Food ChemistryPub Date : 2025-09-26DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146548
Tianle Zhang, Dingwei Zheng, Siyuan Qian, Mingjun Du, Caiyun Li, Zhichao Sun, Li Lü, Jianqin Huang, Liangsheng Zhang, Zhengjia Wang
{"title":"Identification of antioxidant peptides from a bioactive peptide database PWDB of walnut family protein hydrolysates","authors":"Tianle Zhang, Dingwei Zheng, Siyuan Qian, Mingjun Du, Caiyun Li, Zhichao Sun, Li Lü, Jianqin Huang, Liangsheng Zhang, Zhengjia Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146548","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146548","url":null,"abstract":"This study established Walnut family Peptide DataBase (PWDB), a comprehensive peptide database containing 3894 high-confidence peptides derived from walnut family hydrolysates through LC-MS/MS (<3 kDa) coupled with advanced bioinformatic validation. Screening of PWDB identified three core antioxidant peptides—WDPFE, FDPFP, and WDPNY—with significant free radical scavenging abilities and protective effects against oxidative stress. Molecular docking simulation revealed strong interactions between these peptides and key antioxidant receptors Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), Myeloperoxidase (MPO), and Xanthine Oxidase (XO), supporting their multi-target antioxidative potential. <em>In vitro</em> assays using Caco-2 cells models confirmed their ability to mitigate oxidative damage in enhancing cellular viability and reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study highlights walnut family as a sustainable source of bioactive peptides, providing a valuable resource for developing natural antioxidants for functional foods.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145153634","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":"Micronization of defatted Rice bran dietary Fiber and its particle size effect on the structure and physicochemical properties of Myofibrillar proteins","authors":"Shunfan Gu, Jinling Li, Yinghui Zhang, Jian Xia, Cheng Guo, Zhongze Hu, Weiping Jin, Wangyang Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146545","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146545","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigated the effects of defatted rice bran dietary fiber particle size (D<sub>50</sub> 111.01–8.85 μm) on silver carp myofibrillar protein structure and gelation. Smaller particles enhanced the ordered secondary structure, with α-helix and β-sheet contents increasing by 45.7 % and 16.6 %. The primary modes of action were enhanced surface area interactions and tertiary structure unfolding, resulting in a 108 % increase in exposed sulfhydryl groups and greater surface hydrophobicity. As particle size decreased, turbidity increased from 0.43 to 0.89 and mean particle diameter from 342 to 535 nm, indicating larger protein aggregates. Fine fibers facilitated protein cross-linking into dense, continuous gel networks, as evidenced by FTIR, fluorescence, and SEM analyses. Practical applications include improving surimi texture uniformity, elasticity, and water-holding capacity while valorizing rice bran by-products. This study proposes a particle size–structure–function mechanism for DF–MP interaction to be optimized and verified via sensory quality, storage stability, and industrial scalability.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"255 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140833","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":"Impact of soluble soybean polysaccharides with different molecular weights on the pasting, gel, and structural properties of potato starch","authors":"Huishan Shen, Shangzhen Cheng, Zan Cui, Weimin Kang, Yanyan Zhang, Xingli Liu, Hongwei Wang, Hua Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146531","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146531","url":null,"abstract":"Polysaccharides affect the properties of starch, with the effect dependent on their molecular structure. Therefore, this study prepared three soluble soybean polysaccharides (SSPS) with different molecular weights and investigated the effects of the three SSPS on the pasting, gel, and structural properties of potato starch. The results showed that adding three molecular weights of SSPS significantly reduced the swelling power, peak viscosity, breakdown, final viscosity, and setback of potato starch, while significantly increasing the thermodynamic temperature (<em>T</em><sub>o</sub>, <em>T</em>ₚ, and <em>T</em><sub>c</sub>) of starch. The addition of high molecular weight SSPS (H-SSPS) promoted the formation of a dense gel network structure and significantly improved the storage modulus (<em>G′</em>), loss modulus (<em>G″</em>), gel strength, and hardness of starch gel. However, the addition of middle molecular weight SSPS (M-SSPS) and low molecular weight SSPS (L-SSPS) formed a relatively loose gel network structure and significantly reduced the <em>G′</em>, <em>G″</em>, hardness, and gel strength of the starch gel. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results revealed that H-SSPS could improve the short-range order and crystallinity of starch gel, while M-SSPS and L-SSPS reduced the stability of the ordered structure of starch gels. Overall, H-SSPS can effectively enhance starch's gel properties. This study helps to expand the application of SSPS and improve the quality of starch-based foods.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"91 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140837","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}
Food ChemistryPub Date : 2025-09-26DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146549
Xue Qin Zhu, Shi Lin Zhang, Jia Wen Duan, Yan Ding, Tie Hua Zhang, Zhou Yong Dong
