Sichuan Pepper Research Articles

Effects of Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) on the quality and antioxidant capacity of Camembert type cheese made from goat milk

The study was carried out to determine the effects of addition of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum) or their mixture on the chemical, textural, microbial and sensory characteristics and antioxidant capacity of Camembert type cheese made from dairy goats. The chemical composition of cheese was not affected by addition of spices (Cumin, Sichuan pepper or their mixture). Addition of spices considerably affected the texture, microbial and sensory quality and antioxidant capacity of cheese. Overall acceptability score increased from 2.8 in the control cheese to 3.7, 3.2 and 3.4 in the cheeses spiced with cumin, Sichuan pepper and their mixture, respectively after 40 days of ripening. All spiced cheeses also showed higher antioxidant activity compared to the control cheese. Total phenolic content increased from 20.8 to 82.3 in the control cheese to 32.5–94.5, 46.7–118.8, 37.4–104.6 in the cheeses spiced with cumin, Sichuan pepper and their mixture, respectively during the 40 days of ripening period. Similarly, the DPPH increased from 10.4 to 60.4 in the control cheese to 16.7–73.5, 25.8–87.8, 20.3–80.7 in the cheeses spiced with cumin, Sichuan pepper and their mixture, respectively during the 40 days of ripening period. In conclusion, addition of Cumin, Sichuan pepper and their mixture produced goat milk camembert type cheese with better sensory quality and antioxidant capacity without affecting the composition of cheese.

Increase flavour quality of Sichuan pepper(Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.)with optimized cleaning technology: Soaking and spraying

The current study presents the development of a specialized cleaning device for Sichuan pepper, which explores the effects of soaking technology, a combined soaking and spraying technology, and uncleaned on the quality of Sichuan pepper and its processed derivatives. The findings reveal that the highest impurity removal ratio achieved through this combined method was 78.385%. Furthermore, after employing the soaking and spraying technology, the concentration of numbing compounds in dried Sichuan pepper increased from 90.86 mg/g to 102.62 mg/g over a storage period of 120 days. Following the application of three distinct methods, the numbing compounds in Sichuan pepper oils ranged 4.88–4.95 mg/g. Additionally, the volatile oil content in two varieties of cleaned dried Sichuan pepper was recorded at 11.79 mL/100 g and 11.65 mL/100 g, both of which exceeded the levels found in uncleaned pepper. These results suggest that cleaning demonstrated significant efficacy in impurity removal and in mitigating the deterioration of the color of dried Sichuan pepper. Notably, the combined soaking and spraying cleaning method exhibited superior preservation effects on the content of numbing compounds and volatile aromatic components in Sichuan pepper products, thereby effectively prolonging the shelf life of dried Sichuan pepper.

Effect of fresh pepper at different ripening stages on the physiochemical quality and flavor of fermented Chinese pepper

Traditional Chinese fermented chili peppers possess a distinctive flavor. To determine the most suitable pepper raw material maturity for fermenting pepper, four maturity stages were selected: Green Ripening Stage, Color Turning Stage I, Color Turning Stage II, and Red Ripening Stage. These stages were studied to investigate the effects of maturation on the tissue structure, physicochemical quality, and flavor of pepper and fermented pepper. The findings indicate that the levels of reducing sugar, amino nitrogen, and total acid in fresh chili peppers rose as the fruits matured, whereas the concentration of volatile compounds notably declined. After fermentation, the tissue of the pepper loosened and texture softened, while the content of volatile substances increased significantly. Multivariate data analysis reveals that esters, aldehydes, and terpenes are distinct volatile compounds that undergo significant changes during the ripening process of chili peppers and fermented chili peppers. In brief, maturation significantly influenced the physicochemical and flavor quality of both fresh and fermented pepper. Fresh pepper at the Color Turning Stage II (50 days after flowering) was found to be the most suitable for fermentation. During this period, the tissue state of fermented pepper was optimal, resulting in the highest sensory score, a Chroma of 22.87, and a volatile substance content of 20.22 mg/kg, which was notably higher than in the other three periods. This study offers guidance for selecting raw materials and ensuring quality control in food fermentation.

Effects of Different Compound Treatments on Seed Germination of Sichuan Pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum DC.)

