{"title":"Correction: Cravotto et al. Towards Substitution of Hexane as Extraction Solvent of Food Products and Ingredients with No Regrets. <i>Foods</i> 2022, <i>11</i>, 3412.","authors":"Christian Cravotto, Anne-Sylvie Fabiano-Tixier, Ombéline Claux, Maryline Abert-Vian, Silvia Tabasso, Giancarlo Cravotto, Farid Chemat","doi":"10.3390/foods15193560","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193560","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There was an error in the original publication [...].</p>","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13664787/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FoodsPub Date : 2026-10-08DOI: 10.3390/foods15193571
Rea Mae Cuario Templonuevo, Yue Zhao, Jiyeon Chun
{"title":"Comparative Evaluation of <i>Undaria pinnatifida</i> Anatomical Parts for Skin-Related Functional Properties in UVB-Irradiated L929 Fibroblasts Under Normal and High-Glucose Culture Conditions.","authors":"Rea Mae Cuario Templonuevo, Yue Zhao, Jiyeon Chun","doi":"10.3390/foods15193571","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193571","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sea mustard (<i>Undaria pinnatifida</i>, UP) is widely cultivated for food in many countries, including South Korea, but several anatomical parts, including the sporophyll, root, and stem, remain underutilized and represent potential resources for value-added utilization. This study comparatively evaluated the in vitro biological activities of extracts from the UP leaf and underutilized anatomical parts, with particular emphasis on skin-related functional properties in UVB-irradiated L929 fibroblasts cultured under normal- and high-glucose conditions. Inhibitory activities against skin-related enzymes were assessed using tyrosinase, hyaluronidase, elastase, and collagenase assays, together with α-glucosidase and xanthine oxidase inhibition. The root extract exhibited the strongest enzyme inhibitory activities, including tyrosinase (35.58%), hyaluronidase (64.58%), elastase (10.05%), and collagenase (98.04%), and showed the lowest IC<sub>50</sub> values for α-glucosidase (0.22 mg/mL) and xanthine oxidase (0.65 μg/mL). At 50 μg/mL, all extracts maintained relative MTS metabolic activity above that of the untreated control, while live/dead staining indicated low percentages of dead cells (9.75-15.89%). UP extracts reduced intracellular ROS under the tested oxidative-stress conditions, with the root extract generally showing the greatest reduction, and promoted in vitro scratch closure relative to untreated cells. These findings demonstrate the in vitro functional potential of different <i>U. pinnatifida</i> anatomical parts, particularly the underutilized root, and support their further investigation as value-added functional ingredients.</p>","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13665017/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FoodsPub Date : 2026-10-08DOI: 10.3390/foods15193561
Zehra Yaman, Kubra Feyza Erol, Gozde Kutlu
{"title":"Comparative Assessment of the Nutritional, Phenolic, and Amino Acid Profiles, INFOGEST-Based Gastrointestinal Bioaccessibility, and Biological Activities of <i>Althaea officinalis</i>, <i>Jasminum officinale</i>, and <i>Viola odorata</i>.","authors":"Zehra Yaman, Kubra Feyza Erol, Gozde Kutlu","doi":"10.3390/foods15193561","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193561","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Edible flowers are increasingly recognized as sources of bioactive compounds; however, comparative evidence on their nutritional composition, gastrointestinal bioaccessibility, and biological activities remains limited. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the proximate and mineral composition, total and individual phenolic profiles, antioxidant capacity, and amino acid composition of <i>Jasminum officinale</i>, <i>Althaea officinalis</i>, and <i>Viola odorata</i> flowers before and after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, with particular emphasis on the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and amino acids. In addition, the enzyme inhibitory activities and in vitro effects of the flower extracts on the viability of HEK-293, Caco-2, and MiaPaCa-2 cells were investigated. The proximate composition varied among the edible flowers, with dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, ash, and carbohydrate contents ranging from 8.35 to 11.43%, 3.80 to 4.74%, 2.55 to 4.35%, 9.57 to 11.88%, and 69.40 to 79.94%, respectively. The mineral composition also varied considerably among the edible flowers, with calcium (936.32-1463.23 mg/100 g dw) and potassium (1637.74-1857.46 mg/100 g dw) being the predominant minerals. <i>J. officinale</i> was particularly rich in magnesium (342.45 mg/100 g dw), <i>A. officinalis</i> in calcium and zinc (1463.23 and 4.62 mg/100 g dw, respectively), and <i>V. odorata</i> in phosphorus, iron, and manganese (253.56, 18.39, and 5.78 mg/100 g dw, respectively). Before digestion, <i>J. officinale</i> exhibited the highest total phenolic content (884.00 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant capacity, with a phenolic bioaccessibility index of 60.89%. Simulated digestion generally reduced the phenolic content and antioxidant activity. <i>V. odorata</i> was particularly rich in protocatechuic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and ellagic acid. <i>A. officinalis</i> showed the strongest in vitro inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, acetylcholinesterase, and lipoxygenase, whereas <i>J. officinale</i> exhibited the strongest butyrylcholinesterase inhibition. Extracts displayed differential cytotoxic effects against Caco-2 and MiaPaCa-2 cells, while effects on HEK-293 cells were comparatively weaker. Overall, these findings demonstrate species-specific nutritional and bioactive profiles and support further investigation of edible flowers as multifunctional food ingredients.