Lingyu Zhang

Sea buckthorn is a valuable medicinal and edible plant, but the sour and astringent taste of its fruit limits the development of the related processing industry. This study focused on establishing the optimal composite enzymatic hydrolysis strategy to reduce acerbity during processing of sea buckthorn berries, while preserving the antioxidant activity. The results indicated that the most effective conditions for deacidification and deastringency were achieved with a pectinase-to-tannase mass ratio of 1:1, an enzyme dosage of 0.20%, at a pH of 4.50, a temperature of 50 °C, and a duration of 4 h. Under this treatment, the sea buckthorn could retain its potent antioxidant activity. Furthermore, a significant alteration was observed in the levels of 36 metabolites, which were correlated with the sensory attributes of the sea buckthorn. The findings of this study provided a theoretical basis for the enhanced utilization of sea buckthorn in processing and for a deeper understanding of its bioactive properties.

A novel urea complexation technology was developed based on the agglomeration phenomenon induced by ambient-temperature agitation of a ternary system consisting of urea, water and fatty acid ethyl esters (EEs). The agglomeration phenomenon can be regarded as an intuitive indicator to judge the occurrence of urea complexation. Using docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) containing EE (DHA-EE) from Crypthecodinium cohnii oil as the substrate, key variables including agglomeration time, urea/DHA-EE ratio, water/DHA-EE ratio, and temperature were investigated. The urea complexation predominantly occurred within 15 min following agglomerate formation. Temperature in the range of 0–40°C exerted no significant effect on the yield of the non-urea-complexed fraction or its DHA content, enabling the operation to be conducted at room temperature without heating or cooling. Under unoptimized conditions, the proposed method effectively increased the DHA content of EE from Crypthecodinium cohnii oil from 40.73% to 89.87%. For EE from Schizochytrium sp. oil, the contents of DHA and docosapentaenoic acid were improved from 47.17% and 13.93% to 69.30% and 20.29%, respectively. Meanwhile, the contents of eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA in two EE form fish oils were enhanced from 18.26% and 11.76% to 34.86% and 22.96%, and from 13.30% and 57.24% to 15.66% and 68.68%, respectively. The present study provided a novel technical pathway for the efficient enrichment of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Background/Objectives: Childhood metabolic dysregulation exerts a profound influence on the development of obesity and metabolic diseases. The human gut microbiota, with highly personalized characteristics, plays an important role in host metabolism. However, the dynamics of gut microbial features during this developmental phase are still unclear. This longitudinal observational study collected 204 fecal samples and 153 blood samples from 51 children (aged 8.90 ± 0.78 years) at four timepoints over 52 weeks, aiming to identify dynamic changes in individual gut microbiota and underlying mechanistic interactions that predict measures of pediatric metabolic health. Methods: Fecal samples were subjected to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and short-chain fatty acid quantification. Serum samples were analyzed for biochemical tests. Dietary intake, physical activity, clinical phenotypes, early-life factors, and fecal characteristics were further assessed. Results: In the results, the fecal microbiota dynamics exhibit inter-individual variation among children, allowing classification into high- and low-stability subgroups based on intra-individual β-diversity variability. Children with low-stability microbiota had adverse blood lipid profiles (p < 0.05). Compared to the high-stability group, the low-stability microbiota demonstrated significant association with low dietary fiber and highly variable amino acid consumption (|r| > 0.3, q < 0.05). Low-stability microbiota exhibited marked fluctuations in Phocaeicola vulgatus, which was strongly linked to both blood triglycerides and lipoprotein(a) levels, as well as dietary fiber and amino acid intake. Baseline depletion of P. vulgatus and Faecalibacterium duncaniae, combined with the children’s physiological status, lifestyle behaviors, and early-life factors, predicted microbial stability classification (AUROC = 0.93). Conclusions: These findings suggested that the variation in the gut microbiota dynamics could be considered as a possible complementary biomarker to understand the individualized responses within dietary interventions aimed at improving metabolic health in childhood. Further well-designed intervention study is needed to define these observational associations.

