Food Research International最新文献

{"title":"Designing emulsified systems with soybean oil body membrane protein aggregate: Insights into chain bead-like structure, molecular interactions and interfacial behavior","authors":"Xiaoyu Li ,&nbsp;Mengting Jia ,&nbsp;Ikram Alouk ,&nbsp;Hong Zhang ,&nbsp;Duoxia Xu ,&nbsp;Xuebing Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118611","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118611","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soybean oil body membranes, which are high in amphiphilic proteins could serve as food emulsifiers. Due to the strong hydrophobicity of oil body membrane proteins, they tend to form aggregates. The hydrophobic residues within the proteins are concealed, leading to decreased interfacial performance, which further limits their application. This study innovatively constructed soybean oil body membrane protein aggregates (SOMA) through thermal treatment and pH modification, resulting in a chain-bead-like structure that effectively enhances their emulsification properties. The results indicated 24 kDa oleosin is the primary protein. As heat treatment time increased, the particle size of soybean oil body membrane protein aggregates increased, and electrostatic interactions were enhanced. Spectroscopic results and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that at pH 6.5, heat treatment caused the unfolding of the T-type structure of oleosin, increasing its hydrophobicity. In contrast, at pH 8.5, the protein structure contracted due to electrostatic repulsion. Heat treatment resulted in β-sheet and intermolecular hydrogen bond contents exceeding 35% and 80%, respectively, which facilitated the structural assembly and the formation of chain-bead-like aggregates. Compared to pH 8.5, SOMA at pH 6.5 exhibited a larger bead distance, higher β-sheet content and flexibility. Under both pH conditions, the chain bead-like structure with 2 h heat treatment exhibited the lowest interfacial tension (13.27 mN/m, 15.84 mN/m) and highest rearrangement rates (67.42 s⁻¹, 58.12 s⁻¹), facilitating interfacial diffusion dominated by rearrangement. These findings provide new insights for developing novel food emulsifiers by utilizing the unique structural characteristics of soybean oil body membrane proteins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118611"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172062","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":"Multidimensional synergy between yeast and lactic acid bacteria: mechanisms, quality formation, and precision fermentation strategies","authors":"Arong Wang ,&nbsp;Chenhongyu Qiu ,&nbsp;Jie Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The complex functional characteristics of fermented foods stem from dynamic microbial interactions rather than the activities of individual microorganisms. Traditional research has primarily focused on single-strain cultures and metabolic functions, whereas contemporary studies increasingly emphasize the pivotal role of interactions between different species in shaping fermentative ecosystems. This review explores the multifaceted interactions between yeast-lactic acid bacteria (LAB), focusing on three key aspects: (1) nutritional interactions and cross-feeding mechanisms; (2) molecular communication via metabolite exchange and quorum sensing; (3) collective adaptation strategies encompassing biofilm formation and environmental remodeling. Synergistic interactions promote metabolic complementarity, thereby enhancing substrate utilization efficiency and biosynthetic capacity beyond the limitations of single-strain cultures. Competitive interactions maintain ecological equilibrium within microbial communities while suppressing undesirable microorganisms. Quorum sensing mechanisms synchronize gene expression across entire populations, coordinating metabolic pathways and optimizing collective behavior. Biofilm formation creates structured microenvironments that enhance microbial resilience and metabolic specialization. Advanced methodologies, particularly multi-omics technologies and synthetic microbial ecology approaches, have become indispensable tools for unravelling these intricate interaction networks. Integrating genome-scale metabolic modelling with experimental validation offers unprecedented insights into the molecular mechanisms underpinning microbial interactions. This systems-level understanding enables the purposeful design of synthetic microbial communities and precise fermentation processes, highlighting the imperative shift from single-species optimization towards ecological management strategies. Future research should translate laboratory discoveries into industrial applications through standardized evaluation systems and dynamic regulatory strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118586"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172009","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":"Screening, risk