Glucosinolates (GLS), sulfur-rich phytochemicals found in cruciferous vegetables, have gained attention for their multifunctional roles in plant defense and human health. This review outlines the biosynthesis, transport, and hydrolysis pathways of GLS and their conversion into bioactive metabolites, especially isothiocyanates (ITC) like sulforaphane (SFN). We explore the genetic and environmental regulation of GLS, microbial-mediated transformations, and their biological functions in plants, including insect resistance and sulfur balance. In humans, ITC exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective, and antimicrobial effects. The impact of food processing on GLS stability, along with encapsulation technologies, is also discussed. Emerging strategies include breeding for tailored GLS profiles, gut microbiota modulation to enhance ITC production, advanced delivery systems to improve bioavailability, and novel processing methods to optimize ITC yields. This comprehensive review provides insight into optimizing GLS utilization for plant resilience, functional food innovation, and chronic disease prevention through personalized nutrition and translational applications.

This work was carried out in order to study the effect of light emitting diode (LED) blue light and/or mediumwave (UV-B) and short-wave ultraviolet (UV-C) on the storage quality of fresh-cut Pleurotus eryngii. Results showed that light irradiation treatments effectively maintained the color of fresh-cut P. eryngii, delayed the decrease of total phenols, flavonoids and vitamin C contents, and inhibited the growth of microorganisms. After the combined treatment, the vitamin D₂ content of fresh-cut P. eryngii was increased to 0.77 μg/100 g m_w, the soluble protein content was increased by 20.85% compared with the initial value on the second day of storage, and the reducing sugar content was 2.06 folds higher than that of the control group on the 10^th day. The combined treatment significantly enhanced the activity of enzymes associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism and secondary metabolism, and delayed the production of superoxide anion radicals. Transmission electron micrographs showed that both lights could delay cell wall and mitochondrial degradation of fresh-cut P. eryngii. In summary, LED blue light combined with UV-C/B treatment could effectively maintain the storage quality and nutritional value of fresh-cut P. eryngii and prolong its storage period.

Perillaldehyde is a green and safe natural antibacterial substance extracted from perilla leaves, which is also used as a food additive in food production. In this study, the inhibitory effect of perillaldehyde on Penicillium citrinum, a major pathogen of Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra), was investigated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), spore germination rate and mycelial growth inhibition assays, and the underlying mechanism was elucidated by studying the mycelial morphology and ultrastructure, cell membrane damage, membrane lipid peroxidation and changes in functional groups. The results showed that the MIC of perillaldehyde on P. citrinum was 120 μL/L. Mycelial growth was completely inhibited by treatment with 120 μL/L perillaldehyde, and the relative conductivity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased. Compared with the untreated group, ergosterol, total lipid and chitin contents and mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity decreased by 80.00%, 81.25%, 64.97% and 87.40% in P. citrinum treated with 90 μL/L perillaldehyde. The treatment with perillaldehyde damaged cell membrane permeability and affected the normal physiological function of the cell membrane. By scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it was found showed that the broom-like conidial head of P. citrinum disappeared after perillaldehyde treatment, and the mycelia appeared to be broken and ablated. Moreover, the cell membrane was broken, intracellular contents leaked out, and the cells became shriveled. In addition, the amounts of leakage of soluble protein, soluble sugar and nucleic acid from P. citrinum treated with 120 μL/L perillaldehyde for 5 h increased by 71.20%, 210.93% and 117.31% compared with those before the treatment, which verified cell membrane damage. By using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, it was found that the contents of functional groups such as hydroxyl, methyl, aromatic carbon skeleton and benzene ring carbon skeleton in perillaldehyde treated P. citrinum decreased, and internal substances were gradually consumed. In summary, perillaldehyde showed a good antifungal activity on P. citrinum by destroying cell membrane structure, changing membrane permeability, interfering with energy metabolism and destroying protein and genetic material. Perillaldehyde has good research and development prospects as a natural preservative.

In this study, Fusarium graminearum was identified as the pathogen causing the decay of ginger from Jiangshan, Zhejiang Province during postharvest storage by tissue separation, morphological characterization, ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (rDNA-ITS) sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree construction. By using solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the changes of volatile flavor in fresh ginger during infection with F. graminearum postharvest were studied through the determination of volatile flavor compounds in healthy tissues, the junction between healthy and diseased tissues, and diseased tissues of fresh ginger. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate the flavor quality of fresh ginger during postharvest disease development. The results showed that a total of 58 volatile flavor substances were detected in ginger, of which 40 substances were detected in healthy tissues, 35 substances in the junction of diseased and healthy tissues, and 39 substances in diseased tissues. These volatile flavor substances mainly included olefins, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and ketones. Olefin compounds were the major components contributing to fresh ginger flavor, accounting for more than 80% of all flavor compounds. During disease development, the content of olefin flavor compounds increased significantly (P < 0.05), and the sesquiterpene components zingiberene and β-sesquiterpene were detected in different parts of fresh ginger and their contents continued to increase, which could be used as the indexes for determining whether or not fresh ginger is infected with F. graminearum after harvest. This may be due to the activation of the resistance mechanism of pathogen infected fresh ginger and consequent release of sesquiterpene components in large quantities.

Defatted hickory meal (DHM), a by-product of hickory oil production, is a protein source rich in essential amino acids. In this study, the functional properties of DHM hydrolysate (DHMH) were assessed using in vitro and in vivo assays in context to its antioxidant and memory-enhancing effects. To induce memory impairment, D-galactose (D-gal) was administered to mice at a dose of 120 mg/kg body weight per day, and DHMH was orally administered at doses of 300, 600, and 1000 mg/kg body weight per day for 8 weeks. DHMH treatment led to improved memory performance in D-gal-induced memory-impaired mice, as observed in the Morris water maze test. Furthermore, DHMH mitigated the accumulation of amyloid β_1-42 triggered by D-gal exposure. Notably, high-dose DHMH significantly reduced the elevation of pro-inflammatory markers, including tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1β, and interleukin 6. Additionally, DHMH prevented the decline in total superoxide dismutase activity, glutathione peroxidase activity, and glutathione levels, while reducing malondialdehyde content in D-gal-induced mice, indicative of its antioxidant properties. Moreover, DHMH treatment effectively prevented histological alterations in neurons within the hippocampal CA1 area induced by D-gal. Collectively, our findings suggest that DHMH may counteract memory dysfunctions resulting from oxidative stress injury in the brain, positioning it as a potential candidate for use as a functional food.