{"title":"The influence of different physical pretreatments on the enzymatic hydrolysis effect and flavor characteristics of high-temperature soybean meal","authors":"Xue Qin Zhu, Shi Lin Zhang, Jia Wen Duan, Yan Ding, Tie Hua Zhang, Zhou Yong Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146549","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146549","url":null,"abstract":"In order to explore the characteristics of different physical pretreatment, this study focused on the effects of ultrasound (UP), microwave (MW), high-pressure heating (HPH) and mechanical grinding (MM) pretreatment on the enzymolysis effect and flavor characteristics of high-temperature soybean meal. The enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of HPH group was the highest, with the highest hydrolysis degree (24.01 ± 0.15 %), the highest soluble peptide content (15.69 ± 0.16 mg/mL) and the highest content of components <180 Da (16.09 ± 0.22 %). MW group had the highest content of umami and sweet amino acids (619.94 mg/100 mL) and the strongest antioxidant capacity. MW group not only had better umami but the bitterness of HPH group was the most obvious. In addition, MW promoted the formation of pleasant volatile compounds such as esters, and reduced the content of 1-octene-3-alcohol. Generally speaking, MW is an effective technology to improve the enzymatic hydrolysis performance and flavor characteristics of high-temperature soybean meal.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145154048","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}
Food ChemistryPub Date : 2025-09-26DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146561
Wenlei Zhai, Mingshuo Cao, Dizhe Wei, Yuan Wang, Meng Wang
{"title":"Development of dual-dummy template molecularly imprinted polymer embedded with ag nanoparticles for sensitive and selective detection of fumonisin B1 using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy","authors":"Wenlei Zhai, Mingshuo Cao, Dizhe Wei, Yuan Wang, Meng Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146561","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146561","url":null,"abstract":"Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is the most toxic and common form of fumonisins. Exposure to FB1 can lead to various harmful effects on human and livestock health. Herein, an FB1 sensor was developed by combining molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technique with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). A dual-dummy template strategy was developed for MIP synthesis by employing succinic acid and <span>d</span>-sphingosine as the analogs of FB1. The MIP-SERS method was established based on a sensor composed of Ag nanoparticles encapsulated by the MIP. Signal amplification was achieved through the competitive displacement of the Raman tag by FB1. SERS detection of FB1 with a detection limit of 15 ng mL<sup>−1</sup> was achieved. Detecting FB1 in cereals was demonstrated <em>via</em> spiked and real sample measurements, with recovery rates of 89.2 % – 120.2 %. This study demonstrated the synthesis of MIP using the dual-dummy template strategy and its application in the rapid detection of FB1.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"53 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140838","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}
Food ChemistryPub Date : 2025-09-26DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146555
Cheng Zhang, Xujun Pu, Xian Chen, Jinzhi Liang, Kun Ge, Yangyue Ding, Lunzhao Yi, Ying Gu, Shuo Wang
{"title":"High-performance antifouling electrochemical aptsensor based on a Y-shaped glycopeptide and platinum nanoparticles for detecting aflatoxin B1 in food","authors":"Cheng Zhang, Xujun Pu, Xian Chen, Jinzhi Liang, Kun Ge, Yangyue Ding, Lunzhao Yi, Ying Gu, Shuo Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146555","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146555","url":null,"abstract":"Challenge-associated fouling aroused by non-specific attachment of non-target substances on sensor surface from complex food matrix urgently needs to be addressed. Herein, a Y-shaped glycopeptide-based electrochemical aptasensor with highly efficient antifouling capacity was proposed. The glycopeptide (CPPPPEK[KS(<em>Glc</em>)RE]DER) was designed by integrating a glucose molecule onto one of the side chain of the Y-shaped peptide and outperformed in antifouling performance in both simulated and real food matrices compared to not only the EK-based frequently reported linear peptide but also the original Y-shaped peptide. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations further explained its antifouling ability from the molecular hydration behavior. Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) were electrodeposited onto the electrode surface to enhance conductivity and immobilize glycopeptides and aptamers to construct the antifouling electrochemical aptasensor. The proposed strategy supports accurate analysis of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in soy sauce, milk powder, chestnuts with satisfactory recoveries within 100.3 %–111.5 %, showing its great potential for practical applications.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"88 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140908","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":"Quantitative analysis of pesticide residues in wine grapes during a downy mildew infestation using LC-MS/MS and associated risk assessment","authors":"Stefania Vertuccio, Marica Erminia Schiano, Chiara Cassiano, Lorenzo Marino Cerrato, Federica Sodano, Sabrina Pirozzi, Maria Grazia Rimoli, Elisa Perissutti, Ferdinando Fiorino, Vincenzo Santagada, Elisa Magli, Stefania Albrizio","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146507","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146507","url":null,"abstract":"Pesticide use in agriculture poses risks to the environment and consumer health. This study analyzed 10 pesticide residues in wine grapes affected by Downy Mildew. Red and white grape samples were extracted using the roQ-QuEChERS kit, and pesticide levels were measured with LC-MS/MS. Results showed contamination with one to three pesticide residues in 72 % of the analyzed samples, with 31 % containing over four different pesticides. Metalaxyl and dimethomorph were the most frequently detected, while mandipropamid had the highest average concentration (12.5 ng/mL) . All detected pesticide levels were below safety thresholds, indicating no health risks. Risk assessment using PRIMo 4 confirmed no risks for adults or children at the detected residue levels. Moreover the cumulative risk associated with the simultaneous presence of multiple pesticides in the same grape sample, calculated by the HI approach, resulted below the EFSA reference values and was therefore considered acceptable.