FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2025
·
IF 9.8
Xin Guo,Yong He,Lei Wang,Qian-Lan Wu,Jing Li,Tian-Le Mao,Kiran Thakur,Yi-Long Ma,Zhao-Jun Wei
Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) exhibits potent antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities. However, its bioactivity is constrained by low stability under varying conditions, including pH and temperature. To improve its stability, GA was loaded into zein-Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) nanoparticles (zein-APS-GA NPs). The optimized nanoparticles had a diameter of 101.10 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.092, and an encapsulation rate of 91.70 %. Simulated digestion experiments revealed a bioaccessibility of 72.84 % for nanoparticles, compared to 30.70 % for free GA. The radical scavenging rates of the nanoparticles ranged from 66.23 % to 73.34 %, and retained over 40 % after 48 h at room temperature. Stability assays confirmed their robustness across a range of ionic strength, pH values, temperatures, and storage durations. Furthermore, zein-APS-GA NPs increased the viability of alcohol-injured AML-12 cells to 95.50 % at 100 μg/mL (containing 91.7 μg/mL GA), significantly surpassing that of free GA (63.29 %, 100 μg/mL), highlighting their enhanced stability and cytoprotective efficacy.
研究领域:
药剂学
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纳米技术
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药物递送
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天然产物
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生物高分子科学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2025
·
IF 8.5
Yi-Long Ma,Xin Guo,Qian-Lan Wu,Jing Li,Tian-Le Mao,Zhi Li,Kiran Thakur,Zhao-Jun Wei
Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a phenolic compound with extensive bioactive properties, holds significant potential for various applications. However, its practical use has been limited by its poor thermal stability, oxidative sensitivity, and low bioaccessibility. To overcome these challenges, we developed zein and Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) encapsulated CGA nanoparticles (ZLC NPs), optimized through Box-Behnken Design. The optimized ZLC NPs exhibited exceptional physicochemical properties, with an average particle size of 122.7 ± 0.25 nm, a PDI of 0.070, and an encapsulation efficiency of 85.66 %. Under thermal treatment, the CGA of ZLC NPs retained 95.31 % after 90 °C for 3 h, significantly surpassing the recovery rate of free CGA (81.65 %). During the simulated digestion, the ZLC NPs displayed improved bioaccessibility (41.3 %) compared to free CGA (28.4 %). The ZLC NPs also showed higher radical scavenging rates (68.0–72.7 %), outperforming free CGA (36.5 %–51.4 %). At a concentration of 30 μg/mL, ZLC NPs increased AML-12 cell viability to 69.56 %, compared to 50.08 % for free CGA. These results indicate that ZLC NPs effectively overcome the limitations of free CGA, offering enhanced stability, bioaccessibility, antioxidant activity, and cellular protection. These advanced properties position ZLC NPs as promising candidates for incorporation into functional foods and pharmaceutical formulations.
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PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2025
·
IF 8.5
Lei Yang,Xuanxuan Yuan,Dian Dai,Shuqiang Wang,Ying Wu,Haihua Wang,Zhongguo Shan
The growing concern over food safety and environmental pollution has stimulated the development of multifunctional biodegradable films. Herein, β-Cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks (β-CD-MOFs) were prepared as loading carriers for chlorogenic acid (CGA) and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). These materials (CGA-Ag@CD-MOFs) were then added into a zein matrix to construct bioactive packaging films (MOFs-Zein). SEM showed that appropriate content of CGA-Ag@CD-MOFs (2 wt%) promoted the formation of a more uniform and denser film structure. FT-IR verified that hydrogen bonding between CGA-Ag@CD-MOFs and zein matrix endowed MOFs-Zein-2 % with superior tensile strength (24.61 ± 2.58 MPa), elongation at break (5.01 ± 0.71 %), barrier properties of water vapor (1.84 × 10 −7 g·m −1 ·h −1 ·Pa −1 ) and oxygen (0.63 × 10 −10 g·cm/cm 2 ·s). Moreover, it can control the release of both CGA and Ag + , which displayed high-efficiency antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus . Comprehensive biosafety evaluation through cytotoxicity (Caco-2 viability >98 %), hemolysis (< 5 %), and acute toxicity studies confirmed material safety. When applied for grape storage, MOFs-Zein-2 % effectively preserved nutritional quality and texture, and prolonged the shelf-life of grapes by 16 days. Importantly, complete biodegradation occurred within 40 days. This study provides a simple strategy for constructing of high performance of biodegradable packing films.
