This study aimed to investigate the multiscale structural evolution of starch under mechanical stress and its impact on the mechanical behavior of tablets. The study systematically characterized the multiscale structure, compression behavior, and tablet quality of seven types of starches with different initial structures (native starch, partially hydrolyzed starch, and deeply hydrolyzed starch) before and after dry granulation. The results demonstrate that dry granulation results in a reduction in the short-range and long-range ordered structures of starch (crystallinity decreased by 25.58-61.60%). This stress-induced structural disorder is correlated with increased plastic deformation in native starch and the fragmentation of hydrolyzed starch particles. The enhanced tensile strength (145.95%-228.57%) of partially hydrolyzed starch tablets may result from the increased specific surface area generated by particle fragmentation. In contrast, amorphous maltodextrin after granulation exhibits an enhanced elastic response due to mechanical densification and work hardening, with loss of tabletability. The correlation analysis indicates that the tensile strength of tablets is positively correlated with plastic deformation parameters and roughness, while it is negatively correlated with elastic parameters, short-range order, and crystallinity. These results indicate that the effect of dry granulation on tablet quality depends on the initial structural characteristics. While granulation improves the performance of starch-based tablets with high elastic response by disrupting their ordered structure, it may impair the performance of starch-based tablets with strong plastic deformation capacity due to work hardening. This structure-dependent regulatory relationship provides a theoretical basis for the design of starch-based excipients in solid dosage forms.

The present study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and Labada (Rumex patientia) leaf powders, with or without a non-starch polysaccharide (NSP)-degrading enzyme blend, on productive performance, egg quality, yolk pigmentation, and serum biochemical profile of late-phase laying hens. A total of 180 Lohmann Brown laying hens (86 weeks old) were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement: control, spinach (0.1%), or Labada (0.1%), each with or without enzyme supplementation, for 84 days. Dietary supplementation with spinach and Labada significantly (P < 0.05) improved feed conversion ratio, hen-day egg production, and egg mass compared with the control diet, while body weight and overall feed intake remained unaffected. Plant supplementation also increased eggshell surface area and markedly enhanced yolk pigmentation, as evidenced by higher Roche color scores and yolk yellowness (b*), with spinach producing the greatest pigmentation response. Enzyme supplementation improved feed conversion ratio during the later stage of the experiment and enhanced albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk yellowness, and sharp-end shell thickness. Most eggshell quality traits and serum biochemical indices, including calcium, phosphorus, glucose, total protein, cholesterol, ALT, and ALP, were unaffected by dietary treatments. However, enzyme supplementation significantly reduced serum aspartate aminotransferase activity, while a significant plant × enzyme interaction was observed for serum triglycerides. Overall, supplementation with spinach or Labada leaf powder effectively improved productive performance and yolk pigmentation without adversely affecting bird health, whereas enzyme supplementation primarily enhanced selected egg quality traits and reduced serum AST activity. These findings indicate that spinach and Labada represent promising natural alternatives to synthetic yolk pigments in diets for late-phase laying hens.

Ganoderma lucidum has a strong bitter taste, which limits its acceptance by consumers. This study focuses on the development of a convenient, delicious, and patient-suitable product utilizing G. lucidum granules (GLG). G. lucidum was extracted via the hot water reflux method to obtain the extract (GLE). Chemometrics were used to analyze the flavor differences among different formulations and the correlations between taste indicators and antioxidant activity. The optimal formulation was determined to consist of 10.26% GLE, 28.2% pregelatinized starch, 51.28% β-cyclodextrin, and 10.26% stevia, which significantly improved the taste properties. Its solubility was 12.6 g/100 mL water, exhibiting excellent solubility. IC50 value for ABTS free radical scavenging activity was 2.06 ± 0.045 mg/mL. The electronic tongue data combined with chemometrics indicated that the flavor characteristics of GLE were the key differentiating factor. The aftertaste bitterness was highly correlated with antioxidant activity. Umami was positively correlated with bitterness and astringency, and negatively correlated with saltiness and aftertaste astringency, suggesting that the excipients cooperatively improved the taste balance. The electronic tongue offers a taste research method, and the formulation presents a novel strategy for the development of functional G. lucidum food products.

