This study examined the impact of seven flower powders, including rose, peony, gardenia, chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, Osmanthus fragrans, and Sophora japonica flowers at 3% (w/w) on hazardous compound formation in baked biscuits. Among them, Osmanthus fragrans most strongly inhibited the formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, acrylamide, and advanced glycation end products, followed by Sophora japonica. At addition levels of 1%-5%, both Osmanthus fragrans and Sophora japonica flower powders deepened biscuits color, reduced hardness, crispness, and chewiness, increased moisture content and water-holding capacity, and introduced a more porous microstructure. All formulations were sensorily acceptable. Digestibility tests showed that these two flower powders induced a shift from rapidly digestible to slowly digestible starch, accompanied by significant inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities. This study provides theoretical and technical support for using edible flowers to enhance the safety, quality, and health-related properties of biscuits.

Deep-sea microorganisms constitute a valuable source of structurally diverse natural products. In this study, an extracellular polysaccharide was isolated from the deep-sea fungus Beauveria bassiana T2-2 by ultrasonic-assisted hot water extraction followed by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography, yielding a fraction designated BPS-2. Physicochemical characterization revealed that BPS-2 is a glucose-rich polysaccharide (>90% molar ratio) with a weight-average molecular weight of approximately 3.62 kDa and moderate levels of uronic acid (2.84%) and sulfate (3.15%). In vitro enzyme assays demonstrated that BPS-2 inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 1.3 × 10-4 M for α-glucosidase. Within the tested range, its inhibitory activity was stronger than that of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) but weaker than that of acarbose. In a palmitic acid-induced insulin-resistant HepG2 model, BPS-2 significantly enhanced glucose consumption and increased 2-Deoxy-2-[(7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl) amino]-D-glucose (2-NBDG) uptake by 44.9% at 0.75 mg/mL without detectable cytotoxicity, suggesting a potential role in improving cellular glucose utilization under insulin-resistant conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing hypoglycemic-related activity of extracellular polysaccharides derived from deep-sea B. bassiana. These findings provide initial evidence linking the structural features of BPS-2 to glucose metabolism-associated bioactivity, while further studies are required to clarify detailed structural characteristics and underlying molecular mechanisms.

The salivary amylase gene AMY1 exhibits remarkable copy number variation linked to dietary shifts in human evolution. While global studies highlight its structural complexity and association with starch-rich diets, localized selection patterns remain underexplored. Here, we analyze AMY1 copy number in 3,723 individuals from 85 populations, revealing that Indigenous Peruvian Andean populations possess the highest AMY1 copy number globally. A genome-wide analysis shows significantly higher amylase copy numbers in Peruvian Andean genomes compared to closely related populations. Further, we identify positive selection (selection coefficient of 0.0124, log likelihood ratio of 11.1543) at the nucleotide level on a haplotype harboring at least five haploid AMY1 copies, with a Peruvian Andean-specific expansion dated to around 10,000 years ago, coinciding with potato domestication in the region. Using ultra-long-read sequencing, we demonstrate that previously described recombination-based mutational mechanisms drive the formation of high-copy AMY1 haplotypes observed in Andean population. Our study provides a framework for investigating structurally complex loci and their role in human dietary adaptation.

This study investigated the effects of mung bean hull (MBH) and its soluble (SDF) and insoluble dietary fibers (IDF) on the quality and digestion of pressed mung bean cake. MBH increased surface roughness (Sa) from 26.858 μm to 30.340 μm mainly because IDF granules were larger and more irregular than mung bean flour, whereas dissolved SDF reduced Sa to 24.497 μm. The higher density of IDF (1.5629 g/cm[3]), compared to the control (1.4940 g/cm[3]), the self-assembly of SDF that filled voids between flour granules, and their inhibition of starch gelatinization together increased hardness and chewiness. The highly porous MBH structure-especially the SDF fraction with 48-fold greater pore volume than IDF-enhanced water competition, limiting starch swelling and lowering chewing viscosity. IDF inhibited starch retrogradation more effectively through physical barrier effects, while SDF outperformed IDF in promoting ordered starch structures during oral-gastric-intestinal digestion. SDF further delayed intestinal-phase crystallinity development by encapsulating starch granules and reducing the hydrolysis of amorphous regions by limiting amylase access, thereby more effectively slowing starch digestion. Overall, MBH increased roughness and hardness, but significantly inhibited starch retrogradation (hardness increase reduced from 4385 g to 2839 g) and digestion (estimated glycemic index from 53.87 to 37.62) through the combined effects of IDF and SDF.