研究领域:
食品科学
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材料科学
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包装技术
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纳米技术
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环境科学
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食品安全
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生物技术
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
PROCESS BIOCHEMISTRY
·
2024
·
IF 3.7
Lingyu Yin,Yuhang Cao,Meihui Wang,Baohua Kong,Qian Liu,Hui Wang,Hao Wang
The zein-quercetin covalent complexes were prepared by alkali treatment (A-ZEIN-Q) and free radical grafting (R-ZEIN-Q) and subsequently followed by encapsulation of oregano essential oil (OEO), and alkali grafted zein-quercetin covalent nanoparticles (A-ZQNPs-OEO) and free radical grafted zein-quercetin covalent nanoparticles (R-ZQNPs-OEO) were synthesized respectively. Additionally, the particle size, ζ-potential, microstructure, encapsulation efficiency, release behaviour, surface hydrophobicity, stability, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial activity of these nanoparticles were characterized. The results of infrared spectroscopy showed that a covalent bond was formed between zein and quercetin, the particle size of the nanoparticles decreased, and the degree of densification was higher than that of zein nanoparticles. Unlike the aggregated zein nanoparticles, the zein-quercetin nanoparticles were dispersed more uniformly. In addition, the encapsulation efficiency of OEO in A-ZQNPs-OEO and R-ZQNPs-OEO increased significantly from 45.11 % to 73.42 % and 70.90 % to that of OEO in single zein nanoparticles, respectively. Among the four nanoparticles, A-ZQNPs-OEO shows the highest stability, while the OEO-encapsulated quercetin covalent nanoparticles show better-sustained release performance, lower surface hydrophobicity, and excellent antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Overall, the synthesized OEO encapsulated zein-quercetin covalent nanoparticles possess the ability to be applied in food preservation and other applications.
研究领域:
食品科学
·
生物化学
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DOI
高影响因子
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
·
2025
·
IF 8
Minmin Chen,Linlin Li,Wei Ji,Wensheng Lu,Xiaochao Tang,Suwei Jiang,Hualin Wang
Petroleum-based food packaging causes substantial environmental damage through waste accumulation and microplastic pollution. Therefore, replacing it with biodegradable polymers to extend the shelf life of food products is highly desirable. In this work, a bilayer functional composite with barrier properties and antimicrobial activity was developed for pork preservation. The outer barrier layer of gelatin/laponite (Ge/La) was fabricated by the casting method, while the inner antimicrobial layer of zein/eugenol (ZN/Eu) was prepared through direct electrospinning on Ge/La. The incorporation of La enhanced the thermal stability, mechanical strength, and moisture barrier of the outer layer, while the encapsulation of Eu endowed the inner layer with excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Furthermore, the Eu release from ZN/Eu fibers was found to follow Fickian diffusion. The bilayer composite of Ge/La@ZN/Eu can prolong pork shelf life by 1 d at 25 °C, demonstrating its great potential in active food packaging
研究领域:
食品科学
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高分子科学
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材料工程
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食品包装技术
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可降解材料
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PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2026
·
IF 8.5
Xinrui Gao,Zhili Ma,Huiqing Wu,Wen Huang,Dexin Zhang
Lotus leaf flavonoids (LLF), derived from an abundant agricultural byproduct, were incorporated into zein/chitosan (ZC) matrices to fabricate multifunctional edible films with controlled-release properties for active food packaging applications. LLF-ZC composite films containing different flavonoid loadings (0.1–0.3%, w / v ) were prepared and systematically evaluated in terms of physicochemical, mechanical, thermal, structural, and bioactive properties. The incorporation of LLF significantly increased film thickness, density, tensile strength, and thermal stability, while maintaining low water vapor and gas permeability. Structural characterization by SEM, ATR-FTIR, and XRD confirmed good compatibility between LLF and the ZC matrix, mainly attributed to hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. LLF addition markedly enhanced the antioxidant and antibacterial performance of the films, with DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities exceeding 90% at higher LLF contents and concentration-dependent inhibition against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . Among the tested formulations, the 0.2% LLF-ZC film exhibited the most balanced overall performance in terms of mechanical strength, barrier properties, and bioactivity. The release behavior of LLF was strongly influenced by the polarity of food simulants, with the highest cumulative release observed in 50% ethanol, followed by water and 95% ethanol. Kinetic analysis indicated that the release profiles were best described by the Peppas-Sahlin and Ritger-Peppas models, demonstrating that Fickian diffusion was the dominant release mechanism. Overall, these results highlight the potential of LLF-ZC films as sustainable active packaging materials, particularly for semi-fatty food systems.
