The JAK2/NLRP3 signaling pathway's modulation by curcumin was responsible for the observed mitigation of AFB1-induced liver pyroptosis and fibrosis, as these results demonstrate. Curcumin may prove effective in preventing and treating the liver toxicity stemming from exposure to AFB1.
Preserving plant and animal foods was a key function of fermentation, a practice utilized globally in traditional methods. With the increasing demand for dairy and meat alternatives, fermentation technology is experiencing a surge in popularity, proving highly effective in refining the sensory, nutritional, and functional profiles of innovative plant-based products. This article examines the fermented plant-based market, paying particular attention to dairy and meat alternatives. Dairy and meat alternatives' organoleptic properties and nutritional profile are enhanced by fermentation. The application of precision fermentation techniques empowers plant-based meat and dairy producers with novel opportunities for generating a truly meat-like or dairy-like product experience. With digitalization's advancement comes the potential to elevate the production of high-value elements, like enzymes, fats, proteins, and vitamins. Mimicking the structural and textural attributes of conventional products following fermentation can be accomplished through innovative post-processing methods like 3D printing.
Monascus metabolites, exopolysaccharides, are crucial for its health-promoting properties. Nevertheless, the restricted output level constrains their practical uses. In conclusion, this study sought to maximize the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and optimize liquid fermentation by introducing flavonoids into the process. The EPS yield was boosted through a combined approach of adjusting the medium's constituents and modifying the culture's conditions. The production of 7018 g/L EPS was achieved by controlling the following fermentation parameters: 50 g/L sucrose, 35 g/L yeast extract, 10 g/L magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, 0.9 g/L potassium dihydrogen phosphate, 18 g/L potassium hydrogen phosphate trihydrate, 1 g/L quercetin, 2 mL/L Tween-80, pH 5.5, 9% inoculum size, 52 hours seed age, 180 rpm shaking speed, and 100 hours fermentation time. In addition, the presence of quercetin resulted in EPS production escalating by a remarkable 1166%. The EPS contained very little citrinin, as the outcomes of the study have shown. The preliminary investigation then focused on the composition and antioxidant properties that quercetin-modified exopolysaccharides exhibited. The molecular weight (Mw) and makeup of the exopolysaccharides were modified by the incorporation of quercetin. To evaluate the antioxidant activity of Monascus exopolysaccharides, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS+), and hydroxyl radical assays were conducted. The scavenging properties of Monascus exopolysaccharides are evident in their ability to neutralize DPPH and -OH. Correspondingly, quercetin demonstrated an elevated capacity for ABTS+ scavenging. Overall, the observed effects suggest a potential basis for applying quercetin to increase the output of EPS.
Development of yak bone collagen hydrolysates (YBCH) as functional foods is constrained by the absence of a bioaccessibility test. The bioaccessibility of YBCH was assessed in this study, utilizing simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SD) and absorption (SA) models for the first time. The characterization process primarily identified the variations within peptides and free amino acids. No discernible shift occurred in peptide concentration during the SD. Peptides' passage rate through Caco-2 cell monolayers reached 2214, plus or minus 158%. Concluding the analysis, a total of 440 peptides were detected, more than 75% of which displayed lengths of seven to fifteen amino acids. Peptide identification results revealed that 77% of the peptides in the initial sample were still present after the SD process, while 76% of the YBCH digested peptides remained detectable after undergoing the SA process. The gastrointestinal tract's ability to digest and absorb peptides was seemingly limited in the case of the majority of peptides from the YBCH source, as these results imply. Seven in silico-predicted bioavailable bioactive peptides underwent in vitro screening, exhibiting a variety of biological activities. This study is the first to systematically examine the changes in peptides and amino acids that YBCH experiences during gastrointestinal digestion and absorption. This work provides a fundamental basis for further analysis of the mechanisms behind its biological functions.
