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Maintaining homeostasis is of utmost importance regarding human health. Several factors could protect human body's internal environment from harms and fluctuations from external environment. Regulation of physiological pH has a considerable role in maintaining human health and its metabolic functions. Several studies have shown that the interstitial body fluid pH around metabolic tissues is easily reduced due to weaker pH buffering capacity than that in the cytosol and blood circulation. Therefore, pH reduction in the interstitial fluid may cause the onset of metabolic dysfunctions. However, several dietary food components have potential benefits in maintaining the interstitial fluid pH to the normal range by improving buffering capacities, suppressing proton production, and activating proton transporters, which strengthen the effect of appropriate diet on metabolic health. Keeping deep insights about this aspect, we have summed up several facts and figures for maintaining human body homeostasis via regulation of physiological pH. Furthermore, we have discussed about different food categories and their potential renal acid load and its relation with maintaining homeostasis. Afterwards we have deeply discussed the potential beneficial role of healthy food components in different pathological conditions of human body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preserved eggs are traditional alkali‐pickled food in China and have been enjoyed by consumers and extensively studied by researchers for their nutritional tastes and their anti‐tumor, anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, lipid‐lowering, and blood pressure‐lowering properties. To study the anti‐tumor effects of preserved eggs, this project observed the health on rats, and anti‐tumor effects and separated anti‐tumor active components on HT‐29 cells. SD rats fed for 80 days showed that preserved eggs had no significant effect on weight, food intake, blood pH, liver tissues, or organ indices. Preserved eggs significantly increased blood levels of oxidative stress markers SOD and CAT, decreased MDA levels by 0.46, 0.23, and 0.25 times. Moreover, they also increased the level of IL‐2 from 1233 to 1340 pg/mL. Two water‐soluble bioactive peptide fractions, B1 and B2, with molecular weights ≥10 kDa were further obtained from preserved eggs by ultrafiltration and Superdex Peptide 10/300 GL. The potential mechanism of B1 and B2 is to activate the internal mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and induce apoptosis by up‐regulating the expression of the pro‐apoptotic factors cytochrome C, caspase‐3, and caspase‐9 mRNA in HT‐29 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg size is a crucial indicator for consumer evaluation and quality grading. The main goal of this study is to measure eggs' major and minor axes based on deep learning and single-view metrology. In this paper, we designed an egg-carrying component to obtain the actual outline of eggs. The Segformer algorithm was used to segment egg images in small batches. This study proposes a single-view measurement method suitable for eggs. Experimental results verified that the Segformer could obtain high segmentation accuracy for egg images in small batches. The mean intersection over union of the segmentation model was 96.15%, and the mean pixel accuracy was 97.17%. The R-squared was 0.969 (for the long axis) and 0.926 (for the short axis), obtained through the egg single-view measurement method proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preserved eggs, an alkaline-fermented food, have been widely searched for their anti-inflammatory activity. Their digestive characteristics in the human gastrointestinal tract and anti-cancer mechanism have not been well explained. In this study, we investigated the digestive characteristics and anti-tumor mechanisms of preserved eggs using an in vitro dynamic human gastrointestinal-IV (DHGI-IV) model. During digestion, the sample pH dynamically changed from 7.01 to 8.39. The samples were largely emptied in the stomach with a lag time of 45 min after 2 h. Protein and fat were significantly hydrolyzed with 90% and 87% digestibility, respectively. Moreover, preserved eggs digests (PED) significantly increased the free radical scavenging activity of ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and hydroxyl groups by 15, 14, 10 and 8 times more than the control group, respectively. PED significantly inhibited the growth, cloning and migration of HepG2 cells at concentrations of 250–1000 μg/mL. Meanwhile, it induced apoptosis by up/down-regulating the expression of the pro-apoptotic factor Bak and the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 in the mitochondrial pathway. PED (1000 μg/mL) treatment resulted in 55% higher ROS production than the control, which also led to apoptosis. Furthermore, PED down-regulated the expression of the pro-angiogenic genes HIF-1α and VEGF. These findings provided a reliable scientific reference for the study of the anti-tumor activity of preserved eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regulatory effects of phosvitin phosphopeptide (PPP) and its calcium