</p>","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13665514/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ripening-Associated Changes in Physicochemical Properties and Metabolomic Profiles of Processing Tomato.","authors":"Yankai Hou, Gianfranco Picone, Wanyue Li, Xueming Wang, Ruilin Yang, Jie Kang, Chenglin Zhu, Luca Laghi","doi":"10.3390/foods15193559","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193559","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding ripening-associated physicochemical and metabolic changes is essential for evaluating quality development and optimizing harvest maturity in processing tomatoes. In this study, the processing tomato cultivar \"Zhongshu 5810\" (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.) was investigated across six consecutive ripening stages using physicochemical analysis, LC-MS-MS, and HS-SPME-GC-MS-based metabolomics. During ripening, total soluble solids significantly increased, whereas γ-aminobutyric acid and total phenolic content significantly decreased (<i>p</i> < 0.05). GC-MS identified 77 volatile compounds, and the 20 volatile compounds with the highest VIP scores were selected as candidate markers of ripening-related aroma variation, revealing stage-dependent remodeling of volatile metabolism. LC-MS detected 4157 non-volatile features and revealed pronounced stage-dependent remodeling of the non-volatile metabolome, with distinct accumulation patterns among diverse chemical classes. Multivariate analysis and pathway enrichment analysis indicated that amino acid, nucleotide, cofactor, and lipid-related metabolism contributed substantially to ripening-associated metabolic variation. These findings provide a comprehensive characterization of quality-related metabolomic changes during processing tomato ripening and identify potential maturity-associated indicators for harvest optimization and quality management.</p>","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13665430/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FoodsPub Date : 2026-10-08DOI: 10.3390/foods15193577
Magdalena Krawczyk-Coda
{"title":"Determination of Cadmium, Copper, Lead, and Silicon in Anti-Hair Loss Dietary Supplements That Contain Various Plant-Derived Silicon Sources.","authors":"Magdalena Krawczyk-Coda","doi":"10.3390/foods15193577","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193577","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this research, an accurate procedure was developed to determine Cd, Cu, Pb and Si in dietary supplements using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS GFAAS). The operational parameters for the graphite furnace method were thoroughly investigated, including the influence of the chemical modifier along with the optimisation of pyrolysis and atomisation temperatures. The detection limits for Cd, Cu, Pb, and Si were 0.02 µg L<sup>-1</sup>, 0.35 µg L<sup>-1</sup>, 0.18 µg L <sup>-1</sup> and 0.98 µg L <sup>-1</sup>, respectively. The accuracy of the method was validated using INCT-MP4-2 (Mixed Polish Herbs) as a certified reference material and complemented by standard addition tests. The determined elemental contents showed satisfactory agreement with both certified values and the spiked amounts, as confirmed by a <i>t</i>-test at 95% confidence level. The validated procedure was successfully applied to nine commercial dietary supplements representing three botanical silicon sources (bamboo, horsetail, and nettle). The analysis revealed a cadmium concentration in one horsetail-based sample (H1) that marginally exceeded the EU regulatory limit, as well as a substantial discrepancy between the declared and measured silicon content in another horsetail-based sample (H2), where the determined value was nearly eight times lower than stated by the manufacturer.</p>","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13664940/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multi-Source Data Fusion Integrating HPLC, GC-IMS, and Multidimensional Biomimetic Technologies for Evaluating the Effects of Different Processing Degrees on the Quality of Salt-Processed <i>Semen Cuscutae</i>.","authors":"Chenyang Deng, Mengqing Liu, Kaiwen Chen, Cetao Tang, Yue Kang, Hao Zhang, Yazhong Zhang, Chuanshan Jin, Deling Wu, Xiaoli Wang","doi":"10.3390/foods15193570","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193570","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Semen Cuscutae</i> is commonly used as a medicinal and edible functional food ingredient. Salt-processing can significantly alter its sensory quality and endogenous components. Currently, salt-processed <i>Semen Cuscutae</i> mainly adopts hyperoside as the quality evaluation indicator, which fails to meet the requirements for the identification of processing intensity (heat level) during the development of the traditional Chinese medicine industry. This study aims to construct a comprehensive quality evaluation framework for identifying the optimal processing degree of salt-processed <i>Semen Cuscutae</i>. Multi-dimensional bionic technologies including machine