The use of nanotechnology-based delivery systems along with growth regulators of plants is a promising approach to increase the quality of fruits postharvest. This experiment was aimed at determining the impact of sonicated nanoemulsions containing methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) on the quality of postharvest Tango mandarin. The findings showed the samples treated improved fruit weight, diameter, firmness and juice percentage significantly compared to the control sample. TMJ4 (10.0 µM L−1) was the most effective treatment at preserving the fruit firmness, whereas TMJ3 (7.5 µM L−1) was the best treatment at improving the internal quality characteristics, such as total soluble solids, sugar–acid ratio, phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols, and antioxidant activity. Reduction in titratable acidity and a subsequent increase in sugar-to-acid ratio indicated a better maturation behavior and flavor profile of the fruit. The augmented retention of bioactive compounds implies the stimulation of secondary metabolite pathways and stress tolerance. The results suggest that nanoemulsion delivery of methyl jasmonate and NAA by sonication is an efficient method of enhancing the quality of the postharvest and prolonging the shelf life of Tango mandarin.

This study induced obesity in mice through a high-fat diet (HFD) to investigate the regulatory effects of Clostridium butyricum WL-53 (C. butyricum WL-53) on lipid metabolism and intestinal inflammation. Thirty 6-week-old male C57 mice were randomly divided into three groups: the normal diet group (ND), the high-fat diet group (HFD), and the HFD supplemented with Clostridium butyricum (CB, C. butyricum) group (HFD-CB). The experiment lasted for five weeks. The results demonstrated that mice in the HFD-CB group exhibited significantly alleviated weight gain, reduced fat mass, and decreased hepatic lipid deposition. C. butyricum WL-53 treatment improved serum and hepatic lipid markers (TC, TG), decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β), and increased those of anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10, IL-4). Gut microbiota analysis indicated that HFD reduced microbial diversity and increased the abundance of Firmicutes. Meanwhile, C. butyricum WL-53 intervention reversed these changes and enriched beneficial genera. Metabolomics analysis revealed that C. butyricum WL-53 regulated glycerophospholipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and cAMP signaling pathways, reversing metabolites to ameliorate lipid deposition and inflammation. In summary, C. butyricum WL-53 alleviates HFD-induced obesity and inflammation via gut microbiota modulation and metabolic reprogramming.

Dietary factors play an important role in cognitive health during aging. Dark tea has shown potential cognitive benefits, but its key bioactive component and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In a naturally aged C57BL/6J mouse model, instant dark tea (IDT) samples with different fermentation degrees were evaluated together with behavioral outcomes using composition–effect relationship analysis. This analysis identified theabrownin (TB) as the component most strongly associated with improved cognitive performance. Compared with aged controls, TB increased Y-maze spontaneous alternation from 51.91% to 71.59% and reduced escape latency on day 5 of the Morris water maze from 44.84 s to 26.59 s. In contrast, the corresponding TB-depleted fraction produced no comparable cognitive improvement. TB also alleviated hippocampal injury and neuroinflammation. Antibiotic treatment abolished the cognitive benefits of TB, whereas fecal microbiota transplantation partially restored them. Multi-omics analyses suggested that TB treatment was associated with gut microbiota remodeling and increased serum acetate and 3-hydroxybutyrate; both metabolites partially recapitulated these benefits. Together, these findings show that TB attenuates age-related cognitive decline in naturally aged mice and suggest that modulation of gut microbiota and metabolites may contribute to this effect, supporting its potential as a functional food ingredient for healthy brain aging.

