Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Red tank aquaculture improves reddish body color, flesh quality and taste of pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)","authors":"Manman Shi ,&nbsp;Xianyong Bu ,&nbsp;Qiuxin Yan ,&nbsp;Yongtao Liu ,&nbsp;Chuanwei Yao ,&nbsp;Jinze Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhihao Zhang ,&nbsp;Lu Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaoru Chen ,&nbsp;Kangsen Mai ,&nbsp;Yueru Li ,&nbsp;Qinghui Ai","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100321","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100321","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The reddish body coloration of Pacific white shrimp (<em>Litopenaeus vannamei</em>) is a critical quality attribute that significantly influences consumer preference and market value. Intensive aquaculture practices frequently result in impaired pigmentation, and dietary astaxanthin supplementation, while effective, increases production costs. Considering the intrinsic ability of decapod crustaceans to alter their body color in response to environmental backgrounds, we hypothesized that rearing L. <em>vannamei</em> in red tanks would enhance redness, stimulate astaxanthin distribution, improve muscle texture, and enhance flavor without compromising growth performance. Following a 75-day culture period, shrimp reared in red tanks exhibited a significantly higher redness (a* value) in both raw and cooked forms (<em>P &lt;</em> 0.05), alongside enhanced textural parameters including hardness, gumminess, and chewiness (<em>P &lt;</em> 0.05). Furthermore, increased levels of umami-related amino acids were detected in the muscle of shrimp reared in red tanks (increased by 15.3 %, <em>P &lt;</em> 0.05). Astaxanthin content was elevated in the shell (increased by 25.8 %, <em>P &lt;</em> 0.05) but reduced in the hepatopancreas (decreased by 18.5 %, <em>P &lt;</em> 0.05), indicating a facilitated redistribution of the pigment. This redistribution was corroborated by the upregulation of the red pigment-concentrating hormone (<em>rpch</em>) gene in the hepatopancreas (<em>P &lt;</em> 0.05). Although survival rate was marginally lower (decreased by 7.0 %, <em>P &lt;</em> 0.05), growth remained unaffected. These findings collectively indicate that red tank culture offers an economically viable and feed-free strategy to enhance the visual appeal and sensory quality of L. <em>vannamei</em>, presenting a promising alternative to dietary pigment supplementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100321"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing lipid-lowering synbiotics: strain screening, synergistic consortium formulation, prebiotic modulation, and freeze-drying process engineering for enhanced stability and efficacy","authors":"Wenjing Zhu ,&nbsp;Qinggele Borjihan ,&nbsp;Yongfu Chen ,&nbsp;Yanan Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100322","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100322","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For the development of novel synbiotic ingredients with lipid-reducing activity, this study aimed to screen lactic acid bacteria exhibiting lipid-reducing functions, formulate synbiotic compositions through strain combination, and optimize the freeze-drying process. From 80 candidate strains, <em>Lactobacillus pentosus</em> 9–6 and <em>Enterococcus faecalis</em> SMN3–2 were selected based on their high in vitro cholesterol and triglyceride degradation percentage. The results showed that co-culturing these two strains at a 2:1 proportion in combination with lactulose enhanced cholesterol and triglyceride degradation percentage to (70.7 ± 1.0)% and (58.8 ± 0.7)%, respectively. Subsequently, a Box-Behnken response surface design was applied to optimize the cryoprotectant formulation (proportion 1:6) and refine critical processing parameters including static culture for 30 min and pre-freezing at −80 °C for 12 h resulting in a synbiotic lyophilized powder with a viable bacterial count of 4.63 × 10^9 CFU/g, along with cholesterol and triglyceride degradation efficiencies of (62.6 ± 0.6)% and (53.8 ± 0.6)%, respectively. Research findings indicate that the synbiotic system formed by the combination of specific Lactobacillus strains and lactulose functions through a lipid-lowering mechanism, and the lyophilization process effectively preserves its functional efficacy. This synbiotic lyophilized powder can serve as a key functional ingredient in lipid-modulating special dietary foods, health foods, or functional dairy products, offering a potential interventional strategy for regulating lipid metabolism through functional food formulations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100322"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Varietal differences in protein body distribution and pearling fraction flour quality response to different nitrogen application rates in wheat","authors":"Yuhua Chen ,&nbsp;Shunyuan Wang ,&nbsp;Mingsheng Pan ,&nbsp;Hengtong Wang ,&nbsp;Xinsu Sun ,&nbsp;Jian Cai ,&nbsp;Qin Zhou ,&nbsp;Dong Jiang ,&nbsp;Yingxin Zhong","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100307","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100307","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nitrogen (N) enhances wheat protein content and flour nutritional quality. The protein content of wheat grain exhibits significant variations across different pearling fractions, which affect the