Xiaoting Chen

The protective effects of Lactobacillus murinus on chemotherapy-related intestinal injury and immune imbalances were explored by establishing a cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced mouse model of immunosuppression. CTX treatment led to intestinal barrier destruction, exacerbated local inflammation, and significantly reduced short-chain fatty acid levels (especially butyrate), accompanied by systemic immune suppression. Lactobacillus murinus intervention, especially at medium and high doses, dose-dependently repaired the intestinal barrier, inhibited inflammatory responses, restored levels of metabolites such as butyrate, and systematically regulated splenic immune cell proportions, restoring the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ balance. Metabolomic analysis further revealed that, at different doses, this regulation affected distinct metabolic pathways: low doses enhanced glutathione and purine metabolism, medium doses restored folate and steroid hormone metabolism, and high doses promoted fatty acid β-oxidation and galactose metabolism, forming a multi-level metabolic protective network. This suggests that L. murinus can alleviate chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis and mitigate systemic immune suppression through a dual local anti-inflammatory and systemic immune-regulatory effect, with potential mechanisms related to butyrate-mediated regulation of the “metabolism–immune axis,” providing evidence for probiotic-assisted chemotherapy.

The potent toxicity of tetrodotoxin (TTX) has long constrained sustainable growth in pufferfish aquaculture. Takifugu bimaculatus, an economically important species farmed along the coast of Fujian, China, remains poorly understood regarding how it transports and accumulates this potent neurotoxin. To address this gap, we combined transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to characterize the molecular responses of T. bimaculatus to TTX exposure. After oral administration, TTX primarily accumulated in the liver, ovaries, and skin. Multi-omics profiling revealed 163 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 88 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in liver tissue, together with 239 DEGs and 179 DEPs in ovarian tissue. KEGG pathway analysis suggests that the liver maintains homeostasis by regulating ion concentrations and restructuring lipid raft architectures, alongside coordinated carrier protein activity. This likely supports active TTX uptake and directed transport toward the ovaries and skin, followed by metabolic clearance. By contrast, ovarian tissues appear to establish a stable, long-term reservoir through cytoskeletal remodeling, enhanced interactions with the extracellular matrix, and activated endocytic pathways. Together, these findings offer insights into how T. bimaculatus accumulates and transports TTX, laying groundwork for identifying key transporter genes, clarifying TTX metabolic pathways, and developing practical food safety controls.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) bleaching on the quality of Basa (Pangasius bocourti) fish maw (BFM) and the formation of semicarbazide (SEM). Production of SEM increased (p < 0.05) when NaClO concentration, soaking temperature, or duration were increased. Notably, increasing NaClO solution pH also enhanced SEM formation. Soaking BFM in NaClO with available chlorine concentrations of 500, 700, and 1000 mg/L generated 0.05, 0.07, and 0.09 μg/kg SEM at pH 3 compared to 0.70, 1.19, and 2.34 μg/kg SEM at pH 11, respectively. NaClO improved BFM texture by creating a tight, fibrous structure, but also damaged the secondary structure and α-chains of collagen. Untargeted metabolomics showed that NaClO treatment significantly upregulated lipid metabolism pathways (biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid metabolism, and glycerophospholipid metabolism) and elevated degradation of arginine, proline, and urocanic acid. This was associated with the accumulation of nitrogen-containing precursors in the urea cycle, which then reacted with NaClO, generating substantial SEM. Controlled SEM-generating reactions experiments confirmed that SEM was produced from reaction of urea and NaClO. This study elucidates the mechanism of SEM formation and identifies key factors influencing SEM levels, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for safe processing and quality control of fish maw.