The formation of biofilms by Salmonella is of considerable interest to the food production and medical industries. This study investigated the effects of a carrier medium (Luria–Bertani, Mueller–Hinton II, Brain Heart Infusion or chicken meat juice), temperature (14 °C, 23 °C or 37 °C) and surface type (adhesive, non-adhesive or suspension plate) on biofilm formation in 16 different Salmonella isolates belonging to the serovars S. Enteritidis (five isolates), S. Infantis (five isolates) and S. Typhimurium (six isolates). Chicken meat juice was found to have a moderate yet balanced supportive effect, while Mueller–Hinton II (MH-II) medium drastically supported biofilm formation at low temperatures, albeit with significant variation among the isolates. Temperature and medium also affected the antibacterial, biofilm inhibitory and destructive effects of essential oils. At 14 °C and 23 °C, 35% of essential oils exhibited antibacterial activity against Salmonella serovars at a concentration of 0.1%, as determined by the drop plate method. Ajowan, thyme, orange, clove and oregano EOs completely inhibited biofilm formation at a concentration of 0.1%. More than half of the 60 essential oils tested reduced the optical density of mature biofilms (OD: 0.15–0.36) to below 0.05; ajowan, lime, palmarosa, thyme, oregano and clove were the most effective, exhibiting antibacterial, biofilm inhibitory and biofilm destructive effects on all of the investigated Salmonella isolates.

The objective of this work was to establish mathematical models and an artificial neural network to predict changes in channel catfish quality during storage. Secondary models of microorganisms, using the total viable count (TVC) as an indicator, were established based on the modified Gompertz equation combined with the Belehradek equation. The secondary kinetic models for total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) were developed by combining the primary model with the Arrhenius equation, from which the early warning thresholds for quality change were determined based on the slopes of the kinetic curves. For most samples, the relative error between the measured and predicted values of the secondary kinetic model remained within ±20% across the tested storage temperatures, while during the practically relevant 2–6 days period, the error was tightly controlled within ±15% for the majority of samples. Moreover, the prediction models were established based on Back Propagation Neural Networks and Radial Basis Function Neural Networks, with determination coefficients (R2) exceeding 0.9. In conclusion, the developed predictive models provide a scientific basis and technical support for quality monitoring and cold-chain distribution of channel catfish under varying temperatures.

The evaluation of D- and L-lactic acid production by lactic acid bacteria is of critical importance, particularly for strains intended for use in infant and young child foods. Additionally, compliance with relevant regulatory standards necessitates the detection of D-lactic acid. Additionally, regulatory requirements exist in this regard. This study aimed to develop and validate a method for simultaneously measuring D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid produced by lactic acid bacteria. The method validation of the HPLC analysis was performed in terms of accuracy, precision, specificity, limit of quantification (LOQ), linearity, range, and robustness, and the measurement uncertainty was also evaluated. The method demonstrated a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.25 µg/mL and LOQ of 0.8 μg/mL for D-/L-lactic acid. For six validated bacterial strains, mean recoveries ranged from 93.50% to 105.37%, with intra-assay relative standard deviations (RSD) of 0.90–2.64% and inter-laboratory RSD of 2.56–10.16%. Excellent linearity, accuracy, and precision were observed across the concentration range of 0.8–200.0 μg/mL. Results confirmed no interference from culture media batch variations, and sample stability was maintained for 48 h. Additionally, relative expanded uncertainties were determined as 10.48% and 7.64%. The developed method was suitable for the identification and quantification of D- and L-lactic acid in lactic acid bacteria fermentation broth samples. This method was applicable for assessing the production of D-/L-lactic acid by food cultures.