Starch is a major component of kernel weight that strongly affects maize yield, yet the genetic regulation of starch content in maize kernel is not fully elucidated. Here, we carried out a linkage mapping for starch content using an IBM Syn10 DH population derived from B73 and Mo17, which comprises 222 inbred lines with 6618 bin markers, evaluated across four environments. A total of 13 quantitative trait loci were detected, among which five were simultaneously identified across multiple environments. By integrating the gene-based association analyses, we identified the candidate gene Zm00001d039265 that encodes β-amylase 4, a potential modulator underlying leaf starch degradation. Gene-based association analysis was performed using a natural panel including 285 germplasms collected from the breeding program of Southwest China. The variant SNP-3-826178 residing in 3'-UTR of Zm00001d039265 was significantly associated with kernel starch content, which categorized these germplasms into two genotypes (high starch content: allele C; low starch content: allele T). We further validated this allelic effect in an independent recombinant inbred line population containing 248 inbred lines derived from A188 and B73, confirming that lines carrying the C allele possessed significantly higher kernel starch accumulation than those harboring the T allele. Finally, we developed a derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence marker targeting SNP-3-826178, which was able to distinguish T allele and C allele among the inbred lines with different backgrounds. Our findings deepen the understanding of the genetic basis governing maize kernel starch formation and provide an available molecular marker for identifying germplasms with high starch content in maize breeding.Key Message Gene Zm00001d039265 underlying starch content was excavated by linkage mapping and gene-based association analysis. According to the SNP-3-826178 within Zm00001d039265, a dCAPS marker was successfully developed.

Recently, Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) have been heralded as economically and ecologically friendlier alternatives to their traditional counterparts. In this study, we aimed to investigate how carbon-source pretreatment and N-doping affect poppyseed-derived CQDs and whether these differences influence the drug delivery and cell growth properties of CQD-incorporated bio-based polymeric films. CQDs were synthesized hydrothermally from unaltered, ground, and oil-extracted poppyseeds, both with and without N-doping, and subsequently incorporated into Chitosan-Starch-Locust Bean Gum (LBG) blends crosslinked with citric acid and prepared by solvent casting. N-doping resulted in a 1.81-fold increase in emission intensity together with an approximately 46 nm blueshift, while oil extraction also increased the emission intensity of the obtained CQDs. The films were evaluated for swelling, Diclofenac Diethylamine loading and pH-responsive release, and L929 mouse fibroblast growth over 72 h. The highest drug loading capacity was approximately 78% for the control 12:2:1 Chitosan/LBG/Starch formulation, while CQD-containing films generally demonstrated lower but formulation-dependent loading capacities. Drug release was strongly dependent on pH, occurring from fastest to slowest at pH 7.4 (≈10-100 min), pH 2.3 (≈160-280 min), and pH 5.5 (≈24-30 h). Release kinetics likewise varied according to pH and formulation, indicating that the governing release mechanism was not uniform across the films. CQD-containing films also demonstrated increased L929 cell growth compared with the corresponding CQD-free sample, reaching an average 2.3-fold increase after 72 h. Overall, the CQD-integrated polymer films have favorable drug loading/release and cell growth properties, showing great potential for biomedical and tissue engineering applications.

