Liu,Jialiang Pan,Wenzhen Liao,Wenxia Wang,Xiaowei Pan,Xingfen Yang,Qi He
Foodborne microplastics (MPs) are suspected carriers of co-ingested food contaminants, yet their digestive fate remains poorly characterized. This study simulates the role of environmentally aged polylactic acid (PLA) MPs—a common food-contact material—in transporting the antibiotic tetracycline (TC) through the human gastrointestinal tract. K2S2O8-induced aging significantly increased PLA surface porosity, oxygen-containing groups, and hydrophilicity, elevating TC adsorption capacity from 0.54 to 0.95 mg/g. While adsorption kinetics were consistent with pseudo-second-order behavior, mechanistic analysis indicates that aging promotes interactions dominated by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic forces, rather than purely physical deposition. Critically, in vitro digestion models revealed that simulated intestinal fluid significantly enhances TC release (up to 62.7% of adsorbed load) compared to gastric conditions. Sequential gastrointestinal simulation yielded a bioaccessibility of 32.6%, indicating substantial digestive mobilization of MP-bound antibiotics. These findings underscore the potential of aged PLA MPs to act as digestive-stage “Trojan horses” for foodborne antibiotics. Our integrated approach—combining controlled aging, adsorption thermodynamics, and physiologically relevant digestion models—provides a mechanistic screening framework for assessing the bioaccessibility and exposure potential of microplastic-vectored contaminants in food safety contexts.
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高影响因子
Food Frontiers
·
2026
·Vol. 7
·期 5
·e70350
·
IF 6.3
Zhiyin Xiao,Tianhang Huang,Fengjiao Fan,Jian Ding,Xiaoyi Jiang,Xinyang Sun,Peng Li,Yong Fang
Consumption of whole wheat flour promotes lead excretion, yet the functional components reducing lead bioavailability and their protective mechanisms remain unclear. To identify these components and to validate whether their mechanism is related to protection of the intestinal barrier, this study established an in vitro model combining gastrointestinal simulated digestion, colonic fermentation, and Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells. Results showed that dietary fiber and polyphenols are the key active components that synergistically reduce the bioavailability of lead to 3.90%. They exert a protective effect by maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, as evidenced by an increase in transepithelial electrical resistance of 22.66% and a reduction in cell monolayer permeability of 6.91% after 24 h compared to the lead group. Furthermore, they can alleviate oxidative stress, upregulate the expression of tight junction proteins, and improve intestinal barrier integrity to reduce lead absorption, thus providing a theoretical basis for dietary intervention in heavy metal exposure.
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FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
·
2026
·
IF 8.8
Jingyi Wang,Jiaxin Wei,Yuxuan Fu,Qinfei Wan,Jiayi Zhou,Kai Hu,Zisheng Han
Highland barley polysaccharide (HBP) improved lactose metabolism of gut microbiota. • HBP with a lower molecular weight exhibited a stronger improvement impact. • HBP was hugely degraded, especially the xylose residues and Glc p glycosidic bonds. • Segatella , Bifidobacterium , and Ligilactobacillus were obviously enriched. Lactose intolerance affects over 70% of the global population due to the untimely metabolism of lactose in the colon. To accelerate lactose metabolism, we innovatively employed highland barley polysaccharides (HBP) to modulate the colonic fermentation efficiency of lactose using an in vitro fermentation model and fecal samples from lactose intolerant patients. With the addition of HBP, the consumption efficiency of lactose began to increase after 6 h of fermentation. At 48 h, lactose consumption increased by 29%, surpassing the effect of commercial prebiotics. Meanwhile, HBP with lower molecular weight (HBP-L, 8.69 × 10 4 g/Mol) exhibited more effective impacts than HBP with high molecular weight (HBP-H, 1.22 × 10 5 g/Mol), which was particularly evident during the 12–48 h of fermentation. More importantly, HBP, particularly HBP-L, substantially enriched Segatella , Bifidobacterium , and Ligilactobacillus in a time-dependent manner and was positively correlated with decreased lactose levels and elevated bacterial lactase activity, resulting in significant conversion of lactose to lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids. During the first 12 h of fermentation, HBP-L underwent more significant degradation than HBP-H. Meanwhile, the xylose residues and Glc p glycosidic bonds in HBP-L were preferentially utilized, while it was glucose residue in HBP-H. Thus, it indicated that HBPs were degraded and altered the composition of the gut microbiota, thereby enhancing the fermentation efficiency of lactose. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for developing targeted prebiotic foods to manage lactose intolerance Download: Download high-res image (132KB) Download: Download full-size image
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FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2025
·
IF 9.8
Yuchi Zhou,Chenyang Liu,Jiawei Wang,Yuying Wang,Xiaobei Zhan,Liping Xu,Jun Kang,Guoan Zhu,Yun Jiang,Xiaonan Zhu,Qingyu Wang,Qijun Pan,Aimin Li,Minjie Gao,Zhitao Li
Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is a renowned medicinal fungus. In this study, the structure of GL was characterized using ion chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The degradation characteristics, gas production, and effects of GL granules on the gut microbiota were investigated during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation using a dynamic biomimetic gastrointestinal reactor. SEM and FTIR analyses showed remarkably structural changes, including indications of degradation and changes in the functional moiety of GL. GL increased the yields of short-chain and branched-chain fatty acids, particularly propionate, butyric acid, and valeric acid, while modulating the gas production profile during fermentation. It also improved the diversity of gut microorganisms, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus and inhibiting harmful Escherichia–Shigella species. These findings highlight the potential of GL as a prebiotic ingredient supporting gut health and provide new perspectives on the application of in vitro bionic digestive modeling.
