Food & Function最新文献

{"title":"Metabolomic signatures of probiotic secretomes reveal strain-specific biofunctional potential: insights from <i>Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus</i> R0011 and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175.","authors":"Fang Lu, Chad W Macpherson, Israa Haj-Husein, Matthias S Klein, Michèle M Iskandar, Stan Kubow","doi":"10.1039/d5fo05684e","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d5fo05684e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Probiotic secretomes are cell-free byproducts of bacterial growth, which contain bioactive metabolites. These metabolites have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and mediate the host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions. However, the metabolomic profiles of probiotic secretomes are strain-specific and have not been fully investigated. Untargeted metabolomic analysis was used to characterise the metabolomic profiles of <i>Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus</i> R0011 (R11) secretome (LR) and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 (R175) secretome (BL). LR and BL had distinct metabolomic profiles. LR exhibits a greater relative abundance of branched-chain hydroxy and aromatic lactic acids, mannitol/sorbitol, mevalonate and flavin mononucleotide. BL is characterized by higher relative abundance of indolelactate, γ-glutamylamino acid, niacin-related metabolites, and organic acids in the citric acid cycle. This study is the first to reveal distinct metabolomic signatures of two widely used probiotic species, providing new insights into their strain-specific roles in host health and microbiome modulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":"9177-9191"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149101291","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":"Peptide profiling of casein peptide reveals its anti-diabetic effects <i>via</i> DPP-IV inhibition and IRS1/PI3K/AKT signaling.","authors":"Shengnan Liang, Jiarui Li, Zifu Zhao, Yiming He, Jingwen Wang, Lu Zhang, Chun Li, Libo Liu, Guofang Zhang, Jian He","doi":"10.1039/d6fo03739a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo03739a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing global health burden, increasing demand for safe food-derived strategies for glycemic control. Casein-derived peptides have potential metabolic benefits, but their antidiabetic mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, casein peptide (CNP), enriched in low-molecular-weight peptides (<3 kDa), was investigated as the principal bioactive intervention for T2DM regulation. LC-MS/MS identified 880 peptides; among the 50 most abundant, all were predicted to inhibit DPP-IV, 26 to inhibit α-glucosidase, and one to inhibit α-amylase. CNP inhibited DPP-IV <i>in vitro</i> in a concentration-dependent manner (IC₅₀ = 5.06 ± 0.41 mg mL^-1) and crossed Caco-2 monolayers partly through endocytosis and PepT1-mediated transport. In HFD/STZ-induced T2DM mice, CNP improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, ameliorated dyslipidemia, attenuated tissue injury and systemic inflammation, and restored GLP-1/DPP-IV balance and IRS1/PI3K/AKT signaling. These findings identify CNP as a key food-derived bioactive peptide system that modulates T2DM through complementary effects on intestinal transport, incretin regulation, glucose-lipid homeostasis, inflammation, and insulin signaling, supporting its potential for development as a functional food ingredient for T2DM management.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219633","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":"Vinegar polyphenol extract alleviates alcohol-induced liver injury through suppressing the hepatic MAPK signaling pathway and restoring gut microbiota homeostasis and short-chain fatty acid generation in male mice.","authors":"Yunfan Liu, Yueting Qiu, Defu Li, Shengyu Zhai, Ting Xia, Min Wang","doi":"10.1039/d6fo02941h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo02941h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Traditional brewed vinegar is rich in polyphenolic compounds that exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities. However, the protective mechanisms of vinegar polyphenol extract (VE) against alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) involving gut homeostasis remain unclear. The phenolic composition of VE was characterized using UPLC-QTrap-MS/MS. Its hepatoprotective mechanisms in alcohol-treated mice were investigated through hepatic transcriptomic profiling and identification of key signaling pathways. Additionally, whether the hepatoprotective effects of VE were dependent on the gut microbiota were explored <i>via</i> antibiotic-mediated microbiota depletion and fecal microbiota transplantation. Twenty phenolic compounds were identified in VE, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid was the predominant component accounting for 46.67%. VE administration at 750 mg kg^-1 significantly reduced serum ALT and AST levels, attenuated hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation, and suppressed alcohol-induced phosphorylation of p38, JNK, and ERK1/2. Meanwhile, VE restored the integrity of the intestinal barrier and reduced the LPS burden. Moreover, VE remodeled the gut microbiota by upregulating <i>Akkermansia</i> and <i>Bacteroides</i> and reducing <i>Escherichia</i>, which was accompanied by restoration of SCFA generation, notably acetic acid and propionic acid. Microbiota depletion weakened the protective effects of VE, whereas fecal microbiota transplantation restored its hepatoprotective activity. These findings suggest that VE alleviates alcohol-associated liver disease by suppressing the hepatic MAPK signaling pathway and restoring intestinal homeostasis. VE is a promising food-derived functional ingredient for the prevention of ALD.