Melatonin is widely used for sleep regulation and antioxidant applications; however, its commercial production relies mainly on chemical synthesis, raising sustainability concerns. This study evaluated germination as a cost-effective bioprocess to enhance phytomelatonin and related indoleamines in rice. Five cultivars were germinated for up to four days, and phytomelatonin, serotonin, and free tryptophan were quantified by LC-MS/MS across grain fractions. Germination significantly increased phytomelatonin in all cultivars, with the highest levels observed in pigmented rice, particularly red rice and black glutinous rice (up to 676.9-681.8 ng/g). Serotonin increased during early germination, while free tryptophan markedly increased, indicating enhanced proteolysis and precursor availability. The germ and bran fractions were identified as major phytomelatonin reservoirs. In red rice, germination also increased α-amylase activity and induced structural changes in starch. Overall, germination enhances indoleamine accumulation and functional properties, supporting the development of phytomelatonin-enriched rice for sustainable functional food applications.

The present study investigated the effect of steeping solution containing a thiol- and amino-functionalization of hydrolyzed brewers' spent yeast hydrolysate (HBSY) on the enzymatic and nutritional profile of germinated barley. Thiol- and amino-functionalized HBSY (GSN) resulted in significantly elevated activities of α-amylase (35.5 U/g), β-amylase (41.2 U/g), protease (29.9 U/g), cysteine protease (12.6 U/g), lipase (4.8 U/g), and phytase (3.4 U/g) compared to control samples germinated in water (GW) (α-amylase: 23.5 U/g; β-amylase: 12.4 U/g; protease: 8.4 U/g; cysteine protease: 2.6 U/g; lipase: 2.1 U/g; phytase: 1.06 U/g). Higher cysteine protease activity was associated with increased β-amylase activity, consistent with a higher maltose concentration in GSN (2.92 g/L) than in the control (1.81 g/L). Comparative electrophoretic patterns and the branch-chain length distribution of amylopectin indicated that GSN is reflected more strongly in protease- and amylase-mediated hydrolysis, respectively. Steeping with GSN during a 96-h germination period produced nearly twice the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content (2381.30 μg/g) compared with water steeping (1132.00 μg/g). Fortification with GSN resulted in significantly elevated levels of folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, γ-tocopherol, and minerals.

Municipal wastewater represents an underutilized secondary biomass resource rich in organic carbon and nutrients that can be valorized through biotechnological conversion. In this study, we developed an integrated multi-microbial biorefinery platform to transform municipal wastewater into value-added biofuel via sequential bacterial treatment, microalgal biomass generation, and fungal-assisted harvesting. Wastewater was first pretreated with Bacillus subtilis to enzymatically hydrolyze complex organic substrates and enrich the medium with bioactive metabolites, including auxins and gibberellins. The conditioned wastewater was subsequently used to cultivate Chlorella vulgaris, followed by biomass recovery using Trichoderma viride pellets as a sustainable bioflocculant. The integrated consortium significantly enhanced nutrient removal efficiency and promoted algal biomass accumulation, lipid enrichment, and biodiesel productivity compared to monoculture controls. Elevated hydrolytic enzyme activities (cellulase, protease, and amylases) facilitated organic matter conversion into bioavailable substrates, while increased phytohormone levels stimulated algal growth and lipid biosynthesis. Additionally, fungal bioflocculation substantially improved biomass recovery efficiency, reducing the need for energy-intensive harvesting technologies. This work highlights the potential of a biotechnology-driven approach for integrating wastewater remediation with biofuel production. By integrating microbial metabolism, enzymatic transformation, and sustainable separation processes, the proposed biorefinery system suggests a potentially low-carbon approach for simultaneous environmental remediation and biomass valorization, although further life cycle and energy balance analyses are required to validate this aspect.

Background/Objectives: Worldwide, diabetes is a 21st century disease with continuously increasing prevalence. Current medications often have long-term adverse effects, which is why new substances are needed to help combat these disadvantages. Methods: In this respect, the present study develops a series of compounds with potential antidiabetic activity, including synthesis, physicochemical-spectral characterization and in vitro-in silico evaluation. Results: The sulfonamide derivatives were obtained by condensation reactions of para-toluenesulfonamide (p-TSA) with two different isocyanates, directly or after the condensation reaction with urea. The spectroscopic methods, IR, [1]H-NMR, [13]C-NMR, were used for the structural elucidation of the compounds to confirm the presence of the functional groups responsible for the antihyperglycemic action, namely amide, azomethine and sulfonyl groups. Cytotoxicity screening on NCTC fibroblasts confirmed the excellent safety profile of the most synthesized derivatives across the tested range (100-1500 μg/mL). In contrast, the p-TSA-c-d derivative showed a clear transition from a biocompatible profile at 100 μg/mL to a more cytotoxic phenotype at concentrations exceeding 750-1500 μg/mL. The synthesized derivatives, particularly p-TSA-c-d, exhibited remarkable antidiabetic potential by effectively inhibiting α-amylase and α-glucosidase, with IC50 values as low as 46.54 μM, outperforming the standard reference acarbose. The molecular docking tests revealed different mechanisms for the inhibitory activity exerted by the p-TSA derivatives on the two targeted enzymes. Conclusions: Although these developed compounds can be considered promising antidiabetic agents, studies can be further deepened in the future by performing in vivo tests.