chelate (PPP-Ca) on osteoblast differentiation in the co-culture system of osteoblast (MC3T3-E1) and osteoclast precursor (RAW264.7) were investigated. Cytotoxicity, alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity and TRAP staining were analyzed. The mRNA expressions of RANKL/OPG pathway-related proteins in osteoblasts were further studied by RT-PCR. The results showed that PPP and PPP-Ca increased theAKP activity in the MC3T3-E1 system by 9.5% and 12.7%, respectively. In the MC3T3-E1 system, PPP and PPP-ca increased the mRNA expression levels from 0.92 to 1.25 and 1.39, respectively, for OPG, and from 1.00 to 1.23 and 1.45, respectively for RANKL. The results of this study showed that PPP and PPP-ca could effectively promote the differentiation of osteoblasts. The experimental results provide a research basis for further exploration of the role of phosphopeptides in the multi-cell model system and the development of functional activity of phosphopeptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural antioxidants derived from agricultural by-products have great promise and ecological advantages in the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases. The eggshell membrane (ESM) from hatched eggs, i.e., the hatched ESM, is a globally abundant agricultural byproduct, and its high-value utilization has been rarely studied compared to the well-studied ESM from fresh eggs. In this research, we systematically characterized the hatched ESM as a novel source of antioxidant hydrolysates and explored their potential role in H2O2-induced human chondrocytes. The results showed that the hatched ESM is a protein-rich fibrous mesh material with a significantly different structure and composition from those of fresh ESM. Enzymatic hydrolysis of hatched ESM can produce antioxidant hydrolysates rich in low molecular weight (MW) peptides, which mainly derived from the Lysyl oxidase homolog by Nano-LC-MS/MS analysis. The peptide fraction with MW < 3 kDa (HEMH-I) exhibited the highest DPPH radical scavenging, Fe2+-chelating, and Fe3+-reducing abilities. In H2O2-induced human SW1353 chondrocytes, HEMH-I treatment significantly increased the cell viability and ameliorated oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and cartilage matrix degradation by reducing the level of ROS, matrix metalloprotease 3 (MMP3), MMP13, and IL-6, and by promoting the expression of SOD and type II collagen, potentially through activating the cellular Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. This study provides a theoretical basis for the value-added application of hatched ESM waste to produce antioxidant hydrolysates and indicates their potential as functional food and pharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosvitin (PV) is the main phosphoprotein in egg yolk, with the highest degree of phosphorylation known in nature. The PV and resveratrol (Res) can form a complex, thus effectively improve the solubility of Res. In this work, the interaction between Res and PV was investigated by the fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular docking. The fluorescence emission intensity of PV became weak along with a red shift when it interacted with Res and the antioxidant activity was enhanced. The quenching constants of the interaction systems were 1.12×104 M–1 and 9.40×103 M–1 at 25°C and 35°C, respectively, which indicated the presence of static quenching phenomena between them. The binding constant was 1.80×104 M–1, and the number of corresponding binding sites was approximately equal to one. The thermodynamic results revealed the combination was spontaneous, and the change of enthalpy and entropy was ∆H = 53.50 kJ/mol, ∆S = 261.00 J/mol·K, respectively. It indicated that the interaction forces between Res and PV were mainly hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding. Molecular docking showed the binding mode, which was consistent with the experiment results. The research on the interaction between Res and PV provided theoretical guidance for the application of Res in food. Practical Application: PV is the most highly phosphorylated protein in nature and has pro‐calcium absorption effects. Res is a polyphenol with strong antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activity, but its poor solubility limits its application. In this study, the solubility of Res was considerably enhanced by compounding Res and PV, and the antioxidant activity of Res was well retained. It increases the value of Res in food and other applications and opens up new possibilities for processing and utilization of PV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, ovalbumin (OVA) was succinylated with the addition of different levels of succinic anhydride, and the structural and functional properties of succinylated OVA (SOVA) were investigated. SDS−PAGE and FTIR spectrum confirmed the covalent attachment of the succinyl group to OVA. Thermal stability and the absolute value of zeta potential (pH 6.0) of SOVA were enhanced by 14.90% and 76.77% higher than that of the native OVA (NOVA), respectively. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra demonstrated that the succinylation decreased the α−helix and increased β−sheet content to 21.31% and 43.28%, respectively. The content of free sulfhydryl groups increased and intrinsic fluorescence spectra suggested the SOVA became more unfolded and flexible as the degree of succinylation enhanced. Furthermore, succinylation effectively enhanced the solubility and decreased the interface tension (oil−water and air−water interface) of OVA. Compared to NOVA, the emulsifying activity and stability of SOVA were increased by 1.6 times and 1.2 times, respectively, and foaming capacity and stability were enhanced by 2.7 times and 1.5 times, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Respiration is an important physiological activity of eggs and is closely related to their freshness. To further observe the diffusion of carbon dioxide released by egg respiration, we used a respirometer to measure the respiration parameters of eggs stored at room temperature and performed a respiration simulation using Fluent software. This paper also explores the relationship between respiratory intensity, freshness, and storage period. RESULTS: The results demonstrate that the diffusion of carbon dioxide released from the respiration of eggs is related to the characteristics of heavy gas diffusion. By comparison, the simulated value (0.0199 m s−1) is close to the experimental value (0.0208 m s−1), which indicates that the simulation and analysis results are valid. In addition, the logarithmic model was used to assess the relationship between respiration intensity, Haugh unit, and the yolk index (R2 values 0.89 and 0.87). The R2 of the relationship between the real and the predicted Haugh unit value and the yolk index are 0.9 and 0.84 respectively, indicating that the model is a good fit. The equivalent egg age model was established using nonlinear regression, where the correlation coefficient R was 0.888 and P < 0.01, indicating it was both stable and reliable. CONCLUSION: The standard k–ε model is suitable for egg respiration simulation analysis. Respiratory intensity can be used as a potential index for nondestructive testing of egg freshness, which is a new method for nondestructive testing of egg freshness and storage period. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken egg whites contain hundreds of proteins, and are widely used in the food, biological and pharmaceutical industries. It is highly significant to study the separation and purification of egg white proteins. This review first describes the structures and functional properties of several major active proteins in egg whites, including ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, ovomucoid, lysozyme, ovomucin, ovomacroglobulin and avidin. Then, the common techniques (including precipitation, chromatography and membrane separation) and some novel approaches (including electrophoresis, membrane chromatography, aqueous two-phase system and molecular imprinting technology) for the separation and purification of egg white proteins broadly reported in the current research are introduced. In addition, several co-purification methods for simultaneous separation of multiple proteins from egg whites have been developed to improve raw material utilization and reduce costs. In this paper, the reported techniques in the last decade for the separation and purification of chicken egg white proteins are reviewed, discussed and prospected, aiming to provide a reference for further research on egg proteins in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) from duck egg yolk was subjected to oxidation with a system based on 2,2′-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-derived peroxyl radicals. The effects of peroxyl radicals on the protein carbonyl, free sulfhydryl, secondary/tertiary structure, surface hydrophobicity, solubility, particle size distribution, zeta potential and fatty acid composition of HDL were investigated by using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The results indicated that the content of protein carbonyl was significantly increased, that of free sulfhydryl was obviously reduced, and the ordered secondary structure was also decreased with increasing AAPH concentration. In addition, the surface hydrophobicity and solubility of HDL showed apparent increases due to the exposure of hydrophobic groups and aggregation of protein caused by oxidation. The fatty acid composition of HDL exhibited pronounced changes due to the disrupted protein–lipid interaction and lipid oxidation by AAPH-derived peroxyl radicals. These results may help to elucidate the molecular mechanism for the effect of lipid oxidation products on the oxidation of duck yolk proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Heat treatment will affect the nutritional properties and potential bioactivity of food materials. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of different thermal treatment (4, 56, 65 and 100 ℃) and invitro gastrointestinal digestion on the antioxidant activity of egg white hydrolysate. The results demonstrated that egg white hydrolysate treated at 65 ℃ exhibited the highest antioxidant. Remarkably, the simulated digestion significantly increased antioxidant activity of egg white hydrolysate. Furthermore, we identified twenty‐four potential antioxidant peptides by performing mass spectrometry and bioinformatic analysis. Six peptides were selected based on the activity prediction score of the online tool. The results showed that P6 (ACPECPK) possessed the most outstanding antioxidant properties and had low cytotoxicity and allergenicity. Bioinformatics technology combined with biochemical assays may offer a way for discovering novel antioxidant peptides from different kinds of food under various heat treatment conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crayfish myofibril protein (CMP) gel deterioration induced by autoclaving was investigated. A series of CMP gels were obtained through treating CMP solutions at different autoclaving conditions from 100 °C/0.1 MPa to 121 °C/0.21 MPa, and then characteristics and the mechanism of gel texture deterioration along with the intensification of autoclaving were explored through determining appearance, texture, protein composition, cross-linking forces, degree of hydrolysis, water state, microstructure of the gels, and average particle size of aggregates. When autoclaving was at above 105 °C/0.103 MPa, texture of CMP gel showed a tendency to severely weaken with the intensification of autoclaving (p < 0.05), hydrophobic interaction and aggregation between proteins weakened gradually (p < 0.05), and moderately bound water in the gel decreased and T22 relaxation time significantly increased (p < 0.05). After heating for 30 min at above 105 °C/0.103 MPa, pores in the microstructure of CMP gel enlarged obviously, and myosin heavy chain (MHC) degraded. It can be concluded that CMP gel deterioration induced by autoclaving was associated with the degradation of MHC and 105 °C might be the critical temperature to ensure good texture of crayfish products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The salted egg yolks supplemented with clove extract are compared with the non‐supplemented group, and subsequently the lipidomics profiles are characterized and identified by UPLC‐QE‐MS/MS in positive and negative ion modes respectively. A total of 315 lipids are detected in the control group and the clove extract treated group. In the positive ion mode, the 10 subclasses of glycerolipids in the treated samples are significantly different (p < 0.05). The lipid types with most varied compositions are triglyceride and ceramides, followed by CerG1 (glucosylceramide), LPE (lyso‐phosphatidylethanolamine), diglyceride, and monosialodihexosyl ganglioside. In the negative ion mode, the authors identified 35 subclasses which are significantly different (p < 0.05), that include glycerolphospholipids, glycosphingolipids, and neutralglycosphingolipid. The lipid types with most varied compositions in negative mode are PE (phosphatidylethanolamine), followed by PC (phosphatidylcholine), LPC (lyso‐phosphatidylcholine), and GM3 (monosialo‐dihexosyl ganglioside). The contents of phosphatidylcholine, lyso‐phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and monosialo‐dihexosyl ganglioside in egg yolks treated with 0.5% (w/v) clove are significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05), in which phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are the main components of glycerolphospholipid. Practical Application : The lipidomics analyses of the salted egg yolk added with and without clove extract are compared to reveal the beneficial effect of clove extracts on the lipid profiles, and further exploring the types and relative content of the lipid components. A total of 315 lipids are detected in all samples. In the positive ion mode, the 10 subclasses of glycerolipids are found to be significantly different in the treated samples. In the negative ion mode, the lipid content of 35 subclasses are significantly different. From the nutrition fact value, salted duck egg enriched with clove extract can serve as one of the alternative egg products rich in essential lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we investigated the effect of galangal extract on the lipid oxidation, antioxidant activity and fatty acid composition of salted duck eggs. Three groups of salted duck eggs were comparatively assessed: salted duck egg enriched with 0.1% and 0.5% (w/v) of galangal extract and salted duck egg without galangal extract as a control. Results showed that galangal extract significantly reduced 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances from 1.60 mg MDA kg−1 to 1.07 mg MDA kg−1 and anisidine values from 67.55 to 53.64 at the end of salting time, moreover, decrease in the levels of conjugated dienes were also noticed from 0.018 to 0.007% during the salting time compared to the control group. Furthermore, galangal extract along with salting time also had significant effects on the fatty acid composition. Oleic acid, followed by palmitic acid and margaric acid, were the predominant fatty acids found in salted duck eggs supplemented with galangal extract after 14 days of salting process. Results of DPPH-scavenging activity indicated that salted duck eggs supplemented with 0.5% (w/v) galangal extract had significantly higher antioxidant activity (p < 0.05) than control at 28th day of salting. Further, analysis of electronic nose revealed that