Laver ( Porphyra haitanensis ) is a nutritious seaweed. Desiccation affects its quality and flavor, but the molecular changes during drying are unclear. Here, the effects of hot air drying temperatures (60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, and 100°C) on rehydration performance, drying kinetics, microstructure, and the biological activity of laver were evaluated. The laver dried at 60°C exhibited a rehydration ratio of 350%–450%, and its aqueous extract demonstrated substantially higher antioxidant activities than at other temperatures, with DPPH radical scavenging activity of 74.79%, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of 86.42 U/mL, and ferric reducing antioxidant power of 0.53 μmol·TE/kg. The most suitable temperature was 60°C. Lipidomic profiling of laver during drying at 60°C for different durations (0–5 h) was conducted using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry; 4092 lipids, including glycolipids, glycerophospholipids, and glycerides, were identified. Most lipids increased substantially with prolonged drying time, whereas five characteristic lipids, including cardiolipin (23:0/22:6/16:1/22:2), sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (16:0/18:2 and 16:0/20:3), digalactosyldiacylglycerol (16:0/18:2), and monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (16:0/16:0), showed notable changes. Distinct patterns in five characteristic lipids during drying were identified: the contents of the sulfolipid, sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (16:0/18:2 and 16:0/20:3) increased continuously, likely released from disintegrating photosynthetic membranes. The galactolipids, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (16:0/16:0), and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (16:0/18:2), core constituents of thylakoids, decreased substantially after 3 h, directly reflecting photosynthetic membrane degradation. Changes in cardiolipin (23:0/22:6/16:1/22:2) were also noted, implicating alterations in mitochondrial membrane integrity. Additionally, 65 volatile compounds, including (E,Z)‐2,6‐nonadienal, decanal, (E)‐2‐octenal, (2E,4E)‐deca‐2,4‐dienal, butylated hydroxytoluene, and 2,4‐di‐tert‐butylphenol, were detected. These compounds, contributing to the aromatic properties of laver, decreased with increased drying time. Drying temperature and duration substantially influenced the physicochemical properties, lipid profiles, and volatile flavor compounds of laver. The molecular changes during drying were elucidated to improve the nutritional qualities of dried laver products.

To develop highly nutritious Bangia fusco-purpurea (BFP) vegan sausages, we investigated the effects of BFP, gluten, and xanthan gum–konjac gum–carrageenan complex gel (CG) on the gel strength and sensory quality of the sausages. The formulation process was optimized through single-factor and orthogonal tests, whereas the gel formation mechanism of the key factors was explored. The orthogonal test results showed that the optimal addition levels of BFP, gluten, and CG were 5%, 56%, and 37%, respectively. Variance analysis revealed that both gluten and CG significantly affected gel strength (p < 0.05), with gluten notably influencing the overall sensory quality (p < 0.05). Texture profile analysis (TPA) and rheological properties demonstrated that as gluten (33–37%) and CG (52–56%) concentrations increased, the gel strength and elastic modulus exhibited concentration-dependent enhancement. Further analysis of the sulfhydryl content, disulfide bonds, surface hydrophobicity, and microstructure revealed that higher gluten content promoted intermolecular disulfide crosslinking and hydrophobic group exposure, whereas CG contributed to physical filling via hydrogen and ionic bonds, resulting in a uniform and dense gel network structure. The synergistic effects of gluten and CG enhanced the gel properties of BFP vegan sausages, providing a theoretical foundation for the development of high-quality plant protein-based meat alternatives.

This study investigated the effect of the water content of large yellow croaker fillets on their quality characteristics after roasting. The large yellow croaker fillets were randomly divided into groups, namely, the fresh group (BMC-77), the 3% salt-cured group (BMC-70), and groups cured with 3% salt followed by hot air drying to obtain different moisture contents (BMC-65, BMC-60, and BMC-55). Then, the fillets were roasted at 220 °C for 20 min. There were four replicates for each group. Various indicators, including color, texture, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) content, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content, water distribution, volatile components, and myofibrillar proteins were determined, and a sensory evaluation was carried out. The results showed that as the water content decreased, the lightness (L*) of the roasted fillets significantly decreased (p < 0.05), while the redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) increased. The hardness, shear force, TBARS, and TVB-N values all increased significantly (p < 0.05). The proportion of immobile water decreased, while the proportions of tightly bound water, free water, and loosely bound water increased. The electronic nose, electronic tongue, and GC-MS analyses revealed that there were significant differences in odor, taste, and volatile components among fillets with different water contents. A comprehensive analysis of all the indicators demonstrated that the fillets with an initial water content of 65% (BMC-65) achieved the best sensory qualities after roasting in terms of taste and flavor. An appropriate reduction in the initial water content helped to improve the texture and appearance of the fillets while delaying the degradation of proteins and lipids. This study provides a theoretical foundation for optimizing the roasting process of large yellow croaker fillets. Future research could explore the synergistic effects of the roasting conditions and water content to achieve more accurate quality control.

