Food Bioscience最新文献

{"title":"Integrated metabolomics and proteomics revealed mangiferin alleviating oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction of HT22 cells via regulating the abnormal metabolic pathways","authors":"Yan Wang ,&nbsp;Jinxuan Chai ,&nbsp;Sifan Guo ,&nbsp;Zhibo Wang ,&nbsp;Shiwei Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaodan Yu ,&nbsp;Xiaowen He ,&nbsp;Aihua Zhang ,&nbsp;Shi Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease, and prevalent health concern in modern society. Currently, there is a lack of effective therapeutic drugs. Mangiferin (MGF), an extract of mango, has the potential to improve neurodegenerative diseases, but the mechanism of MGF in the treatment of AD has not been deeply investigated. In this study, L-glutamic acid was used to induce oxidative damage in HT22 cells, and we studied the protective effect of MGF on injured neuronal cells. After MGF treatment, the HT22 cell morphology tended to be normal, apoptosis decreased, and ROS levels decreased. Proteomics enrichment analysis showed that autophagy animal and citrate cycle (TCA cycle) were the most significantly changed pathways for MGF anti-AD enrichment, and cysteine and methionine metabolism also played an important role. A total of 27 metabolite biomarkers associated with AD risk were identified by metabolomics analysis, 12 of which were significantly regulated by MGF. Through the combined analysis of proteomics and metabolomics, it was found that MGF could significantly regulate cysteine and methionine metabolism and the citrate cycle (TCA cycle) metabolic pathway and reduce the oxidative damage induced by glutamate, and thereby oxidative stress can be alleviated, and MGF can also regulate ATP content, mitochondrial function, and alleviate cognitive dysfunction of AD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 106138"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143453198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses insight into the synergistic effects of nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide fumigation on enhancing postharvest antioxidant defense and phenylpropane metabolism in ‘crystal’ grape","authors":"Renchan Liu ,&nbsp;Ning Ji ,&nbsp;Rui Wang ,&nbsp;Yuxin Li ,&nbsp;Huali Nie ,&nbsp;Cunkun Chen ,&nbsp;Bangdi Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106110","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106110","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>‘Crystal’ grapes are thin and juicy skin and brittle pericarp tissues, which are extremely perishable with a short shelf life after harvest, and in order to examine the influence of NO and H₂S fumigation on the physiological metabolism of ‘Crystal’ grape during postharvest storage. In this study, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed the impact of nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) fumigation on the physiological metabolism, disease resistance in ‘Crystal’ grape. The results demonstrated that the combined treatment of NO and H₂S preserved the storage quality of ‘Crystal’ grape. This positive preservation effect was attributed to enhanced antioxidant capacity and the stimulation of phenolic secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The analysis were mainly enriched in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. NO + H₂S up-regulated the expression of key genes in phenylpropanoid metabolism, including <em>VvPAL, Vv4CL, VvFLS, VvCCR,</em> and <em>VvPOD,</em> and increased the enzymatic activities of phenylalamine ammonia lyase (PAL), cinnamate 4-Hydroxylase (C4H), peroxidase (POD), and beta-glucosidase (BGLU). Furthermore, with the positive regulation of the phenylpropanoid metabolic, NO + H₂S also activated the flavonoid biosynthesis, promoting the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, and (+) - catechin. These changes enhanced postharvest disease resistance and antioxidant capacity in ‘Crystal’ grape. Additionally, NO + H₂S treatment reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) accumulation by upregulating antioxidant enzymes, including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione reductase (GR), thereby mitigating oxidative stress. This process helps maintain redox homeostasis, reduces membrane lipid peroxidation, and delays postharvest quality deterioration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 106110"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143445550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regulatory effects of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ZFM216 and its bacteriocin on intestinal microbiota in vitro","authors":"Qingqing Zhou ,&nbsp;Yeqing Lou ,&nbsp;Chenjie Shan ,&nbsp;Zhongdu Ye ,&nbsp;Danli Wu ,&nbsp;Ping Li ,&nbsp;Eefjan Breukink ,&nbsp;Qing Gu","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106136","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106136","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) represent a category of probiotics commonly found in the gastrointestinal tracts of both humans and animals. The bacteriocins synthesized by LAB strains are believed to play a crucial role in promoting intestinal health. Bacteriocin ZFM216-ab, comprised of two distinct components, was purified from the cell-free supernant of <em>Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus</em> ZFM216 (CCTCC NO: M2020325). The molecular weights of these components were determined to be 991.58 Da and 1150.63 Da. Bacteriocin ZFM216-ab exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, exhibiting minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 7.50 μg/mL and 3.75 μg/mL against <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em> and <em>Salmonella