To investigate factors influencing the seed germination of Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum DC.) and determine the optimal germination method, this study used an L16(43) orthogonal test. The effects of compound treatments, including 2.5% sodium carbonate degreasing time, indole acetic acid (IAA) concentration, and IAA soaking time on seed germination were examined. The results indicated that 2.5% sodium carbonate degreasing time was the primary factor affecting the germination rate and vigor index of the seeds. IAA concentration primarily affected the germination index and the duration of germination, whereas IAA soaking time primarily influenced the time lag of germination. In addition, the 2.5% sodium carbonate degreasing time had a significant effect on the germination rate; IAA concentration significantly impacted the germination index; and IAA soaking time had a significant effect on both the germination index and the time lag of germination. Through the analysis and evaluation of the membership function, the optimal treatment combinations for seed germination were determined to be a 24-hour degreasing time with 2.5% sodium carbonate, an IAA concentration of 200 mg·L−1, and an IAA soaking time of 12 hours. This study provides a valuable reference for the future propagation of Zanthoxylum armatum DC.

Coumarins rather than alkylamides evoke the numbing orosensation of pomelo peel

Liangpingyou, a well-known Chinese pomelo (Citrus grandis L.) variety, elicits a unique and uncharacterized numbing aftertaste. To understand the molecular bases and characteristics of the pomelo-induced numbing sensation, we first determined that hydroxyl sanshools, the major Sichuan pepper chemosensates, were not responsible via silylation-GC–MS analysis. Pomelo peel juice was then subjected to solid-phase extraction to form 4 fractions, and key sensory-active substances were screened via taste dilution analysis. Three simple coumarins, meranzin hydrate, isomeranzin, and marmin, were identified to induce numbing, which has not been previously reported. Sensory studies via extensively modified half-tongue tests and verification steps revealed recognition thresholds within 0.49–1.78, 0.32–1.56, and 0.43–1.46 μmol/L for numbness, pungency, and astringency, respectively. The temporal dominance trends showed the following taste notes: Meranzin hydrate–numbing dominated, isomeranzin–numbing and pungent, and marmin–astringent and numbing. Molecular docking analysis suggested that coumarins target the receptors TRPV1, TPRA1, and KCNK3

A Method for Sorting High-Quality Fresh Sichuan Pepper Based on a Multi-Domain Multi-Scale Feature Fusion Algorithm.

Post-harvest selection of high-quality Sichuan pepper is a critical step in the production process. To achieve this, a visual system needs to analyze Sichuan pepper with varying postures and maturity levels. To quickly and accurately sort high-quality fresh Sichuan pepper, this study proposes a multi-scale frequency domain feature fusion module (MSF3M) and a multi-scale dual-domain feature fusion module (MS-DFFM) to construct a multi-scale, multi-domain fusion algorithm for feature fusion of Sichuan pepper images. The MultiDomain YOLOv8 Model network is then built to segment and classify the target Sichuan pepper, distinguishing the maturity level of individual Sichuan peppercorns. A selection method based on the average local pixel value difference is proposed for sorting high-quality fresh Sichuan pepper. Experimental results show that the MultiDomain YOLOv8-seg achieves an mAP50 of 88.8% for the segmentation of fresh Sichuan pepper, with a model size of only 5.84 MB. The MultiDomain YOLOv8-cls excels in Sichuan pepper maturity classification, with an accuracy of 98.34%. Compared to the YOLOv8 baseline model, the MultiDomain YOLOv8 model offers higher accuracy and a more lightweight structure, making it highly effective in reducing misjudgments and enhancing post-harvest processing efficiency in agricultural applications, ultimately increasing producer profits.

Analysis of Moisture Migration and Microstructural Characteristic of Green Sichuan Pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum) during the Hot-Air Drying Process Based on LF-NMR

