Yaxin Huang, Yuan Tao, Huayu Yang, Bowen Yan, Nana Zhang, Bo Hu, Hao Zhang, Wei Chen, Daming Fan
{"title":"Microwave Processing Alters Milk Protein Digestion and Peptide Release: Insights from Peptidomics and Bioactivity Evaluation","authors":"Yaxin Huang, Yuan Tao, Huayu Yang, Bowen Yan, Nana Zhang, Bo Hu, Hao Zhang, Wei Chen, Daming Fan","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09292","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09292","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study compared microwave (MW)and conventional thermal (CT)processing at 70 °C for 20 s and 135 °C for 5 s, simulatingpasteurization and ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) processing, respectively,to investigate their effects on milk protein digestion and functionality.MW treatment reduced heat-induced aggregation and improved proteasedigestibility. Peptidomic analysis revealed distinct peptide profiles,with MW-UHT generating more low-molecular-weight peptides and promotingselective cleavage within functional regions of caseins and favoringthe generation of bioactive peptide sequences during digestion. Importantly,cell-based assays demonstrated that digests from MW-treated milk exertedstronger anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophagesthan CT counterparts. These findings provide experimental evidencethat MW processing not only reshapes digestive peptide release butalso better preserves the biofunctional potential of milk proteins.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"74 40","pages":"31885–31899"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149091124","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}
Jinfeng Fu, Pingping Wang, Chun Chen, Jiansheng Cheng, Yu Xie, Xiong Fu
{"title":"The Critical Role of Molecular Weight in Digestion Stability and Gut Microbiota-Dependent Fermentation of Dendrobium officinale Polysaccharides","authors":"Jinfeng Fu, Pingping Wang, Chun Chen, Jiansheng Cheng, Yu Xie, Xiong Fu","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c10562","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c10562","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study systematically investigated the impact ofmolecularweight (Mw) on the gastrointestinal fate and gut microbiota modulationof <em>Dendrobium officinale</em> polysaccharides(DOP). A series of DOPs with different Mw (509–110 kDa) wasobtained via ultrasonic degradation. During simulated digestion, allDOPs exhibited partial depolymerization, evidenced by reduced Mw andincreased reducing sugar content, with high-Mw DOPs being more susceptibleto gastric conditions. Although the triple-helical structure and microtopographywere disrupted, the functional groups and biological activity remainedlargely intact. DOPs were extensively utilized by gut microbiota inan Mw-dependent manner. Notably, low-Mw UDOP-9 preferentially promotedthe proliferation of <em>Bacteroides</em> (up to 29.04%) and <em>Parabacteroides</em>, whereas high-Mw DOP selectively enhanced <em>Bifidobacterium</em> growth. All DOPs significantly increasedshort-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) production, particularly acetate. However,Mw did not affect the total SCFAs content. These findings revealedthe important role of Mw in regulating polysaccharide digestion andthe gut microbiota.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"74 40","pages":"31731–31747"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149091146","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}
Minghui Chen, Sai Hong, Xuemin Wu, Yuxia Hou, Yumei Xiao, Bin Fu, Jiaqi Li, Zhaohai Qin
{"title":"Synthesis, Fungicidal Activity, and Action Mode of Functionalized Siderophores","authors":"Minghui Chen, Sai Hong, Xuemin Wu, Yuxia Hou, Yumei Xiao, Bin Fu, Jiaqi Li, Zhaohai Qin","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09445","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c09445","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Iron homeostasis influences fungalpathogenicity and is a promisingtarget for crop protection. In this study, catechol moieties wereincorporated into G2-class fungicidal scaffolds to prepare a seriesof siderophores. At 50 μg/mL, the compounds <strong>PP-3</strong> and <strong>PPDM-2</strong> achieved mean inhibition rates (MIRs) of64.0% and 67.2%, respectively, against 11 plant pathogens, comparableto tridemorph (64.6%). However, the two compounds exhibited distinctactivity spectra. <strong>PP-3</strong> and <strong>PPDM-2</strong> showedstrong activity against two oomycete pathogens (<em>Pythium aphanidermatum</em> and <em>Phytophthora capsici</em>) and <em>Fusarium graminearum</em>, suggestingpotential for crop disease management. Preliminary assays indicateddisruption of Fe<sup>3+</sup>/Fe<sup>2+</sup> homeostasis and rapidion leakage through nonspecific membrane lipid perturbation; inhibitionof ergosterol biosynthesis may additionally contribute to activityagainst fungi. These findings support the development of agriculturalfungicides incorporating functional iron-chelating moieties.