paratyphi</em> B, respectively, in a concentration-dependent manner. In an <em>in vitro</em> human intestinal microbiota model, an increase in the population of <em>Lacticaseibacillus</em> was observed following intervention with <em>L. rhamnosus</em> ZFM216. In contrast, direct intervention with Bacteriocin ZFM216-ab led to a significant enhancement of <em>Lactobacillus, Streptococcus</em> and <em>Faecalibacterium</em> abundance. In both intervention groups, a reduction in <em>Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1</em> and <em>Paraclostridium</em> was noted. Furthermore, the metabolic levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in fecal samples were significantly elevated, particularly acetic acid and isobutyric acid. These findings highlight the potential of <em>L. rhamnosus</em> ZFM216 and its bacteriocin as promising candidates for the modulation of gut microbiota homeostasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 106136"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143471686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Puerarin modulates the P62-Keap1-NRF2 pathway and enhances CA7 function to inhibit ferroptosis in ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury","authors":"Xinran Liu ,&nbsp;Jiayi Ge ,&nbsp;Ximing Yang ,&nbsp;Zhihui Chang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Ma ,&nbsp;Shuzhen Cheng ,&nbsp;Ming Du","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106127","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106127","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gastric mucosal injury caused by ethanol (EtOH) exposure is a complex pathological process involving oxidative stress, inflammation, and ferroptosis. However, the effective therapeutic strategies remain scarce. The protective mechanisms of puerarin (Pu) were investigated by a combination of <em>in vivo</em>, <em>in vitro</em> and computational approaches. Pu reduced reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels, restoring oxidative balance by enhancing antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase and glutathione. These antioxidative effects were coupled with an anti-inflammatory response, as Pu decreased IL-1β and TNF-α levels while increasing IL-10. In addition to regulating oxidative stress and inflammation, Pu suppressed ferroptosis. It upregulated GPX4, reduced COX2 expression, and restored mitochondrial membrane potential. Activation of the P62-Keap1-NRF2 pathway further bolstered antioxidant defenses, mitigating the damage caused by EtOH. Notably, computational and experimental analyses identified Carbonic Anhydrase 7 (CA7) as a novel target of Pu. Pu enhanced CA7's CO₂-binding capacity, reversing EtOH-induced intracellular acidification. This acid-base regulation played a critical role in suppressing ferroptosis. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that Pu stabilized CA7 through a unique “Puerarinization” mechanism, improving its catalytic efficiency and acid-buffering capacity. This study establishes Pu's ability to address gastric injury by targeting interconnected pathways, including oxidative stress, inflammation, ferroptosis, and acid-base regulation. The findings not only provide mechanistic insights into Pu's therapeutic effects but also highlight its potential for treating gastric mucosal injury and other diseases linked to ferroptosis and acid-base imbalance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 106127"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of flavor profiles and microbial communities in Ciba chili fermentation using metagenomics, untargeted metabolomics, and flavoromics","authors":"Tianyang Wang ,&nbsp;Yiling Xiong ,&nbsp;Haibin Yuan ,&nbsp;Xiangbo Xu ,&nbsp;Xiangling You ,&nbsp;Chunyuan Ping ,&nbsp;Wenjiao Fan ,&nbsp;Wei Chen ,&nbsp;Hongfeng Jia ,&nbsp;Huachang Wu ,&nbsp;Ju Guan","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106100","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ciba chili are a distinctive chili condiment from southwestern China, those produced using single rehydration methods encounter challenges related to monotonous flavor and inconsistent quality. This study investigated the quality changes in Ciba chili over 0–28 days of natural fermentation. The physicochemical analysis revealed a significant decrease in pH, while total acidity and amino nitrogen content increased markedly. This indicates that fermentation effectively promoted acidification and increased the production of nitrogen compounds. Through untargeted metabolomics, 2106 metabolites were identified and annotated. KEGG pathway analysis of the differential metabolites revealed that 2-oxoglutarate, a key intermediate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, serves as a crucial metabolic hub for the synthesis of flavor compounds. Moreover, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry identified 52 Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with substantial increases observed in alcohols, ketones, alkanes, pyrazines, and furans following fermentation, all contributing to the enhanced aroma of Ciba chili. Dominant microbial genera, including <em>Lactiplantibacillus, Weissella,</em> and <em>Leuconostoc</em>, were strongly associated with VOCs and metabolites, playing a pivotal role in flavor development. The results suggest that fermentation is an effective method for improving the quality and flavor of Ciba chili, demonstrating substantial potential for practical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 106100"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143453074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review: The effect of probiotics on folate status and diseases related to its