To have a deeper understanding on the moisture migration patterns and microstructural changes of Green Sichuan Pepper during the hot-air drying process, the low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) technology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methodology were adopted to analyze the moisture distribution, migration patterns and microscopic structural changes under different drying temperatures (45, 55 and 65 °C). The LF-NMR scanning results showed that the internal moisture of the Green Sichuan Pepper mainly includes bound water, immobilized water and free water, which can be respectively symbolized by the relaxation time ranges of T21 (0.1–10 ms), T22 (10–500 ms) and T23 (500–10,000 ms). The immobilized water accounts for 83.72% of the internal water, resulting in the significant drying difficulty of Green Sichuan Pepper. During the drying process, the content of immobilized water and free water exhibited a decreasing trend, while the bound moisture content initially increased and then decreased. In addition, the LF-NMR analysis showed that the parameters peak area A2 demonstrated a high correlation with the moisture content of Green Sichuan Pepper, enabling the prediction of moisture content changes during the drying process. Additionally, the SEM results showed that the pore degree and pore density on the pericarp surface of Green Sichuan Pepper perform significant changes during the drying process, which might be a good explanation for revealing some commonly recognized drying phenomena on Green Sichuan Pepper hot-air drying. In summary, the findings presented in the present work provide some new insights into the moisture distribution, migration patterns and microstructural changes of Green Sichuan Pepper, which can offer theoretical guidance for optimizing the drying process of Green Sichuan Pepper.

Unveiling the Residual Characteristic, Processing, and Dietary Risk of Flonicamid and Acetamiprid in Sichuan Pepper Production: A Multisite Field Trial Research

Unveiling the Residual Characteristic, Processing, and Dietary Risk of Flonicamid and Acetamiprid in Sichuan Pepper Production: A Multisite Field Trial Research

Multi-omics strategy to reveal the numbing taste of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. at different developmental stages

Green Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum DC.) holds important development and utilization values in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to the special pungent and numbing taste of their fruits. Interactions among genes, metabolites and proteins are activated at the molecular level during the development of Z. armatum fruits. In this study, five key stages of Z. armatum development were characterized using the transcriptome, metabolome and proteome, and a comprehensive analysis of the numbing taste was performed. Transcriptome enrichment analyses showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly associated with flavonoid biosynthesis and tyrosine metabolism. The results also revealed that there were significant differences in the accumulation of metabolites such as fatty acids, tyrosine metabolism, terpenoids, and alkaloids in Z. armatum at different developmental stages. Proteome enrichment analyses indicated that these proteins were mainly involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, and terpenoid backbone biosynthesis. Integrated analysis of transcriptome, metabolome and proteome reveals that different developmental stages of Z. armatum were associated with flavonoid biosynthesis, fatty acids and terpenoid biosynthesis pathways, contributing to its numbing taste and medicinal value. These findings provide novel insights into the numbing taste of Z. armatum, and are expected to inform optimal harvesting times for enhanced economic benefits.

Dynamic water migration and flavor analysis of sea cucumber in the process of Sichuan pepper seasoning soak

Soaking in seasoning solution is the main process of sea cucumber seasoning. This study analyzed the dynamic changes in water migration and flavor substances in sea cucumbers during soaking in a Sichuan pepper solution. It was found that the sea cucumber experienced a process of water absorption followed by water loss during the 0–48 h soaking process. During this period, the flavor compounds in sea cucumbers showed different dynamic trends. A total of 46 volatiles were identified, of which 29 were key flavor compounds. Its flavor profiles tended to stabilize as soaking time increased. m-Xylene, d-Limonene, Eucalyptol, p-Xylene, Sabinene, Beta-Myrcene, and Beta-Phellandrene were the main characteristic substances contributing to the differences in sea cucumber flavor. Correlation analysis predicted the relationship between water migration and the dynamic shifts in flavor compounds. This study provides a crucial reference for future studies on the processing and flavor modulation of sea cucumber products.

Timut Pepper Extract Slows Age-Dependent Decline of Mobility and Collagen Loss and Promotes Longevity.

Investigations into human longevity are increasingly focusing on healthspan enhancement, not just lifespan extension. Lifestyle modifications and nutritional choices, including food supplements, can significantly affect aging and general health. Phytochemicals in centenarians' diets, such as those found in Timut pepper, a Nepalese spice with various medicinal properties, may contribute to their longevity. Similarly, Sichuan pepper, a related species, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. With the broader purpose of uncovering a novel treatment to address aging and its comorbidities, this study aims to investigate the potential lifespan- and healthspan-promoting effects of Timut pepper using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that Timut pepper extract extends C. elegans' lifespan at different maintenance temperatures and increases the proportion of active nematodes in their early adulthood. In addition, we show that Timut pepper extract enhances speed and distance moved as the nematodes age. Finally, Timut pepper extract assures extracellular matrix homeostasis by slowing the age-dependent decline of collagen expression.