Disorders of hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism are a significant factor reducing the economic value of largemouth bass. Ursolic acid (UA) has been shown to regulate such metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the core mechanism of UA in hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism in largemouth bass fed a high starch (HS) diet. A total of 800 healthy largemouth bass with an initial average body weight of 11.00 ± 0.12 g were selected and randomly allocated into four treatment groups in a 2 × 2 factorial design: control (CON) group, UA group, HS group, and HS + UA group. Each group had five replicates with 40 fish per replicate. Fish in the CON group received a basal diet (7.38% starch); the UA group received the basal diet supplemented with UA at 500 mg/kg; the HS group received the HS diet (13.26% starch); and the HS + UA group received the HS diet supplemented with UA at 500 mg/kg. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. To further validate the direct regulatory effect of UA on the CERK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in hepatocytes, this study established an in vitro primary hepatocyte culture model containing five groups: CON, high-glucose (HG), HG + UA, HG + NVP231 (CERK inhibitor), and HG + UA + NVP231. Results showed that the HS diet led to reduced final weight, weight gain ratio and body crude protein content, increased body ether extract content and hepatic collagen area (P < 0.05), while UA intervention reversed these adverse changes in bass (P < 0.05). Transcriptomic sequencing identified cerk and b4galnt1b as key genes regulating hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism, enriched in the glycosphingolipid biosynthesis-ganglio series pathway. Compared with the CON group, hepatic b4galnt1b expression was decreased, while cerk expression was increased in the HS group, and these expression trends were reversed by UA treatment (P < 0.05). Furthermore, UA increased hepatic p-PI3K and p-AKT1 protein levels, and reduced serum triacylglycerol and cholesterol contents (P < 0.05), while improved serum insulin contents, and hepatic phosphofructokinase (PFK) activity (P < 0.05). It also down-regulated hepatic il-1β and tnf-α expression and up-regulated il-10 expression (P < 0.05). In vitro experiments showed that 25 mmol/L glucose induction enhanced cell viability but increased triacylglycerol content and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity while decreasing PFK activity (P < 0.05). Treatment with 1 μmol/L UA further improved cell viability, ameliorated these metabolic indicators, and enhanced p-AKT1, AKT1, and p-PI3K protein expression (P < 0.05). The CERK inhibitor NVP231 was applied, the expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT1, and AKT1 was suppressed (P < 0.05), and UA could no longer activate this pathway under HG conditions. In summary, the UA alleviates HS induced hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in largemouth bass main via the CERK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Stropharia rugosoannulata (wine-cap mushroom) is an edible and medicinal fungus that has potential significant growth but is under limited use because of the absence of deep processing and low value addition. This research systematically examined the impact of steam explosion and heat curing treatments on the physicochemical characteristics of S. rugosoannulata and their influence on dough quality. Mushroom powder was processed under various conditions (steam explosion pressure: 0.6-1.2 MPa; heat curing temperature: 90-120 °C), and changes in free amino acids, FTIR, particle size, microstructure, e-nose, and flavor compounds were examined. The powders were then added to the wheat flour (0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 7% w/w), and the dough properties were determined by thermomechanical, rheological, pasting, and LF-NMR analysis. Steam explosion (0.9 MPa) had a large impact on increasing the total free amino acids, especially increasing umami- and sweet-tasting amino acids. Heat curing at 90 °C preserved higher organic acids and promoted easter-associated sweet aroma through Maillard reactions. The optimal addition levels were 3% for untreated powder and 5% for treated powder. At a 5% substitution level, steam-exploded powder improved dough stability, maintained peak viscosity, and reduced starch retrogradation, whereas heat-cured powder enhanced dough elasticity and modified water distribution within the dough matrix. Overall, steam explosion and heat curing are effective processing techniques for enhancing the functionality of S. rugosoannulata powder and its interactions with the wheat dough matrix.

This study developed multifunctional sago starch active packaging films incorporating Abelmoschus esculentus extract (AE), green-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs), and ZnO-MgO nanoparticles (ZnO-MgONPs). XRD confirmed the successful formation of crystalline nanoparticles, with average crystallite sizes of 22.4 ± 2.1 nm for ZnONPs and 18.7 ± 1.8 nm for ZnO-MgONPs. FESEM/TEM showed quasi-spherical nanoparticles with sizes of 25-35 nm and 20-30 nm, respectively. Compared with the AE-only film, the addition of ZnONPs and ZnO-MgONPs significantly improved film performance: tensile strength increased from 1.43 MPa to 2.12 MPa and 2.79 MPa, respectively, while elongation at break decreased from 60.39% to 46.12% and 32.33%. AE increased film moisture content from 6.98% to 8.78%, whereas nanoparticle incorporation improved barrier and structural properties. FTIR, XRD, FESEM, TGA, and UV-vis analyses confirmed good compatibility among the components, enhanced thermal stability, and stronger UV-shielding behavior in nanocomposite films, especially in the ZnO-MgO-containing system. The incorporation of AE enhanced the DPPH radical-scavenging activity of the films, indicating the contribution of AE-derived bioactive compounds to their antioxidant functionality. The nanocomposite films retained appreciable antioxidant activity while exhibiting improved mechanical, barrier, and antimicrobial properties. The films also exhibited antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, indicating their potential for active food packaging applications. Overall, the AE/ZnO-MgONPs film showed the best balance of mechanical strength, thermal stability, barrier performance, and antimicrobial function, making it a promising eco-friendly packaging material.