In recent years, fermented foods, rich in organic acids, have gained significant attention for their potential health benefits. Organic acids are synthesized through the microbial fermentation of carbohydrates. They make pivotal contributions to host health by providing nutritional benefits and supporting intestinal homeostasis. Their biosynthesis is governed by fundamental metabolic pathways such as glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and other specialized routes for organic acid production. Beyond serving as energy sources and exerting anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities, organic acids play a direct role in modulating the composition and functional properties of gut micro biota. This review synthesizes the biosynthetic pathways of organic acids generated by key fermentative microorganisms and systematically outlines their resultant profiles across various fermented foods. Furthermore, it underscores the crucial need for in‐depth investigations into how different organic acids modulate the gut micro biota and ultimately influence host nutritional health. These insights may pave the way for targeted interventions to enhance the therapeutic potential of fermented foods. They provide a basis for the development of functional fermented foods with a high abundance of tailored organic acid profiles, such as malic acid, succinic acid, and short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that have the potential to lower blood glucose, blood lipids, and repair the intestinal barrier.

Background: Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the colon and is supposed to be related to intestinal barrier dysfunction and gut microbiota disorders. Previous study identified the potential antioxidant effects of the peptide GFGFGGF derived from Quasipaa spinosa skin (QSP), but its other bioactive functions require further research. The aim of this study was to assess the function of QSP in a mouse model of colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Results: The results showed that QSP ameliorated the symptoms of DSS‐induced colitis in mice, such as weight loss, colon shortening, splenomegaly and histopathological changes. Further investigations revealed that QSP treatment suppressed the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines (IL‐1 β , IL‐6 and TNF‐ α ). Results from RT‐qPCR and Western blot analyses demonstrated that QSP inhibited the activation of the NF‐ κ B signaling pathway and reduced the mRNA levels of its downstream inflammation‐related genes (IL‐1 β , IL‐6 and TNF‐ α ). Meanwhile, QSP increased the mRNA level of tight junction proteins (ZO‐1, Occludin) and adherens junction proteins (E‐cadherin) to maintain the integrity of the colonic barrier thus improving intestinal health. Meanwhile, QSP treatment modulated the composition of the intestinal microbiota, reversing the relative abundance of harmful and beneficial bacteria, and increased the levels of short‐chain fatty acids. Conclusion: Our results indicated that peptide GFGFGGF had a notable function in preventing colitis induced by DSS. The restoration of the gut barrier and the regulation of gut microbiota were achieved by it, and it may be a promising prebiotic for the treatment of colitis. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is one of the metabolites of tryptophan (Trp), which can be supplied by endogenous synthesis or diet and involves various aspects of nutrition and metabolism. KYNA has been proven to be an antagonist of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine and NMDA receptors, which can regulate the neurotransmission of cholinergic and glutaminergic acid, so KYNA is mainly associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Other metabolites in the Trp and kynurenine metabolic pathways, such as 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine (3-HK), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HT), and quinolinic acid (QA), are also involved in immune regulation and have pro-stimulatory or anti-excitatory toxicity. KYNA is present in both the human body and the daily diet, so it has the potential as a new dietary supplement. It may be of great significance in treating psychiatric disorders.

The escalating prevalence of obesity poses significant health challenges due to its direct association with various diseases. Most existing medications, such as appetite suppressants and fat absorption inhibitors, suffer from limited effectiveness and undesirable side effects. Here, inspired by the versatile metabolic effects of turmeric, we developed a naturally derived nanoformulation of "Reconstructed Turmeric-derived Nanovesicles (Rec-tNVs)" for obesity treatment. Employing quantitative nanoflow cytometry, a four-orders-of-magnitude increase in curcumin content (∼10⁸ molecules per particle) was identified in individual Rec-tNVs compared to their ultracentrifugation-isolated counterparts. Rec-tNVs, featuring highly aggregated curcumin arrangements and other coencapsulated bioactive compounds, demonstrated a dose-dependent lipid-lowering effect in mature 3T3-L1 cells by promoting lipolysis, suppressing lipogenesis, inducing adipocyte browning, and triggering apoptosis after internalization via multiple pathways. In vivo experiments revealed that Rec-tNVs alleviated obesity more effectively than free curcumin and achieved weight reductions of 18.68 and 14.56% through intragastric and subcutaneous delivery, respectively, in high-fat-diet mouse models over a four-week treatment period. These effects were attributed to targeted actions on adipose tissues and systemic impacts on metabolism and gut microbiota composition. Overall, this study underscores the multifaceted antiobesity efficacy of Rec-tNVs, and offers a promising paradigm for developing plant-derived nanovesicle-based therapeutics.

