Microorganisms
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2026
·Vol. 14
·期 8
·1814
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IF 4.7
Huipeng Liu,Xining Geng,Yousi Fu
Pectin oligosaccharides have emerged as promising prebiotics whose biological activities are closely tied to their structural features, particularly monosaccharide composition. However, systematic experimental evidence regarding how different monosaccharide compositions collectively influence gut microbiota modulation, SCFA production, and the metabolomic responses of mixed pectin oligosaccharides remains limited. To address this gap, Pool-I (27.92% galacturonic acid, rich in neutral sugars including galactose, glucose, and arabinose) and Pool-II (98.73% galacturonic acid) were evaluated by comparison with inulin, a reference prebiotic, using an in vitro human fecal fermentation model. Microbial community structure, SCFA production, and metabolomic profiles were assessed at 12 h and 24 h via 16S rRNA gene sequencing, gas chromatography, and untargeted metabolomics, respectively. Inulin exhibited superior enrichment of Actinobacteria (predominantly Bifidobacterium ) and consistently higher total SCFA production (24.07 ± 0.25 mmol/L acetic acid at 24 h vs. 20.27 ± 0.28 and 20.53 ± 0.76 mmol/L for pectin oligosaccharides), particularly propionic and butyric acids. Although Pool-I and Pool-II yielded lower overall SCFA concentrations, they significantly enriched beneficial SCFA-producing genera (including Coprococcus_3 , Butyricicoccus , and Parabacteroides ) at 24 h. Metabolomic analysis revealed that Pool-I uniquely upregulated twenty-six differential metabolites ( VIP > 1, p < 0.05), including taurine ( VIP = 2.40, p < 0.001), L-proline ( VIP = 1.72, p = 0.015), and pantothenate ( VIP = 1.63, p < 0.001), while reducing uric acid ( VIP = 1.05, p < 0.001), whereas only two differential metabolites were identified for Pool-II. We conclude that monosaccharide composition is a key determinant of the prebiotic efficacy of pectin oligosaccharides: Pool-II selectively promotes SCFA-producing taxa, whereas Pool-I elicits broader metabolic regulation. These effects provide a theoretical foundation for developing pectin oligosaccharides as potential prebiotic candidates.
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高影响因子
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
·
2026
·
IF 13.8
Junren Wen,Yujiao Qian,Ziyi Xie,Jie Ouyang,Lingtao Kang,Zhipeng Su,Gaoyang Li
Controlled sericin hydrolysis generated fragments with distinct molecular and interaction characteristics. • Ser hydrolysates regulated the structure, rheology, and recovery of pectin soft and emulsion fluid gels. • Utensil tests and CFD linked bulk properties with IDDSI-relevant confined-flow behaviour. People with dysphagia often depend on texture-modified foods to maintain oral intake, yet achieving the required balance of flow, cohesion, and shape retention remains difficult in renewable citrus-peel-derived pectin matrices, even among products within similar consistency ranges. This study used graded alkaline-protease hydrolysis to generate sericin (Ser) populations with distinct molecular states that regulated citrus-pectin gels. Hydrolysis caused a rapid early decrease in apparent molecular size, with most of the decrease occurring within the first 15 min (Ser15), while the molecular-weight distribution subsequently narrowed. In oil-free Ser-pectin gels, limited hydrolysis increased resistance to sustained penetration, intermediate hydrolysis reduced large-deformation resistance while retaining small-strain elasticity, and extensive hydrolysis partially restored penetration work and low-shear viscosity. After oil incorporation, all emulsion fluid gels (FGs) maintained weak-gel-like behaviour, pronounced shear thinning, and final viscosity recovery of approximately 75-85%. Their performance shifted from the highly flowable Ser15-FG, through the more complete recovery and balanced storage behaviour of Ser60-FG, to the strongly shape-retaining and more thermally and freeze-thaw-stable Ser180-FG. Confined-flow simulations mapped IDDSI-relevant utensil responses onto outlet flow rate, mean velocity, and low-velocity volume fraction, partially quantifying spreading, dripping, and shape retention. Hydrolysis-generated Ser molecular states therefore provide a simple strategy for tuning pectin-based fluid gels with differentiated consistency and handling profiles, supporting formulation differentiation and optimization. As illustrated in the graphical abstract, controlled