Food & Function最新文献

{"title":"Pentagalloylglucose induces ferroptosis-related cell death by disrupting lipid homeostasis through the let-7a-5p/LIN28B/SREBP1 axis in colorectal cancer.","authors":"Seong-Uk Lee, Yoshinori Fujimura, Kwanwoo Lee, Tomomi Morikawa-Ichinose, Motofumi Kumazoe, Hirofumi Tachibana","doi":"10.1039/d6fo02997c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo02997c","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by metabolic reprogramming, including lipid accumulation, which promotes tumor progression and resistance to cell death. Although 1,2,3,4,6-penta-<i>O</i>-galloyl-β-D-glucose (PGG) has reported anticancer effects, its effects on lipid metabolism and ferroptosis-related cell death in CRC remain unclear. We investigated these effects in CRC cells and an MC38 syngeneic tumor model. PGG decreased triglyceride levels in three CRC cell lines, whereas cell viability decreased only in SW620 cells. In SW620 cells, PGG decreased lipid droplet accumulation and induced expression of let-7a-5p, a tumor-suppressive microRNA involved in lipid regulation. Lin-28 homolog B (LIN28B), a target of let-7a, regulates sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1 (SREBP1)-associated lipogenic signaling. PGG and a let-7a-5p mimic reduced LIN28B and precursor and mature SREBP1 expression, along with downstream lipogenic protein expression. Both treatments also decreased glutathione and the ferroptosis-protective proteins solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), while increasing lipid peroxidation. The ferroptosis inhibitors ferrostatin-1, liproxstatin-1, and deferoxamine attenuated lipid peroxidation and the reduction in cell viability. LIN28B overexpression attenuated PGG-induced changes in SREBP1, SLC7A11, and GPX4 expression and lipid peroxidation. Similar changes in lipid metabolism and ferroptosis-related signaling were observed in MC38 cells. Oral PGG administration inhibited tumor growth in MC38 tumor-bearing mice. Intratumoral let-7a-5p expression increased, whereas triglyceride levels and LIN28B, SREBP1, SLC7A11, and GPX4 expression decreased. Collectively, these findings suggest that PGG alters lipid homeostasis through a pathway involving let-7a-5p, LIN28B, and SREBP1 and that ferroptosis-related lipid peroxidation contributes to its effects in responsive CRC cells.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149163309","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":"Jaboticaba peel extract attenuates mesenchymal behavior and vasculogenic mimicry in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells under enzalutamide treatment.","authors":"Jaqueline de Souza Gianchetto, Iara Lopes Lemos, Mário Roberto Maróstica, Valéria Helena Alves Cagnon, Fabio Montico","doi":"10.1039/d6fo03101c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo03101c","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Jaboticaba (<i>Plinia cauliflora</i>) is a Brazilian fruit rich in bioactive substances that are concentrated in the fruit peel. Accordingly, jaboticaba peel extract (JPE) has emerged as a potential adjuvant therapy against prostatic lesions due to its antioxidant and chemopreventive properties verified in the prostatic microenvironment associated with senescence and hormone-dependent prostate cancer (PCa). At the same time, it is known that disease progression involves mechanisms of tumor neovascularization, such as vasculogenic mimicry (VM), which is frequently associated with therapeutic resistance. Therefore, this study aimed to expand previous investigations into the context of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) by evaluating the modulation of cellular plasticity mechanisms, such as VM and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), in response to treatment with JPE, either alone or in combination with androgen ablation induced by enzalutamide. Results indicated that the CRPC cell line PC-3 exhibits greater resistance to both therapies when compared with the androgen-dependent LNCaP cell line. Despite this, JPE demonstrated the ability to inhibit the invasion and migration of PC-3 cells, in addition to negatively modulating the acquisition of mesenchymal traits and the formation of VM by these cells upon exposure to enzalutamide. Thus, our <i>in vitro</i> findings demonstrate that although its antitumor actions are more pronounced under hormonal dependence conditions, JPE also has potential as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of CRPC, particularly by impairing tumor cell mesenchymal behaviors, such as increased migratory capacity and the formation of vascular channels through VM.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149163742","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":"The dual action of Mume Fructus against <i>Helicobacter pylori</i>: targeting bacterial viability and virulence.","authors":"Xinyi Wu, Yingchao Wang, Yuanlin Luo, Xiaozhuan Jia, Chenfeng Xu, Hui Zhuge, Xueying Xu, Shuhua Xu, Peiwei Li, Yi Wang, Zhenzhong Yang, Yuehua Han","doi":"10.1039/d6fo03153f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo03153f","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To tackle the global challenge of <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> antibiotic resistance, this study screened aqueous extracts from 17 edible plants with reported anti-<i>H. pylori</i> potential and found Mume Fructus extract (MFE) as a potential food-derived anti-<i>H. pylori</i> candidate, and subsequently investigated its efficacy and mechanisms. MFE exerted potent and consistent inhibitory activity against both standard and multidrug-resistant (MDR) <i>H. pylori</i> strains. It alleviated gastric inflammation and restored the mucosal structure in mice, and protected GES-1 cells from <i>H. pylori</i>-induced damage in a dose-dependent manner. Organic acids were identified as the potential key compounds with enhanced cytoprotective effects. MFE and its organic acids significantly downregulated <i>H. pylori</i> virulence genes, whereas organic acids bound to the CagA oncoprotein. These findings suggest that MFE exerts anti-<i>H. pylori</i> effects through direct bacterial growth suppression and virulence attenuation. Given its potent anti-MDR strain activity and favorable safety, MFE represents a promising functional food ingredient for the adjunctive dietary management of <i>H. pylori</i> infection.