the addition of galangal extract could provide unique flavor to salted eggs during the curing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-density lipoproteins from egg yolk (EYHDL), also called lipovitellenin, is the second largest constituent of egg yolk (EY), and possesses important functional properties in lipid metabolism for its high content of phospholipids. To better understand its lipid profile, a lipidomic analysis based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was conducted. Compared with EY, the lower level of triglyceride (TG), higher level of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and diglyceride (DG) were found in EYHDL (p < 0.01). The orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) revealed that the lipid profile of EYHDL was clearly discriminated from EY. Volcano plots combined with S-plots showed that the differential lipids in EYHDL were 22 significantly downregulated TG with long-chain fatty acids in ES+ , and 30 markedly upregulated lipids including PC, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and PI with long-chain fatty acids in ES− (p < 0.01). GC–MS analysis showed higher level of C18:1 and C22:6, and lower level of C16:0 in EYHDL than EY. In summary, EYHDL could serve as a favorable lipid source for human diets for its higher PC, PI, and lower TG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the long-term effects of EY consumption under two diet conditions: normal (ND + EY) and high fat diet (HFD + EY), on lipid metabolism in mice. ND + EY did not increase serum triglycerides, total cholesterol hepatic triglyceride concentrations, adipose tissue accumulation and glucose impairment, not leading to fatty liver. HFD + EY markedly decreased adipose tissue accumulation, the triglyceride and total cholesterol, and improved serum HDL-C and blood glucose impairment compared with HFD. PLS-DA analyzes showed both ND + EY and HFD + EY could decrease serum C18:1 and MUFA. HFD + EY could further decrease hepatic C18:2 and PUFA and increase C18:1 and MUFA excretion, which were associated with lower expression of Elovl6 and higher expression of Scd1 in liver. These results suggest that HFD + EY significantly improved dyslipidemia caused by HFD through modifying lipid metabolism, and ND + EY did not adversely affect the biomarkers associated with dyslipidemia risk, but showed less obvious regulation of lipid metabolism than HFD + EY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidant activity, lipid oxidation, fatty acid composition and volatile compounds of duck eggs supplemented with clove extract were monitored over the salting period. The results indicated that application of clove extracts significantly reduced 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and anisidine values as well as the conjugated dienes levels during curing. Clove extracts along with salting time had significant effects on the fatty acid composition. The predominant fatty acid in salted duck eggs supplemented with clove extracts for 14 day of the salting process was oleic acid, followed by palmitic acid and arachidonic acid. Additionally, treated eggs exhibited a higher docosahexaenoic acid content than that of control. The results of SPME GC-MS showed the presence of 46 and 37 volatiles in the treated eggs. Eugenol, as the primary bioactive component of clove, was detected in salted eggs supplemented with clove extracts. In addition, analyzing the results obtained through electronic nose showed that clove extract brought significant changes in salted eggs flavor components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic efficacy and the regulation of drug release can be improved by using selective targeting drug delivery systems. In this paper, we have demonstrated avidin-immobilized magnetic nanoparticles (AMNPs) as a novel targeted drug delivery system to deliver iminobiotinylated daunomycin (IDAU). TEM, XRD, VSM, and FTIR were employed for the physicochemical characterization of the drug-loaded MNPs. The binding of IDAU had little effect on sizes of AMNPs (~35 nm), but the stability and dispersibility of the nanoparticles were improved. The study also found that the loading capacity and efficiency of nanoparticles were mainly dependent on affinity interaction between IDAU and AMNPs. The optimal loading capacity and efficiency of MNPs for IDAU were 0.408 ± 0.012 mg/g and 94.18 ± 2.64% according to the reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) data, respectively. Under the conditions of pH 6.8 and 1 mmol/L of biotin, the drug-loaded MNPs released rapidly at beginning and then maintained at a certain controllable release level. The effect of IDAU on DLKP proliferation was tested, and the results showed that IC50 was (1.60 ± 0.05) × 10−3 mg/mL. Our findings indicated that AMNPs hold tremendous potential as an effective drug delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study is aimed to investigate the effect of hydroxyl radical‐induced oxidation on the structure and gel properties of chicken ovalbumin. With the increase in oxidation time and H2O2 dose, the carbonyl content in ovalbumin increased, while the free sulfhydryl content decreased. The effect of oxidation on the