Phenolic profiling reveals the metabolite basis of flesh colour and fresh-cut browning in apple fruit

Flesh colour, which is affected by cultivars and browning, can largely impact consumer acceptance in fresh-cut apples. The study profiled phenolic metabolites from apple flesh of twenty-three cultivars by widely targeted metabolomics. Comparison among white- and yellow-fleshed cultivars showed fifteen phenolics, mainly quercetin 3-O-glucoside, hyperoside, hesperetin 5-O-glucoside and cymaroside, in white-fleshed apples were significantly higher than those in yellow-fleshed apples. It may indicate a metabolite basis of yellow and white flesh colour, and better potential nutrition in white-fleshed apples. In addition, ten phenolic metabolites including five cyanidin glycosides showed significant differences between the highest and the lowest browning groups, indicating them may be crucial in browning of fresh-cut apple. This work elucidates the differences of phenolic profiles among apple cultivars with different flesh colour and provides useful data to evaluate the suitability of apple for fresh-cut processing.     

喹啉铜在柑橘中的储藏稳定性、消解动态及膳食暴露风险评估

评估喹啉铜在柑橘中的储藏稳定性、消解动态及膳食暴露风险。在海南、江西两地开展喹啉铜在柑橘中的田间残留试验；利用高效液相色谱法测定柑橘果实样品中的残留量，外标法定量，评估储藏稳定性、残留消解动态和膳食暴露风险。结果表明，柑橘全果样品在?20 ℃储藏180 d，喹啉铜降解率低于10%。喹啉铜在柑橘全果中的消解速率符合一级动力学方程，半衰期为10.2~15.1 d。慢性膳食暴露风险评估结果显示，我国不同年龄段人群喹啉铜的估算每日摄入量为0.0891~1.4584 μg/kg·bw，膳食暴露风险为0.45%~7.29%。喹啉铜在柑橘全果中至少稳定储藏180 d；喹啉铜在柑橘中易降解；在柑橘上规范使用33.5%喹啉铜悬浮剂防治溃疡病，喹啉铜的慢性膳食暴露风险在可接受范围内。     

Ferulic acid and EGCG alter the structural characteristics of ovalbumin and its application in mineral loading

This study aims to fabricate mineral-loading nanocarriers using natural materials. The interaction patterns between ovalbumin (OVA) and four water-soluble polyphenols, namely ferulic acid (FA), (-)-Epigallo-catechin 3-gallate (EGCG), gallic acid (GA) and epicatechin (EC), were investigated. Results showed that the optimised conditions for preparing stable OVA–polyphenol complexes are at the OVA–polyphenol ratio of 4:1 at pH 6, under which OVA–FA and OVA–EGCG showed the highest stability and mineral-loading capacity among four OVA–polyphenol complexes. The fluorescence results indicated that the addition of EGCG and FA induced a significant fluorescence quenching to OVA. The interaction between OVA and polyphenols involved hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interaction and electrostatic interaction. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis suggested that both FA and EGCG enhanced the stability and orderliness of the structure of OVA. The transmission electron microscopy images also exhibited the spherical structure of OVA after the addition of FA and EGCG. Furthermore, scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X-ray spectrum results suggested that OVA–FA and OVA–EGCG complexes were better mineral carriers than OVA–GA and OVA–EC. This study may serve as the theoretical support for the promising application of OVA in the fabrication of mineral-loading nanocarriers in functional food and pharmaceutic.     

Cloning,sequencing and structural analysis of membrane-bound polyphenol oxidase from Granny Smith apples (Malus × domestica Borkh)

The gene sequence coding for the membrane-bound polyphenol oxidase (mPPO) with a length of 1761 bp was cloned by PCR method and shown to contain one highly conserved sequence encoding a di-copper-binding region. The predicted three-dimensional structure of mPPO indicated that the active site was located near two copper ions and composed of a typical bundle of four α-helices. Each of the two catalytic copper ions was coordinated with three histidine residues in the hydrophobic pocket, yielding His 180, His 201, His 210, His 332, His 336 and His 366. Docking studies showed that 4-methylcatechol and chlorogenic acid have different binding models due to different ligand sizes and binding sites in the active centre, and it was found that the smaller compound exhibited a higher affinity for mPPO. Molecular dynamic simulation results indicated that Phe 353 is important in controlling enzymatic activity through influencing substrate coordination in the active site.     

红外辐射联合回火与冷激杀菌技术对胡萝卜粉品质的影响

首先研究不同红外辐射温度(100,110,120℃)及辐射时间(2.5,5,10 min)对胡萝卜粉微生物及品质的影响,然后根据栅栏效应原理研究红外辐射-回火、红外辐射-冷激联合杀菌对胡萝卜粉微生物、色调值、类胡萝卜素含量等品质的影响。结果表明:100℃、10 min的红外辐射处理使细菌和真菌分别降低了1.9 lg(CFU/g)和2.32 lg(CFU/g),110℃、5 min的红外辐射处使细菌和真菌分别降低了1.58 lg(CFU/g)和2.57 lg(CFU/g)。在上述两种处理条件下胡萝卜粉的水分活度从0.238分别降至0.123和0.147,胡萝卜粉中总类胡萝卜素含量从308.8μg/g降至227.8μg/g和238.8μg/g,色差值(ΔE)为9.11和7.89。与红外辐射单独作用相比,联合回火后的处理没有显著影响细菌数目,处理后保持在5.40~5.80 CFU/g,霉菌、酵母数却在处理过程中显著减少,然而减少量较低,总数仍不低于4.5 lg(CFU/g)。红外辐射-冷激联合处理相比红外辐射单独处理,100℃、10 min联合冷激7 d处理可将细菌数量降低0.25 lg(CFU/g),可将霉菌与酵母数量降低0.28 lg(CFU/g),110℃、5 min联合冷激7 d处可将细菌数量降低0.26 lg(CFU/g),可将霉菌、酵母数量降低0.40 lg(CFU/g),且这些处理下胡萝卜粉的色调值、水分活度、类胡萝卜素含量变化不显著。本试验结果表明,红外辐射-冷激处理具有协同效应,且处理过程中胡萝卜粉的色调值及总类胡萝卜素含量不受影响,这为低水分粉体食品红外辐射联合杀菌提供了参考。     