vision, electronic nose and electronic tongue, combined with HPLC and GC-IMS, were applied to analyze the changes in sensory characteristics and endogenous components of salt-processed <i>Semen Cuscutae</i> across different processing degrees. Characteristic indicators were comprehensively scored using the AHP-TOPSIS method. Compared with other groups, appropriately processed salt-processed <i>Semen Cuscutae</i> exhibited a brown appearance, significantly different W1W/W2W sensor responses, resulting in a more harmonious taste profile and distinct volatile chemical markers. Further correlation analysis was performed among bionic sensing indicators, endogenous components and GC-IMS-derived volatile data. AHP-TOPSIS results demonstrated that salt-processed <i>Semen Cuscutae</i> with an appropriate processing degree exhibits optimal comprehensive quality. The comprehensive quality evaluation framework established in this study provides scientific support for the process control and quality assessment of <i>Semen Cuscutae</i> as a functional food ingredient, and also offers a methodological reference for the processing evaluation of similar medicinal and edible food materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13665127/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FoodsPub Date : 2026-10-08DOI: 10.3390/foods15193564
Osama K Abou-Emera, Mohammed Aladhadh
{"title":"Egg-Derived Lipids and Phospholipids as Emerging Functional Ingredients: Molecular Structure, Bioavailability, Metabolic Effects, and Food Applications.","authors":"Osama K Abou-Emera, Mohammed Aladhadh","doi":"10.3390/foods15193564","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193564","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Egg yolk is often treated in the functional-food literature as a single, compositionally uniform fat depot, but this simplification obscures its actual structure: the yolk is a compartmentalized lipid system in which egg-yolk lipids are distributed between a triglyceride-dominant, low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) plasma fraction and a phospholipid-enriched, high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) granule fraction. Prior reviews of egg-yolk lipid bioactivity, extraction methodology, and flavor chemistry have generally addressed these topics as separate studies; here, molecular architecture, extraction and characterization, gastrointestinal digestion and bioaccessibility, human bioavailability and metabolic fate, health outcomes, and technological functionality are synthesized as stages of a single pathway. The compositional asymmetry between the LDL plasma fraction and the HDL granule fraction is well established, and differences in their emulsifying behavior are supported by the technological literature; divergent metabolic effects of the isolated fractions have so far been shown only in animal models, whereas differences in digestion kinetics are inferred from structure and remain a working hypothesis because direct experimental comparison of the digestion of isolated HDL and LDL fractions is still lacking. On the human evidence side, a single randomized crossover trial in 18 healthy adults found a higher plasma choline response to phospholipid-bound choline than to choline delivered as a synthetic salt, a preliminary finding that awaits replication, while two crossover studies found no significant postprandial rise in plasma cholesterol area under the curve after whole-egg intake. Because this is an indirect, postprandial measure rather than a direct assessment of intestinal absorption, it is consistent with, but does not establish, limited cholesterol absorption from the whole-egg matrix, and whether whole-egg cholesterol should be distinguished from isolated dietary cholesterol exposure in the epidemiological literature remains a hypothesis. Large prospective meta-analyses report that egg and dietary cholesterol intake associate modestly with elevated all-cause and cancer mortality, but not with cardiovascular-disease-specific mortality or events; these observational associations describe health outcomes and do not, on their own, test a mechanistic distinction between whole-egg cholesterol and isolated dietary cholesterol absorption. Extraction and delivery-system technology for egg phospholipids is more advanced than commonly assumed, with pilot-scale supercritical-fluid purification already achieved and egg-yolk phosphatidylcholine reported to show formulation-specific advantages over soybean phosphatidylcholine in individual liposome studies, although these studies differ in cargo, preparation method, and outcome measures. This delivery-system evidence, however, remains at the level of isolated liposome formulations; finished food products incor","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13665316/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FoodsPub Date : 2026-10-08DOI: 10.3390/foods15193572
Ceyhun Uçuk, Charles Spence
