The rising prevalence of overweight and obesity poses a significant threat to life quality. Although Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP) has demonstrated various health benefits, its effects on obesity and the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. This study, using a high-fat diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model, shows that DOP significantly alleviates DIO by suppressing lipid droplet (LD) expansion and downregulating LD-associated genes, including PLIN2 and PLIN3, in white adipose tissue (WAT). These genes positively correlate with metabolic parameters including body weight gain, adiposity, and glucose intolerance. A meta-analysis further reveals that PLIN2 and PLIN3 are consistently upregulated in the adipose tissues of both obese mice and humans, underscoring their clinical relevance. Transcriptomic analysis indicates that DOP potentially activates the Wnt signaling pathway in WAT, thereby suppressing lipid synthesis and storage and inhibiting adipocyte differentiation. Metagenomic analysis demonstrates that DOP reverses obesity-associated gut microbiota dysbiosis by downregulating bacteria positively associated with LD formation and obesity phenotypes, while upregulating bacteria negatively associated with these traits. Notably, a data-driven analysis identified Bifidobacterium pseudolongum and B. choerinum as potential key mediators of DOP's effects. Untargeted metabolomics reveals that DOP reshapes serum metabolite profiles, particularly upregulating acylcarnitines, which negatively correlate with LD formation and metabolic parameters. A multi-omics covariance network integrating gut microbiota, serum metabolites, WAT gene expression, and metabolic phenotypes suggests that DOP modulates lipid metabolism possibly through gut microbiota and metabolites, thereby improving obesity-related traits. In conclusion, this multi-omics study is the first to suggest that DOP may promote the Wnt signaling pathway and inhibit LD expansion through the gut-adipose axis, thereby mitigating the onset of DIO.

In this study, the relationship between the formation of acrylamide (AA) and that of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), as well as the correlation with the content of α-dicarbonyl compounds as intermediate products in French fries were studied using Pearson correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA), and the correlation between the formation of AA and 5-HMF and the sensory score, color, water content and oil absorption of French fries was also discussed. The results showed that with an increase in frying time or temperature, the contents of AA, 5-HMF and α-dicarbonyl compounds in French fries increased significantly, water content decreased, and oil absorption increased gradually. In addition, lightness (L* value) and yellowness (b* value) tended to decrease, while redness (a* value) tended to increase. There was a significantly positive correlation between AA and 5-HMF contents under the different conditions tested. Moreover, AA and 5-HMF contents showed a significantly positive correlation with the content of α-dicarbonyl compounds and oil absorption, but a significantly negative correlation with water content, L* value and b* value. AA content was positively correlated with a* value. It was found that the results of the PCA model were consistent with the linear curves of the contents of AA, 5-HMF and α-dicarbonyl compounds versus frying temperature and time. Frying for 5 min at 170 ℃ not only ensured the best sensory quality of French fries, but also helped to reduce the formation of hazardous substances.

The incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) has been increasing in recent years. Due to the limitations of traditional drug therapies for UC, natural foods that can prevent this disease and alleviate its symptoms are becoming a research hot topic, but the effects of processing methods on their activity remain unknown. Therefore, the effects of three different processing methods (pulping, high-temperature cooking, and fermentation) on carotenoid and dietary fiber contents as well as carotenoid bioaccessibility in carrots were explored in this study. C57BL/6J mice were used to create a mouse model of UC induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and the mice received dietary intervention with freeze dried powder of carrots (5.05%, on a dry mass basis) for 14 days. Body mass change, disease activity index (DAI) and colon parameters (length, pathology, inflammatory factors, oxidative stress level, goblet cell number, tight junction protein expression, and short-chain fatty acid content) were analyzed to evaluate the effects of three differently processed carrots on UC. The results showed compared with pulping, high-temperature cooking and fermentation significantly decreased the soluble, insoluble and total dietary fiber contents of carrots (P < 0.05), increased the bioaccessibility of carotenoids (P < 0.05), while fermentation significantly increased the proportion of soluble dietary fiber in total dietary fiber (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, all processed carrots could significantly inhibit the change of body mass loss and DAI (P < 0.05), decrease the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 (P < 0.05), increase the level of IL-10 (P < 0.05), and upregulate the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, claudin-1, and occludin) (P < 0.05). High-temperature cooked or fermented carrots could significantly alleviate colon shortening (P < 0.05), and relieve the pathological damage of colon tissue (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, fermented carrots could significantly inhibit the production of malondialdehyde (MDA) (P < 0.05), improve the decrease in the number of goblet cells (P < 0.05), increase the level of butyric acid (P < 0.05) and possess the best inhibitory effect on IL-6 production. In summary, differently processed carrots could ameliorate ulcerative colitis to different extends, the most pronounced effect being observed with fermented carrots.