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Polymers
·
2025
·Vol. 17
·期 21
·2815
·
IF 4.9
Jia-Yi Qi,Xiao-Feng Hu,Dan Qiu,Ya-Juan Wang,Zhang-Fa Tong
Gelatin microparticles (GMPs) can load functional active substances, but they tend to redissolve in high-temperature aqueous solutions during food processing. In this study, a new loading system adapted to food processing and digestive environments was constructed through the crosslinking of tea polyphenols (TP) on GMPs. The effects of pH, temperature, and crosslinking time on the methylene blue (MB) retention rate in crosslinked gelatin microparticles (cGMPs) were investigated, resulting in optimized crosslinking conditions. Compared with GMPs, the surface of cGMPs was denser and smoother. ATR-FTIR results showed that the N–H groups were involved in the formation of hydrogen bonds during the crosslinking process. The crosslinking effect of TP significantly disrupted the triple-helical structure of gelatin. The melting temperature (Tm) of cGMPs is 147.79 °C, which is significantly higher than that of GMPs (87.11 °C), indicating a marked improvement in thermal stability. In high-temperature aqueous solutions, Folic acid-loaded cGMPs (FA-cGMPs) maintained morphological integrity for 2 h (at 40 °C) and 0.5 h (at 60 °C). In vitro digestion simulations revealed excellent sustained-release characteristics of FA-cGMPs, with a release rate of only 4.91% in simulated gastric fluid and 88.13% in simulated intestinal fluid. This study provides an ideal carrier with food processing stability and intestinal-targeted release capabilities for functional active substances.
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Food and Bioprocess Technology
·
2025
·
IF 5.8
Huang Jie,Li Yu,Hu Jielun,Liu Huan
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of microwave treatment on the physicochemical properties of konjac glucomannan (KGM) and the prebiotic potential of KGM fractions with varying molecular weights (Mw). After microwave treatment, KGM exhibited a significant reduction in Mw which resulted in dramatic structural alterations including a transition to rod-like chain conformation and amorphous crystallinity, and fragmented surface morphology. The in vitro fermentation assay revealed that microwave-treated KGM fractions can be more effectively metabolized by gut microbiota, and the lower the molecular weight, the superior the fermentability. Strikingly, both total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and valeric acid in lower-Mw KGM fractions showed significantly higher concentrations than those in inulin. Microbiota diversity and composition analysis revealed that consumption of microwave-treated KGM significantly increased the relative abundance of beneficial gut microbiota, especially Firmicutes , Actinobacteria , and Lactobacillus , indicating enhanced prebiotic activity. Graphical
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Nutrients
·
2025
·Vol. 17
·期 20
·3249
·
IF 5
Ting Xia,Zhenjie Liu,Wenya Ding,Liting Deng,Xinyang Ning,Jianfang Feng
Background/Objectives:Achyranthes bidentata(AB), recognized as a food and traditional Chinese medicine, exhibits notable biological activity. Our previous study showed the hypoglycemic effect ofAchyrantha bidentata polysaccharide(ABP). The properties and digestion process of polysaccharides affect their pharmacological activities. The digestion characteristics of ABP are unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the characteristics of ABP’s simulated digestion and its prebiotic properties and hypoglycemic effects.Methods: We used simulated digestion methods to investigate the alterations in ABP levels in the process of digestion and fermentation. Animal experiments were used to compare the effects of the prebiotic properties of ABP on normal control (NC) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice. Then, in order to further verify the hypoglycemic effect of ABP after fermentation (ABPF), α-glucosidase activity and glucose uptake in Caco-2 cells were examined.Results: The results showed that ABP was anti-digestive and mainly degraded by the intestinal flora. Moreover, ABP showed a stronger promoting advantage against beneficial bacteria and inhibited harmful bacteria in the T2DM mice. Compared with NC mice, after ABP treatment, T2DM mice showed a higher increase in levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Additionally, the glucose uptake and α-glucosidase activity of Caco-2 cells were significantly decreased after treatment with ABPF.Conclusions: These results underscore the potential of ABP as a prebiotic candidate for gut health promotion and T2DM alleviation.
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Food Chemistry-X
·
2025
·
IF 8.2
Yuanyuan Li,Xiaoxue Chen,Gongda Wang,Linting Xu,Yichen Liu,Chunlong Yuan,Junjun Li
The bioactive substances abundant in grape pomace, particularly dietary fiber and polyphenols, exhibit prebiotic effects in the gut. The soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber from the Pinot noir grape pomace were subjected to in vitro simulated digestion and colonic fermentation. The study found that bound polyphenols predominantly released during colon fermentation and exerted powerful antioxidant activities. The capabilities of SDF were superior to those of IDF in several aspects: it more effectively released total phenols and flavonoids, scavenged ABTS and hydroxyl radicals, inhibited α-glucosidase and lipase, regulated intestinal pH, and generated short-chain fatty acids. IDF enriched the diversity of the gut microbiota. Together, SDF and IDF reduced the F/B value, promoted beneficial bacteria, inhibited harmful bacteria, activated metabolic pathways for vitamin B6, ascorbate, and aldarate, and enhanced lipopolysaccharide and folate biosynthesis. These findings provide a basis for the development of dietary fiber in grape pomace as a functional food.
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高影响因子
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