alkaline-protease hydrolysis was used to generate sericin (Ser) populations with distinct molecular states, characterised by differences in apparent molecular-weight distribution, fragment continuity, and molecular mobility. These hydrolysates were combined with citrus pectin to construct soft gels and emulsion fluid gels, allowing hydrolysis-dependent regulation to be evaluated in both oil-free and oil-containing structural contexts. In soft gels, hydrolysis drove a transition from a more connected network to a coarse intermediate structure and finally to a more dispersed open network. In emulsion fluid gels, the same molecular-state shift altered droplet–matrix coupling, spatial heterogeneity, and local reassociation around oil droplets. These structural changes produced distinct combinations of flowability, shape retention, recovery, and utensil-handling behaviour, which CFD further resolved into different confined-flow profiles. Controlled Ser hydrolysis therefore broadened the accessible handling range of Ser–pectin systems and provided a time-controllable strategy for tuning IDDSI-relevant material and handling properties. Download: Download high-res image (391KB) Download: Download full-size image
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FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
·
2025
·
IF 12.4
Zhichuang Shi,Xujin Yang,Tongyi Wang,Jiatong Xu,Zhixiang Cai
Sunflower pectin (SP) is a distinctive type of low-methoxy pectin known for its biological activity and excellent gel-forming properties. However, its emulsifying capacity is relatively limited. To improve the emulsifying performance of SP, this study utilized octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA), a commonly employed modifying agent, to esterify SP. OSA-modified SP samples with varying degrees of substitution (DS) were synthesized. The primary chemical structure of OSA-SP at different DS levels was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance, while conformational changes were assessed through Congo red analysis. The emulsifying properties of OSA-SP were systematically evaluated using Lumisizer, particle size, zeta potential, optical microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Solution behaviour and ion-induced gelation capabilities of OSA-SP were investigated through rheological studies. The results demonstrated that the emulsifying performance of OSA-SP improved progressively with increasing DS. Notably, although the viscosity and viscoelasticity of the OSA-SP solution were lower than those of SP, it still retained the gel-inducing ability of K + , Ca 2+ , and Ba 2+ for native SP, and also forms a gel in the presence of Mg 2+ . Furthermore, in vitro cell experiments confirmed that the Mg 2+ crosslinked OSA-SP hydrogel exhibited excellent biocompatibility. This study provides valuable insights into the emulsifying and gel-forming properties of OSA-SP across different DS, thereby supporting its potential application as a thickener, gelling agent, and emulsifier in various fields, including food science, biomedicine, and cosmetics.
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ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
·
2026
·
IF 7.6
Yuqian Lu,Dingming Ma,Qipin Guo,Yi Yu,Yunhui Zhang,Yan Dai,Lingyun Zhou,Xia Gao
Bacterial fruit blotch (BFB) is a destructive disease threatening global watermelon production. To address this challenge, we developed a bioresponsive and light-enhanced nanopesticide based on pectin-gated chlorine-doped cuprous oxide (Cu2O-Cl@Pectin, CCP NPs) for precision BFB control. Theoretical calculations confirm that Cl doping narrows the band gap of Cu2O and enhances O2 activation, resulting in improved visible-light absorption and increased generation of superoxide anions for effective photocatalytic bactericidal activity. Moreover, the pectin shell serves as an intelligent “gatekeeper”, remaining inert under normal conditions but being specifically degraded by pectinase secreted by the pathogen during infection. This response activates a synergistic antibacterial mechanism, combining photocatalysis with the release of copper ions. Consequently, CCP NPs showed excellent efficacy in suppressing BFB in both leaf infection models and pot-grown watermelon plants, while exhibiting no significant toxicity to nontarget organisms. By integrating on-demand activation with solar energy utilization, this system significantly reduces the reliance on conventional copper inputs and minimizes environmental leakage, thereby aligning with the principles of green chemistry.
