Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry最新文献

Flavonoid esters are promising bioactive compounds forpharmaceuticaland functional food applications because of their enhanced lipophilicity,stability, and biological activities. However, conventional batchprocesses are limited in their productivity and sustainability. Inthis study, a stable continuous enzymatic acylation system was developedfor the efficient synthesis of flavonoid esters with a particularfocus on puerarin palmitate. Key process variables and their interactionswere systematically evaluated using statistical approaches, and underoptimal conditions, the cumulative conversion and production reached89.66% and 166.80 mg, respectively. The process was implemented ina continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR), maintaining an average conversionof 88.54% over 9 h of operation. The total production and productivityof puerarin palmitate were 1921.21 mg and 51.23 g/L/day, respectively,demonstrating the feasibility of continuous production. Ultimately,this study provides a scalable framework for sustainable flavonoidester synthesis in pharmaceutical and food industries.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious public healthchallengethat closely correlates with unhealthy diets. Gigantol, a naturallyactive compound derived from the edible plant Dendrobium, has shown potential in renal protection, but its efficacy in treatingmetabolic dysfunction-related CKD driven by a high-fat and high-fructosediet (HFFD) remains unclear. Here, we found that gigantol restoredabnormal renal function and pathological manifestations in HFFD-fedmice. Mechanistically, gigantol suppresses the phosphorylation ofTFEB at Ser211 and promotes TFEB nuclear translocation to enhancePINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy and suppress ferroptosis. Similarfindings were observed in palmitic-acid-induced cell models. Notably,silencing TFEB or blocking mitophagy reversed the effect of gigantolon suppressing ferroptosis and improving renal injury. Overall, thisstudy demonstrates that gigantol alleviates metabolic-dysfunction-relatedCKD in mice by promoting TFEB-mediated mitophagy to suppress ferroptosis,suggesting that dietary supplementation with Dendrobium or gigantol represents an effective strategy in mitigating CKD,especially subtypes driven by metabolic dysfunction.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) causedby Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) isa devastating disease worldwide. The newsuccinate dehydrogenase inhibitor pydiflumetofen is highly effectiveagainst FHB, but its growing use raises resistance concerns. In thisstudy, we identified four resistant Fusarium asiaticum isolates from 4088 field isolates collected across eight provincesin China in 2025. Gene replacement tests confirmed that the single-pointmutation A83V of FaSdhC2 confers resistance. Notably, the resistantisolates did not exhibit significant fitness costs related to pydiflumetofen-resistancein terms of mycelial growth, sporulation, pathogenicity, and stresstolerance. To facilitate field monitoring, we developed a loop-mediatedisothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the FaSdhC2^A83V mutation. This method is easy to operate, provides visual resultswithin 55 min of amplification and is 100-fold more sensitive thanconventional PCR. In conclusion, the LAMP assay established in thisstudy provides a practical tool for rapid on-site monitoring of fungicideresistance and can effectively guide the rational use of fungicidesin the field.

Gutmicrobiota dysbiosis triggers alcohol-related cognitive impairment(ARCI). Malvidin-3-O-glucoside (Mv3G), a highly bioactivemonomeric anthocyanin abundant in pigmented fruits and cereals, canrelieve neurodegenerative diseases by regulating gut microbiota (GM).Nevertheless, the gut microbiota-mediated protective effect of Mv3Gagainst ARCI remains unknown. In this study, an alcohol-induced ARCImouse model combined with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) wasbuilt to explore Mv3G’s protective effects. Results show thatMv3G acts in an intact gut flora-dependent manner. It repairs intestinalinjury and restores intestinal barrier by upregulating tight junctionproteins ZO-1 and occludin, enriches beneficial bacteria such as Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Akkermansia, adjusts the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio, and decreases pathogenic Pseudomonadales to remodel gut microbiota. Via the gut–brainaxis, Mv3G suppresses central inflammation, maintains hippocampalsynapses and improves cognitive performance. In vitro experimentsfurther confirm that Mv3G alleviates ARCI relying on gut microbiota.This research provides a novel intervention strategy for alcohol-inducedcognitive injury.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) accumulates in the foodchain,threatening human and animal health. However, how DEHP induces neurotoxicityby interfering with microglia has not been fully revealed. Our researchaims to explore the effects of DEHP on microglia and identify relevanttargets that cause neurotoxicity. The results indicated that DEHPdamaged neurons, leading to swelling, demyelination, and abnormalautophagy. Inhibition of autophagy resulted in α-Syn misfolding,characterized by an increase in dimers with increasing additive concentrations(P = 0.0096). Dimer formation was promoted by theaddition of additives, which increased the electrostatic force, alongwith interactions between Glu106, Gly51, and Val66. Transmitted fromneurons to microglia (Pearson r² = 0.889),pathological aggregates under DEHP exposure induced microglial M1subtype switching. This study elucidated a novel mechanism by whichDEHP damages the nerves of birds and provided a therapeutic targetfor the neurotoxic disease risk caused by the transmission of plasticadditives through the food chain.

