Abstract: Fish oil (FO) has garnered attention in recent decades because of its omega-3 fatty acid (n-3 FAs) content, which is essential for healthy functions. However, the broad application of FO in food products has pros and cons because n-3 FAs are highly prone to oxidative deterioration, leading to product rejection. Enriching food products with FO is an effective strategy to boost the accumulation of n-3 FAs in the body. The n-3 FAs are considered essential lipids, and their consumption helps maintain normal triacylglycerol and cholesterol levels in the blood, decreases the risk of cancer and cardiac disorders, and augments brain function. The n-3 FAs obtained from FO can be added to animal diets or food products as free FO or protected FO. In this review, we focus on elucidating the benefits and challenges of adding FO to several animal-based foods, such as meat-, egg-, and milk-based products. In addition, we discuss the preparation of edible film/coating-forming emulsions and the design of FO-enriched double-layered edible films/coatings.

In this study, different fatty acids were used for demulsification of peanut oil bodies (OBs) extracted by aqueous enzymatic method. Demulsification process was optimized, and mechanism of fatty acid demulsification was studied. By screening of fatty acids and optimizing demulsification process, octanoic acid had the best demulsification effect (98.23%). OBs maintained stability through electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance. Octanoic acid adjusted pH to isoelectric point (pI) of OBs proteins, which made electrostatic charge on OBs surface was almost zero, reduced electrostatic repulsion, resulted oil droplets aggregation and fusion. With the increase of demulsification time, contents of α-helix and β-folding gradually reduced, contents of β-turning and random coil gradually increased, the maximum fluorescence peak of OBs proteins had obvious redshift, showing internal space conformation of proteins was destroyed and protein molecules were unfolded. Interfacial membrane structure of OBs was destroyed, resulted proteins and phospholipid were no longer evenly distributed on OBs surface. OBs could not maintain original stable form, aggregation and fusion occurred between oil droplets, achieving demulsification. Results of this study suggest that octanoic acid demulsify of peanut OBs was high efficiency, which provided theoretical basis for realizing industrialization of extracting peanut oil by aqueous enzymatic method.

The enantiomeric distribution of the δ- and γ-lactones in Wagyu beef was determined using solvent extraction and gas chromatography with a chiral capillary column. The results revealed that the predominant lactones in Wagyu were (R)-δ-tetradecalactone and (R)-δ-hexadecalactone. The concentrations of several lactone types were higher after heat treatment. δ-Lactones were predominantly present in the (R)-form in the heated samples. γ-Dodecalactone was also abundant in the (R)-form, whereas other γ-lactones were found in racemic mixtures. These findings suggest that the major lactones in Wagyu beef primarily exist in the (R)-form and that heat treatment influences their enantiomeric distribution.

We examine the effect of surfactants on spray characteristics of mist aerosol containing oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions to evaluate the mechanism on the splitting of liquid film sprayed from mist aerosol containing O/W emulsions as mist aerosol formulation. We proposed that the splitting of liquid film sprayed from mist aerosol containing O/W emulsions as mist aerosol formulation was attributed to the adsorption of oil droplets to air/water interface in liquid film sprayed from mist aerosol. The splitting of liquid film sprayed from mist aerosol containing O/W emulsions differed with type of surfactants. This indicates that the adsorption of oil droplets to air/water interface in liquid film sprayed from mist aerosol is controlled by surfactants. We also found that the prompt adsorption of surfactant molecules themselves to air/water interface enhanced the splitting of liquid film sprayed from mist aerosol. Namely, the prompt adsorption of oil droplets and surfactants to air/water interface in liquid film leads to the earlier splitting of liquid film, and the resulting larger angle and area of mist sprayed from mist aerosol containing O/W emulsions.