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149134375","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 remodeling of age-stratified immature citrus peel (Qingpi) by pectinase hydrolysis: antioxidant activity and protection against ethanol-induced HepG2 cell injury.","authors":"Siliang Wu, Xueying Song, Yihan Mu, Guochang Huo, Lyndon Li, Menglan Huo, Mouming Zhao, Guowan Su","doi":"10.1039/d6fo03351b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo03351b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pectinase-assisted processing may enhance the functional value of immature citrus peel (Qingpi, QCP), but the links between matrix degradation, metabolite remodeling, and bioactivity remain unclear. QCP aged for 1, 3, 7, and 10 years and their corresponding pectinase hydrolysates (QCPEH) were evaluated using antioxidant assays, an ethanol-injured HepG2 model, metabolite profiling, chemical-space analysis, network pharmacology, molecular docking, single-compound validation, and RT-qPCR. Pectinase hydrolysis enhanced DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP responses at all aging periods, with 10-QCPEH showing the strongest overall activity. In HepG2 cells, 10-QCPEH reduced LDH release, ALT and AST activities, ROS and MDA levels, restored SOD activity, and partially recovered ADH and ALDH activities. Changes in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were not statistically significant. Pectinase treatment decreased pectin molecular weight and remodeled both VOC and NVOC profiles, supporting increased metabolite accessibility. Tangeretin, thymol, and nobiletin each reduced ROS accumulation and LDH release. Aromaticity was positively correlated with DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP activities (<i>ρ</i> = 0.90-0.95, <i>q</i> < 0.05). Network and docking analyses highlighted targets related to redox regulation, metabolism, inflammation, and cell survival. RT-qPCR further showed increased HMOX1 and PPARA and decreased PPARG, RELA, TNF, and PTGS2 expression, whereas AKT1 was not significantly altered. These findings support pectinase hydrolysis as a strategy to improve the functional potential of aged QCP through matrix depolymerization and metabolite remodeling.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149134352","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":"Short-term bioavailability of EPA and DHA from an algae oil-fortified soymilk compared with algae oil capsules.","authors":"Austin Angelotti, Abigail Sommer, Taylor K Beck, Min Zeng, Nicole Abbott, Steven K Clinton, Martha A Belury, Yael Vodovotz","doi":"10.1039/d6fo03024f","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d6fo03024f","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although dietary guidelines emphasize consuming foods rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), intakes remain below recommended levels in many populations worldwide. To address this concern, we developed an algae oil-fortified soymilk beverage and assessed its short-term chronic bioavailability compared to algae oil capsules. In a 4-week, open-label, randomized parallel trial, 21 healthy adults consumed either an algae oil-fortified soymilk beverage (200 mg EPA, 320 mg DHA) or a closely matching dose of algae oil-fortified capsules (230 mg EPA, 380 mg DHA) daily. The primary endpoint was the change in red blood cell (RBC) EPA and DHA, with plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) profiles assessed secondarily. Both groups exhibited significantly increased EPA and DHA across all blood compartments over the 4-week intervention. Although the capsule group showed a greater unadjusted increase in RBC and plasma DHA, no significant difference in EPA or DHA accumulation remained after normalizing for dose and compliance. Therefore, fortified soymilk is a well-tolerated delivery vehicle for algae oil which increases RBC EPA and DHA offering a comparable food-based alternative to traditional capsules.