Trimethyltin(TMT) is an environmental organotin contaminant withrecognized systemic toxicity, but its skeletal muscle effects andthe protective mechanism of quercetin (Que) remain unclear. This studyintegrated network toxicology, molecular docking, molecular dynamicssimulations, and in vivo/in vitro validation to investigate Que-mediatedprotection against TMT-induced skeletal-muscle injury. Network analysisindicated the involvement of oxidative stress and cytosolic DNA-sensingpathways, while docking and dynamic simulations suggested stable interactionsbetween Que and mitochondrial regulators and PANoptosis-associatedproteins. In vivo and in vitro validation showed that TMT inducedskeletal muscle injury, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation,mitochondrial dynamic imbalance, respiratory chain dysfunction, mitochondrialDNA (mtDNA) leakage, and PANoptosis activation. Que markedly suppressedROS generation, restored mitochondrial homeostasis, reduced cytosolicmtDNA leakage, and inhibited PANoptosis-related signaling. Collectively,Que alleviates TMT-induced skeletal muscle toxicity by regulatingthe ROS/mtDNA axis, supporting its potential as a dietary interventionor feed additive against organotin-associated muscle damage.

Faba bean provides food and feed,also improves field soil. However,its sustainable production is severely constrained by adverse environmentalconditions. Identification desired genes could provide resources forresistance breeding, thus improve field performance. Here, 24 VfTCPtranscription factors were identified and characterized as nucleus-localized,unstable, hydrophilic proteins. VfTCPs were under strong purifyingselection, and their promoters contained cis-elementsrelated to growth, development, and stress responses. Transcriptomeprofiling and RT-qPCR confirmed their stress-responsive expressionpatterns. Experimental analyses confirmed the nuclear localizationand GAL4-based transcriptional activation activity of VfTCP19/21/23. Transient overexpression of VfTCP19/21/23 contributedto pathogen resistance by maintaining ROS homeostasis and attenuatingBAX-, NIP-, and INF1-induced. Meanwhile, they enhanced drought andsalt tolerance by regulating stomatal aperture, strengthening waterretention, improving water status, and scavenging ROS, thereby alleviatingleaf wilting. These findings revealed VfTCP19/21/23 as potential candidate genes for future stress-resistance breeding.

Flusulfinam is a novel postemergence HPPD-inhibitingherbicidewith excellent safety on direct-seeded indica rice, but the mechanismunderlying its selectivity between rice and Echinochloa crus-galli remains unclear. Rice exhibited 41–141-foldhigher GR₅₀ values than E. crus-galli, with cultivar-dependent tolerance. Residue analysis showed higherflusulfinam absorption in E. crus-galli, whereas metabolism was significantly enhanced in rice and inhibitedby P450 and GST inhibitors. Transcriptomic and qRT-PCR analyses identified OsGSTU16 as highly expressed in rice compared with E. crus-galli. Functional validation using Escherichia coli expression, rice callus overexpression,knockout experiments, and molecular docking demonstrated that OsGSTU16 contributes to flusulfinam tolerance. These findingssuggest that GST-mediated metabolic detoxification is an importantcontributor to flusulfinam selectivity and provide insights into potentialgenetic resources for improving herbicide tolerance in crops.

This study compared microwave (MW)and conventional thermal (CT)processing at 70 °C for 20 s and 135 °C for 5 s, simulatingpasteurization and ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) processing, respectively,to investigate their effects on milk protein digestion and functionality.MW treatment reduced heat-induced aggregation and improved proteasedigestibility. Peptidomic analysis revealed distinct peptide profiles,with MW-UHT generating more low-molecular-weight peptides and promotingselective cleavage within functional regions of caseins and favoringthe generation of bioactive peptide sequences during digestion. Importantly,cell-based assays demonstrated that digests from MW-treated milk exertedstronger anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophagesthan CT counterparts. These findings provide experimental evidencethat MW processing not only reshapes digestive peptide release butalso better preserves the biofunctional potential of milk proteins.

This study systematically investigated the impact ofmolecularweight (Mw) on the gastrointestinal fate and gut microbiota modulationof Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides(DOP). A series of DOPs with different Mw (509–110 kDa) wasobtained via ultrasonic degradation. During simulated digestion, allDOPs exhibited partial depolymerization, evidenced by reduced Mw andincreased reducing sugar content, with high-Mw DOPs being more susceptibleto gastric conditions. Although the triple-helical structure and microtopographywere disrupted, the functional groups and biological activity remainedlargely intact. DOPs were extensively utilized by gut microbiota inan Mw-dependent manner. Notably, low-Mw UDOP-9 preferentially promotedthe proliferation of Bacteroides (up to 29.04%) and Parabacteroides, whereas high-Mw DOP selectively enhanced Bifidobacterium growth. All DOPs significantly increasedshort-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) production, particularly acetate. However,Mw did not affect the total SCFAs content. These findings revealedthe important role of Mw in regulating polysaccharide digestion andthe gut microbiota.