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2026
·
IF 8.7
Aiping Wang,Xuejian Cheng,Chengying Ding,Pengyue Zhao,Chong Cao,Lidong Cao,Manli Yu,Qiliang Huang
Traditional agrochemicals suffer from low utilization rates and high environmental exposure levels, posing threats to ecosystem security and limiting their practical application. Wheat stem rot is one of the world's major agricultural diseases caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum , which mainly affects the stem base of wheat. Improving the agent's deposition distribution and duration of action in the wheat rhizome is critical when applied through foliar spray or root application.to control this disease. Stimuli-responsive delivery systems can provide more effective crop protection while improving the safety of pesticides for non-target organisms and the environment. In this study, we developed pectin-modified pyraclostrobin nanocapsules (NCS@Pec) exhibiting dual responsiveness to pH and pectinase. Compared to conventional nanoemulsion (NEW), NCS@Pec demonstrated superior adhesion to wheat surfaces with 2.86-fold enhanced rainfastness. Root application reduced pyraclostrobin translocation to leaves while prolonging rhizosphere activity. At 14 days post-treatment, NCS@Pec maintained approximately 68% control efficacy. In addition, the selectivity coefficients of NCS@Pec between F. pseudograminearum and zebrafish were 2.67 and 7.09, significantly reducing environmental risks to aquatic life while maintaining fungicidal activity. These findings advance the application of carbohydrate polymers such as pectin in nanopesticide development and contribute to novel bioactive agent design and food security enhancement.
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2022
·
IF 8.025
Zeng Dong,Ziqing Du,Xingyue Wu,Kefeng Zhai,Zhaojun Wei,Marwan M.A. Rashed
The current study sought to fabricate pectin nano-films from Premna microphylla Turcz (PMTP) leaves using a combination of ZnO-carboxymethyl cellulose. The rheological and physical properties of fabricated nano-ZnO films were studied. Spectroscopy FT-IR, microscopic study (SEM), thermogravimetry (TG), and XRD were applied to characterize the fabricated film. The antibacterial activity of the nanofilm was determined using the antibacterial circle method. The findings showed that the addition of PMTP can reduce the nanofilm color, water solubility/hydrophilicity, air permeability, and ultraviolet light permeability of the nanofilm. Treatment CPN0.5 achieved the optimized Tensile strength (TS) of 4.50 Mpa, significant differences compared to CPN2 (3.99 Mpa) and CPN1 (3.65 Mpa). In addition, treatment CPN1 achieved the lowest WVP value (29.35) compared to the highest value (41.62) achieved by CPN0.5 treatment with no significant differences with CPN3 (29.7) and CPN1 (30.98) treatments. Elongation (E%) at break was the best for each CP10 (74.9) and CPN0.5 (73.03). Moreover, ZnO can enhance the nanofilm activity and the nanofilm water swelling ratio. Furthermore, adding ZnO to the nano-formula improved the antibacterial activity of the fabricated film against Staphylococcus aureus . In sum, nanofilms fabricated of PMTP and ZnO possess promising prospects as antibacterial agents in packaging applications.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
生物学
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Food Bioscience
·
2024
·
IF 4.8
Wei-yun Zhang,Jin-song Liao,Jun-ru Qi
Differences in the prebiotics of pectin cannot be fully explained by the sources and single structure. Microbiota exhibit distinct preferences for different structure of pectin, influencing the microbial composition by lowering pH and producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the fermentation. However, the effect on the pectin fine structure on its fermentation properties and microbiota still controversial. Here, three pectin polysaccharides with different degree of esterification (DE) and rhamngalacturonan-I (RGI) ratio while ensuring that either the degree of RGI or the DE remained constant were prepared. By using in vitro fermentation model and microbiomics, the mechanisms by which the pectin fine structure in modulating the composition of gut microbiota and the metabolism of SCFAs were proposed. Pectins enriched with RGI structures promoted the growth of Phascolarctobacterium and Parabacteroides, and increased concentration of the SCFAs (such as acetic acid and propionic acid) associated with fat loss. Bacteria groups such as Tyzzerella , Collinsella , Prevotella-9 , Dialister and Sutterella were sensitive to DE and thereby promote SCFA production (such as hexanoic acid, butyric acid, etc). As pectin promotes the growth of probiotics and an increase in SCFAs, contributing to a decrease in pH, the growth of Lachnospiraceae_UCG-004 , Escherichia-Shigella and Lachnoclostridium is significantly inhibited. We identified thatkey roles of the DE and RGI within pectin in promoting the growth of probiotic microbiota and production of SCFAs. These results provide new a reference for the prediction of the pectin physiological activity and the development of functional pectin polysaccharide prebiotics.