Study on the adsorption and migration rule of Sichuan pepper characteristic volatile compounds during the cooking process in the sea cucumber body wall

The natural flavor of sea cucumber is generally not easily accepted by consumers. In this study, the effect of different cooking conditions on the adsorption of the characteristic flavor of Sichuan pepper by sea cucumber was investigated by response surface methodology, and the optimal cooking conditions were identified. A total of 45 volatiles were identified based on gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, of which 27 were key flavor actives. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and textural analysis showed that the addition of Sichuan pepper during the cooking process affected the water migration and the textural properties of sea cucumbers. It was shown that the addition of Sichuan pepper could significantly improve the flavor and other quality characteristics of sea cucumber. This study has important practical guiding significance for the flavor improvement and product innovation of sea cucumber food.

The control effect and mechanism of antioxidants on the flavor deterioration of Sichuan pepper essential oil during thermal processing

The impacts of varying heating temperature on the flavor of Sichuan pepper essential oil (SPEO) have been studied. The high temperature heating was found to accelerate the oxidation of SPEO and caused the deterioration of its flavor (odor and pungency taste). With the intervention of antioxidants including RE, AP, and TPP, both thermal oxidation stability and flavor stability of SPEO were enhanced. Addition of 1.5% TPP had the best control effect, which significantly improved the overall flavor of heated SPEO and made the overall flavor of SPEO heated at 100°C highly similar to that of original SPEO. According to the results of GC-MS and OAV analyses, the control effect of antioxidants on odor deterioration of SPEO was mainly through significantly inhibiting the decrease in content and OAV of both linalool and terpenes, and restricting the formation of some oxygenated compounds such as aldehydes. The results of HPLC analysis showed that the control effect of antioxidants on the thermal taste stability of SPEO was mainly dependent on blocking the chemical reactions of sanshools, especially hydroxy-α-sanshool.

Identification, structure elucidation, and isomer differentiation of phenolic compounds of Chinese pepper cultivars by UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS and their antioxidant activity.

A total of 43 compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, and diterpene, were identified and characterized using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS coupled with UNIFI software. The identified flavonoids were mostly isomers of luteolin, apigenin, and quercetin, which were elucidated and distinguished for the first time in pepper cultivars. The use of multivariate data analytics for sample discrimination revealed that luteolin derivatives played the most important role in differentiating pepper cultivars. The content of phenolic acids and flavonoids in immature green peppers was generally higher than that of mature red peppers. The pepper extracts possessed significant antioxidant activities, and the antioxidant activities correlated well with phenolic contents and their molecular structure. In conclusion, the findings expand our understanding of the phytochemical components of the Chinese pepper genotype at two maturity stages. Moreover, a UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS in negative ionization mode rapid methods for characterization and isomers differentiation was described.

High voltage electrostatic field and composite coating impact on the quality of Sichuan pepper

The effects of coated film (CF), high voltage electrostatic field (HVEF), and high voltage electrostatic field combined with coated film (HVEFCF) treatment on the quality of Sichuan pepper during storage at room temperature (temperature: 25 ± 2 °C, humidity: 20 ± 2%) were investigated. The pectin (1%), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (0.5%), and ascorbic acid (0.04%) were used to prepare the CF solution. The influence of different treatments on the colour, antioxidant activity, flavor components, OH-α-sanshool content, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) of Sichuan pepper during storage was evaluated. The results showed that HVEFCF treatment significantly reduced the colour change and loss of antioxidant activity of Sichuan pepper during storage. Meanwhile, HVEFCF-treated Sichuan pepper reduced the loss of flavor compounds during storage. Moreover, HVEF-treated Sichuan pepper reduced the loss of TPC and TFC by 106.16% and 44.02%, respectively, after 60 days of storage compared with the control check (CK) group. Furthermore, after 60 days of storage, the amount of OH-α-sanshool in the Sichuan pepper treated with HVEFCF was 9.72 mg/g, significantly preserving the loss of numbing compounds as compared to the CK group. To summarise, HVEFCF is a simple, cheap and efficient way to reduce the quality loss of Sichuan pepper during storage, which has a wide range of application scope in the future.