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149219614","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":"Daily consumption of unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts beneficially affects regional brain insulin responsiveness in older adults: results of a longer-term randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Lucia Kerkhof, Ronald P Mensink, Jogchum Plat, Kevin M R Nijssen, Peter J Joris","doi":"10.1039/d6fo03208g","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6fo03208g","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brain insulin responsiveness is implicated in age-related metabolic and cognitive conditions. We previously reported that daily consumption of unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts improved memory in older adults. Here, we investigated whether changes in brain insulin responsiveness may contribute to these effects. In a randomized, single-blind, controlled crossover study, 31 older adults (67 ± 4 years) consumed either 60 g day^-1 of unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts or followed a no-peanut control period for 16 weeks, separated by an 8-week washout. Brain insulin responsiveness was assessed as changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) following intranasal insulin administration using arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging (ASL-MRI). Intrahepatic lipid (IHL) content was quantified using abdominal MRI. Fasting blood samples were evaluated for markers of glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and low-grade systemic inflammation. Whole-brain analysis identified one region in the right hemisphere showing reduced CBF responses to intranasal insulin after peanut intake compared with the control (mean difference: -5.4 ± 5.4 mL per 100 g tissue per min; cluster size = 552 mm³, <i>P</i> = 0.044). Harvard-Oxford atlas localization yielded the highest average probabilities for the lingual gyrus (20%), hippocampus (14%), parahippocampal gyrus (11%), thalamus (2%), and posterior cingulate gyrus (1%). Intrahepatic lipid content and circulating markers of glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and low-grade systemic inflammation remained unchanged. These findings suggest that 16 weeks of unsalted, skin-roasted peanut consumption had a potentially beneficial effect on regional brain insulin responsiveness in memory-related brain regions in older adults. This response may contribute to the previously observed cognitive benefits of peanut intake in this population. Clinical Trial Registry: This trial was registered at clinicaltrial.gov as NCT05724654.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":"9354-9364"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126073","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":"Tectochrysin, a propolis-associated flavone, suppresses colorectal cancer progression and modulates ERBB4-associated signalling.","authors":"Yuheng Du, Yu Wang, Zhiwu Wang, Qingke Li, Lei Wang, Dan Li, Zhuo Wang, Feiya Jiang, Yang Wang, Xuan Zheng, Yufeng Li, Hui Zhao, Jingwu Li","doi":"10.1039/d6fo00448b","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6fo00448b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tectochrysin is a propolis-associated methoxylated flavone with reported anticancer activity, but its actions in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain incompletely defined. In CRC mouse models, tectochrysin reduced orthotopic tumor-associated bioluminescence and the numbers of histologically identified lung and liver metastatic nodules. <i>In vitro</i>, tectochrysin reduced CRC-cell viability, EdU incorporation, spheroid formation, wound closure, Matrigel invasion, and tumor-cell-conditioned HUVEC network formation. In orthotopic tumors, tectochrysin was associated with lower LGR5, EpCAM, VEGFA, and VEGFR1 immunoreactivity and lower CD31-positive microvessel density. Exploratory transcriptomic analysis prioritised ERBB4-associated signalling for follow-up. Molecular docking predicted tectochrysin poses within the ERBB4 kinase pocket, and surface plasmon resonance provided biophysical evidence of an interaction with immobilised ERBB4 under the assay conditions. Tectochrysin reduced selected ERBB4-AKT/ERK signalling readouts, and ERBB4 gain- and loss-of-function modified selected signalling and EMT-associated responses. Although liver weight increased in the T10 metastasis cohort, endpoint serum ALT and AST in that cohort and complementary non-tumour liver histology in an orthotopic cohort did not indicate overt hepatic injury under the tested regimen. Collectively, these findings support ERBB4 as a contributor to tectochrysin-responsive signalling while emphasising the need for orthogonal target-validation, pharmacokinetic, and bioavailability studies before nutritional or translational relevance can be established.