Pigmented rice contains anthocyanins and other bioactive phenolic compounds; however, its processing is challenged by the relatively low starch digestibility of some pigmented varieties, prolonged drying times, anthocyanin degradation, and inefficient pigment recovery. This review evaluates ultrasound as a complementary technology for addressing these challenges, focusing on three major applications: starch modification, ultrasound-assisted drying, and anthocyanin extraction. Specifically, ultrasound-induced physical effects can disrupt starch-granule organization, alter molecular order, and thereby modulate starch functionality and digestibility. When combined with enzymatic or hydrothermal treatments, ultrasound may further accelerate structural modification, although the resulting effects depend on the treatment conditions and the specific rice matrix. In drying applications, ultrasound enhances heat and mass transfer and shortens processing time, thereby limiting prolonged thermal exposure. Similarly, in extraction, ultrasound-assisted methods promote solvent penetration, matrix disruption, and pigment diffusion, collectively improving the recovery of anthocyanins and other bioactive compounds from rice grains and milling byproducts. Nevertheless, these effects are strongly influenced by ultrasound frequency, power, treatment duration, temperature, reactor configuration, and solvent system, and excessive treatment may in turn promote pigment degradation. Overall, ultrasound represents a parameter-dependent complementary approach for improving processing efficiency, anthocyanin recovery, and the functional quality of pigmented-rice products, though direct evidence for anthocyanin preservation during ultrasound-assisted rice processing remains comparatively limited.

Plant water status, hydraulic transport and carbon exchange can respond differently across natural hydrologic contrasts. We measured hydraulic, gas-exchange, carbon, morphological and anatomical traits in 33 Populus euphratica trees distributed across four fixed sites (D1-D4) and three tree-size classes. Site and size associations were evaluated with additive models, heteroskedasticity-consistent inference, false-discovery-rate control and a balanced D1-D3 sensitivity analysis. Midday leaf water potential became progressively more negative from D1 to D4, whereas branch xylem hydraulic conductivity was higher at D3-D4. The correlated instantaneous responses of assimilation (A), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration (E) peaked at D3 and declined at D4. Within the balanced D1-D3 subset, site effects for midday water potential, hydraulic conductivity and the A-gs-E response group remained supported. Larger trees had lower specific leaf area, soluble sugar and total non-structural carbohydrates, but higher leaf water content and palisade tissue thickness; starch showed a consistent site association. After adjustment for site and size, no anatomy-function association based on total palisade tissue thickness (PT) or epidermis thickness (Epi) retained false-discovery-rate support. Hydrologic context and tree size were associated with partly distinct functional dimensions, indicating multidimensional and context-dependent intraspecific variation in P. euphratica.

Antarctic marine environments are extreme cold ecosystem and the microbes inhabiting them play a crucial role in ecosystem function. In this study, genomic and phenotypic analysis of Cryobacterium sp. PAMC25264, isolated from seawater of Barton, South Shetland Island, Antarctica Peninsula was performed. Comparative genomic analysis with related strains focused on nitrogen metabolic enzymes, carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and stress-related proteins to elucidate the functional diversity and survival strategy of the strains in these harsh environments. Type Strain Genome Server (TYGS) analysis suggest that this strain may represent a distinct phylogenetic lineage within the genus Cryobacterium. Nitrogen metabolic enzymes including respiratory nitrate reductase (α, β, γ, and δ subunits), assimilatory nitrate reductase (NasA), nitrate/nitrite transporter (NarK/U), assimilatory nitrite reductase (NirB and NirD), and glutamate synthase (GltB and GltD) were identified from genomic analysis. dbCAN3 revealed the presence of a total of 125 CAZymes. Among them 66 glycoside hydrolases (GHs), 36 glycosyltransferases (GTs), 6 carbohydrate esterases (CEs), 15 carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), and 2 polysaccharide lyase (PL). In addition, proteins related to oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and thiol peroxidase), temperature stress (Csp and Hsp), and heavy metal(loid)s (HMMs) resistance were identified. Furthermore, the strain exhibited nitrate reduction in aerobic condition, resulting in nitrite accumulation, starch hydrolysis, and cellulose hydrolysis ability at different temperatures (4 °C, 10 °C, 15 °C, and 25 °C). Overall, these genomic and phenotypic traits indicate metabolic flexibility and functional diversity, supporting its survival and potential ecological role in extreme cold marine ecosystems.