assessment, and rapid detection of mycotoxins in edible herbs based on UPLC-MS/MS and FT-NIR","authors":"Kangnan Liu ,&nbsp;Ling Fang ,&nbsp;Yaling An ,&nbsp;Zijun Tang ,&nbsp;Wenjie Zhao ,&nbsp;Chunqian Song ,&nbsp;Lin Feng ,&nbsp;Xiaokang Liu ,&nbsp;Zhenwei Li ,&nbsp;Daidi Zhang ,&nbsp;De-an Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mycotoxin contamination in edible herbs poses substantial health risks and economic losses due to its accumulation. This study employed a modified QuEChERS-based UPLC-MS/MS method for qualitative screening of 19 mycotoxins in 1000 batches of 77 kinds of edible herbs. For three kinds of edible herbs with high positive rates, <em>Sojae semen praeparatum</em> (SSP)<em>, Lablab semen album</em> (LSA), and <em>Allii tuberosi semen</em> (ATS), the QuEChERS parameters were optimized to quantify the ten most common mycotoxins, while Monte Carlo simulation was used to assess human health risks. Moreover, nine classification models were applied to discriminate the content of sterigmatocystin (ST) in SSP and aflatoxin B₂ (AFB₂) in LSA. Qualitative screening results showed that 65.20% of the samples were contaminated with one or more mycotoxins, and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), ST, and alternariol (AOH) were detected most frequently in all samples. Risk assessment indicated that long-term consumption of SSP contaminated with ST, LSA contaminated with AFB₂, and ATS contaminated with AME posed health risks. Optimal models for SSP and LSA were support vector machine (SVM) and k-nearest neighbor (KNN), respectively, and the accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score were all 100% for their test sets. Regarding independent validation samples, the accuracy reached 90% for SSP and 100% for LSA. This study identifies a high prevalence of mycotoxins in edible herbs, highlights their non-negligible dietary risks, and demonstrates the promising application of Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy combined with machine learning for rapid detection mycotoxins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118543"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172005","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":"Comprehensive evaluation of Ganoderma lucidum extracts: digestion kinetics, gut microbiota modulation, and immunoregulatory mechanisms","authors":"Tianjia Jiang ,&nbsp;Rongye Zhu ,&nbsp;Xiuliang Guo ,&nbsp;Jian Li ,&nbsp;Xuan Zhu ,&nbsp;Ruohan Bao ,&nbsp;Jie Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118664","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118664","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Ganoderma lucidum</em> (Reishi mushroom) exhibits medicinal–edible functionality mediated by bioactive components such as β-glucans and ganoderic acids that regulate immune responses through multiple pathways. However, the digestive transformation and microbiota-mediated interactions of <em>G. lucidum</em> extracts remain insufficiently characterized, and oral delivery results in substantial degradation during digestion, leading to limited bioavailability (&lt;10%). The impact of extraction methods on component stability, digestive behavior, and metabolite profiles also remains unclear. To address these gaps, an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion model combined with RAW 264.7 macrophage assays and RNA sequencing was used to investigate aqueous and ethanol extract of <em>G. lucidum</em>. The results revealed a “digestion–metabolism–immunity” cascade influenced by extraction method, concentration, and digestion stage, with gut microbiota modulation favoring anti-inflammatory activity and increased colonic butyrate production. Immunological assessments further demonstrated suppressed inflammatory mediators and modulation of immune-related pathways, with RNA-Seq identifying key regulatory genes involved in these processes, providing insights for optimizing Ganoderma-based functional foods and advancing applications in precision nutrition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118664"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172192","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":"Neomycin-sensitive gut bacteria-derived brassicasterol mediates the anti-obesity effects of Cordyceps militaris polysaccharide","authors":"Jie Cai ,&nbsp;Aohuan Huang ,&nbsp;Linghui You ,&nbsp;Zelin Wang ,&nbsp;Chaoyang Huang ,&nbsp;Rong Huang ,&nbsp;Ying li ,&nbsp;Tingting Liang ,&nbsp;Fen Zhang ,&nbsp;Qingping Wu ,&nbsp;Juan Wang ,&nbsp;Zhenjun Zhu ,&nbsp;Yu Ding","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118574","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118574","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diet-based modulation of the gut microbiota has emerged as a promising strategy to alleviate obesity and its related