Functional Food Material Research Articles

Enzymatic preparation and antioxidant activities of protein hydrolysates from hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds have recently been attracting attention as a new high-value-added food material owing to their excellent nutritional properties, and research on the development of functional food materials using hemp seeds is actively progressing. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant properties of hemp seed protein hydrolysates. Protein hydrolysates were prepared from defatted hemp seed powder (HS) by enzymatic hydrolysis using five different proteases (alcalase, bromelain, flavourzyme, neutrase, and papain). 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) assay and SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that HS showed a high degree of hydrolysis after treatment with each enzyme except papain. The total polyphenol content of the protein hydrolysates (<3 kDa) and the RC50 values obtained from two different antioxidant tests showed that alcalase hydrolysate (HSA) had a relatively high level of antioxidant capacity. In addition, treatment with HSA (25-100 μg/mL) significantly inhibited linoleic acid peroxidation. These results suggest that hemp seed protein hydrolysates are potential sources of natural antioxidants. Future studies will focus on the identification of active peptides from HSA.

The fate of phenolic acids, flavonoids, vitamin C, antioxidant capacities of Cili (Rosa roxburghii) fruits upon processing and sensory properties of the processed products

As a new source of functional food materials, the fruits (Cili) of the wild plant Rosa roxburghii Tratt have been drawn much attention recent years in China. However, due to the acidic and astringent sensory property, cili gained little popularity in commercialization. This study aims to develop novel cili food product by different thermal processing methods and evaluated the changes in nutrient values and sensory properties so as to gain solid information to support the development of cili products. Canned cili, cili wine, and cili juice with or without pericarp were prepared. Although the food processing resulted in significant changes in bioactive substances of phenolics, flavonoids, and vitamin C, the processed products still showed high nutritional values. Among the various products, cili juice best prevented the loss of phenolics and flavonoids, and the retention of pericarp helped improve the prevention. Canned cili retained vitamin C most, and even the can solution had a higher vitamin C content as compared to other forms of products. For the antioxidant bioactivity, cili juice and can solution exhibited the most potent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. According to the sensory results, the canned cili and cili wine were acceptable by customers and had potential commercial values.

Ginkgols and bilobols in Ginkgo biloba L. A review of their extraction and bioactivities.

Ginkgo biloba (GB) has enormous bioactives with anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and immune-stimulating properties, with global sales exceeding $10 billion. The terpene trilactones (ginkgolides A, B, and C) and flavonoids (mostly quercetin, isorhamnetin, and kaempferol) have received the most significant focus in GB research to date, whereas other bioactive compounds such as ginkgols and bilobols with various bioactivities such as anti-viral, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumor actions have received less attention. Therefore, for the first time, this review focused on GB ginkgols, bilobols extraction, and bioactivities. This review showed that petroleum ether and acetone extraction had successfully extracted ginkgols and bilobols. Furthermore, bioactivities such as anti-tumor activity and so on have been demonstrated for ginkgols, and bilobols, providing theoretical justification for ginkgols and bilobol as raw material for nutraceuticals, functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. Future research could look into other biological applications (such as anti-oxidant, antitoxins, anti-radiation, anti-microbial, and antiparasite) and their applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutraceutical industries. Besides, the primary research should be on developing green and effective methods for preparing ginkgols and bilobols and fully utilizing their pharmacological activity. This will also provide a new avenue for efficiently utilizing these bioactive compounds.

Black Mangrove Powder Extracts with Variation of Temperature and Length of Time using Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE)

