FOOD CHEMISTRY
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2025
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IF 9.8
Yongzhao Bi,Xingming Sun,Yan Huang,Baoguo Sun,Li Liang,Yuyu Zhang
The molecular basis of bitterness in soy sauce was investigated through an integrated approach combining peptidomics, sensory evaluation, cell biology, and molecular docking. Ethanol-extracted bitter peptides (BPs) were identified via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Seventeen BP candidates were shortlisted based on toxicity, allergenicity, bitterness predictions and hydrophobicity calculation. Sensory evaluation showed that 13 peptides exhibited bitterness, with 8 significantly enhancing bitterness of 6 key free amino acids in soy sauce. Using a HEK-293T cell-based cAMP assay, FYL and VLY were identified as hTAS2R4 ligands (EC₅₀ = 62.11 and 199.51 μM, respectively). Molecular docking revealed that both peptides bind primarily via hydrophobic interactions to residues such as VAL85, PHE88, and PHE62. These findings provide a theoretical basis for bitterness mechanism and flavor improvement of soy sauce.
研究领域:
食品科学
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分子生物学
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感官科学
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细胞生物学
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代谢组学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
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2022
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IF 7.425
Yi Gao,Xiaoqing Li,Youfa Xie,Xin Huang,Ce Cheng,David Julian McClements,Lu Zhang,Xing Chen,Liqiang Zou,Liu Wei
Bitter peptides (BP) have been reported to exhibit beneficial physiological activities, but their bitter taste and digestive sensitivity currently limits their application in foods . In this study, W1/O/W2 double emulsions were prepared with bitter peptides in the inner water phase. The effects of gelling the inner and/or outer water phases, as well as crystallizing the oil phase, were then investigated. Aqueous phase gelation reduced the particle size of the double emulsions, improved their physical stability, increased their encapsulation efficiency for the bitter peptides, and reduced the bitterness of the peptides. After simulated oral and gastric digestion, the bitter peptide-loaded W1/O droplets in the double emulsions retained their structure, thereby preventing release of the peptides in the mouth and stomach. Our results suggest that gelled double emulsions may have great potential to create more palatable functional foods containing bitter peptides.
研究领域:
食品科学
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生物技术
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营养学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
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2024
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IF 5.7
Mingyue Zhang,Jiani Pu,Yushan Cui,Jianan Sun,Hao Dong,Xiangzhao Mao
The palatability of protein-based food heavily relies on aminopeptidases with the ability for bitter peptides degradation. However, there is a lack of methods for rational mining of aminopeptidases toward different proteins as well as the evolution direction for substrate specificity remaining unclear. In this study, an in silico simulated enzymolysis-based method for aminopeptidases mining was developed with Crassostrea gigas protein as a model. Results indicated that Ala and Ile were the most frequently exposed hydrophobic amino acids, causing a bitter taste in C. gigas hydrolysates. Furthermore, an aminopeptidase APs1 with putative Ala specificity was heterologously expressed and characterized with high enzyme activity toward Ala (4.92 ± 0.136 U/mg) and Arg (3.50 ± 0.178 U/mg). Site-saturation mutation and molecular docking results revealed that changes in steric hindrance and salt bridge formation within the active site contribute to enhanced catalytic efficiency. Among the mutants, APs1(F316M) showed significantly improved activity toward tested hydrophobic amino acids, especially the activity toward Ala was increased to 14.50 ± 0.137 U/mg. This study presents a directional approach to aminopeptidase mining and evolution, contributing to the rapid selection and combination of protein-degrading enzymes for food quality improvement.