processing quality of the resulting flour. We hypothesize that varietal differences in protein body distribution under different nitrogen application levels are directly regulated by the expression levels of genes involved in protein biosynthesis. This study aims to determine and characterize this relationship. Herein, the wheat varieties Ningmai 13 with relatively low protein content, Yangmai 16 with moderate protein content, and Xumai 32 with high protein content were subjected to two different levels of nitrogen application. The addition of N changed the spatial distribution of gliadin, glutenin, and protein across wheat varieties. The influence of N on the spatial expression of genes associated with amino acid biosynthesis, ribosome biosynthesis, and protein processing was genotype-dependent. Correlation analysis indicated that arginine succinate synthase (<em>argG</em>), translation initiation factor 6 (<em>EIF6</em>), and calnexin (<em>CNX</em>) may serve as potential targets for the modification of protein gradients via nitrogen coordination. The findings offer spatial insights into varietal differences in protein response to N levels, thereby establishing a mechanistic basis for molecular breeding strategies targeting the identified genes to develop optimized varieties. The goal of these strategies is the production of superior flour from specific pearling fractions for enhanced baking quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100307"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glutathione and astaxanthin: Both enhance antioxidant capacity and regulate lipid metabolism in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) fed with high-lipid diets","authors":"Jiandong Chen ,&nbsp;Tao Cheng ,&nbsp;Xiang Si ,&nbsp;Fan Yang ,&nbsp;Jianhua Yi ,&nbsp;Zhilong Yang ,&nbsp;Zhaowen Li ,&nbsp;Beiping Tan ,&nbsp;Chunfeng Yao ,&nbsp;Shuyan Chi","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100331","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100331","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Glutathione (GSH) and astaxanthin (AX) have the function of helping lipid metabolism and antioxidant capacity; which one is better? The feeding experiment of an 8 weeks was conducted to investigate the advantages of these two working on <em>Litopenaeus vannamei</em> fed with high-lipid diets. Four diets were formulated: basal diet (CON, 9 % lipid content); high-lipid diet (HL, 11 % lipid content); and supplementation with 6.7 g/kg Glutathione-rich yeast hydrolysate (GSH, 5 %) and 0.3 g/kg Carophyll^Ⓡ Pink (AX, 10 %) based on the HL diet, recorded as HLG and HLA, respectively. The results demonstrated a clear distinction between these two supplements. Compared to the HL group, shrimp in the HLG and HLA groups exhibited a consistent pattern of improvement that significantly reduced hepatic triglyceride levels, markedly downregulated expression of the fatty acid synthase (<em>fas</em>) gene, and enhanced activities of the key antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Compared to the HLA group, the HLG group exhibited upregulation of triacylglycerol lipase (<em>tgl</em>) and glucose-6-phosphatedehydrogenase (<em>g6pdh</em>) gene expression and lower TG content. Shrimp fed HLG diet exhibited superior overall performance, maintaining growth at levels equivalent to the control (CON) group. Specifically, the HLG group showed significantly greater thickness of intestinal muscular layer, and height and width for intestinal villus compared to both the HL and HLA groups (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). In summary, while both additives mitigated hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress, GSH delivered stronger benefits for growth performance through regulating antioxidant capacity and intestinal health when shrimp fed high-lipid diet.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100331"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gaseous chlorine dioxide improves Keitt mango quality during postharvest ripening: enhancing sugar accumulation, terpenoid biosynthesis, and storage performance","authors":"Meiling Tian ,&nbsp;Lili Liu ,&nbsp;Chunjiang Li ,&nbsp;Dongwei Zhang ,&nbsp;Yingting Zhao ,&nbsp;Changcheng Li ,&nbsp;Ting Fang","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100318","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100318","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Keitt mango (<em>Mangifera indica</em> L.) is typically harvested at full size and mature green, then allowed to ripen naturally at room temperature for several days. However, this process yields fruit that lacks the ideal sweetness and characteristic mango flavor compared to tree-ripened mangoes. To enhance the postharvest ripening quality of Keitt mangoes, the mangoes were subjected to gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO₂, cumulative concentration 200 μL/L), then stored at 25 °C with 85 ± 5% humidity for 4 days. Results suggested that gaseous ClO₂ treatment significantly elevated the levels of melibiose, glucose, mannose, and arabinose in mango pulp during days 1–4 compared to the control and ethephon-treated groups, with the most pronounced increase observed in glucose content. For aroma, gaseous ClO₂ treatment remarkably elevated the content of terpenoids, especially 3-carene, on days 2–4. These trends were consistent with the upregulated expression of genes encoding sugar production (<em>MiSUS</em>, <em>MiBAM3</em>, <em>MiabfA</em>, and <em>MiHEX1</em>), terpenes biosynthesis (<em>MiACAT</em>, <em>MiIDI</em>, and <em>MiGPPS</em>), and vacuolar sugar transporters (<em>MiERD6–5</em> and <em>MiERD6–6</em>). Additionally, gaseous ClO₂-ripened mangoes achieved outstanding quality attributes compared to ethephon-ripened mangoes after 4 days of storage at 13 °C. In summary, gaseous ClO₂ can effectively promote sugar accumulation and flavor development in Keitt mangoes, as well as yield superior storage quality. These findings indicate a remarkable potential for gaseous ClO₂ in enhancing the quality of postharvest fruits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100318"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145415059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biaxially oriented polyethylene film preserves nutritional quality and extends the shelf life of postharvest peaches","authors":"Zhen Wang ,&nbsp;Wan-Ken Chen ,&nbsp;Kai-Ye Shi ,&nbsp;Le-Ying Yan ,&nbsp;Song-Li Han ,&nbsp;Hui Zhou ,&nbsp;Gai-Fang Yao ,&nbsp;Hong Wang ,&nbsp;Pedro Garcia-Caparros ,&nbsp;Hua Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100300","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100300","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biaxially oriented polyethylene (BOPE) is a high-strength, lightweight polyethylene material with superior barrier properties. In this study, peaches were packaged using either polyethylene (PE) or BOPE film. The peaches packaged in BOPE film maintained better firmness, color retention, antioxidant content, and nutritional quality than control peaches and those packaged in PE film. Transcriptome sequencing revealed 1041 differentially expressed genes in BOPE-packaged fruit compared with that in the control, and these were enriched in the pyruvate metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, and glutathione metabolism pathways. Physiological analyses demonstrated that BOPE packaging reduced malondialdehyde accumulation and increased peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, potentially limiting membrane peroxidation and senescence. BOPE-packaged fruit also retained higher levels of soluble sugars, reducing sugars, free amino acids, and proline, which are critical for fruit flavor and stress adaptation. Together, these results underscore the potential of BOPE as a novel packaging material for the preservation of fruits and vegetables.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100300"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145059965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating transcriptomics and proteomics to analyze new regulatory genes related to rice grain development","authors":"Zhixuan Du ,&nbsp;Qitao Su ,&nbsp;Haihui Fu ,&nbsp;Dahu Zhou ,&nbsp;Linjuan Ouyang ,&nbsp;Junru Fu ,&nbsp;Haohua He","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The regulation of seed size in rice represents a significant concern within the domain of developmental biology. Nevertheless, our understanding of the mechanisms by which plants determine seed size remains limited, despite its critical importance. The transcriptome and proteome sequencing of rice kernels, derived from the recombinant inbred line (RIL) population between the large-grain line AD3 and the small-grain line AD148, were conducted at the third stage of spikelet development (stage Sp 3: formation of lemma primordium), the sixth stage of spikelet development (stage Sp 6: formation of stamen primordia), as well as nine days post anthesis (9DPA). During the stage Sp 3 and stage Sp 6, the differentially expressed genes were predominantly associated with metabolic pathways, secondary metabolite synthesis, and nitrogen metabolism. In contrast, at 9DPA, these genes were primarily involved in cysteine and methionine metabolism, biosynthesis, and protein processing. This observation indicates that the differences in grain size between the large-grain line AD3 and the small-grain line AD148 result from distinct biological processes occurring both during the early stages of glume development and the grain filling stage. Furthermore, eight genes have been identified as potential regulators of grain development, providing valuable information on the underlying mechanisms of grain development in rice.To identify the key genes, pathways, and regulatory networks controlling rice grain size by integrating transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of large-grain (AD3) and small-grain (AD148) lines at critical developmental stages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100283"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144831118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-omics analysis reveals the regulatory mechanism of shading on quality-related metabolites in Camellia sinensis cv. Lifeng","authors":"Xiaojun Niu,&nbsp;Cun Ao,&nbsp;Ruimin Teng,&nbsp;Hongli Li,&nbsp;Yun Zhao,&nbsp;Jizhong Yu,&nbsp;Haitao Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100314","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100314","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shading enhances green tea quality by promoting the accumulation of amino acids and reducing the synthesis of catechin. We hypothesize that the expression of amino acid-related genes is related to the accumulation of amino acids in tea plants after shading. To explore the regulatory mechanism of shading-induced amino acid biosynthesis, we performed RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR analyses to examine the expression of amino acid metabolism-related genes. Our results revealed significant upregulation of genes associated with theanine biosynthesis and transport. In addition, non-targeted metabolomics and biochemical quantification revealed that the content of theanine and other amino acids significantly increased after shading. Furthermore, shading was found to promote coordinated regulation between light signaling components (e.g., UVR8, HY5, COP1) and transcription factors (such as CsMYB1/4/7/12 and CsPIF3). These findings reveal key molecular mechanisms behind shade-induced amino acid metabolism and provides new insights into our understanding of regulatory mechanisms for shading enhanced tea quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100314"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145361444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular mechanisms and horticultural implications of temperature-induced color variation in Stropharia rugosoannulata mushrooms","authors":"Shen Meng ,&nbsp;Yan Jing ,&nbsp;Wang Ruisen ,&nbsp;Quan Xinhua ,&nbsp;Yuan Ye ,&nbsp;Yao Xiangtan ,&nbsp;Jin Qunli","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cap color is a critical commercial trait in <em>Stropharia rugosoannulata</em> mushrooms, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying its temperature-induced variation remain poorly understood. This study integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches to identify key metabolites and genes associated with the transition of cap color from white to wine-red under different temperature conditions. Metabolomic analysis identified 1913 metabolites, with flavonoid derivatives such as quercetin-3-O-glucoside and kaempferol-based compounds accumulating preferentially in wine-red mushrooms at high temperatures. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 13,428 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 36 structural genes in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Notably, upregulation of <em>SrGene13140</em> (F3′H) and <em>SrGene10248</em> (F3′5′H) was observed in wine-red mushrooms, suggesting their involvement in red pigment production. In contrast, <em>SrGene10253</em> (F3′H) was more highly expressed in yellow mushrooms, indicating isoform-specific hydroxylation activity. Integrated gene-metabolite correlation and network analysis highlighted key enzymes, including phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase (F3′H), and 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligase (4CL), as central regulators of color-related flavonoid biosynthesis. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular basis of temperature-induced color variation in <em>S. rugosoannulata</em> and offer potential applications in mushroom breeding and horticulture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100276"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144702591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of cinnamaldehyde pickering emulsion on Pseudomonas fragi biofilms: Characterization, antibiofilm effects in vitro and in vivo, and a transcriptomic analysis","authors":"Yanwei Zhou,&nbsp;Xiaosu Hu,&nbsp;Huaimao Tie,&nbsp;Qiujin Zhu,&nbsp;Minping Wei,&nbsp;Yongguang Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100317","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fochms.2025.100317","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pseudomonas fragi (P. fragi)</em>, a predominant biofilm-forming spoilage bacterium in fresh chilled meat, causes persistent contamination and poses a significant food safety concern. However, research on its biofilms remains exploratory, and effective control measures are currently lacking. This study developed an innovative biofilm-targeted preservation system by encapsulating cinnamaldehyde (CA), the most potent essential oil component against <em>P. fragi</em> (MIC = 0.3125 mg/mL), within a Pickering emulsion to overcome its inherent volatility and poor aqueous solubility. Molecular docking simulations revealed stable interactions among whey protein isolate (WPI), sunflower oil, and CA, guiding rational emulsion design. The optimized emulsion (oil-water ratio 6:4) exhibited excellent physical stability (particle size: 11.30 ± 1.88 μm; zeta potential: −31.6 ± 0.82 mV), oxidation stability, and sustained-release properties, along with biosafety validated by murine acute toxicity and hemolysis assays. Crucially, while maintaining identical MIC values to free CA, the CA Pickering emulsion demonstrated significantly enhanced biofilm inhibition and eradication capabilities against <em>P. fragi.</em> Transcriptomic analysis revealed, for the first time, that the CA emulsion induced dysregulation of 191 bacterial genes (114 downregulated, 77 upregulated), which simultaneously suppressed signaling and metabolic pathways while inducing stress adaptation responses, thereby disrupting biofilm formation and maintenance. This work establishes a novel stabilization paradigm for essential oils and provides a theoretical foundation for developing green biofilm-targeting technologies against meat spoilage bacteria, facilitating the practical applications of CA Pickering emulsions in meat preservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34477,"journal":{"name":"Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100317"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145415057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}