complications. Our previous study demonstrated that polysaccharide derived from <em>Cordyceps militaris</em> (CMP) exerts anti-obesity effects, yet the specific mechanism linking gut microbiota to its metabolic impact remains unclear. Herein, we utilized murine models with distinct gut microbial profiles created via antibiotic cocktails to investigate these mechanisms. The protective effects of CMP against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and associated metabolic disturbances were substantially impaired in mice depleted of neomycin-sensitive gut bacteria. Metagenomic analyses further established that CMP required these bacteria to restore gut microbial homeostasis. Notably, we observed that CMP elevated hepatic levels of brassicasterol in a manner dependent on neomycin-sensitive gut bacteria. Brassicasterol treatment alone replicated the anti-obesity effects of CMP, as indicated by reduced body weight gain, improved lipid and glucose metabolism, and decreased inflammation. Through transcriptomic and functional analyses, we identified hepatic <em>Apoa4</em> as a key downstream effector of brassicasterol. Our results indicated that brassicasterol upregulated <em>Apoa4</em>, facilitating lipid transport and suppressing inflammation both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our findings indicate that CMP exerts its anti-obesity effects through a neomycin-sensitive gut bacteria–brassicasterol–Apoa4 pathway. This work expands the mechanistic understanding of CMP and highlights a novel microbiota–metabolite–host regulatory axis for dietary intervention in metabolic disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118574"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172188","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":"Fermented red quinoa (FRQ) effectively mitigates chronic alcohol-induced cognitive impairment and hepatic steatosis through multi-mechanistic pathways","authors":"Zi-Han Lin ,&nbsp;Zhaohui Wang ,&nbsp;FenFen Wei ,&nbsp;Xinyao Zhu ,&nbsp;Junwei Ma ,&nbsp;Yan Wu ,&nbsp;Song-Mei Chen ,&nbsp;Li-Hua Song","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118547","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118547","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Long-term alcohol consumption drives systemic damage through metabolites such as acetaldehyde, which trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut dysbiosis. This study evaluated the protective effects of fermented red quinoa (FRQ) in an alcohol-exposed mouse model, with a focus on cognitive function.</div><div>Male C57BL/6J mice were randomized into three groups for a 28-day study: a normal control, an alcohol-treated group gavaged with ethanol (1 mL/100 g·BW), and a group receiving the same ethanol dose co-administered with FRQ powder (human equivalent dose: 9 g/60 kg·BW). Our results demonstrated that fermentation with <em>Lactobacillus kisonensis</em> significantly increased the content of phenolic compounds (e.g., quercetin and veratric acid) in FRQ. FRQ intervention improved cognitive function, ameliorated synaptic structural impairment and blood-brain barrier disruption, and attenuated hepatic steatosis. The protective mechanisms involved three pathways: 1) The specific phenolic compounds in FRQ promoted alcohol metabolism by regulating ADH/ALDH activity, leading to reduced acetaldehyde levels. As a primary initiating pathway, this metabolic enhancement dominantly attenuated subsequent oxidative stress and inflammation, mitigating injury in the liver, brain, and colon. 2) It directly modulated AP-1 subunits (ΔFOSB/JUND), restored BDNF, and rebalanced the glutamate/GABA systems. 3) It regulated the gut-liver-brain axis by remodeling the gut microbiota (e.g., enriching butyrate-producing <em>Butyricicoccus</em>), reinforcing intestinal barrier integrity, and thereby suppressing systemic LPS translocation and inflammation.</div><div>In conclusion, FRQ mitigates alcohol-induced cognitive and hepatic damage via multiple mechanisms, highlighting its promise as an integrative dietary intervention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118547"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172269","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":"Multivariate Chemometric analysis of chemical diversity in French winter and spring Lupinus albus L. varieties","authors":"Manuel Ayuso ,&nbsp;Tayse F.F. da Silveira ,&nbsp;Daiana Almeida ,&nbsp;Natalie Harzic ,&nbsp;Valérie Gagnaire ,&nbsp;Ingrid Aguiló-Aguayo ,&nbsp;Lillian Barros","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>White lupin (<em>Lupinus albus</em> L.) is a nutrient-rich legume well-adapted to Mediterranean climates and tolerant of abiotic stress. Therefore, lupins represent a sustainable crop option with high potential for use in areas where climate change impacts are intensifying.