Black mangrove fruit, which is often found in mangrove forest regions of Indonesia, is one source of natural antioxidants that has the potential to be utilized as raw material for functional foods. This investigation focused on black mangrove powder extracts' chemical and phytochemical contents using an ultrasonic-assisted extraction technique. 70% ethanol was used as a solvent for the extraction process. Temperature and extraction time were the two treatments used in this study. A1=30°C, A2=35°C, and A3=40°C for the extraction temperatures, and B1=15 minutes, B2=20 minutes, and B3=25 minutes for the extraction times. Total phenol, total flavonoid, tannin, vitamin C, and antioxidant activity were among the test’s parameters. This research used a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with two components and three replications. Furthermore. To identify the ideal concentration of black mangrove powder extracts, the data were statistically evaluated using ANOVA at a significance level of 95%, and then processed using DX13.0® Software’s Response Surface Methodology (RSM) Optimal Custom Design tool. The ideal circumstances were attained at a temperature of 50°C for 10 minutes, with a desirability value of 0.80. It is anticipated that the best option will result in a yield of 38.34%. nutritional breakdown: crude fibers at 1.88%, ash at 0.33%, fat at 1.332%, protein at 4.40%, and water at 9.17%. and phytochemical components, including tannins (0.11%), total phenols (1778.07 g GAE/g), flavonoids (92.11 g GAE/g), vitamin C (5.84 mg), and antioxidant activity (43.33%). This research suggests that the conversion of black mangroves into nutrient-rich products has an increase in added value and has potential nutritional and phytochemical contents.

Ensemble Machine learning model identified citrusinol as functional food candidate for improving myotube differentiation and controlling CT26-Induced myotube atrophy

Skeletal muscle loss leads to decreased quality of life, increased incidence of chronic disease and mortality. To identify functional food materials to alleviate muscle atrophy, we built a multitarget-based machine learning system to identify novel phytochemicals that can inhibit TGF-β, which induce muscle weakness, and increase PGC-1α, a target of exercise mimetics. The multitarget-based machine learning system is built as an ensemble model of four algorithms with each optimal input representation. Citrusinol was identified by our model, and its anti-atrophy effects were validated using C2C12 cells. Citrusinol enhanced protein synthesis via AKT/mTORC1 pathway, increased myogenic differentiation, and increased PGC-1α and its downstream regulators, MEF2A and TFAM. Citrusinol attenuated CT26–induced myotube atrophy by blocking TGF-β, p-SMAD3, MAFbx, and TGF-β-induced MuRF1 and p-SMAD3. These results suggest that the proposed model can effectively identify functional foods to manage muscle atrophy; additionally, citrusinol was demonstrated as a promising candidate for future animal experiments.

Differences and similarities of albumins from japonica rice bran, japonica, indica, and javanica rice endosperm in the suppressive effect of postprandial blood glucose elevation

AbstractSuppression of rapid increase in blood glucose level using food components can prevent diabetes. To use functional food components from natural resources, information regarding the plant varieties and plant parts where the component exists is important for the effective extraction and the effective use of biological resources. We have previously found that proteins from the albumin fraction of rice endosperm are indigestible and adsorb glucose to suppress postprandial blood glucose elevation in vivo. However, the variety and location of this functional protein remain unknown. We investigated whether water‐soluble fraction from the endosperm of indica and javanica rice and red and middle bran of japonica rice contains functional albumin observed in the endosperm of japonica. Middle bran was found to possess an indigestible albumin with the same molecular weight as that in the endosperm of japonica and adsorb a large amount of glucose. Middle‐bran albumin suppressed postprandial blood glucose elevation after oral glucose loading in animal experiments, as well as the rice‐endosperm albumin. As middle bran is the outer layer of the endosperm, many functional components are distributed. Our study can aid the effective use of middle bran, which is predominantly discarded in the process of making rice wine, as a functional food material for the prevention of diabetes mellitus.

Antioxidant and Immune Stimulating Effects of Allium cepa Skin in the RAW 264.7 Cells and in the C57BL/6 Mouse Immunosuppressed by Cyclophosphamide.

Allium cepa L. (onion) has been reported to have various pharmacological effects, such as preventing heart disease, and improving antimicrobial activity and immunological effects. The Republic of Korea produced 1,195,563 tons of onions (2022). The flesh of onion is used as food while the onion skin (OS) is thrown away as an agro-food by-product and is considered to induce environmental pollution. Thus, we hypothesize that increasing usage of OS as functional food material could help protect from the environment pollution. The antioxidant effects and immune-enhancing effects of OS were evaluated as functional activities of OS. In this study, OS showed high 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activity. The antioxidant activities increased in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 values of DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity, and XO inhibitory activity were 954.9 μg/mL, 28.0 μg/mL, and 10.7 μg/mL, respectively. Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities of OS in RAW 264.7 cells were higher than those of the media control. There was no cytotoxicity of OS found in RAW 264.7 cells. Nitric oxide and cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) concentrations in RAW 264.7 cells significantly increased in a dose dependent manner. Immune-stimulating effects of OS were evaluated in immunosuppressed mice induced by cyclophosphamide. White blood cell count and the B cell proliferation of splenocytes were higher in OS100 (OS extract 100 mg/kg body weight) and OS200 (OS extract 200 mg/kg body weight) groups than in the negative control (NC) group. Serum IgG and cytokine (IL-1β and IFN-γ) levels were also higher in OS100 and OS200 groups than in the NC group. OS treatment increased NK cell activity compared with the NC group. The results suggested that OS can improve antioxidant and immune stimulating effects. The use of OS as functional supplement can reduce the agro-food by-product and it may contribute to carbon neutrality.