研究领域:
食品科学
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生物化学
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酶工程
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
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2025
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IF 3.5
Xiaodan Wang,Yuye Zhang,Shaoping Jiang,Shijie Zhu,Ying Zhu,Ping Chang,Jiaxin Zheng
BACKGROUND Sufu is very popular worldwide, especially among Asians, but sometimes has a slight bitter taste, so the source and mechanism of its bitterness are worth exploring. In this study on the basis of bitter prediction analysis, bitter peptides in sufu were screened via homology modeling and molecular docking. RESULTS Molecular docking selected 14 peptides that bind to the T2R1 bitter receptor modeled by SWISS-MODEL homology. Peptides with a binding energy of −6.7 kcal mol −1 were selected for solid-phase synthesis based on affinity scoring assessment, and the flavor characteristics of the synthesized peptides were verified through sensory evaluation and electronic tongue. Finally, the Q value of the synthesized peptides was computed, and the content of their hydrophobic side chain groups was evaluated. The molecular docking results showed that bitter peptides of sufu form hydrogen bonds with bitter receptors, and the binding is stable. The flavor characteristics of the synthesized peptides were primarily bitter and umami, and the proportion of hydrophobic side-chain groups in the synthesized peptides was significant. CONCLUSION These results provide a theoretical basis for future screening of bitter peptides and improving the bitter taste of fermented bean products. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
研究领域:
食品科学
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分子生物学
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结构生物学
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生物信息学
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风味化学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
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2024
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IF 3.3
Fan-Yu He,Xing-Tong Zhu,Hui Liu,Yun-Q ing Chong,Zhi-Ping Wu,Lu-Jun Ye,Yue-Wen Chen,Jing-Jing Fu
BACKGROUND Chinese giant salamander protein hydrolysates (CGSPH) are beneficial to human health as a result of their high content of amino acids and peptides. However, the formation of bitter peptides in protein hydrolysates (PHs) would hinder their application in food industry. The ultrasound assisted wet-heating Maillard reaction (MR) is an effective way to improve the flavor of PHs. Thus, the effect of ultrasonic assisted wet-heating MR on the structure and flavor of CGSPH was investigated in the present study. RESULTS The results indicated that the ultrasound assisted wet-heating MR products (MRPs) exhibited a higher degree of graft and more significant changes in the secondary and tertiary structures of CGSPH compared to traditional wet-heating MRPs. Moreover, ultrasound assisted wet-heating MR could significantly increase the content of small molecule peptides and reduce the content of free amino acids of CGSPH, which resulted in more significant changes in flavor characteristics. The changed in flavor properties after MR (especially ultrasound assisted wet-heating MRPs) were mainly manifested by a significant reduction in bitterness, as well as a significant increase in the content of aromatic aldehyde ester compounds such as furan-2-carbaldehyde, butanal, benzaldehyde, furfural, etc. CONCLUSIONS Ultrasound assisted wet-heating MR between CGSPH and xylose could be a promising way to improve the sensory characteristics of CGSPH. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
研究领域:
食品科学
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生物化学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Foods
·
2025
·Vol. 14
·期 15
·2731
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IF 5.1
Juqing Huang,Meng Sun,Xuefang Guan,Lingyue Zhong,Jie Li,Qi Wang,Shizhong Zhang
Bamboo shoot boiled liquid (BSBL), a processing byproduct containing soluble proteins, peptides, amino acids, carbohydrates, and phenolics, is typically discarded, causing resource waste and environmental issues. This study analyzed metabolic changes in BSBL duringPediococcus pentosaceusB49 fermentation. The result of partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) revealed significant metabolite profile differences across fermentation times (0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h). The most substantial alterations occurred within the first 24 h, followed by stabilization. Compared to unfermented BSBL, fermented samples exhibited significantly elevated signal intensities for 5,7-dimethoxyflavone, cinnamic acid, 3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one, 6,8-dimethyl-4-hydroxycoumarin, and 2-hydroxycinnamic acid (p< 0.05), showing upward trends over time. Conversely, (+)-gallocatechin intensity decreased gradually. Bitter peptides, such as alanylisoleucine, isoleucylisoleucine, leucylvaline, and phenylalanylisoleucine, in BSBL exhibited a significant reduction following fermentation withP. pentosaceusB49 (p< 0.05). KEGG enrichment indicated tyrosine metabolism (ko00350) and arginine/proline metabolism (ko00330) as the most impacted pathways. These findings elucidate metabolic regulation in BSBL fermentation, supporting development of functional fermented bamboo products.
研究领域:
食品科学
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微生物学
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代谢组学
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生物技术
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环境科学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
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