deficiency (Anemia and Homocysteinemia)","authors":"Fenny Amilia Mahara ,&nbsp;Dandy Yusuf","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106130","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Folate deficiency remains a global health concern, driving various interventions to mitigate this issue. Given that microorganisms can produce vitamins, including folate, probiotics represent a potential natural source of folate. This systematic review consolidates findings from studies investigating the impact of probiotics, administered in single-, double-, or multi-strain formulations, on folate status, homocysteine levels, and anemia-related parameters in both animal models and human participants. The review adhered to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and included a comprehensive search for English-language articles published in Scopus, Wiley Online Library, Taylor and Francis, PubMed, ProQuest, and Google Scholar from inception to August 5, 2024, using specifically designed keywords. Twenty-seven original articles, screened from 2,706 identified articles, met the eligibility criteria for this review. The results of this review indicate that probiotic administration positively impacts folate status, reduces homocysteine levels, and may alleviate anemia in both animal and human studies. Probiotics, whether administered as single-, double-, or multi-strain formulations, showed strain-specific effects on folate levels, homocysteine reduction, and certain hematological parameters. These findings suggest promising applications for developing functional probiotic foods to prevent and address folate deficiency and related health issues.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 106130"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143519632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Light spectrum variations: Implications for growth and bioactive compound synthesis in Trigonella persica","authors":"Ehsan Bakhshy,&nbsp;Fatemeh Zarinkamar,&nbsp;Mehrdad Nazari","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106117","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The advent of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has significantly advanced research on plant growth and productivity. This study investigated the effects of various light sources—including fluorescent, blue, red, and a blue-red (1:1) LED combination—on the growth and bioactive compound production in <em>Trigonella persica</em> during its vegetative phase. Results showed that red and blue-red light significantly enhanced growth, whereas blue light (BLR) adversely affected plant development. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses demonstrated a significant reduction in the levels of indole acetic acid (IAA) and brassinosteroids (BR) under BLR conditions. Assessments of oxidative stress markers, including hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), and antioxidant enzymes (catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD)), revealed significant alterations in response to the different light conditions. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses indicated that light conditions influenced the production of bioactive compounds, with higher total bioactive compound levels (approximately 72% of the total extract) in plants grown under fluorescent light compared to LED treatments. Light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses revealed a lack of glandular trichomes in leaves under all lighting conditions. In conclusion, pink fluorescent light significantly enhances bioactive compound production in <em>T. persica</em> compared to blue and red LED radiation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"66 ","pages":"Article 106117"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143453075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of zinc-chelating peptides prepared from Arthrospira platensis proteins","authors":"Avisha Samimiazad ,&nbsp;Saeed Mirdamadi ,&nbsp;Abbas Akhavan Sepahi ,&nbsp;Marjaneh Sedaghati ,&nbsp;Maliheh Safavi","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106096","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106096","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigates the efficacy of proteins derived from <em>Arthrospira platensis</em> (<em>A. platensis</em>) as biological zinc enhancers through the formation of peptide-zinc chelates, with the objective of improving zinc efficiency in therapeutic food applications. Enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using alcalase and flavourzyme to enhance protein functionality, achieving a protein purity of 97.50 ± 2.00% and a degree of hydrolysis of 30.42 ± 1.35% under optimal conditions (50 °C, pH 7.0). The resulting enzymatically produced protein hydrolysates (APH) demonstrated significant zinc-chelating properties, as well as improved antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Characterization of the APH-Zn complexes revealed distinct structural variations, with APH-Zn exhibiting a rougher morphology compared to APH. During simulated gastric digestion, APH-Zn maintained a solubility of 54.20%, which was significantly higher than the 10.3% solubility observed for zinc sulfate during intestinal digestion. The APH peptides effectively scavenged free radicals, achieving a 39.28 ± 0.89% inhibition at a concentration of 0.1 mg/ml. Moreover, the APH-Zn complex displayed superior cell viability (79.17 ± 0.03%) compared to zinc sulfate (13.69 ± 0.01%) at a concentration of 5 mg/ml. Additionally, the isolated peptides exhibited antibacterial activity against <em>Escherichia coli</em> and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (p &lt; 0.05). The antibacterial mechanism of