Quality assessment of high calcium Catfish (Clarias sp.) bone flour made by boiling and drying methods

Catfish (Clarias sp.) is a type of fish that is widely cultivated and consumed by community, especially in Indonesia. However, catfish bone has not been used optimally even though its nutritional content is quite high. The production of catfish bone flour can be an alternative source of functional food. This study aims to utilize catfish bone waste as high calcium flour and analyze its nutritional contents. This study consists of two steps, namely flour production and nutritional analysis. Catfish were prepared by eviscerating the internal organ and washing until clean. Then it were dipped into boiling water for 30 minutes at 100°C and separated bone from other parts. The boiled catfish bones were dried at 150°C for 1 hour using oven and ground into flour using blender. The raw flour was then sifted by sieve 60-80 mesh. Proximate analysis results showed that catfish bone flour contained 8.2985% fat, 2.1883% protein, 0.0096% zinc, 0.0028% iron, 10.73% water, 49.9346% ash, and 8.4059% calcium. Calcium content in catfish flour is 8405,9 mg/100g (>380 mg/100 g), therefore it is permitted to “high calcium” claim. Due to its nutritional content, catfish bone flour can be used as a raw material of functional food.

화살나무 날개 추출물의 생리활성

Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Sieb., also known as the arrow tree in Korea, is a plant in East Asia used in traditional medicine and food. In particular, the wings of E. alatus are rich in phenolic compounds. This study evaluated the antioxidant, α-glucosidase inhibition, and anti-cancer activities of E. alatus wing extracts. The radical and hydrogen peroxide scavenging acitvities and reducing the power of 1,000 μg/mL E. alatus wing extracts, were similar to those of the positive control (0.1% BHT, 0.1% α-tocopherol). In addition, ethanol and methanol extract at 250 μg/mL showed 95.70 and 94.99% of α-glucosidase inhibition activity, respectively. The ethanol extract of E. alatus wings had the highest total polyphenol and flavonoid contents (867.8 mg% and 521.7 mg%, respectively). The E. alatus wing extracts significantly decreased the cell viability of LNCaP human prostate cancer cells (p<0.001), MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells (p<0.001), and HT-29 human colon cancer cells (p<0.001) in a dose-dependent manner. However, there was no significant effect on B16 mouse melanoma cells. Notably, the ethanol extracts showed higher cancer cell growth inhibitory activity in LNCaP and HT-29 cells than the other extracts. These results suggest that E. alatus wing extracts could have significant clinical applications, and our results can be used as basic data for future functional food material development.

Ameliorative effect of Fructus Gardeniae against lipotoxicity associated hepatocytes injury through activating Nrf2 signaling pathway

Fructus Gardeniae (FG) is the dried ripe fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, having beneficial effects for human health. In this study, we discovered that the most relevant pathway influenced by Fructus Gardeniae extract (FGE) is lipid metabolism according to the analysis of network pharmacology. Furthermore, the protective effect of FGE against palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity was investigated. In L02 cells, FGE significantly promoted cellular proliferation after being treated with palmitic acid, and reduced the accumulation of lipid droplets and triglyceride level. Palmitic acid led to an increase of ROS content, which was reduced by FGE. Additionally, FGE could facilitate Nrf2 localized to nuclear and followed by activating its downstream targets. ML385 (a Nrf2 inhibitor) treatment further proved that FGE attenuated lipotoxicity through regulating Nrf2/ARE pathway. Consequently, we demonstrated for the first time FGE could be regarded as potential functional food materials for hepatic protection.