Background/Objectives: Pigmented rice is increasingly recognized as a functional food because of its rich phytochemical composition and health-promoting potential. However, local red rice cultivars from the three southern border provinces of Thailand remain insufficiently characterized. This study comparatively evaluated four whole-grain red rice cultivars—Hawm Gra Dang Ngah 59 (HGDN 59), Hawm Mue Lau (HML), Lued Pla Lai (LPL), and Se Bu Kan Tang (SBKT)—for their chemical composition, antioxidant activities, and antidiabetic potential. Methods: Whole-grain rice samples were extracted with 95% ethanol and assessed for extraction yield, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content. Antioxidant activity was measured using DPPH•, FRAP, and anti-lipid peroxidation assays, while antidiabetic activity was measured using α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays. LC-MS/MS-based chemical profiling, pathway classification, PCA-based chemical space analysis, molecular docking against α-glucosidase, and physicochemical/ADMET prediction were also performed. Results: Among the tested cultivars, HGDN 59 showed the most favorable overall profile, with the highest phenolic content, strongest antioxidant activity, and marked α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. LC-MS/MS analysis combined with docking-based screening revealed that HGDN 59 contained several abundant compounds, including ent-Epicatechin-(4α→6)-ent-epicatechin, cinnamtannin A1, apiin, and α-tocotrienol. These compounds exhibited strong binding affinities toward α-glucosidase (−10.7 to −9.6 kcal/mol), comparable to or slightly more favorable than acarbose. ADMET prediction indicated that most polyphenolic compounds exceeded Lipinski’s rule of five, while α-tocotrienol demonstrated favorable absorption property. Conclusions: This is the first study to suggest that HGDN 59 exhibits potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in vitro and may serve as a promising functional food candidate for the dietary management of postprandial glycemic response.

In this research, the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of hawthorn polysaccharides in experimental mice fed a high-fat diet were thoroughly investigated. The findings indicated that the body and organ weights of the high-fat group (HC) mice increased significantly, fat accumulation was evident, and serum indicators showed elevated lipid levels. After 8 weeks of the intragastric administration of hawthorn polysaccharides, the data showed that the body weight of the hawthorn polysaccharide (HA) group was notably lower than that of the HC group and close to that of the NC group. In addition, the hawthorn polysaccharide intervention improved the symptoms of the mice. In particular, the hawthorn polysaccharide intervention significantly increased HDL-C levels and decreased LDL-C levels in the HA group mice. Furthermore, gut microbiota analysis demonstrated that a high-fat diet altered its structure. The intervention with hawthorn polysaccharides modulated the intestinal flora structure, lowered the F/B ratio, and increased the abundance of beneficial bacterial strains associated with lower blood lipid levels.

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) wraps around the surface of the milk fat globule, separating the internal lipid core from the external environment. MFGM is a complex trilayer membrane structure composed of polar lipids, sphingolipids, and functional proteins. In recent years, research on the biological characteristics of MFGM has been continuously deepening. It has triggered an exploration of the relationship between MFGM composition, structure, and functional mechanisms. This reveals the potential applications of MFGM in human health and production practices. This review systematically summarizes the composition and structure of MFGM, extraction and preparation techniques, functional mechanisms and the latest research progress in its applications in various fields. This study comprehensively compares the application scope of the MFGM extraction preparation technology. The mechanism of the biological activity of MFGM was further analyzed. Its application value in infant formula, dairy processing, functional foods, drug delivery systems, and cosmetics was evaluated. Nowadays, existing research needs to face numerous challenges, such as some components being unknown and the functional mechanisms not being clear enough. In the future, it is still essential to continuously pay attention to the research progress of MFGM. Further research is needed to accelerate the transformation of MFGM from by-products of dairy processing to multifunctional biomaterials. The purpose is to fully tap its enormous potential in nutrition, health care, and application fields.

Insect bioconversion can transform agri-food side-streams into insect biomass while returning nutrients in the form of frass. This study evaluated Tenebrio molitor reared on wheat bran and on substrates in which bran was partially replaced with agri-food side-streams produced in Kosovo, including brewer’s spent grain, brewer’s spent yeast, apple and grape pomace, and surplus vegetables. Growth performance, larval composition, and frass nutrient composition were assessed across seven treatments. Larvae reared on wheat bran combined with brewer’s spent grain and melon as wet feed achieved the highest larval weight. Substrates containing wheat bran, apple pomace, and brewer spent yeast also supported high larval weights, but with a higher feed conversion ratio. In contrast, larvae reared on wheat bran, grape pomace, and brewer’s spent yeast showed the lowest larval weights. The use of potatoes as wet feed was associated with a longer development period. Larval proximate composition remained similar across treatments, with crude protein contents of 52–56% DM and only limited variation in fat and ash content. Overall, several tested side-streams supported larval growth comparable to wheat bran while generating nutrient-containing frass.