Background: The sorghum aphid Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Homoptera: Aphididae) is an important insect in the late growth phase of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). However, the mechanisms of sorghum response to aphid infestation are unclear. Results: In this paper, the mechanisms of aphid resistance in different types of sorghum varieties were revealed by studying the epidermal cell structure and performing a transcriptome and metabolome association analysis of aphid-resistant and aphid-susceptible varieties. The epidermal cell results showed that the resistance of sorghum to aphids was positively correlated with epidermal cell regularity and negatively correlated with the intercellular space and leaf thickness. Transcriptome and metabolomic analyses showed that differentially expressed genes in the resistant variety HN16 and susceptible variety BTX623 were mainly enriched in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway and differentially expressed metabolites were mainly related to isoflavonoid biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis. The q-PCR results of key genes were consistent with the transcriptome expression results. Meanwhile, the metabolome test results showed that after aphidinfestation, naringenin and genistein were significantly upregulated in the aphid-resistant variety HN16 and aphid-susceptible variety BTX623 while luteolin was only significantly upregulated in BTX623. These results show that naringenin, genistein, and luteolin play important roles in plant resistance to aphid infestation. The results of exogenous spraying tests showed that a 1‰ concentration of naringenin and genistein is optimal for improving sorghum resistance to aphid feeding. Conclusions: In summary, the physical properties of the sorghum leaf structure related to aphid resistance were studied to provide a reference for the breeding of aphid-resistant varieties. The flavonoid biosynthesis pathway plays an important role in the response of sorghum aphids and represents an important basis for the biological control of these pests. The results of the spraying experiment provide insights for developing anti-aphid substances in the future.

Background: Occupational stress is becoming a common phenomenon around the world. Being in a high occupational stress state for a long time may destroy the metabolic balance of the body, thereby increasing the risk of metabolic diseases. There is limited evidence regarding the correlation between occupational stress and metabolic syndrome (MetS), particularly in the petrochemical workers. Methods: A total of 1683 workers of a petrochemical enterprise in China were included in the survey by cluster sampling method. The occupational stress assessment was carried out by the Job Content Questionnaire and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, and the general demographic characteristics, work characteristics, occupational hazards, lifestyle and health examination data of the participants were collected. Logistic regression and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the correlations and influencing factors between occupational stress and its dimensions with MetS and its components. Results: A total of 1683 questionnaires were sent out, and 1608 were effectively collected, with an effective recovery rate of 95.54%. The detection rates of occupational stress in Job Demand-Control (JDC) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) models were 28.4% and 27.2%, respectively. In this study, 257 participants (16.0%) were diagnosed with MetS. Compared with the non-MetS group, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides (TG) and fasting blood-glucose (FBG) levels were significantly higher in the MetS group, and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly lower (P < 0.001). The results of multiple linear regression showed that after adjusting for nation, marital status, education, work system, smoking and drinking, and further adjusting for occupational hazards, the D/C ratio was significantly negatively correlated with SBP in the JDC model. Social support was negatively correlated with WC. In the ERI model, there was a significant positive correlation between over-commitment and FBG. Conclusions: The detection rates of occupational stress and MetS were high in workers of a petrochemical enterprise. In the JDC model, occupational stress was negatively correlated with SBP, and social support was negatively correlated with WC. In the ERI model, there was a significantly positive correlation between over-commitment and FBG.