Aged Garlic Extract Prevents Alcohol-Induced Cytotoxicity through Induction of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 intheLiverofMice.

Acetaldehyde is a highly toxic primary metabolite of ethanol, and converts to nontoxic acetic acid by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Accumulation of acetaldehyde causes significant damage to human body. Aged garlic extract (AGE) is a functional food material and possesses various health beneficial effects. This study investigates whether AGE contributes to acetaldehyde detoxification through ALDH induction and its underlying mechanism. C57BL/6J mice are orally administrated 10-1000mgkg-1 body weight (BW) of AGE for 1week before ethanol administration. AGE suppresses ethanol-caused accumulation of acetaldehyde level in the plasma through inducing mitochondrial ALDH2 but not cytosolic ALDH1A1. AGE also induces antioxidant enzymes, heme oxygenase-1, and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1, resulting in prevention of lipid peroxidation in the liver. In HepG2 cells, AGE prevents ethanol- and acetaldehyde-caused cytotoxicity. AGE induces mitochondrial ALDH2 through activating nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). AGE inhibits protein degradation of Nrf2 and enhances protein degradation of kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1. Furthermore, S-allyl cysteine and S-allyl mercaptocysteine as the bioactive compounds in AGE also induce ALDH2 and Nrf2. AGE prevents acetaldehyde-induced hepatotoxicity through enhancing acetaldehyde detoxification through Nrf2-dependent induction of mitochondrial ALDH2.

C3G quantified method verification and quantified in blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.) using HPLC–DAD

Blue honeysuckle is a source of anthocyanins with great potential as a food colorant, and a healthy and functional food material, and contains much cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G), which has many benefits for human health. A rapid, reliable, accurate quantification method of anthocyanin content in different varieties of blue honeysuckle is critical to help in breeding and selecting excellent varieties which are used in the food processing industry and healthcare industry. Our objective was to verify the modified quantification method of C3G and quantified C3G content in three blue honeysuckle varieties of ‘Berel’, ‘Lanjingling’ and ‘Wulan’ using the modified HPLC method by Agilent 1200 system and CAPCELL PAK C18 column (150 mmⅹ4.6 mm, I. D., 5 μm, Japan), with detection at 530 nm, the solvent flow rate was 1 mL/min, the temperature of the column chamber is 35 °C. The results indicated that the modified method was validated in terms of linearity (R2 = 0.999), precision (RSD = 0.61%), stability (RSD = 5.23%), and recovery with a good level, and C3G can be quickly quantified in blue honeysuckle. In addition, ‘Wulan’ contains the highest C3G level compared with ‘Lanjingling’ and ‘Berel’.

Potato protease inhibitors, a functional food material with antioxidant and anticancer potential

Potato protease inhibitors (PPIs), as the main component of potato protein isolate, have good safety, nutrition and great market potential. The antioxidant and anticancer properties of PPIs were evaluated with cell-based biological assays. The results showed that when the concentration of PPIs was 5 mg/mL, the peroxyl radical scavenging value was (2119 ± 204) mg VCE/100 g, and the cellular antioxidant activity values were (45.83 ± 3.5) (no PBS wash) and (33.25 ± 4.4) µmol QE/100 g (PBS wash). Cells pretreated with PPIs could significantly prevent the oxidative damage induced by H2O2, inhibit the morphological changes of cells and maintain the integrity. Furthermore, PPIs had selective anti-proliferative effects on GIST882 cells (IC50 = (10.53 ± 3.87) mg/mL) and demonstrated potent inhibition of the growth, migration and invasion of cancer cells. These findings provide a scientific basis for PPIs as promising candidates for functional foods to aid in the prevention of oxidative damage and cancer.

Protective Effects of Cudrania tricuspidata Against Helicobacter pylori-Induced Inflammation in C57BL/6 Mice.