Myrciaria floribunda is a plant found in the Northeast region of Brazil with several insecticidal properties that remain little explored. In this sense, this study aims to investigate the harmful effects of essential oil (EO) from M. floribunda leaves against Sitophilus zeamais, an important corn pest. The EO was applied in toxicity tests by fumigation, contact, and ingestion, as well as in in vitro assays to evaluate its effects on the activity of the enzymes α-amylase, trypsin, and acetylcholinesterase. Chromatographic analysis of the oil revealed (E)-caryophyllene (56.41%), viridiflorol (4.02%) and α-selinene (3.85%) as the main compounds. The essential oil (EO) showed fumigation toxicity, with an LC50 of 3.2 μL/L of air, and (E)-caryophyllene with an LC50 of 3.97 μL/L of air. The EO inhibited insect feeding, altering growth rate and feed conversion efficiency starting at 62.5 μL/g. In this study, an increase in amylase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was observed. This increase in AChE activity may cause an imbalance in the nervous system, leading to insect death. Thus, the EO of M. floribunda may serve as an alternative for the control of S. zeamais in stored corn and help prevent significant post-harvest losses for farmers.

Harvesting time is an important but insufficiently characterized factor affecting rice starch structure and digestibility. Wuyoudao4 (WYD4) rice was harvested weekly from 45 to 87 days after heading to investigate changes in starch structure, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestion. With delayed harvesting, starch crystallinity of cooked rice decreased from 6.27% to 4.97%, while total amylase and α-amylase activities increased significantly. Rice flour particle size (D10 and D90) was reduced after mid-harvest, indicating improved enzyme accessibility. Consequently, starch digestibility at 120 min increased from 80.53% (week 1) to 95.60% (week 7). Kinetic analysis confirmed a single-stage digestion mechanism, with enzyme binding as the rate-limiting step and higher digestion extent at later harvest time. These results demonstrate that harvest time modulates rice starch digestibility through coordinated changes in crystallinity, enzymatic activity, and particle accessibility, providing new mechanistic insight into harvest-dependent starch digestion behavior.

This study evaluated the potential of pomegranate (Punica granatum) juice byproducts (PJB) as a functional dietary additive for juvenile red seabream (Pagrus major). Four experimental diets were formulated to contain various levels of PJB (0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 g/kg) and fed to fish with an initial body weight of 7.0 ± 0.01 g for 8 weeks. Growth performance, feed utilization, digestive enzyme activity, whole-body composition, plasma biochemical parameters, antioxidant responses, immune parameters, and resistance to Edwardsiella tarda infection were evaluated. Fish fed the diet containing 2.5 g/kg PJB exhibited significantly higher final body weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate compared with the control group and those with higher PJB doses, whereas feed intake, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency ratio were not significantly affected by dietary treatment. Intestinal trypsin and lipase activities were significantly elevated in the PJB2.5 group, whereas amylase activity remained unchanged. Whole-body proximate composition and plasma biochemical parameters, including aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, glucose, and total protein, were not significantly influenced by dietary PJB supplementation. Dietary inclusion of PJB at 2.5 g/kg also significantly enhanced plasma antioxidant enzyme activities, as evidenced by increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels, while catalase activity was elevated in fish fed the PJB2.5 and PJB5 diets. Innate immune responses were also stimulated, with significantly higher serum lysozyme activity and interleukin-1 levels observed in fish fed the PJB2.5 diet. Following experimental challenge with E. tarda, fish fed diets containing 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg PJB exhibited significantly higher cumulative survival than the control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with PJB at 2.5 g/kg improved growth performance, digestive capacity, antioxidant status, innate immune responses, and disease resistance in juvenile P. major without adverse physiological effects.