</div><div>This study analysed eight cultivars, four winter and four spring ecotypes, to assess differences in nutritional and bioactive compounds. Key compounds studied included proteins, fats, carbohydrates, tocopherols, and phenolics. Spring ecotypes like ‘Sulimo’ and ‘Energy’ showed higher protein and tocopherol content, which may be ideal for protein-rich, antioxidant-rich diets. Winter ecotypes such as ‘Angus’ had more carbohydrates, especially fructose and raffinose, which could benefit energy and gut health. Both ecotypes showed high fibre levels, supporting digestive health. The findings suggest that ecotype influences chemical composition significantly, and each offers distinct benefits for targeted nutritional and functional food applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118563"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172306","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":"Basic amino acid-enriched egg white peptides for efficient repair of intestinal injury: Preparation, application, and mechanism analysis","authors":"Qingwen Han,&nbsp;Jingbo Liu,&nbsp;Shengrao Li,&nbsp;Mohan Zhang,&nbsp;Weiyi Ma,&nbsp;Yanguo Huan,&nbsp;Dongfang Wang,&nbsp;Yongqi Yu,&nbsp;Ting Zhang,&nbsp;Siwen Lyu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118541","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118541","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intestinal barrier dysfunction is a major trigger in different gastrointestinal diseases. Bioactive peptide-based nutritional intervention has a strong potential. Egg white peptides (EWPs) are promising since they are able to retain the intestinal health through various biological activities, but the relationship between structure and activity as well as their effect of action is not clearly understood. Taking cognizance of the significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant as well as damage-repair activity of the simple amino acids, this research paper prepared and concentrated basic amino acid-enriched egg white peptides (BAA-EWPs) through controlled enzyme hydrolysis and polyelectrolyte membrane nanofiltration. This charge-based specific separation strategy enhanced the content of basic amino acids by 28.03% and gave BAA-EWPs greater in vitro antioxidant exercise than EWPs. BAA-EWPs intervention showed a beneficial effect in reducing clinical signs and healing of histopathological damage in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced intestinal barrier injury. It maximized intestinal physical barrier efficiency by boosting the expression of tight junction protein ZO-1 and mucin MUC-2 which is effective in inhibiting intestinal permeability. At the same time, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of BAA-EWPs were found to be systemic in nature and reduced the concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) significantly and also enhanced the oxidative stress positioned markers (GSH, SOD, MDA, et al.). Transcriptomic analysis indicated synergistic regulation of several signaling pathways by BAA-EWPs, such as PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and Th17 cell differentiation, and enabled intestinal barrier repair. Also, BAA-EWPs supported intestinal epithelial repair with nutrition by regulating metabolic routes including the production of arginine. This paper elucidates the synergistic multi-mechanistic involvement of BAA-EWPs in intestinal barrier damage repair that would provide a theoretical foundation and technical details to the development of specific peptide-based functional foods ingredients in the management of intestinal health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118541"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172071","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":"Biofilm-inspired encapsulation enhances the viability of probiotic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei NN4–1 under simulated gastrointestinal conditions","authors":"Fedrick C. Mgomi ,&nbsp;Chunlei Lu ,&nbsp;Anqi Tang ,&nbsp;Shu Xu ,&nbsp;Fei Chen ,&nbsp;Lei Yuan ,&nbsp;Zhen-quan Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118649","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118649","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The survival of probiotics during transit through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) remains a significant challenge, limiting their <em>in vivo</em> functional efficacy. Microorganisms often resist adverse conditions by forming biofilms. Leveraging this property, the current study introduces a novel biofilm-inspired encapsulation approach using single- and multilayer-coated sodium alginate gel beads (SAGBs) to promote <em>in situ</em> biofilm formation by <em>Lacticaseibacillus paracasei</em> NN4–1. Comparative analyses were conducted to assess bacterial viability in SAGBs, planktonic cells, and biofilm cells under simulated GIT conditions. <em>In