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13647988/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149134379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coffee pulp and silverskin modulate hippocampal and hypothalamic proteomes in rats with fructose-induced metabolic syndrome.","authors":"Henrique Santos, Nelson Andrade, Hugo Osório, Francisca Carmo, Maria Beatriz P P Oliveira, Rita C Alves, Bruno Manadas, Fátima Martel","doi":"10.1039/d6fo02633h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo02633h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Coffee pulp (CP) and silverskin (SSK), two major coffee industry by-products, were recently shown to ameliorate metabolic syndrome (MetS) features induced by high-fructose feeding in rats. This work investigated, using proteomic analysis, whether CP and SSK induce changes in the hypothalamus and hippocampus relevant to fructose-induced MetS. In the hippocampus, high fructose consumption altered pathways related to the extracellular matrix (ECM), ECM-receptor interaction, cell-cell adhesion, synaptic transmission, and neuronal excitability. A highly coherent functional module centered on basement membrane (BM) proteins (COL4A1, COL4A2, LAMA2, LAMA4 and LAMA5) was identified. CP and SSK produced proteomic signatures suggestive of structural remodeling, particularly involving BM-related proteins associated with age-dependent changes in BM stability, neurovascular function, and cognitive trajectories. Of note, changes in the abundance of three proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases observed following fructose feeding were not observed in animals co-treated with CP (VCCG3) or SSK (RETSAT and S100A6). In the hypothalamus, fructose consumption altered proteins involved in neuronal signaling and calcium dynamics, metabolism and stress response, gene regulation, cytoskeletal organization, and membrane-associated processes. CP mainly affected pathways associated with the neuronal cell body, whereas SSK predominantly influenced GTP binding and membrane-bounded organelles. Overall, fructose induced specific proteomic alterations in the hippocampus and hypothalamus and, in the hippocampus, CP and SSK altered proteins associated with neurovascular function and cognitive trajectories, consistent with a potential association with neuroprotective processes in the context of fructose-induced MetS. Distinct proteomic signatures observed with CP and SSK under standard and high-fructose diets further indicate specific protective mechanisms of these coffee by-products.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126124","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":"Microbiota-derived urolithins and cortical thickness in cognitively healthy older adults: a longitudinal MRI analysis of the WAHA trial.","authors":"Polina Galkina, Inés Domínguez-López, Montserrat Cofán, Carola Pozzoli, Anna Vallverdú-Queralt, Mercè Serra-Mir, Gemma Chiva-Blanch, Sujatha Rajaram, Joan Sabaté, Aleix Sala-Vila, Emilio Ros, Rosa M Lamuela-Raventós","doi":"10.1039/d6fo02116f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo02116f","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cortical thickness, assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is a biomarker of age-related neurodegeneration. Walnut ellagitannins may influence brain structure <i>via</i> gut microbiota-derived urolithins. We examined whether longitudinal changes in urinary urolithins are associated with concurrent changes in cortical thickness in cognitively healthy older adults. This longitudinal MRI sub-study was conducted within the Walnuts and Healthy Aging study, a two-center (Barcelona, Spain and Loma Linda, California) randomized controlled trial testing the effects of 2-year daily walnut consumption <i>vs</i>. a control diet on age-related health outcomes in older individuals. A subset of participants from the Barcelona center underwent structural MRI at baseline and after 2 years. Urinary urolithin concentrations were quantified by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry, and their changes were related to concurrent changes in cortical thickness using multivariable-adjusted linear regression models, with analyses stratified by urolithin metabotype to account for inter-individual variability. A total of 104 participants were included. Among those allocated to the walnut diet (<i>n</i> = 55), greater increases in urolithin A (<i>β</i> = 0.023 [95% CI, 0.003-0.043] per 1-SD), urolithin C (<i>β</i> = 0.015 [95% CI, <0.001-0.029] per 1-SD), and its glucuronide conjugate (<i>β</i> = 0.017 [95% CI, 0.002-0.031] per 1-SD) were associated longitudinally with preservation of cortical thickness, predominantly in right-hemisphere regions. Associations were more pronounced among metabotype B individuals. These findings provide novel clinical evidence linking microbiota-derived (poly)phenol metabolites to brain aging and support a precision nutrition framework. Trial registration: Clinical trials.gov as NCT01634841.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126098","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":"Gut microbiota alterations associated with dietary inflammation and sarcopenia in humans and aged mice: insights from integrated metabolomic analysis.","authors":"Shan Li, Keke Ren, Xilin Yang, Qinghua Zhao, Huanhuan Huang","doi":"10.1039/d6fo03587f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo03587f","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Objective</i>: To investigate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and sarcopenia risk in older adults and identify cross-species microbial signatures linking dietary inflammatory burden with muscle phenotypes. <i>Methods</i>: A total of 1048 older adults were enrolled, and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the association between the DII and sarcopenia risk. A sub-cohort of representative participants (<i>n</i> = 86) underwent fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In parallel, a 10-week pro-inflammatory dietary intervention in naturally aged mice was conducted, followed by gut microbiome and skeletal muscle untargeted metabolomic profiling. Cross-species microbial signatures were identified by integrating human and mouse microbiome data. <i>Results</i>: Higher DII scores were associated with a