Bin Tan

BACKGROUND: Overweight induced by a high‐fat diet (HFD) is closely associated with dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and gut microbiota imbalance. Tea polyphenols have shown metabolic benefits; however, comparative information regarding their biological effects across different intervention doses remains limited. This study evaluated the effects of different doses of green tea polyphenols (GTP) on metabolic disorders in HFD‐induced overweight mice. RESULTS: Green tea polyphenols reduced body weight gain and improved lipid metabolism without affecting food intake, with the strongest overall effects observed in the 300 mg kg ⁻¹ group. Compared with the normal control (NC) group, the HFD group showed increased serum total cholesterol (TC) (+104.01%), triglyceride (TG) (+57.06%), and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) (+64.44%) levels and decreased high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) (−41.29%). These lipid disturbances were attenuated significantly by GTP intervention, especially in the 300 mg kg ⁻¹ group ( P < 0.05). GTP also alleviated liver injury and oxidative stress, as indicated by decreased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, increased catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, increased glutathione (GSH) levels, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In addition, GTP intervention was associated with increased colonic goblet cell numbers and changes in the expression of the tight‐junction proteins claudin‐1 and occludin. Gut microbiota analysis revealed a reduced Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio and enrichment of beneficial bacteria, with the high‐dose group showing a microbial profile closer to that of the normal controls. CONCLUSION: Green tea polyphenol ameliorated HFD‐induced metabolic abnormalities involving lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and intestinal barrier function, and these improvements were accompanied by marked alterations in gut microbial composition. Among the tested doses, 300 mg kg ⁻¹ showed the strongest overall effects. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of five different stabilization methods on the physicochemical properties of rice bran and to evaluate the quality of brown rice cakes prepared from stabilized rice bran. The results showed that the brightness of rice bran was decreased and the color darkened after stabilization treatments, and the lipase activity was significantly decreased. The water holding capacity and swelling capacity of rice bran treated with atmospheric pressure cooking and high-pressure cooking were significantly increased. Compared with control group, the quality (texture, cell structure and sensory) of BRCs with stabilized rice bran was improved. The BRC containing atmospheric pressure cooked rice bran showed the advantages of low hardness, enhanced elasticity, improved palatability and overall acceptability. In addition, the stabilized rice bran could improve the gel morphology by strengthening the interaction with starch, and the formation of starch-lipid complex also affected the performance of BRCs. Therefore, stabilization treatment of rice bran can effectively improve the physicochemical properties, and play a positive role in enhancing the quality of whole grain brown rice cakes.

Tianzao is a traditional fermented food with significant cultural and economic value in China with few studies for the storage cycle. This study explores the microbial community dynamics and metabolites of Tianzao during different storage periods. Tianzao samples stored continuously for months of 3 (T1), 6 (T2), 12 (T3), and 18 (T4) were analyzed mainly through illumina sequencing, GC-IMS (Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry), and LC-MS (Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). The results showed the microbial community structure of Tianzao changed significantly over time. Bacillus had the most abundance among bacterial genus, with the highest percentage in T3. Prevotella was most abundant in T4. Fungal Saccharomycopsis was the most prevalent in T1, T2, and T3. While Aspergillus dominated in T4. For microbial community structure, stochastic processes predominated, with drift being the most significant contributor. Metabolomic analysis showed amino acids were the highest abundance. Temporal analysis revealed significant shifts in metabolic pathways, with distinct metabolite profiles with each stage. GC-IMS highlights the differences in volatile profiles among four stages based on several aspects including fingerprint and PCA (Principal Component Analysis). Correlation analysis demonstrated that microbial community changes were significantly linked to variations in metabolite levels and volatile compounds. The dominant microbial groups, particularly Bacillus and Saccharomycopsis, were closely associated with key flavor compounds. The study shows a integrated overview of the microbial and metabolic dynamics during Tianzao storage, offering insights into improving product quality control. Graphical Abstract

Sweet fermented highland barley, a traditional whole grain food with abundant nutrients, is commonly consumed in Qinghai of China. However, little is studied about its microbial composition and metabolic compounds, limiting the development and industrialization. The study explored the microbial communities and metabolic compounds of the representative sweet fermented highland barley. According to the results, core operational taxonomic units (OTUs) mainly belong to Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Issatchenkia and Sacchromycopsis. Firmicutes and Ascomycota dominated in sweet fermented highland barley. Significant biomarker taxa were found. With network analysis, Bacillus, Weissella and Leuconostoc had more positively correlations with other taxa, while Pediococcus, Lactobacillus and Acetobacter had more negatively correlations with other taxa. The most enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan) pathways in the sweet fermented highland barley mainly included metabolism of different amino acids, nucleotide, starch and saccharose, and vitamin. The microorganisms were closely related with the chemical substances. The findings offer valuable insights into the microorganisms and their interactions with metabolic compounds, paving the way for further research and industrial applications. The identification of core microbial communities and their metabolic activities underscores the potential health benefits and nutritional value of sweet fermented highland barley.

BACKGROUND: To enhance the taste and flavor quality of brown rice cake, various processing methods are employed, including internal enzyme germination modification, extrusion, stabilization of rice bran, exogenous enzyme hydrolysis, and backfilling. This study aimed to compare the texture, volatile flavor substances, taste changes, and internal texture structure of brown rice cakes subjected to different modification treatments, thereby clarifying the impact of these treatments on the overall quality of the brown rice cake. RESULTS: Following extrusion and enzymatic hydrolysis, the characteristic viscosity and disintegration value of brown rice flour decreased, while the recovery value and gelatinization temperature increased significantly. This resulted in a notable improvement in the thermal stability of the rice flour. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed that the modification treatments altered the structures of cellulose and starch, increased the hydrophilic group –OH, and enhanced the cooking properties of brown rice. Compared with untreated brown rice, germination, extrusion combined with enzymatic hydrolysis significantly changed the starch and cellulose structure of the brown rice cake. At a 20° diffraction angle, the relative crystallinity of Daohuaxiang and Xiaozhan 919 brown rice cakes increased from 33.06% to 41.43% and from 23.47% to 24.95%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Germination treatment effectively improved the flavor quality and recovery characteristics of brown rice cake. Extruding rice bran treated with enzymatic hydrolysis and backfilling the brown rice cake significantly enhanced its texture and pore structure. Combining these two processing methods has the potential to comprehensively improve the quality characteristics of brown rice cake. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.