vitro</em> studies showed enhanced resistance in SAGBs, with a survival rate of 81.48% compared to unencapsulated cells. Additionally, biofilm encapsulation increased biochemical production, yielding average protein and polysaccharide concentrations of 0.633 mg/mL and 1.056 mg/mL, respectively. The scanning electron microscope revealed clusters of bacterial colonization inside the SAGBs. Whole-genome sequencing revealed multiple genes associated with biofilm formation, stress tolerance, adhesion, acid, and bile salt resistance. Multilayer of SAGBs reduced bacterial leakage by 52.52%, slowed small-molecule diffusion, and slightly improved textural properties without compromising bacterial metabolic activity or growth. Furthermore, SAGBs exhibited markedly higher survival (99.43%) than planktonic (76.3%) and biofilm cells (77.5%) after 21 days of refrigerated storage in milk. This approach offers promising applications in designing next-generation functional foods and targeted probiotic delivery systems, warranting higher viability of probiotics under adverse conditions of the GIT.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118649"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172056","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":"Kombucha meets circular economy: A microbiome and metabolite perspective on second fermentation with plant by-products","authors":"Elisabetta Chiarini ,&nbsp;Davide Buzzanca ,&nbsp;Alessandra Devizia ,&nbsp;Manuela Giordano ,&nbsp;Franco Dipietro ,&nbsp;Giuseppe Zeppa ,&nbsp;Valentina Alessandria","doi":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118597","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodres.2026.118597","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Kombucha is a traditional fermented beverage produced through the fermentation of sugared tea by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY). In recent years, the valorisation of plant-based by-products as fermentation substrates has gained attention as a sustainable approach to improving both the nutritional and economic efficiency of fermented beverages. The present study investigated the production of kombuchas supplemented with pineapple, fennel, and carrot by-products during the secondary fermentation phase, aiming to evaluate their influence on fermentation dynamics, microbial ecology, and the chemical and aromatic profiles of the final products.</div><div>The experimental design integrated culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches, including amplicon sequencing, to characterize microbial community composition and evolution throughout fermentation. Chemical profiling was carried out using gas chromatography coupled with quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-qMS) and high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with diode-array and refractive index detectors (HPLC-DAD/RI). The fermentation process was monitored during both the primary and secondary stages, and a shelf-life assessment was conducted over 14 days of refrigerated storage (4 °C) to evaluate product stability.</div><div>Microbiological results indicated a predominance of <em>Schizosaccharomyces</em> spp., while <em>Komagataeibacter</em> spp. was the only bacterial genus identified. A significant reduction in α-diversity was observed over time, suggesting selective adaptation of the microbial community to the fermentation environment. β-diversity analysis revealed clear differences among samples collected after 8 and 22 days, reflecting the combined influence of time and substrate composition on microbial succession. Chemical analyses demonstrated an increase in acetic acid concentration and a progressive decline in pH throughout fermentation, consistent with the metabolic activity of acetic acid bacteria. Among volatile organic compounds (VOCs), alcohols and organic acids were the most abundant chemical classes detected. Several VOCs were associated with minor yeast genera, including <em>Hannaella</em>, <em>Galactomyces</em>, <em>Aureobasidium</em>, and <em>Millerozyma</em>, whereas <em>Schizosaccharomyces</em> spp. showed a strong correlation with specific aroma-active compounds, highlighting its key role in defining the sensory characteristics of the beverage.</div><div>Overall, this study provides new evidence on how different vegetable by-products and microbial consortia influence the development of chemical and aromatic compounds in kombucha. The findings highlight the potential of using by-products as a sustainable, value-added strategy for producing fermented beverages, while also supporting the principles of the circular economy and resource-efficient food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":323,"journal":{"name":"Food Research International","volume":"230 ","pages":"Article 118597"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172006","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}