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PubMed
高影响因子
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
·
2025
·
IF 5.4
Ruichen Zhao,Like Wang,Jianhua Zhu,Shouwei Yin
Environmental oxidative stress critically drives skin aging and damage. Although the natural flavonoid naringin (NAR) offers significant antioxidant and anti-aging potential, its cosmeceutical application is limited by poor solubility and stability. To address this, we engineered Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP)-coated phosphorylated zein (P-Zein) nanoparticles (DOP-PZ-NAR) for NAR encapsulation. Optimized nanoparticles exhibited uniform spherical morphology (92.9–157.0 nm) with exceptional drug-loading performance (encapsulation efficiency: 87.50 %). DOP-PZ encapsulation significantly enhanced NAR photostability, increasing retention from 62.40 % to 84.30 % after 12 h of UV exposure, and significantly improved in vitro antioxidant efficacy (> 86 % ABTS, > 80 % DPPH at 500 μg/mL NAR equivalent). Furthermore, DOP-PZ encapsulation significantly enhanced transdermal delivery, achieving a 3.42-fold increase in cumulative NAR permeation versus free NAR while enabling deeper skin penetration. Notably, in vivo zebrafish assays confirmed DOP-PZ-NAR NPs were non-toxic and elicited a potent melanin-inhibitory effect (67.23 % reduction at 30 μg/mL NAR equivalent). This study demonstrates DOP-PZ-NAR NPs as a multifunctional platform for stabilizing hydrophobic antioxidants and enhancing their cutaneous bioavailability, while offering novel insights for developing next-generation cosmeceutical formulations.
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高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2024
·
IF 7.7
Fei He,Xue-Ke Ma,Cheng-Kai Tu,Hui Teng,Xin Shao,Jie Chen,Meng-Xin Hu
Supplementing probiotics or indigestible carbohydrates is a usual strategy to prevent or revert unhealthy states of the gut by reshaping gut microbiota. One criterion that probiotics are efficacious is the capacity to survive in the gastrointestinal tract. Biofilm is the common growth mode of microorganisms with high tolerances toward harsh environments. Suitable scaffolds are crucial for successful biofilm culture and large-scale production of biofilm-phenotype probiotics. However, the role of scaffolds containing indigestible carbohydrates in biofilm formation has not been studied. In this study, porous zein/cellulose composite scaffolds provided nitrogen sources and carbon sources simultaneously at the solid/liquid interfaces, being beneficial to the biofilm formation of Lactobacillus reuteri . The biofilms showed 2.1–17.4 times higher tolerances in different gastrointestinal conditions. In human fecal fermentation, the biofilms combined with the zein/cellulose composite scaffolds act as the “synbiotics” positively modulating the gut microbiota and the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), where biofilms provide probiotics and scaffolds provide prebiotics. The “synbiotics” show a more positive regulation ability than planktonic L. reuteri , presenting potential applications in gut health interventions. These results provide an understanding of the synergistic effects of biofilm-phenotype probiotics and indigestible carbohydrates contained in the “synbiotics” in gut microbiota modulation.