研究领域:
食品科学
·
微生物学
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FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2019
·
IF 5.399
Dong-Lin Su,Pei-Jun Li,Siew Young Quek,Zhi-Qin Huang,Yu-Jun Yuan,Gao-Yang Li,Yang Shan
Surfactant and microwave assisted extraction (S-MAE) was used for pectin extraction from orange peel. First, we optimized the conditions of microwave assisted extraction (MAE), e.g., irradiation time, liquid-to-solid ratio (LSR), and pH on pectin yield (PY), galacturonic acid (GA) content, and degree of esterification (DE) using a Box-Behnken design. Under optimal conditions (pH 1.2, 7.0 min, and 21.5 v/w LSR), we obtained a PY of 28.0 ± 0.5%, which was close to the predicted value (31.1%). Second, we analyzed the effect of surfactant on microwave extraction of pectin. Among the surfactants investigated, Tween-80 (8 g/L, w/v) increased PY by 17.0%. Compared with conventional solvent extraction, S-MAE is a novel and efficient method for pectin extraction, which generated a higher (p < 0.05) PY (32.8%), GA content (78.1%), DE (69.8%), and M w (286.3 kDa).
研究领域:
食品科学
·
化学工程
·
农业工程
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JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2026
·
IF 6.7
Yibing Wang,Qianqian Xuan,Tiantian Yuan,Baojin Wang,Zihan Zhang,Xiaoqian Xing,Xinyi Yang,Chen Meng,Kevin H. Mayo,Fan Li,Yifa Zhou,Ye Yuan
The degradation of complex plant polysaccharides, particularly Rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) pectin, is essential for unlocking the value of biomass. This study focuses on the enzymatic toolbox of Penicillium oxalicum for efficient RG-I breakdown. Here, we recombinantly expressed 15 novel pectinolytic enzymes and characterized their biochemical functions. The enzyme system consists of backbone-cleaving rhamnogalacturonan hydrolases and lyases, along with side-chain–degrading enzymes. Specific endo-β-galactanases (GH30, GH43, GH53) and an exo-β-galactosidase (GH35) collaboratively hydrolyze galactan side chains. Meanwhile, α-arabinanases (GH43) and exo-α-arabinofuranosidases (GH54, GH62) work synergistically to degrade arabinan side chains. Through coordinated action, these enzymes achieve complete degradation of complex RG-I structures. Our findings provide a comprehensive enzyme set for targeted polysaccharide deconstruction, offering valuable resources for biomass conversion and pectin valorization in industrial applications.