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145153637","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":"Real-time optical monitoring of enzymatic browning in fresh-cut apples: integrating photography with physiological and transcriptomic insights","authors":"Shenghu Luo, Chaozhe Li, Xuejin Li, Jianduo Shen, Jia Li, Xiaoying Zhang, Yu Wu, Kunzu He, Yuqian Jiang, Yao Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146552","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146552","url":null,"abstract":"This study presents a real-time monitoring approach for enzymatic browning in fresh-cut apples, which integrates continuous optical photography with MATLAB-assisted image processing and data analysis. The photographic recording was used to precisely track the browning rates of fresh-cut apples, thereby identifying critical periods of enzymatic activities, and further elucidating the dynamic interplay between oxidative stress and antioxidant responses. Results indicate that 35–50 min post-cutting represents a critical period for the enzymatic browning of fresh-cut apples. Physiological investigations further link the inflection points in browning to increased membrane peroxidation and shifts in metabolic pathways associated with oxidative stress management. Integrating real-time imaging with molecular biology techniques provides a comprehensive understanding of the browning mechanisms in fresh-cut tissue. Our results exhibit significant implications for quality evaluation and the development of anti-browning strategies and offer a powerful tool for monitoring the freshness and marketability of cut fruits.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140839","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}
Food ChemistryPub Date : 2025-09-26DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146433
Tianyu Wang, Yuanyuan Yang, Jumin Hou, Liying Yin
{"title":"Lotus leaf extract (LLE) alleviates obesity through gut flora and its metabolites","authors":"Tianyu Wang, Yuanyuan Yang, Jumin Hou, Liying Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146433","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146433","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we investigated the effects of lotus leaf extract (LLE) on HFD (high-fat diet)-induced obese mice and the metabolic functions of the gut microbiome on LLE. We found that LLE alleviates obesity partly through interactions with the gut microbiota. Oral LLE modulates gut microbiota structure and counteracts HFD-induced dysbiosis. Furthermore, we observed a significant increase in serum levels of O-Nornuciferine in LLE-treated mice, suggesting that the gut microbiota may play a potential role in metabolising LLE components to enhance the production of this metabolite. O-Nornuciferine was associated with improvements in dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis. Molecular docking analysis indicated that O-Nornuciferine may bind to PGC-1α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α) in the liver and influence the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism. These results highlight the potential interplay between LLE and gut microbiota, and suggest that microbiota-derived O-Nornuciferine may contribute to the modulation of hepatic lipid metabolism.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"193 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140840","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":"Dormancy-induced inhibition of lipid degradation enhances rice storage stability","authors":"Xue Dong, Jialin Dong, Mengqiu Chen, Garth Maker, Peian Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146547","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146547","url":null,"abstract":"Postharvest lipid degradation is a major factor contributing to quality loss, off-flavors, and reduced shelf life in stored rice grains. We investigated whether inducing secondary dormancy using abscisic acid (ABA) can stabilize lipid metabolism in rice. Non-dormant <em>japonica</em> (Nanjing 46) and <em>indica</em> (Fengliangyou) rice grains were induced into secondary dormancy with ABA (800 and 1500 mg/L, respectively), then subjected to accelerated aging (35 °C, 75 ± 2 % RH, up to 45 days). Lipid metabolism was assessed by enzyme assays, UHPLC–MS/MS lipidomics, and RNA-seq. Dormancy induction significantly suppressed the activities of lipase, phospholipase D, and lipoxygenase, resulting in lower rates of lipid hydrolysis and oxidative deterioration. Lipidomic profiling revealed delayed degradation of triacylglycerols and membrane phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine), while transcriptomic analysis showed coordinated downregulation of lipid degradation genes (<em>OsLOX1</em>, <em>OsPLDalpha3</em>). This multi-level suppression led to decreased accumulation of free fatty acids, lipid peroxides, and volatile aldehydes associated with rancid off-flavors. These findings provide new insights into dormancy-mediated lipid regulation and suggest a novel physiological strategy to enhance the storage stability and sensory quality of rice and other lipid-rich cereals.","PeriodicalId":318,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry","volume":"61 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145153636","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}