研究领域:
微生物学
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食品科学
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营养学
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生物技术
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
·
2019
·
IF 5.839
Lingli Deng,Yang Li,Fengqin Feng,Di Wu,Hui Zhang
In this study, various concentrations of allopurinol were encapsulated into the glucose cross-linked gelatin/zein (1:1, w/w) nanofibers . The encapsulation of allopurinol did not affect the production of smooth and uniform nanofibers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed the hydrogen bonding interactions between allopurinol and proteins. The homogenous dispersion of allopurinol at concentrations of 2.5% (A2.5), 5% (A5), and 10% (A10) was observed, while phase separation happened at a concentration of 20% (A20) allopurinol by recrystallization. The nanofiber wettability was significantly increased for the A2.5 and A5 fibers, but the wettability of the A10 and A20 fibers was even lower compared to the unencapsulated nanofibers. The release experiments of allopurinol from nanofibers into phosphate buffer, simulated gastric fluid, and simulated intestinal fluid suggested the anomalous pattern for the burst release, followed by the Fickian diffusion for the sustained release. In addition, the allopurinol encapsulated nanofibers showed effective suppression against xanthine oxidase . Our work suggest that the glucose cross-linked gelatin/zein nanofibers may be a promising delivery system for hydrophobic bioactive molecules.
研究领域:
药剂学
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材料科学
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生物医学工程
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DOI
高影响因子
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2020
·
IF 10.652
Xi Yu,Chuanming Li,Huafeng Tian,Li Yuan,Aimin Xiang,Jinlong Li,Chaoyang Wang,A. Varada Rajulu
Though zein is gaining more and more attention because of its multifunctionality and biodegradability, the high sensitivity to humidity limits its further applications. In the present study, the multifunctional zein nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning with the assistance of polyvinyl alcohol, followed by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. In this way, the moisture resistance of the nanofibers was significantly improved while the air filtration performance was well retained. The optimized nanofibers exhibited over 97% filtration efficiency of PM 0.3 (particulate matter size less than 0.3 μm), and the filtration efficiency of other sizes of pollutant particles was more than 98%. In addition, the relatively weak mechanical properties of zein have also been improved. These results suggest that cross-linked zein-based nanofibers are promising for air filtration applications.
研究领域:
材料科学
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环境工程
·
纳米技术
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产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING
·
2020
·Vol. 305
·期 8
·2000239
·
IF 3.853
Ke Li,Chuanming Li,Huafeng Tian,Li Yuan,Aimin Xiang,Chaoyang Wang,Jinlong Li,A. Varada Rajulu
Nanofibers prepared by electrospinning technology possess large specific surface area and adjustable fiber diameter. Zein is a hydrophobic plant protein that can interact with pollutants in the air. In this work, using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the auxiliary spinning polymer, zein based nanofiber materials are prepared for air filtration by varying zein/PVA ratio as well as the alcoholysis degree. With the increase of zein content, the diameter of nanofibers decreases gradually, and the nanofibers prepared by PVA with low alcoholysis degree exhibit better micromorphology. The zein based nanofibers prepared after denaturation of zein protein can interact with different types of pollutants. In addition, for the nanofibers prepared by PVA with different alcoholysis degree, the filtration efficiency increases with the increase of zein content when absorbing air pollution particles with different particle sizes and the alcoholysis degree affects the air filtration efficiency. Thus, through controlling zein content and alcoholysis degree, the filtration efficiency of nanofibers is promoted availably. These results indicate that the natural nanofilter prepared with zein and PVA can be used a multifunctional and efficient material for air filtration.
研究领域:
材料科学
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环境工程
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纳米技术
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DOI
高影响因子
LANGMUIR
·
2021
·
IF 3.882
Shengnan Tao,Hang Jiang,Suijing Gong,Shouwei Yin,Yunxing Li,To Ngai
Using two types of colloidal particles having natural origins to synergistically stabilize Pickering emulsions is essential for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutics, especially when neither particle can stabilize the Pickering emulsions alone. The use of two natural stabilizers avoids the complicated surface treatments of particles and the introduction of poisonous or harmful chemicals. In this work, we report an all-natural Pickering emulsion stabilized synergistically by starch nanocrystals and zein protein nanoparticles. Our result shows that the electrostatic interaction between the two types of particles greatly affects their assembled structure at the oil/water interface, which is closely related to the emulsion stability. Specifically, particle bilayers could form with oppositely charged particles at the interface to endow the emulsion with improved stability. As a demonstration, the resultant Pickering emulsions effectively carry β-carotene and have high stability against high temperatures and ultraviolet radiation. This type of all-natural Pickering emulsion is a promising tool to protect and deliver liposoluble bioactive components.
研究领域:
食品科学
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材料科学
·
化学工程
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）