APH-Zn is attributed to its capacity to compromise the integrity of bacterial cell walls. These findings underscore the potential application of these peptides as functional components in zinc supplementation and their relevance in the food industry for enhancing both nutritional and health benefits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 106096"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143394722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variation in phytochemical content, functional properties, antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties of Mirabilis jalapa L. processed tubers: Bioaccessibility evaluation by in vitro simulated digestion","authors":"Christopher Jenipher ,&nbsp;Veerasamy Pushparaj Santhi ,&nbsp;Pandurangan Subash-Babu ,&nbsp;Ahmad M. Salamatullah ,&nbsp;Shailendra Gurav ,&nbsp;Moses Sam Arul Raj ,&nbsp;Muniappan Ayyanar","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106103","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106103","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Mirabilis jalapa</em> L. is an underutilized tuber crop widely grown as ornamental plant, native to Mexico and South America. Though the occurrence of this plant is abundant and widespread, the investigations made on this plant is countable. Hence, the present study investigated the mineral and proximate composition, functional properties, and <em>in vitro</em> dry matter digestibility of tuber flours processed under different condition. The study also investigated the impact of <em>in vitro</em> simulated digestion (oral, gastric and intestinal phases) on tuber extract's phytochemical composition (total phenolic and total flavonoid content) and <em>in vitro</em> pharmacological properties (hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties). The mineral analysis (macro and micro) revealed the nutritive nature of <em>M. jalapa</em>, as it is a potential source of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper and sulphur. Both the proximate composition and functional properties of tuber flours exhibited its potential nature, which can be employed as an active ingredient in the food industry. The dry matter digestibility of the tuber flour ranged from 18.31 to 39.30%. The phenolic content was varied from 70.32 to 91.21 mg GAE/g, and the flavonoid content was between 16.39 and 44.62 mg QE/g, respectively. Appreciable variation was observed among the IC₅₀ values of digested and undigested extracts obtained in hypoglycemic (α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition) and antioxidant (superoxide and ABTS radical scavenging) assays. The outcome of the study showed that the tubers of <em>M. jalapa</em> are abundant in nutrients and may be able to prevent nutrient deficits and improve human health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 106103"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143394851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Discovery of major bitter-tasting compounds from bitter gourd (fruit of Momordica charantia L.) by application of the sensomics approach","authors":"Xueyi Cai ,&nbsp;Hongfu Li ,&nbsp;Mengzhen Liao ,&nbsp;Qihong Zheng ,&nbsp;Huan Chen ,&nbsp;Yang Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiao Chen ,&nbsp;Dong Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106107","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106107","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bitter gourd (fruit of <em>Momordica charantia</em> L.) is a popular vegetable and medical herb known for its intense bitter taste. However, its major bitter-tasting compounds have not been fully characterized. This study aimed to decode its bitterness by application of the sensomics approach. Combining solvent extraction, sensory analysis-guided fractionation and purification with medium-pressure liquid chromatography and high-pressure liquid chromatography, nine bitter-tasting cucurbitane-type triterpenoids were isolated from bitter gourd. The structures of isolated compounds were determined by high-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The bitter taste recognition thresholds of isolated compounds were in the range from 1.4 mg/L ((23<em>E</em>)-3<em>β</em>-<em>O</em>-malonyl-7<em>β</em>,25-dihydroxycucurbita-5,23-dien-19-al, <strong><em>9</em></strong>) to 19.1 mg/L (yeojooside C, <strong><em>5</em></strong>) in 3% ethanol as determined by trained human assessors. Quantification with UPLC-MS/MS demonstrated their natural concentrations in bitter gourd fruits were in the range between 14.2 ± 0.9 mg/kg (yeojooside C, <strong><em>5</em></strong>) and 245.6 ± 22.1 mg/kg (3-<em>O</em>-malonylmomordicine I, <strong><em>10</em></strong>) on a dry weight basis. Calculation of the dose-over-threshold (DoT) factors showed three compounds, namely 3-<em>O</em>-malonylmomordicine I (<strong><em>10</em></strong>), momordicine I (<strong><em>3</em></strong>), and (23<em>E</em>)-3<em>β</em>-<em>O</em>-malonyl-7<em>β</em>,25-dihydroxycucurbita-5,23-dien-19-al (<strong><em>9</em></strong>) were the bitter principles in bitter gourd fruits. On the other hand, momordicoside K (<strong><em>2</em></strong>), which had been known as a bitter principle of bitter gourd for more than forty years, had been proven to be an extraction and isolation artifact rather than a natural component of the plant. Besides, an acid-catalyzed isomerization reaction in the side chain of cucurbitane was discovered, which might explain the formation mechanism of many cucurbitane-type triterpenoids from bitter gourd.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 106107"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143388145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}