The rising cost of fish meal and soybean meal for aquafeeds has encouraged researchers to look for alternative protein sources. To find an alternative, this study was designed to replace soybean meal with silkworm pupae meal. An experimental feeding trial of 75 days was conducted on Pangasius fingerlings to assess the effects of partially substituted soybean meal with silkworm pupae meal (SWPM) on growth performance, antioxidant activity, and digestive enzymes. Four isonitrogenous diets were made with 0% SWPM as control and 25%, 50%, and 75% silkworm pupae meal as experimental diets. The fingerlings were given control and experimental diets at 3% of their body weight. The study found that the groups given SWPM at 25% and 50% concentration had the best growth performance, feed efficiency (up to 0.80±0.00%), and feed conversion ratio (up to 1.24±0.00%). Both groups showed increased highest final weight (up to 22.25±0.76), weight gain % (up to 95.03±0.35%), and improved survival growth rates (100%) as compared to the control. The control and treated groups (25% and 50%) exhibited significant differences (p < 0.05) in terms of antioxidant activity and digestive enzymes. The histomorphometry examination revealed no damage in hepatic tissues, intestinal villi, and podocytes as a result of the inclusion of silkworm pupae meal. The data suggest that silkworm pupae meal may serve as an adequate replacement for soybean meal, up to 50%, without negatively impacting the growth responses, antioxidant, and digestive enzyme activities of Pangasius.

1,3-dilinoleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (LPL) is an important structural lipid in breast milk fat, which plays an important role in the health of infants, and therefore the development of an efficient method for the preparation of such compounds is necessary. In the present study, LPL was efficiently catalytically synthesized by immobilized lipase ANL-MARE as a biocatalyst using tripalmitate and linoleic acid in a solvent-free system, and its digestive properties were investigated. The optimal process conditions for the enzymatic acidolysis of LPL were optimized by response surface test: the molar ratio of PPP:LA was 1:10, the enzyme addition was 13.60%, the reaction temperature was 50℃, and the reaction time was 5 h. At this time, the relative content of LPL in the product was 67.78%, of which the relative content of sn-2 palmitic acid (sn-2 PA) accounted for 71.50%. In vitro gastrointestinal digestion of LPL resulted in the release of 59.69% of its fatty acids. The digested product contained higher levels of free unsaturated fatty acids and palmitic acid monoacylglycerols. In conclusion, the immobilized enzyme ANL-MARE has great potential to catalyze the preparation of LPL, which provides a new strategy and theoretical basis for the efficient preparation of human milk fat substitutes.

In this study, the pH values, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content, and antioxidant capacities (using FRAP, DPPH, and CUPRAC assays) of different plant-based vinegar samples were evaluated. The highest phenolic content was detected in pomegranate vinegar (PV) with 754.53 µg GAE/mL extract, followed by blueberry (BV, 644.67 µg GAE/mL extract), apple honey (AHV, 436.61 µg GAE/mL extract), juniper (JV, 372.36 µg GAE/mL extract), grape (GV, 335.36 µg GAE/mL extract), and apple vinegar (AV, 279.46 µg GAE/mL extract), respectively. A similar trend was observed in flavonoid levels, with PV showing the highest value (512.23 µg QE/mL extract), followed by moderate levels in BV (159.42 µg QE/mL extract) and AHV (106.39 µg QE/mL extract), while AV had the lowest flavonoid content (3.57 µg QE/mL extract). Regarding antioxidant capacity, PV exhibited the highest activity in both FRAP (353.75 µg TE/mL extract) and CUPRAC (1326.70 µg TE/mL extract) assays. In the CUPRAC method, BV (709.70 µg TE/mL extract), JV (286.99 µg TE/mL extract), and AHV (284.70 µg TE/mL extract) followed PV; while in the FRAP assay, BV (241.80 µg TE/mL extract), GV (171.92 µg TE/mL extract), and JV (151.38 µg TE/mL) showed relatively high activities. In terms of DPPH radical scavenging activity, PV again demonstrated significantly high performance with a scavenging percentage of 44.78%. The findings indicate that pomegranate and blueberry vinegars stand out in terms of phenolic composition and antioxidant potential, while honey apple and juniper vinegars also present noteworthy levels of these bioactive properties. These results reveal the differences in phenolic content among vinegar types and demonstrate that those with higher phenolic levels are rich in bioactive compounds.