Helicobacter pylori modulates the host inflammatory response, resulting in chronic gastritis, which contributes to gastric cancer pathogenesis. We verified the effect of Cudrania tricuspidata on H. pylori infection by inhibiting H. pylori-induced inflammatory activity. Five-week-old C57BL/6 mice (n = 8) were administered C. tricuspidata leaf extract (10 or 20 mg/kg per day) for 6 weeks. An invasive test (campylobacter-like organism [CLO]) and noninvasive tests (stool antigen test [SAT] and H. pylori antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were performed to confirm the eradication of H. pylori. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of C. tricuspidata, pro-inflammatory cytokines levels and inflammation scores were measured in mouse gastric tissue. C. tricuspidata significantly decreased the CLO score and H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibody optical density levels at both 10 and 20 mg/kg per day doses (P < .05). C. tricuspidata decreased the H. pylori antibody levels in a concentration-dependent manner, increased negative responses to SAT by up to 37.5%, and inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL; IL-1β, IL-6, 1L-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha). C. tricuspidata also relieved gastric erosions and ulcers and significantly reduced the inflammation score (P < .05). We measured rutin in C. tricuspidata extract as a standard for high-performance liquid chromatography. C. tricuspidata leaf extract showed anti-H. pylori activity through the inhibition of inflammation. Our findings suggest that C. tricuspidata leaf extract is potentially an effective functional food material against H. pylori.

Newly identified maltol derivatives in Korean Red Ginseng and their biological influence as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents

BackgroundKorean Red Ginseng is a major source of bioactive substances such as ginsenosides. Efficacy of red ginseng extract (RGE), which contains not only saponins but also various non-saponins, has long been studied. In the water-soluble component-rich fraction of RGE (WS), a byproduct generated in the process of extracting saponins from the RGE, we identified previously unidentified molecules and confirmed their efficacy. MethodsThe RGE was prepared and used to produce WS, whose components were isolated sequentially according to their water affinity. The new compounds from WS were fractionized and structurally analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Physiological applicability was evaluated by verifying the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory efficacies of these compounds in vitro. ResultsHigh-performance liquid chromatography confirmed that the obtained WS comprised 11 phenolic acid and flavonoid substances. Among four major compounds from fractions 1−4 (F1–4) of WS, two compounds from F3 and F4 were newly identified in red ginseng. The analysis results show that these compound molecules are member of the maltol-structure-based glucopyranose series, and F1 and F4 are particularly effective for decreasing oxidative stress levels and inhibiting nitric oxide secretion, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. ConclusionOur findings suggest that a few newly identified maltol derivatives, such as red ginseng-derived non-saponin in the WS, exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, making them viable candidates for application to pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and functional food materials.

Chemometric Discrimination of Cichorium glandulosum Boiss. et Huet and Cichorium intybus L. via Their Metabolic Profiling, Antioxidative, and Hypoglycemic Activities

Cichorium glandulosum Boiss. et Huet (CG) and Cichorium intybus L. (CI) are widely used as the main raw material of functional food with hepatoprotective and hypoglycemic effects. Due to the lack of comparison on the chemical ingredients and efficacy, they were often used imprecisely and interchangeably. It is necessary to distinguish between them. With the plant metabolomics based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS) and multivariate chemometric techniques, the chemical ingredients were characterized and 59 compounds between CG and CI were classified. As for antioxidative and hypoglycemic activities in vitro, CI extraction exhibited better antioxidant activity than CG, while CG extraction showed stronger hypoglycemic activity. Furthermore, a bivariate correlation between the chemical composition and efficacy of the extract was also analyzed, and three differentially strong correlation components between CI and CG were prepared, and the antioxidative and hypoglycemic efficacies were compared in vivo and different active phenotypes were obtained. Finally, we revealed chemical and biological differences between CG and CI, providing a basis for achieving better quality control and developing more effective functional foods.

Antioxidants encapsulated milk-derived exosomes for functional food development.

Reactive oxygen species are known to be involved in various diseases, and antioxidant ingredients are expected to essentially prevent diseases and contribute to improving health. However, antioxidants are easily degraded by enzymes before being absorbed in the intestine, so a means of transport that prevents their degradation in the body is necessary. Exosomes, which play an important role in communication between individual cells, have attracted attention as a new transport carrier of miRNA and DNA, but not yet fully exploited in food research. More recently, exosomes extracted from bovine milk began to be widely used as a cost-effective transport carrier not in clinical medicine but also in functional food materials. To develop practical applications as carriers for functional foods, systematic studies are necessary to clarify the introduction efficiency and the properties of encapsulated substances. In this study, we applied electroporation and incubation to encapsulate antioxidants into the exosomes and studied the encapsulation efficiency into the exosomes and the anticancer activity.