As a culturally iconic Chinese delicacy, pufferfish lacks systematic research on thermal processing optimization and pre-cooked meal development, limiting its industrial standardization and quality preservation. This study aimed to bridge this gap by evaluating steaming effects on Takifugu flavidus quality. This study systematically evaluated its physicochemical properties and flavor profiles under different steaming durations by determining the water loss rate, mass loss rate, water distribution status, textural properties, color, and free amino acid content using an electronic nose, electronic tongue, and headspace gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS). The results indicated that the core temperature of the fish meat reached 70 °C after 9 min of steaming. With higher steaming time, its mass loss rate and water loss rate generally increased, though the water loss rate temporarily decreased at 10 min. The mass loss rate stabilized after 12.5 min. The hardness and chewiness of the fish meat increased significantly when steamed for 12.5 min or longer. After 5 min of steaming, the brightness value and yellow-blue value of the fish meat significantly increased, whereas the red-green value significantly decreased. The total free amino acid content showed a fluctuating upward trend and electronic tongue analysis revealed an increase in umami and richness after steaming. Electronic nose and HS-GC-IMS analyses demonstrated that the variety and content of volatile flavor compounds significantly increased with prolonged steaming. Sensory evaluation showed that the 10 min steaming group exhibited better texture and color, while the 15 min steaming group had the best odor. Therefore, the optimal steaming time for T. flavidus was determined to be 10–15 min. For home cooking, a 15 min steaming process achieves the peak abundance of flavor compounds and the highest sensory evaluation score. For the industrial production of pre-cooked meals, a 10 min steaming process can meet the doneness requirements while maintaining suitable textural properties and color stability. The findings of this study not only advance the scientific understanding of thermal processing effects on pufferfish quality attributes, but also establish a critical technological foundation for developing standardized industrial processing protocols and high-quality pre-prepared pufferfish products.

This study analyzed the basic nutritional components and amino acid, fatty acid, and mineral composition of hybrid abalone Haliotis discus hannai ♀ × H. fulgens ♂ adductor (AM), transition (TM), and skirt (SM) muscles. The taste characteristics of the muscles were measured via electronic tongue, and the volatile compounds were identified by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) analysis. Compared to SM, AM and TM exhibited relatively similar basic nutritional compositions. Although SM exhibited the highest moisture content (84.67%), its protein content (only 11.83%) and total carbohydrate content (only 0.19%) were significantly lower than those of AM (20.42% and 4.14%) and TM (19.10% and 4.48%). The ash and fat contents were similar across the three muscle parts. The amino acid composition was consistent across three parts, and AM showed the highest total amino acid content, ratio of essential amino acids, and essential amino acid index. All three muscle parts were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, but the content was higher in AM and TM than in SM. The mineral elements were rich in variety, with high K, P, Mg, and Zn contents. Bitterness intensities were lower and umami and richness intensities were higher in AM and TM than in SM. The contents of volatile compounds related to fishy odor were higher in TM and SM than in AM. The results provided a scientific basis for the intensive processing and comprehensive utilization of Haliotis discus hannai ♀ × H. fulgens ♂.

The incidence of skin sensitivity issues in human populations has increased steadily because of external factors, such as environmental changes and emotional stress. Skin sensitivity refers to a state of skin hyperreactivity that occurs under certain physiological or pathological conditions. Sensitive skin may manifest as redness, itching, and pain and even trigger skin diseases, such as eczema or dermatitis, in severe cases. This review discusses the sensitization mechanisms and characteristics of sensitive skin, with a focus on symptom alleviation through three key strategies: skin-barrier repair, reduction in TRPV1 receptor activity, and anti-inflammatory interventions utilizing active substances. The findings will enhance public knowledge regarding sensitive skin, promote further research and practical prevention and treatment methods, and provide theoretical support for developing soothing cosmetic products for sensitive skin.