{"title":"Considering Culinary Use of Lavender: Sensory and Cultural Factors.","authors":"Ceyhun Uçuk, Charles Spence","doi":"10.3390/foods15193572","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193572","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lavender is a Mediterranean herb that is used relatively infrequently in the kitchen compared to other Mediterranean herbs, despite growing interest in its culinary applications. The question to be addressed in this narrative historical review is why that should be so. Several alternative hypotheses (historical, chemical, perceptual, psychological, physiological, and antimicrobial) are outlined and critically evaluated. Ultimately, it is suggested that lavender's longstanding use as an anxiolytic (volatile) stimulus and its enduring association with fragrance, relaxation, and sleep may elicit cognitive inconsistency (or dissonance) with the notion of its use in the food and drink we consume (at least when perceptible as lavender, rather than when blending with other ingredients), while differences in antimicrobial activity, availability, and preservation appear insufficient to explain its comparatively limited culinary role. At the same time, lavender's growing use in contemporary food and drink suggests that this association is neither fixed nor necessarily prohibitive, with culinary acceptance likely depending on context, familiarity, cultivar, concentration, and how its distinctive flavour is incorporated into food and drink.</p>","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13664862/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Research Progress of pH-Responsive Indicator Films for Real-Time Food Quality Monitoring.","authors":"Zhijie Li, Xincheng Duan, Rongxin Wu, Jianchao Wang, Zhiyong Yang, Danfei Liu","doi":"10.3390/foods15193566","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193566","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Facing global food waste and safety challenges, real-time nondestructive quality monitoring via intelligent packaging has gained substantial interest. This narrative review critically examines the progress of pH-responsive freshness indicator films, with a particular emphasis on their application to meat and meat products, and emphasizes the transition from empirical exploration toward rational design. Methodologically, we synthesize recent advances in natural pigment-based indicators, focusing on their fabrication strategies (micro/nanoencapsulation, metal-organic framework immobilization, pigment blending, and matrix engineering) and performance evaluation models integrating multivariate statistical tools (principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis). The results reveal that replacing synthetic dyes with anthocyanins and betalains significantly mitigates the inherent toxicity risks, while advanced immobilization and blending strategies substantially overcome poor stability and high dye migration, achieving synergistic improvements in sensitivity, anti-interference, and mechanical durability. Furthermore, establishing a comprehensive evaluation framework linking total volatile basic nitrogen accumulation to color-change thresholds is crucial for accurate interpretation. We conclude that the field is shifting from single-function validation toward multi-signal responsiveness, digital integration, and systematic implementation. It should be noted, however, that the colorimetric response of these indicators reflects quality attributes such as TVB-N accumulation rather than the presence of pathogens or toxins; therefore, these indicators cannot independently establish food safety. Future breakthroughs require addressing environmental robustness, long-term reliability, standardized evaluation protocols, and scalable cost-effective production to facilitate the transition from laboratory research to practical supply chain deployment.</p>","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13665491/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FoodsPub Date : 2026-10-08DOI: 10.3390/foods15193575
Shuai Che, Rong Huang, Chaoqun Wang, Ang Li, Shufang Liu, Zhimeng Zhuang
{"title":"DNA Barcoding and Comparative Nutritional Profiling of \"Cod\" () Products from Chinese E-Commerce Platforms.","authors":"Shuai Che, Rong Huang, Chaoqun Wang, Ang Li, Shufang Liu, Zhimeng Zhuang","doi":"10.3390/foods15193575","DOIUrl":"10.3390/foods15193575","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The commercial designation \"cod\" () is applied to multiple fish species, raising concerns regarding seafood authenticity and nutritional consistency. This study combined DNA barcoding with comparative nutritional profiling to authenticate frozen products marketed as \"cod\" () from major Chinese e-commerce platforms and to evaluate nutritional differences among the identified species. Among the 36 products analyzed, eight fish species were identified: three Gadiformes species (55.6%) and five non-Gadiformes species (44.4%). Interspecific differences were observed in proximate composition, amino acid composition, free amino acid profiles, and fatty acid composition. True cod species exhibited higher protein contents (>19.0%), lower lipid contents (0.51-1.02%), and higher proportions of EPA + DHA (35.61-37.10% of total fatty acids) than non-Gadiformes species. In contrast, non-Gadiformes species generally contained higher lipid levels (15.02-23.09%), lower proportions of long-chain ω-3 PUFA, and distinct flavor-related amino acid profiles. <i>Lepidocybium flavobrunneum</i> showed the lowest EPA + DHA proportion (5.81%) and the highest concentration of bitter-tasting free amino acids (0.661 g/100 g). These findings reveal substantial nutritional heterogeneity among the authenticated species marketed as \"cod\" (), demonstrating that DNA barcoding provides an essential foundation for linking species identity to nutritional quality assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":12386,"journal":{"name":"Foods","volume":"15 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13664775/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}