Objective: To compare the regulatory effects of adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L.) seeds fermented and not fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum NCU137 on immune and intestinal mucosal barrier function in mice induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX). Methods: BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups, including normal, CTX-induced model, non-fermented adlay seed (NFC) and fermented adlay seed (FC) treatment. The mice in the normal and CTX groups were orally administrated with 0.2 mL of physiological saline for 10 days, while those in the NFC and FC groups 0.2 mL of non-fermented and fermented adlay seeds for 10 days, respectively. The immunosuppressed mouse model was established by daily intraperitoneal injection of 100 mg/kg of CTX for the last three days of the administration period, while the normal group was intraperitoneally injected with the same volume of normal saline. Spleen index, the number of spleen T lymphocyte subsets, and the levels of cytokines and immunoglobulin were measured, histopathological examination of the small intestine was performed and intestinal mucosal barrier function was detected. Results: Compared with the CTX group, fermented adlay seeds significantly increased the spleen and thymus indexes of immunosuppressed mice, up-regulated the cluster of differentiation (CD) 4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio of spleen T lymphocytes, down-regulated the levels of spleen pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and increased serum immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG levels. Moreover, fermented adlay seeds repaired small intestinal mucosal structure and up-regulated the gene expression of Occludin and E-cadherin, and the effect was more pronounced than that of non-fermented adlay seeds. Conclusion: Coix lachryma-jobi L. seeds fermented by L. plantarum NCU137 have the potential to regulate immune and intestinal mucosal barrier function, which are expected to be developed into a novel health food with immunomodulatory function.

With the rise of probiotics fermentation in food industry, fermented foods have attracted worldwide attention. In this study, protective effects of Rosa roxburghii & edible fungus fermentation broth (REFB) on immune function and gut health in Cyclophosphamide induced immunosuppressed mice were investigated. Results showed that REFB could improve the immune organ index, and promote the proliferation and differentiation of splenic T lymphocytes. In addition, it attenuated intestinal mucosal damage and improved intestinal cellular immunity. REFB administration also up-regulated the expression of IL-4, INF-γ, TNF-α, T-bet and GATA-3 mRNA in small intestine. Furthermore, administration of REFB modulated gut microbiota composition and increased the relative abundance of beneficial genus, such as Bacteroides. It also increased the production of fecal short-chain fatty acids. These indicate that REFB has the potential to improve immunity, alleviate intestinal injury and regulate gut microbiota in immunosuppressed mice.

Furan (C₄H₄O) has been classified as a possible animal and human carcinogen by many international agencies. The formation of furan in three sugar–glycine models using glucose, fructose, and sucrose was investigated using headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry method (HS-GC–MS) with various dual combinations of three important heat processing conditions, i.e. pH, temperature, and heating time. Results indicated that furan levels from sugar–glycine model systems during the thermal processing can be attributed to selective sugar types, pH, temperature, and heating time. In glucose–glycine and fructose–glycine system, the lowest furan level was detected in acid condition but in sucrose–glycine system furan formed significantly lower (P < 0.05) in acidic conditions the lowest furan level was found in alkaline conditions. The furan levels were observed to increase with heating time in all three model systems. Furthermore, less furan was generated in non-reducing sugar system (sucrose) than in reducing sugar system (glucose and fructose). Therefore, they demonstrate the possibility of limiting the formation of furan in heat processed foods by both the careful selection of carbohydrates (i.e. non-reducing sugars and reducing sugars) ingredients and appropriate processing conditions.