Arctium lappa L. (burdock) leaves is effective in the traditional treatment of stroke. Fatty acids are abundant in burdock leaves, and may play an important role in the treatment of stroke. A new procedure was presented that provides ¹³C NMR-based quantitative measurements of total content, average chain length, average degree of unsaturation, and average polyunsaturation of fatty acids in burdock leaves from five producing areas. The content of five fatty acids in burdock leaves, including α-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and stearic acid, were further determined by HPLC-CAD. Among five producing areas, the results of ¹³C qNMR showed that the content of total fatty acids in burdock leaves ranged from 8.62 to 24.51 μmol·g^–1, the average chain length ranged from 19.67 to 23.14, the average degree of unsaturation ranged from 1.19 to 3.91, and the average polyunsaturated moieties ranged from 0.23 to 2.37. The results of HPLC-CAD showed that the contents of α-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid and stearic acid were 0.66 - 6.60 mg·g^–1, 0.38-4.41 mg·g^–1, 0.46-3.55 mg·g^–1, 0.18-0.20 mg·g^–1 and 0.10-0.32 mg·g^–1 respectively. The developed ¹³C qNMR method can accurately determine the total fatty acids content and provide relevant information on the fatty acids structure types in burdock leaves. This method is capable of complementing existing fatty acids quantitative methodologies, circumventing their deficiencies, and its application can be extended to other plants.

This study aimed to investigate the aroma compounds in fresh leaves and their dried powders in Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa (yamato-tōki). Essential oils were extracted from the dried powders of leaves in A. acutiloba Kitagawa using a simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) technique and analyzed using GC/MS. The phthalides in the essential oils were accounted for 41.46%, followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbonds (19.45%) and monoterpene hydrocarbonds (18.74%). A major component in the oils, detected at 34.95%, was isolated using silica gel column chromatography and determined as (Z)-ligustilide using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. We also purified (Z)-butylidenephthalide as the minor phthalide. In the oils extracted from fresh leaves using SDE, the monoterpene hydrocarbonds were accounted for 52.69%, followed by phthalides (20.95%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbonds (10.63%). The most dominant aroma compound identified was γ-terpinene, followed by (Z)-ligustilide, p-cymene and β-caryophyllene using GC/MS. Both oils exhibited a celery-like aroma. It could be revealed that investigations on the composition of related phthalides in Angelica varieties are necessary to clarify their therapeutic effects and mechanisms.

Carotenoids are one of the common food ingredients with potential anti-inflammatory effects. Screening of carotenoids for their anti-inflammatory effects has predominantly been conducted using macrophages, whereas comparative analyses of their effects on excessive activation of microglia remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of eight different carotenoids in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia, focusing on nitric oxide (NO) production suppression and underlying molecular mechanisms. Mouse microglia cell line MG6 was pretreated with carotenoids, followed by stimulation with LPS. Among the tested carotenoids, β-carotene, echinenone, and siphonaxanthin exhibited strong NO-inhibitory effects. Western blot analysis indicated that the effect of siphonaxanthin was mediated by NF-κB inhibition. Lipidomic analysis revealed distinct effects of β-carotene and siphonaxanthin on LPS-stimulated microglia, indicating possible differences in their inhibitory mechanisms. Gene expression analysis showed that β-carotene increased the expression of elongation of very long chain fatty acids (ELOVL) 3, ELOVL4, and fatty acid synthase, while restoring ELOVL6 mRNA expression. These results were consistent with the lipidomic analysis. Pharmacological inhibition studies demonstrated that β-carotene exerted its inhibitory effects via retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-dependent mechanisms, although the involvement of RAR-independent pathways cannot be excluded. Echinenone exhibited RAR-dependent suppression of NO production comparable to that of β-carotene. These findings suggest that carotenoids modulate neuroinflammation through multiple mechanisms, including NF-κB inhibition (e.g. siphonaxanthin), RAR activation (e.g. β-carotene and echinenone), and possibly alternative signaling pathways (e.g. astaxanthin), although the detailed mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Since RAR activation has been shown to improve cognitive function in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease, β-carotene and echinenone may have therapeutic potential in reducing neuroinflammation and preserving cognitive function. Further in vivo studies are necessary to validate these effects.