Chlorogenic Acid of Cirsium japonicum Resists Oxidative Stress Caused by Aging and Prolongs Healthspan via SKN-1/Nrf2 and DAF-16/FOXO in Caenorhabditis elegans

To evaluate the value of Cirsium japonicum (CJ; thistle) as a material for functional foods, we studied the functional composition of cultivated CJ and the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of the functional substance. The detected phenolics in farmed CJ were chlorogenic acid (CA), linarin (LIN), and pectolinarin (PLIN) by HPLC analysis. As a result of the antioxidant activity of CJ and its phenolics by DPPH and ABTS method, CA had shown the greatest antioxidant activity. We employed Caenorhabditis elegans to validate that in vitro effects of CA are shown in vivo. CA delayed reduction in pumping rate and progeny production during aging of C. elegans. Under both normal and oxidative stress conditions, CA reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in worms and increased their lifespan. In particular, CA showed the reducing effect of ROS accumulation due to aging in aged worms (8 days old). To gain insight into the mechanism, we used skn-1/Nrf2 and daf-16/FOXO transformed worms. The CA effects (on catalase activity and lifespan extension) in the wild-type (WT) decreased in skn-1 and daf-16 mutants. In particular, CA strongly relied on daf-16 under mild oxidative condition and skn-1 under overall (from mild to strong) oxidative stress to reduce ROS and extend healthspan. Thus, we conclude that CA, a key bioactive phenolic of CJ, reduces ROS production and ultimately extends healthspan, and this effect is the result of actions of daf-16 or skn-1 at different stages depending on the degree of oxidation or aging. Our results suggest that CJ containing CA can be used as an antiaging material due to its antioxidant properties.

Probiotic Characteristics and Safety Assessment of Lacticaseibacillus casei KGC1201 Isolated from Panax ginseng.

Panax ginseng is one of the most important herbal medicinal plants consumed as health functional food and can be fermented to achieve better efficacy. Lacticaseibacillus, one of the representative genera among lactic acid bacteria (LAB), has also been used as a probiotic material for health functional foods due to its beneficial effects on the human body. To achieve a synergistic effect by using these excellent dietary supplement ingredients together, a novel LAB strain was isolated from the root of 6-year-old ginseng. Through similarity analysis of 16S rRNAs and whole-genome sequences, the strain was confirmed as belonging to the genus Lacticaseibacillus and was named L. casei KGC1201. KGC1201 not only met all safety standards as food, but also showed excellent probiotic properties such as acid resistance, bile salt resistance, and intestinal adhesion. In particular, KGC1201 exhibited superior acid resistance through morphological observation identifying that the cell surface damage of KGC1201 was less than that of the L. casei type strain KCTC3109. Gene expression studies were conducted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of KGC1201's acid resistance, and the expression of the glycosyltransferase gene was found to be significantly elevated under acidic conditions. Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) biosynthesized by glycosyltransferase were also increased in KGC1201 compared to KCTC3109, which may contribute to better protection of KGC1201 cells from strong acidity. Therefore, KGC1201, with its increased acid resistance through molecular mechanisms and excellent probiotic properties, can be used in health functional foods to provide greater benefit to overall human health and well-being.

Optimization of extraction conditions for functional compounds from thinned unripe apple using β-cyclodextrin-based ultrasound-assisted extraction

ABSTRACT Unripe apples contain more functional compounds than ripe apples and thus demonstrate significant potential for use as functional food materials. In this study, the conditions for the extraction of functional compounds from unripe apples were optimized using the response surface methodology. A Box–Behnken design was used to investigate the effects of three independent variables (β-cyclodextrin concentration, extraction time, and extraction temperature) on the total polyphenol content (TPC), chlorogenic acid content (CAC), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (RSA). The corresponding optimal extraction conditions were found to be 40 mg/mL, 53.03 min, and 60°C for TPC; 40 mg/mL, 46.67 min, and 60°C for CAC; and 20 mg/mL, 30 min, and 40°C for DPPH RSA. The experimental values obtained under these conditions were consistent with the predicted values, indicating that the model was suitable for optimizing the extraction of functional compounds from unripe apples.