The effects of static magnetic field (SMF) treatment on the solid-state culture of Sanghuangporus vaninii (SV) were investigated to enhance metabolite production and bioactivity. SMF parameters including intensity, exposure duration, and temperature were optimized, and treatment at 4 mT for 2 h per day produced the most pronounced effects, increasing total flavonoid (TFC), polyphenol (TPC), and triterpenoid (TTC) contents by 61-438% compared with the control. Ultrasonic extraction and semi-preparative chromatography enabled the isolation of three key compounds: D-(+)-trehalose (1), 5,7-dihydroxy-3,4'-dimethoxyflavone (2), and pinolenic acid (3), all of which were elevated following SMF treatment. Importantly, SMF exposure was associated with enhanced inhibitory activities against enzymes relevant to chronic metabolic disorders. The overall inhibitory activities against α-amylase, α-glucosidase, pancreatic lipase, and xanthine oxidase increased by 6-28% compared with the control, reaching a maximum inhibition of 97.60 ± 0.17%. Preliminary in vitro screening at 100 μg/mL showed that compounds 1 and 2 inhibited both α-amylase and α-glucosidase, whereas compound 3 selectively inhibited pancreatic lipase. Subsequent IC50 analysis confirmed that compound 2 under SMF treatment exhibited inhibitory activity comparable to acarbose against α-amylase (45.62 μg/mL vs. 52.18 μg/mL) and α-glucosidase (38.74 μg/mL vs. 35.42 μg/mL). In addition, compound 3 showed moderate inhibition of pancreatic lipase with an IC50 value of 42.15 μg/mL. These findings suggest that SMF treatment may enhance metabolite production and in vitro enzyme inhibitory activity in S. vaninii. However, these results are limited to in vitro assays, and further studies including cellular and in vivo validation, toxicity assessment, and pharmacokinetic evaluation, are required before any therapeutic or industrial applications can be considered.

This study investigated whether these contrasting environments are associated with the development of coherent, organism-wide phenotypic-physiological syndromes reflecting a fundamental life-history trade-off. A controlled 60-day trial was conducted comparing crayfish from a high-input pond system (fed to satiation) and a low-input rice paddy system (primarily natural diet). Pond crayfish were fed a commercial formulated feed twice daily to satiation (approximately 3% of biomass per day). Rice paddy crayfish primarily consumed natural food webs and received a once-daily supplement of 30% of the pond feed amount (approximately 0.9% of biomass per day). Results revealed two distinct syndromes. Pond-cultured crayfish exhibited a growth-oriented syndrome: they were 33% heavier with a compact, volumetrically enhanced body shape, coupled with elevated lipid-anabolic enzyme activities (lipase and ACC), higher hemolymph protein and cholesterol concentrations, but also significantly increased levels of a stress-related endocrine factor (cortisol-like immunoreactivity) and oxidative damage (MDA). Conversely, rice paddy-cultured crayfish displayed a stress-resistance-oriented syndrome: a streamlined, deeper-abdomen morphology, fortified antioxidant (SOD, CAT, and GST) and immune (lysozyme and phenoloxidase) capacities, enhanced carbohydrate digestion (amylase), and lower systemic stress. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the hepatopancreas of paddy-cultured crayfish was enriched in pathways related to lipid metabolism, detoxification, and endocrine regulation, notably with upregulation of the SULT1E1 gene. Our findings demonstrate that the distinct environmental and nutritional conditions of each aquaculture system are linked to specific multi-level adaptation syndromes, presenting a clear trade-off between rapid biomass production and systemic stress resistance (within the 60-day trial period), providing a mechanistic basis for optimizing sustainable practices: integrated systems enhance stock robustness, while intensive systems require strategies to mitigate physiological load.

As diabetes has become an important public health issue, Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (LJF) had gradually attracted increasing attention on diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the hypoglycemic ingredients and underlying mechanisms of LJF in diabetes using an integrated strategy of network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental validation. Network pharmacology screened 73 active ingredients, 65 targets and 20 main signalling pathways. The results of molecular docking, protein-protein interaction and ingredient-target-pathway network indicated that four targets (PPARG, PPARD, MGAM, GAA) and three signalling pathways (PPAR signalling pathway, Starch and sucrose metabolism, Galactose metabolism) played essential roles. Subsequently, animal experiments and in vitro tests were performed to evaluate the anti-diabetic effect, antioxidant capacity and α-amylase inhibitory activity for the LJF extract. Animal studies indicated the LJF alcohol extract could significantly decrease blood glucose level and mitigate the weight loss compared to the model group (p < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, both in vitro and in vivo tests confirmed that the LJF alcohol extract exhibited strong antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05 for MDA and SOD) and α-amylase inhibitory activity (maximum efficacy: 66.6% ± 4.6%). This strategy provided a promising approach to further elucidate the active ingredients and underlying mechanisms of LJF and other herbs.