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":"9323-9339"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149101236","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":"Plant-based diets, cognitive function, and Alzheimer's disease.","authors":"Grace Austin, Jessica J A Ferguson, Shaun Eslick, Manohar L Garg, Ralph Martins","doi":"10.1039/d6fo01946c","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6fo01946c","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Background</i>: Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents 60-70% of global dementia cases, with up to 45% attributed to modifiable risk factors. Plant-based diets (PBDs) are increasingly recognised for their potential benefits on the gut microbiome, cardiometabolic risk factors and prevention of neurodegenerative disorders. This narrative review synthesises PBDs association with cognitive decline and AD risk. <i>Methods</i>: This review aims to summarise evidence from observational and interventional studies examining vegan, vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian dietary patterns, and PBD indices in relation to cognitive function, incident dementia, AD biomarkers, and neuroimaging outcomes. <i>Results</i>: Long-term observational studies suggest greater adherence to vegan, vegetarian and healthy PBD indexs are associated with lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia, while higher intake of red and processed meat is linked to increased risk. Pesco-vegetarian dietary patterns and higher fish intake appear to confer benefits in memory tests and reduced risk of all-cause dementia, although research is limited. Mechanistically, PBDs are rich in unsaturated fats, fibre, polyphenols and low in saturated fats, which contribute to improving lipid profiles, glycaemic control, endothelial function, and favourable gut-derived metabolites, thereby reducing cardiometabolic burden that is known to accelerate early-stage AD pathophysiology. However, nutritional considerations, including potential deficiencies in vitamin B₁₂ and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, require consideration when following a PBD. <i>Conclusions</i>: Current evidence suggests PBDs may support cognitive health and reduce the risk of dementia including AD through vascular and metabolic pathways, though long-term interventional studies incorporating biomarkers and neuroimaging are needed to clarify effects and optimise dietary recommendations for AD prevention.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":"8894-8912"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987258","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":"Comment on \"The overlooked impact of background diet and adherence in nutrition trials\" by J. I. Ottaviani, H. Schroeter, D. M. Bier, J. W. Erdman, Jr, H. D. Sesso, J. E. Manson and G. G. C. Kuhnle, <i>Food Funct.</i>, 2025, <b>16</b>, 5733-5743.","authors":"Jacob Lessard-Lord, Claudine Manach, Lorraine Brennan, Yves Desjardins, Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier","doi":"10.1039/d6fo00861e","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6fo00861e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Inter-individual variability in gVLM_B microbial metabolism and the short-excretion kinetics of SREM_B limit biomarkers reclassification of flavanol intake in the COSMOS trial, warranting dedicated validation for intended use.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":"9365-9368"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068699","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":"Curcumin in inflammatory bowel disease: highlighting gut microbiota-metabolite-host interactions.","authors":"Junning Pu, Yinglin Ding, Guo Chen, Wei Chen, Bing Yu, Chen Liu","doi":"10.1039/d6fo03442j","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6fo03442j","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is driven by a complex interplay among epithelial barrier breakdown, immune dysregulation, microbial dysbiosis, and redox imbalance. Curcumin, a major curcuminoid from turmeric (<i>Curcuma longa</i> L.) and a widely used food ingredient, has attracted sustained interest as a dietary bioactive for IBD prevention and adjunct management. Notably, curcumin shows low systemic bioavailability, allowing a substantial fraction to reach the distal gut, where it can be biotransformed by the gut microbiota and act locally on the mucosa. This review synthesises recent evidence on: (i) curcumin's gastrointestinal fate, including host conjugation and microbial reduction to more stable metabolites; (ii) the bidirectional curcumin-microbiota relationship, whereby baseline microbial functions shape curcumin metabolism and response, while curcumin remodels microbial ecology and metabolite outputs (short-chain fatty acids, bile acids and tryptophan-derived indoles); and (iii) downstream host pathways linked to barrier integrity, NF-κB and MAPK signalling, immune cell polarisation, and redox-sensitive programmes (Nrf2 and ferroptosis susceptibility). We further discuss food-grade formulation and delivery strategies that tune colonic exposure and microbiota engagement, and outline research priorities for evidence mapping, responder stratification and standardised biomarkers to accelerate translation of curcumin-based functional foods for IBD.