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Journal of Agriculture and Food Research
·
2026
·
IF 7.2
Haoxin Li,Mei Wang,Dandan Lei,Jia Liu
The gelling properties of pectin depend on its structure. In this work, low methoxy potato pectin (PP) was enzymatically extracted. PP was modified using polygalacturonase (PG) and pectin lyase (PL) to elucidate the relationship between structural characteristics and gelation properties. PG-modified potato pectin (PG-PP) had the lowest molecular weight ( M w ) and homogalacturonan (HG) domain proportion, followed by PL-modified potato pectin (PL-PP) and PP. The gelation behaviors of PP, PG-PP, and PL-PP induced by glucono-δ-lactone (C 6 H 10 O 6 ) and calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) were evaluated through a multidimensional characterization. The results revealed that the ranking of gel strength and creep recovery properties (C 6 H 10 O 6 -/CaCl 2 -induced PP > PG-PP > PL-PP) mirrored the order of their binding strength with C 6 H 10 O 6 /CaCl 2 in thermodynamic analysis, with CaCl 2 -induced gels exhibiting higher strength than those induced by C 6 H 10 O 6 . In conclusion, while reduced HG content and M w weaken gel strength, the saturation state of pectin's molecular structure exerts a greater impact on gelling properties.
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FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2026
·
IF 10.4
Lv Ya-Nan,Wang Ping-Ping,Fu Xiong,Chen Chun
Optimized emulsion gels were stabilized by crosslinker-free thiolated pectin. • Enhanced interfacial adsorption was verified by quartz crystal microbalance. • Curcumin encapsulation was enhanced by thiolated pectin-based emulsion gels. • Colon targeted and sustained release under in vitro simulated digestion was achieved. In this study, thiolated pectin with tunable modification degrees was successfully synthesized. Structural confirmation was achieved and the thiol group content was determined to range from 321.25 to 565.47 μmol/g. Thiolated pectin effectively stabilized gel-like emulsions with storage modulus (981.6–2027.2 Pa) remarkably higher than that of unmodified ones (46.4 Pa). Microscopic analysis revealed a honeycomb-like network that tightened with higher thiolation levels. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation demonstrated improved interfacial adsorption and the formation of a cohesive film via disulfide bond. The curcumin encapsulation was significantly improved to 89.87% by thiolated pectin, and curcumin retention was approximately doubled relative to unmodified pectin. Furthermore, the curcumin release was significantly inhibited in the simulated gastric and small intestinal phases, while its cumulative release during the simulated colonic phase reached up to 71.75%. This work proposed an exogenous crosslinker-free strategy for the encapsulation of lipophilic bioactives, which exhibited considerable potential for colon-targeted delivery. Download: Download high-res image (138KB) Download: Download full-size image
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FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
·
2026
·
IF 8.8
Zhipeng Su,Lingtao Kang,Hongbing Wang,Zixuan Li,Hui Wen,Xia Chang,Yujiao Qian,Fan Huang,Xiaopeng Li,Hong-Hui Wang,Gaoyang Li
Dietary fibers are valued for colon delivery and prebiotic activity, yet the high molecular weight of natural pectins can hinder processability and reduce bioavailability. This study utilized electron beam irradiation (EBI) to engineer lemon pectin (LP) into a precise MW gradient: HMW LP (1180.65 kDa), MMW ELP25 (83.49 kDa), and LMW ELP200 (11.39 kDa). Physicochemical analysis revealed a clear MW-dependent stability trend during simulated digestion. Notably, LMW ELP200 exhibited superior digestive stability with a cumulative digestibility of only 15.47%, significantly lower than that of HMW LP (21.81%) and MMW ELP25 (18.92%), thereby facilitating the efficient delivery of intact bioactive domains to the colon. In vitro and in vivo evaluations confirmed that ELP200 not only retained the gut-modulating efficacy of native LP but also demonstrated an enhanced safety profile. Specifically, ELP200 maintained overall microbial alpha-diversity and significantly promoted the growth of beneficial taxa (e.g., Faecalibaculum ) while suppressing pathogens such as Campylobacterota . Crucially, unlike HMW LP, ELP200 avoided the enrichment of specific pathobionts (e.g., Rodentibacter ), thereby fostering a safer gut microecology. These results suggest that EBI effectively optimizes the physical stability and delivery efficiency of lemon pectin while preserving its essential gut-modulating functions, positioning ELP200 as a stable next-generation prebiotic product candidate.
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