Additional deepwater sampling of prey fish in Lake Michigan annual bottom trawl survey reveals new insights for depth distribution dynamics

Beginning in 2013, sites at the 128-m bottom depth contour were added to the sampling design of the annual Lake Michigan bottom trawl survey for prey fish, which has been conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) each fall since 1973, to better assess fish depth distributions in a changing ecosystem. The standard sampling design included bottom depths from 9 to 110 m, although the GLSC also sporadically conducted bottom trawl tows at the 128-m bottom depth contour during 1973–1988. Enactment of this new sampling design in 2013 revealed that mean biomass density of deepwater sculpins (Myoxocephalus thompsonii) at the 128-m depth exceeded the sum of mean biomass densities at shallower depths, indicating that the bulk of the deepwater sculpin population is residing in waters deeper than 110 m. Thus, our findings supported the hypothesis that the depth distribution of the deepwater sculpin population had shifted to deeper waters beginning in 2007, thereby explaining, at least in part, the marked decline in deepwater sculpin abundance since 2006 based on the standard sampling design. In contrast, our results did not support the hypothesis that the slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) population had shifted to deeper waters sometime after 2000. A portion of the burbot (Lota lota) population may have also shifted in depth distribution to waters deeper than 110 m after 2007, based on our results. Our findings have served as an impetus to further expand the range of depths sampled in our bottom trawl survey.     

我国鲜食玉米标准体系及营养标准研究

近年来我国鲜食玉米产业发展迅猛, 但同时也暴露出诸多产业乱象。梳理现有鲜食玉米标准体系是促进产业标准化、规范化的重要举措。本文通过对我国现行鲜食玉米标准进行梳理, 总结出目前我国鲜食玉米标准体系中抽样及一般性检测标准较完善、技术规程体系成熟、标准体系框架已建立的特点; 同时提出我国鲜食玉米标准体系存在技术规程标准内容重复、品质分级标准混乱、缺乏营养评价指标相关标准、感官评价标准混乱、缺乏甜糯玉米和笋玉米的相关标准、标准体系结构不合理等的问题; 并针对上述问题提出对应应统一技术规程标准, 建立营养评价体系, 统一品质分级标准, 统一感官评价指标, 完善甜糯玉米和笋玉米相关标准的解决办法。为鲜食玉米标准体系的建设及规范化提供参考和建议。     

Effect of malondialdehyde oxidation on structure and physicochemical properties of amandin

Oil, accounting for 45% of almonds, is easily oxidised and can further induce the protein oxidation to reduce their quality. Structure and physicochemical properties of amandin, the main water-soluble protein in almonds, inducing oxidation by malondialdehyde (MDA) were investigated. The results showed that the content of carbonyl group increased from 5.23 to 33.25 nmol mg⁻¹ of protein with the increase in MDA concentration (P < 0.05). However, the sulphydryl content, surface hydrophobicity, particle size and the absolute value of ζ-potential first increased and then decreased. Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed that the structure of amandin changed from order to disorder. Fluorescence spectroscopic analysis revealed that mild oxidation (0–0.1 mmol L⁻¹ MDA) exposed hydrophobic groups of the protein. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) suggested that protein oxidation promoted crosslinking between protein molecules. Furthermore, protein oxidation markedly declined the total amino acid content of amandin (P < 0.05). In conclusion, MDA oxidation changed the structure and amino acid content of amandin, and caused the protein aggregate and crosslink through hydrophobic interaction and electrostatic interaction.     

Repurposing fish waste into gelatin as a potential alternative for mammalian sources: A review

Mammalian gelatin is extensively utilized in the food industry because of its physicochemical properties. However, its usage is restricted and essentially prohibited for religious people. Fish gelatin is a promising alternative with no religious and social restrictions. The desirable properties of fish gelatin can be significantly improved by various methods, such as the addition of active compounds, enzymes, and natural crosslinking agents (e.g., plant phenolics and genipin), and nonthermal physical treatments (e.g., ionizing radiation and high pressure). The aim of this study was to explore whether the properties of fish gelatin (gel strength, melting or gelling temperature, odor, viscosity, sensory properties, film-forming ability, etc.) could be improved to make it comparable to mammalian gelatin. The structure and properties of gelatins obtained from mammalian and fish sources are summarized. Moreover, the modification methods used to ameliorate the properties of fish gelatin, including rheological (gelling temperature from 13–19°C to 23–25°C), physicochemical (gel strengths from ∼200 to 250 g), and thermal properties (melting points from ∼25 to 30°C), are comprehensively discussed. The relevant literature reviewed and the technological advancements in the industry can propel the development of fish gelatin as a potential alternative to mammalian gelatin, thereby expanding its competitive market share with increasing utility.