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":"8857-8879"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149101267","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":"Development and evaluation of oat β-glucan enriched white wheat bread: physicochemical properties, sensory acceptance and effects on cardiometabolic risk markers in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects with overweight/obesity.","authors":"Stavroula Koroyannaki, Kalliopi Maria Makriyanni, Maria Christina Kanata, Vaios T Karathanos, Athanasios Abeliatis, Ioanna A Anastasiou, Alexander Kokkinos, Amalia E Yanni","doi":"10.1039/d6fo02784a","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6fo02784a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cereal β-glucans are recognized for their positive health-promoting effects, including hypocholesterolemic and postprandial glucose-lowering properties. In this study, a β-glucan-enriched white wheat bread (OBG) was developed (2.1 g per 100 g) and characterized regarding its physicochemical and sensory properties. The effect of daily consumption of OBG on the lipid profile, metabolic parameters, inflammation and oxidative stress in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects with overweight/obesity (LDL-C 115-170 mg dL^-1, BMI 25-35 kg m^-2) following a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet was evaluated compared to an isocaloric white wheat bread (WWB). OBG dough showed higher viscosity, elasticity, and hardness than WWB dough (<i>p</i> < 0.05). OBG bread was more yellowish, had lower specific volume and surface porosity, and received higher scores for most sensory attributes (<i>p</i> < 0.05). At the end of the intervention, both groups exhibited reduced body weight, BMI, and waist and hip circumferences (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Fat mass decreased more in the OBG group (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas fat-free mass decreased only in the WWB group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Compared to the WWB group, the OBG group achieved greater percentage reductions in fasting glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C (<i>p</i> < 0.05) with a similar trend for apolipoprotein B (<i>p</i> = 0.071). C-reactive protein decreased in both groups, with a greater reduction in the OBG group, while total antioxidant capacity increased only in the OBG group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Systematic consumption of OBG improved the metabolic profile, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers, thus enhancing the beneficial effects of a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet alone. OBG showed acceptable physicochemical characteristics and high sensory scores, highlighting its feasibility as a functional food suitable for everyday consumption. These findings suggest that incorporation of oat β-glucan-enriched bread into a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet may provide additional cardiometabolic benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":"9078-9094"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149072925","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":"Potential of alfalfa seeds as a source of protein concentrates for human consumption.","authors":"Sayantini Paul, Mukti Singh, Sean Liu, Devin Rose, Kaustav Majumder","doi":"10.1039/d6fo00262e","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6fo00262e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.), primarily grown as high-quality forage, contains more than 30% protein in its seeds and represents a promising yet underutilized resource for food applications. This study investigated protein extraction from alfalfa seeds using combinations of saline (0-5% NaCl; S0-S5) and pH (2, 10, and 12; P2, P10, P12, respectively) conditions. Based on yield and purity, water at pH 2 (S0P2), pH 10 (S0P10), and pH 12 (S0P12) was selected. Protein purity did not differ significantly (<i>p</i> > 0.05); however, S0P10 exhibited higher soluble protein content (61.05%) and higher total essential amino acid content (39.23 g per 100 g) than S0P2 and S0P12 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The pH-dependent solubility of S0P2 (40-70%) remained lower at pH 2, 7, and 9 than those of S0P10 (86-90%) and S0P12 (67-94%) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The emulsifying activity index ranged from 56 to 71 m² g^-1, with S0P12 exhibiting the highest value (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Emulsion stability was higher in S0P10 (17.5%). Foam stability and foaming capacity ranged from 95 to 97% and 15 to 22%, respectively. The Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) values for S0P10 were higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) across all groups (0.88 ± 0.03 for infants, 1.50 ± 0.08 for children, and 1.75 ± 0.10 for adults). Trypsin inhibitor activity and saponin content peaked in S0P10 (4.25 TUI mg^-1 and 13.5 mg g^-1), while phytic acid was highest in S0P2 (1.68 g per 100 g) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Water extraction at pH 10 resulted in higher yields, improved solubility, increased amino acid levels, favorable functionality, and higher DIAAS, establishing alfalfa seeds as a high-quality protein source for human consumption.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":"9147-9160"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149101294","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}