Comparative proteomics of human milk casein fraction collected from women of Korean and Han ethnic groups in China

IntroductionHuman breast milk provides neonates with indispensable nutrition and function. Milk protein is one of the main constituents of breast milk. Human milk profiles can be influenced by many factors.MethodsThe present study aimed to investigate the difference in casein isolated from mature milk of healthy mothers of Korean and Han ethnic groups in China using data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics.ResultsA total of 535 proteins were identified and quantified in casein fraction samples from both groups. A total of 528 proteins were annotated to 52 Gene Ontology (GO) terms, the majority (94.13%) of which were distributed in the cell and cell parts of the cellular component. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that 106 proteins were involved in 23 pathways, the greatest (36.79%) in carbohydrate metabolism. There were 39 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs)–10 upregulated and 29 downregulated–between Korean and Han milk. The GO function of blood microparticles and KEGG pathway of Staphylococcus aureus infection for DEPs were the most significantly enriched (p < 0.05). Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed a network with 23 DEPs in 47 interactions, and the fibrinogen alpha chain ranked first as the hub protein.DiscussionThese data may provide useful technical guidance for the development of specific infant foods for certain populations

Effect of ultrasound treatment on antioxidant activity and structure of β-Lactoglobulin using the Box–Behnken design

Effect of ultrasound treatment on antioxidant activity and structure of β-Lactoglobulin were investigated using antioxidant indexes and spectroscopy techniques. The 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities had been applied to the experimental response obtained by a three-factor-three-level Box–Behnken design. Results showed that ultrasound treatment significantly increased antioxidant activity (p < 0.05). The maximum DPPH radical scavenging activity of β-Lactoglobulin was 57.59% at the ultrasound conditions of 45°C, 20 min and amplitude of 30%. The ultrasound-treated β-Lactoglobulin exhibited higher 2,2ʹ-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radical scavenging activity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity. Circular dichroism data indicated that ultrasound treatment increased both α-helix and β-sheet contents of β-Lactoglobulin and altered Trp residues, which resulted in the secondary and tertiary structure changes. Differential scanning calorimeter and scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that ultrasound-treated β-Lactoglobulin contained larger aggregates than untreated. In conclusion, ultrasound treatment had considerable effects on antioxidant activity and structure of β-Lactoglobulin. Ultrasound treatment may expand the applications of β-Lactoglobulin in food industries

Preparation and Photocatalysis of CuO/Bentonite Based on Adsorption and Photocatalytic Activity

A CuO/bentonite composite photocatalyst was prepared to fully utilize the adsorption capacity of bentonite and the photocatalytic activity of CuO. CuO and bentonite were chosen as a photocatalyst due to the excellent optical property of CuO and large specific surface area of bentonite, together with their high stability and low production cost. The sample was characterized by XRD, SEM, and BET. The effects of several factors on degradation process were investigated such as dosage of H2O2, irradiation time, pH of the solution, and dosage of catalyst. The optimum conditions for decolorization of methylene blue solution by CuO/bentonite were determined. Under optimal conditions, the decolorization efficiency of methylene blue by a 1.4% CuO/bentonite (400 °C) composite photocatalyst under visible irradiation at 240 min reached 96.98%. The degradation process follow edpseudo-second-order kinetics. The photocatalytic mechanism is discussed in detail. This composite structure provides a new solution to the cycle and aggregation of the photocatalyst in water

Effects of feeding hyperlipidemia rats with symbiotic oat‐based frozen yogurt on serum triglycerides and cholesterol

Ice cream is one of the most popular dairy foods in the world. But it has long been recognized as a high‐calorie food and may not be suitable for certain segments of the population. Oat‐based food products are considered as functional foods due to its rich β‐glucan. A symbiotic oat‐based frozen yogurt (SOFY) containing fermented oat, probiotics, and inulin (prebiotic) was developed, and its effects on serum lipids in rats were evaluated. The new product had 4.10% protein, 8.50% fat, and 2.10% fiber, respectively. Bifidobacterium remained 106 CFU/ml up to 8 weeks. Triglycerides levels of the rats fed with 30% or 35% SOFY were significantly lower than that of the control group (p &lt; 0.05). Serum total cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein levels of experimental rat groups decreased with increased SOFY, and the difference was very significant between group with 35% SOFY and control groups (p &lt; 0.01). There was no significant difference in high‐density lipoprotein between each two groups (p &gt; 0.05). Hepatic cell cords of rats after administration of SOFY showed orderly manner and normal hepatocyte morphology compared with those of rats in control group. Results indicated that consumption of oat‐based frozen yogurt could lower serum lipids levels in rats

Development of Green Banana Fruit Wines: Chemical Compositions and In Vitro Antioxidative Activities

This study aimed to develop functional fruit wines using whole fruit, pulp, and peels from green bananas. The boiled banana homogenates were mixed with cane sugar before wine fermentation. Quality parameters, phenolic compounds, flavor components, and antioxidative properties of the green banana peel wine (GBPW), green banana pulp wine (GBMW), and whole banana wine (GBW) were determined. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to determine the phytochemical compounds in three wines, and the flavor components were further analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The flavor components and in vitro antioxidant activities were, respectively, determined using the relative odor activity value and the orthogonal projections on latent structure discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA). In vitro antioxidative capacities for these wines were evaluated using antioxidant chemical assays and cell culture methods. The total phenolic and total tannin content of the GBPW, GBMW, and GBW showed reducing trends with increasing fermentation days, whereas the total flavonoid content of the wine samples exhibited downward trends. The antioxidant capacities of the three wine samples were higher than those of the raw fruit samples, except for the metal chelation rate (%). Additionally, the main flavor component in the wine samples was 3-methyl-1-butanol. Its percentages in the GBPW, GBMW, and GBW were 72.02%, 54.04%, and 76.49%, respectively. The OPLS-DA results indicated that the three wines presented significantly different antioxidant activities. The cell-culture-based antioxidant analysis showed that these wine samples had protective effects against the oxidative stress of the 3T3-L1 preadipocytes induced by hydrogen peroxide. This study provided a theoretical basis for defining the antioxidant characteristics of banana wines and expanding novel channels for using banana peels to develop nutraceuticals