Effect of Phenol and Alkylamide Interaction on α-Glucosidase Inhibition and Cellular Antioxidant Activity during In Vitro Digestion: Using Szechuan Pepper (Zanthoxylum genus) as a Model.

Although recent evidence indicated significant phenol and alkylamide interaction in aqueous solutions, the gastrointestinal digestion influence of the combination remains unclear. This study aims to investigate phenol and alkylamide interaction during in vitro digestion, focusing on bioaccessibility and bioactivity, including α-glucosidase inhibition and cellular antioxidant activity. Additionally, the structural mechanism of phenol and alkylamide interaction during in vitro digestion was explored. The results indicated that the presence of phenols and alkylamides significantly increased or decreased their respective bioaccessibility, depending on the Zanthoxylum varieties. Furthermore, although antagonistic phenol/alkylamide interaction was evident during α-glucosidase inhibition, cellular oxidative stress alleviation, and antioxidant gene transcription upregulation, this effect weakened gradually as digestion progressed. Glycoside bond cleavage and the methylation of phenols as well as alkylamide isomerization and addition were observed during digestion, modifying the hydrogen bonding sites and interaction behavior. This study provided insights into the phenol/alkylamide interaction in the gastrointestinal tract.

Oral soluble shell prepared from OSA starch incorporated with tea polyphenols for the microencapsulation of Sichuan pepper oleoresin: Characterization, flavor stability, release mechanisms and its application in mooncake

The market share of Sichuan pepper oleoresin (SPO) in the flavor industry is increasing steadily; however, its high volatility, low water solubility, and poor stability continue to pose significant challenges to application. The microencapsulation prepared by emulsion embedding and spray drying is considered as an effective technique to solve the above problems. Sodium octenyl succinate starch (OSA starch) and tea polyphenols (TPs) were used to develop OSA-TPs complex as encapsulants for SPO to prepare orally soluble microcapsules. And the optimum doping of TPs was determined. SPO microcapsules have good properties with high encapsulation efficiency up to 88.13 ± 1.48% and high payload up to 41.58 ± 1.86% with low water content and high heat resistance. The binding mechanism of OSA starch with TPs and its regulation mechanism and effect on SPOs were further analyzed and clarified. The binding mechanism between OSA starch and TPs was clarified in further analyses. The OSA-TPs complexes enhanced the rehydration, release in food matrix and storage stability of SPO, and exhibited good sensory immediacy. Flavor-improved mooncakes were successfully developed, achieving the combination of mooncake flavor and SPO flavor. This study provided a valuable way to prepare flavoring microcapsules suitable for the catering industry, opened up the combined application of SPO and bakery ingredients, and was of great practical value and significance for improving the processing quality of flavor foods, driving the development of the SPO industry, and enhancing the national dietary experience.

Research on Key Algorithm for Sichuan Pepper Pruning Based on Improved Mask R-CNN

Research on Key Algorithm for Sichuan Pepper Pruning Based on Improved Mask R-CNN

Effectiveness of ChatGPT in Translating Non-Fiction Under the Perspective of Syntactic Iconicity: A Case Study of Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper

Effectiveness of ChatGPT in Translating Non-Fiction Under the Perspective of Syntactic Iconicity: A Case Study of Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper

Color grading of green Sichuan pepper(Zanthoxylum armatum DC.)dried fruit based on image processing and BP neural network algorithm

In order to achieve rapid and accurate grading of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. dried fruit, this study utilized image processing technology combined with BP neural networks for the dried fruit of Z. armatum identification to enhance the market value of Z. armatum and their products. The results showed that preprocessing the images with a yellow background yielded the best results, effectively distinguishing the external contours and internal images of Z. armatum. The extracted image of the dried fruit can represent information about its peel, with R, G, and B values being the largest at 69.3285, 65.6432, and 31.2561, respectively. Among the seven drying methods, the average G value was highest at 71.0560 under the conditions of blowing at 42℃, whereas it was lowest at 47.3840 under sunlight drying. Moreover, R, G, B, H, S, and I represent the input layer nodes of the BP neural network. The change in the number of hidden layers did not correlate with the classification results. The classification accuracy of the BP neural network for Z. armatum classification under all dry conditions was 79.53 %-98.04 %, indicating high reliability. The proposed method can provide a theoretical basis for future research on Z. armatum classification.