The sustained impact of climate change on plants could lead to heightened susceptibility to pathogenic, largely mycotoxigenic fungi, and a correlating increase in mycotoxins. Fusarium fungi are important players in mycotoxin production, and they are also key pathogens affecting agricultural crops. This study aimed to measure the effect of weather conditions on the prevalence of Fusarium mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins B1 and B2 (FUMs), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2, and HT-2 toxins (T-2/HT-2), in maize samples sourced from Serbian and Croatian harvests during the four-year period of 2018 through 2021. A correlation between the year of maize production, country-specific weather conditions, and the frequency and contamination levels of Fusarium mycotoxins was ascertained across the samples studied. A significant finding in both Serbian and Croatian maize samples was the prevalence of FUMs, constituting 84-100% of the detected contaminants. Subsequently, a critical review of Fusarium mycotoxin occurrences in Serbia and Croatia, spanning the years 2012 through 2021, was completed. The study revealed that maize contamination reached its highest point in 2014, specifically with DON and ZEN contamination, and this was correlated with extreme rainfall in both Serbia and Croatia. Furthermore, FUMs showed a high frequency during all ten years of the investigation.
In its role as a functional food, honey, used worldwide, is renowned for its multiple health benefits. Two bee species, Melipona eburnea and Apis mellifera, were examined in this study, evaluating their honey's physicochemical and antioxidant properties during two different seasons. Cilengitide concentration Moreover, the antibacterial properties of honey were examined against three bacterial types. The multivariate discriminant function resulting from LDA analysis of honey quality exhibited four clusters, each influenced by the bee species and collection season. Honey harvested from *Apis mellifera* demonstrated physicochemical properties compliant with Codex Alimentarius specifications; conversely, *Megaponera eburnea* honey exhibited moisture levels that deviated from the established Codex ranges. Cilengitide concentration Antioxidant capacity was stronger in the A. mellifera honey samples, and both honeys demonstrated the ability to inhibit S. typhimurium ATCC 14028 and L. monocytogenes ATCC 9118. The honey sample failed to inhibit the growth of E. coli ATCC 25922, as observed in the analysis.
A delivery matrix, comprising an ionic gel prepared via an alginate-calcium-based encapsulation procedure, was designed to encapsulate antioxidant crude extracts from cold brew spent coffee grounds, at a concentration of 350 mg/mL. Simulated food processes, namely pH 3, pH 7, low-temperature long-time (LTLT) pasteurization, and high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization, were employed on all the encapsulated samples to examine the matrices' stability. Following simulated food treatments, alginate (2%, w/v)/maltodextrin (2%, w/v) (CM) and alginate (2%, w/v)/inulin (5%, w/v) (CI) exhibited a noteworthy rise in encapsulation efficiency (8976% and 8578%, respectively) and a reduction in swelling. Compared to pure alginate (CA), CM and CI exhibited control over antioxidant release, both in the gastric phase (CM: 228-398%, CI: 252-400%) and during the intestinal phase (CM: 680-1178%, CI: 416-1272%). Pasteurization at a pH of 70 elicited the highest accumulation of total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (DPPH) after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, distinguishing it from other simulated food processes. The gastric phase witnessed a heightened release of encapsulated compounds due to the thermal process. Different from other treatments, a pH of 30 resulted in the lowest cumulative release of TPC and DPPH (508% and 512%, respectively), indicative of phytochemical protection.
Solid-state fermentation (SSF) utilizing Pleurotus ostreatus, elevates the nutritional content of legumes. However, the application of drying techniques can induce considerable changes in both the physical and nutritional aspects of the manufactured goods. This research delves into the effects of air-drying temperatures (50, 60, and 70°C) on the properties (antioxidant properties, ACE-inhibitory capacity, phytic acid content, color, and particle size) of fermented lentil flours (Pardina and Castellana), with freeze-drying serving as the control method. The Pleurotus species flourish better in a Castellana substrate, yielding a biomass quadruple that of other varieties. This variety demonstrates a practically total elimination of phytic acid, decreasing from 73 mg/g db to a mere 0.9 mg/g db. Cilengitide concentration Air-drying substantially diminished particle size and final color when E exceeded 20; nonetheless, the temperature's role was negligible. Despite variety, SSF reduced total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity; however, drying at 70°C augmented total phenolic content in fermented Castellana flour by 186%. In comparing drying methods, freeze-drying exhibited a more significant reduction in those parameters, decreasing TPC from 24 to 16 and gallic acid/g db from 77 to 34 mg in Pardina and Castellana dried flours. The combination of fermentation and drying procedures on flours, along with their ability to inhibit angiotensin I-converting enzyme, results in heightened potential cardiovascular advantages.