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"74 40","pages":"31503–31518"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149091152","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":"Fucoidan Alleviates Intestinal Inflammation through Microbiota-Associated Citraconic Acid Accumulation to Modulate Ferroptosis-Related Pathways","authors":"Yifan Wei, Xiaomeng Ren, Shuang Song, Chunqing Ai","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c08698","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c08698","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fucoidan has shown potential forintestinal protection;however,its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigatedthe protective effects of fucoidan against DSS-induced colitis andexplored microbiota-associated metabolic changes that were linkedto its protective effects. Fucoidan alleviated colonic injury, improvedepithelial barrier integrity, and reshaped the gut microbial profile,including reduced Pseudomonadota levels and the enrichment of beneficialtaxa. Targeted metabolomics identified citraconic acid (CA) as a candidatemetabolite associated with fucoidan-mediated protection. Antibioticdepletion suggested that fucoidan-associated CA accumulation was partiallydependent on the gut microbiota. CA reduced colitis severity, attenuatedferroptosis-related oxidative stress, and improved barrier function,accompanied by enhanced Nrf2-associated antioxidant responses andthe restoration of SLC7A11 and GPX4 expression. In vitro, CA reducedmitochondrial Fe<sup>2+</sup> accumulation and lipid peroxidationwhile enhancing tight junction protein expression. These results highlighta microbiota-associated metabolic mechanism underlying fucoidan-mediatedintestinal protection and identify CA as a potential mediator of itsanti-inflammatory activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"74 40","pages":"31715–31730"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149090823","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":"Eupatilin Attenuates Mastitis in Dairy Cows by Activating the NRF2 Pathway","authors":"Yiyi Zhao, Qingqing Zhou, Xinyuan Zhang, Gefen Yin, Junlong Bi, Jie Hou, Xiaobing Li, Zhiyuan Fang","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c02196","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c02196","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Antibiotic treatment of mastitis in dairy cows can causeantibioticresidues and antimicrobial resistance, highlighting the urgent needfor eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives. Here, we show thatdairy cows with mastitis have severe inflammation, apoptosis, andoxidative stress in mammary tissue. Eupatilin (EU), a natural compoundderived from <em>Artemisia argyi</em>, alleviatedLPS-induced pathological damage in bovine mammary epithelial cells(BMECs) by enhancing the transcriptional activity of NRF2. Knockdownof <em>NRF2</em> abolished the protective effects of EU againstLPS-induced inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in BMECs,whereas overexpression of <em>NRF2</em> did not further enhancethese effects. Importantly, the protective effect of EU against LPS-inducedmastitis in mice was fully reversed by pharmacological inhibitionof NRF2. This work not only identifies NRF2 as a potential therapeutictarget for combating mastitis but also identifies EU as a promisingtherapeutic agent and an effective non-antibiotic option for the prophylaxisand therapy of mastitis.</p>","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"74 40","pages":"31568–31582"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149091155","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":"Metabolite-Guided\u0000Regulation of the Rhizosphere Microbiome\u0000by a Synthetic Microbial Consortium and Key Mixed Metabolites Suppresses\u0000Root Rot Disease in\u0000 Fritillaria pallidiflora","authors":"Guang Yang,Jianrui Dong,Bing Qin,Xiaodan Zhang,Yanyan Xu,Hegan Dong,Wenqin Zhao","doi":"10.1021/acs.jafc.6c11017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c11017","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Continuous cropping can weaken soil disease suppression, but its microbial and metabolic bases remain unclear. We compared first-planting and replant rhizospheres of Fritillaria pallidiflora at 2-, 3-, and 4-year cultivation stages sampled in different calendar years using soil analysis, sequencing, metabolomics, and pot experiments. Replant soils had a higher root rot incidence, greater Fusarium solani abundance, and lower microbial network complexity and stability. Nitrate, ammonium, and electrical conductivities were associated with community restructuring. Five metabolites were linked to disease incidence and microbial taxa. A synthetic community (SynCom) of four Bacillus strains and one Brevibacillus laterosporus strain reduced F. solani abundance and disease incidence, enriched beneficial bacteria, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, and promoted growth. All five strains were recovered from the rhizosphere after 30 days. Combining the SynCom with the five metabolites produced the strongest disease suppression and plant growth. These findings support the evaluation of metabolite-guided microbial consortia for disease management.","PeriodicalId":41,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","volume":"80 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149209869","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}