greater prevalence of sarcopenia (OR = 1.305, 95% CI: 1.128-1.509). No significant difference in gut microbial α-diversity was observed between participants with and without sarcopenia, whereas β-diversity differed significantly between the two groups (<i>p</i> = 0.005). In aged mice, pro-inflammatory dietary intervention reduced grip strength and lean body mass and altered gut microbiota composition and skeletal muscle metabolic profiles. Group-by-time interaction effects for forelimb and all-limb grip strength remained significant after FDR correction (<i>q</i> < 0.05). Metabolomic changes were mainly enriched in lipid and amino acid metabolism pathways. Cross-species integration identified conserved microbial signatures, including the Family XIII AD3011 group, <i>Akkermansia</i>, and <i>Fusobacterium</i>. <i>Conclusions</i>: Higher dietary inflammatory burden is associated with increased sarcopenia risk and impaired muscle function in older adults. Gut microbiota alterations and skeletal muscle metabolic remodeling may contribute to this association. The identified cross-species microbial signatures provide potential targets for future mechanistic studies and nutritional interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126132","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":"The gut-kidney-brain axis in chronic kidney disease: mechanisms and nutritional interventions for cognitive protection.","authors":"Shivam Patil, Gaurav Mahesh Doshi","doi":"10.1039/d6fo02137a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo02137a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly recognised as a systemic disorder extending beyond renal impairment to include cognitive decline. The present review focuses on the mechanisms through which CKD and cognitive impairment are connected in the gut-kidney-brain axis, especially when considering the role played by nutrition as a possible target for interventions. Sources of literature were identified in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar up until 2026 and included in the present analysis clinical trials, systematic reviews and studies in peer-reviewed journals related to nutritional, microbial and cognitive outcomes in CKD. From both interventional and observational data, CKD is characterised by a reduction in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria such as <i>Faecalibacterium prausnitzii</i> and <i>Roseburia</i> spp., as well as an increase in proteolytic organisms responsible for uremic toxin production with a consequent elevation in indoxyl sulphate (IS) and <i>p</i>-cresyl sulphate (PCS). Metabolic abnormalities in IS and PCS have been linked to the disruption of blood-brain barrier (BBB), microglial activation, and impaired attention, executive function and memory in human subjects, while animal studies suggest additional impairments including neuronal cell death and learning impairment in hippocampus, although causality cannot be confirmed in humans. Deficiencies of proteins, vitamin B, vitamin D, magnesium, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are frequently found in CKD and contribute to the above-mentioned problems. Renal-adapted Mediterranean diet, supplementation with micronutrients guided by biomarkers and synbiotics reduce levels of PCS and inflammation, while prebiotics and synbiotics perform better than probiotics, although no cognitive endpoints were defined in most studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149101260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of fermentation on the bioaccessibility and bioactivity of xanthophylls (lutein and zeaxanthin) in selected fruits and vegetables: an <i>in vitro</i> Caco-2 study.","authors":"Jenani Sutharsan, Alison Jones, Jian Zhao, Jayashree Arcot","doi":"10.1039/d6fo02265k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6fo02265k","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids that play a significant role in maintaining eye health and must be obtained from dietary sources, as humans cannot synthesise them <i>de novo</i>. However, their concentrations in foods are generally very low. This study evaluates the role of fermentation in enhancing the bioaccessibility of xanthophylls in twelve commonly consumed fruits and vegetables. In addition, it investigates the cellular uptake and bioactivity of raw and fermented kale and corn, which contain detectable levels of both lutein and zeaxanthin. The Lutein and zeaxanthin contents increased by 30-50% in fermented vegetables after five days of spontaneous fermentation. Similarly, cellular uptake of those compounds increased by 35% and 38% in kale and corn, respectively. Fermented kale and corn also demonstrated a 45-50% reduction in cytokine production in response to induced inflammatory and oxidative stress in Caco-2 cells, indicating enhanced anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Full-length 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that <i>Leuconostoc mesenteroides</i>, <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i>, <i>Lactococcus lactis</i> and <i>Weissella confusa</i> were the dominant bacteria in fermented corn and kale. The consistent increase in lutein and zeaxanthin observed during the controlled fermentation of kale and corn using bacteria isolated from their respective spontaneously fermented samples further supports the beneficial role of spontaneous and controlled fermentation in enhancing xanthophylls in plant foods.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149101304","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}