Hydrogel-based materials derived from biological macromolecules have emerged as promising platforms for multifunctional food packaging. This review critically examines how the molecular structures of major biopolymers, including chitosan, alginate, starch, cellulose derivatives, gelatin, casein, and related polysaccharides and proteins, influence the active and intelligent functions of hydrogel packaging systems. Structural characteristics such as monomer composition, charge distribution, degree of substitution, and chain conformation are linked to crosslinking mechanisms, network topology, swelling behavior, and the resulting mechanical and barrier properties. The interactions of these hydrogels with bioactive agents, including essential oils, polyphenols, antimicrobial peptides, metal nanoparticles, and natural colorants, are discussed, with emphasis on hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic association, and coordination bonding that govern encapsulation, stabilization, and controlled release. Particular attention is given to anthocyanin-incorporated hydrogels, where the pigment microenvironment and binding interactions regulate pH sensitivity, halochromic behavior, and color stability. Structure-function relationships are further explored by relating macromolecular composition and crosslink density to transport mechanisms, stimuli responsiveness, and correlations between colorimetric changes and spoilage indicators such as microbial growth and total volatile basic nitrogen. Recent advances in hybrid and nanocomposite hydrogels, including nanocellulose-reinforced, metal-organic framework-containing, and peptide self-assembled systems, are also highlighted. Finally, key challenges involving pigment stability, the balance between biodegradability and mechanical strength, and large-scale production are discussed, along with future directions for designing robust, sustainable, and stimuli-responsive hydrogel-based packaging systems.

Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes enriched in β-carotene often exhibit lower dry matter content (DMC) than white-fleshed cultivars, potentially affecting starch-related properties. Three sweet potato cultivars with contrasting pulp colors were examined: BRS Cuia, Beauregard, and BRS Nuti. Mineral composition, DMC, and β-carotene content were assessed in the roots, while physicochemical, pasting, thermal, and digestibility properties were evaluated in isolated native starches. BRS Cuia exhibited the highest DMC (36.39%) and peak viscosity (553.96 RVU), whereas Beauregard showed the lowest estimated glycemic index (73.68). BRS Nuti presented the highest β-carotene content (188.30 μg g[-1]), amylose content (29.53%), resistant starch fraction (34.57%), and overall mineral accumulation, while maintaining intermediate DMC (26.79%). Correlation analysis indicated that mineral composition was associated with several starch-related traits, with phosphorus showing the most consistent relationships with amylose content and pasting behavior. Carotenoid-rich cultivars also exhibited patterns associated with higher amylose content and distinct mineral accumulation. Overall, these findings provide insights into the relationships among mineral composition, carotenoid accumulation, and starch functionality in sweet potato, supporting future studies and breeding strategies aimed at improving both nutritional and technological quality.

The digestibility of starch gels is closely associated with their microstructure, yet quantitative understanding remains limited. Starch gels prepared from wheat, high-amylose wheat, corn, high-amylose corn, potato, pea, and sweet potato starches were investigated using fractal analysis, DSC, ATR-FTIR, XRD, and digestion kinetic. Six starches were evaluated at 10%, 20%, and 30%, whereas high-amylose corn starch was tested at 15%, 25%, and 35% because it did not form a stable, testable gel at 10%. Increasing starch concentration was generally associated with greater microstructural complexity and structural order. Pore fractal dimension (Df) was strongly positively correlated with the rapid-phase digestion rate (k₁) and negatively correlated with the slow-phase rate (k₂) and fitted asymptotic hydrolysis extent (C∞). Thus, pore Df represents a structural indicator strongly associated with starch digestibility. These findings clarify relationships between gel structural characteristics and starch digestion, providing a basis for designing starch-based foods with tailored digestibility.

Arabinoxylan was extracted and purified from wheat bran through alkaline extraction, enzymatic removal of starch and protein, and ethanol precipitation. Its interactions with wheat (A-type), potato (B-type), and pea (C-type) starches were systematically investigated and compared. The purified arabinoxylan exhibited a low degree of substitution, with a weight-average molecular weight of 112 kDa and a backbone mainly composed of →4)-d-Xylp-(1→ linkages. Addition of 0.5% arabinoxylan reduced peak viscosity of wheat, potato, and pea starches by 55.3%, 68.8%, and 49.4%, respectively, and significantly decreased setback viscosity (p < 0.05). Rheological analysis revealed reductions in both of the storage and loss moduli, indicating the formation of weakened starch gel networks. Potato starch exhibited the strongest response, suggesting that crystalline type plays an important role in arabinoxylan-starch interactions. These findings highlight the potential of wheat bran arabinoxylan as a functional polysaccharide for modulating the processing and textural properties of starch-based foods.