structure of ovalbumin was examined, and the results indicated that the disorder level increased. Oxidation of ovalbumin lowered the solubility, and the viscosity of the solution decreased significantly. Oxidation weakened the water holding capacity and gel hardness, as well as resulting in significant changes in the microstructure of ovalbumin gels. Hydroxyl radical‐induced oxidation caused destabilization of the ovalbumin structure, thereby affecting the heat‐induced gel properties. Practical applications: The present study demonstrated the effect of hydroxyl radical‐induced oxidation on chicken OVA, concluding that the oxidation might be one of the primary reasons for the degradation of its gel properties. Consequently, avoiding protein oxidation during storage and processing would help maintain the functional properties of the chicken egg white. Therefore, this study provides important information for the research and application of ovalbumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Three major protein components, namely, albumin, globulin, and glutenin, were extracted from Xinjiang SC‐1 defatted almond kernel powder using the Osborne classification method, and their molecular and structural properties were analyzed. SDS‐PAGE indicated that the molecular weight distribution of almond kernel proteins was within the range of 21–245 kDa. The percentages of essential amino acids in the defatted almond kernel powder, albumin, globulin, and glutenin were 31.17, 24.56, 32.22, and 39.96, respectively. Among the three major protein components, almond albumin had a relatively tighter and more stable structure, resulting in a higher denaturation temperature and lower surface hydrophobicity. Spectroscopic analysis demonstrated that the almond glutenin had more aromatic amino acids distributed on its surface and was more sensitive to ultraviolet and fluorescence spectrums. This information is essential for the understanding and application of almond kernel proteins. Practical applications: The present study separated the defatted almond kernel powder into its major protein components, namely, albumin, globulin, and glutenin, and the structural properties of these three major protein components were analyzed. This study aimed to provide essential information for the research and application of the almond kernel proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phospholipids have been shown to modulate intestinal cholesterol absorption in cells and animals, a process that is regulated by several transporter proteins. Of these proteins, Niemann–Pick C1‐Like 1 (NPC1L1) is a major contributor to this process. The mechanism by which phospholipids modulate cholesterol absorption remains unknown. Here, we evaluate the effects of egg‐yolk phospholipids on cholesterol absorption and transport in human colon carcinoma cell line (Caco‐2 cells) and on the expression of NPC1L1 and others proteins associated with cholesterol absorption (ABCG5, ABCG8, ABCA1, ACAT2, MTP, CAV‐1, ANX‐2). The roles of SREBP‐1 and SREBP‐2 in this process were also investigated. The results show that egg‐yolk sphingomyelin (CerPCho) and phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) inhibit cholesterol transport in the Caco‐2 monolayer in a dose‐dependent manner. These might be due to the decrease of the cholesterol solubility in micelles as well as to the increases in the micellar sizes and the bile acid‐binding capacity. Furthermore, the treatments with egg‐yolk CerPCho or PtdCho at 1.2 mmol/L reduced the expression levels of NPC1L1 protein to 21 or 22%, respectively, and its mRNA to 9 or 31% of that in the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, there was a general inhibitory effect of egg‐yolk PtdCho and CerPCho on the mRNA levels of SREBP‐1, and SREBP‐2. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of egg‐yolk CerPCho and PtdCho on cholesterol transport might be due to their interference with the physicochemical properties of micelles and their regulations on the expression of the NPC1L1 gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative analysis of egg yolk proteome of three major poultry species, namely, chicken, duck, and quail, was carried out with two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis patterns and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. Proteins identified from these three poultry species shared high degrees of sequence and structure homology, which might be related to the bird's adaptability under different environmental stresses. Few specific proteins were found in this study. Comparative 2D gel electrophoresis patterns of chicken, duck, and quail revealed that some protein-specific regions on gels could be used for authentic identification of poultry eggs. These findings could provide a fundamental understanding of different poultry egg protein profiles and showed us some new sights in egg yolk nutrients related to certain properties and functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Egg yolk phosvitin, one of the most highly phosphorylated extracellular matrix proteins known in nature, has a strong calcium binding and reducing capacity. Here, we investigated the effects of phosvitin on osteoblast differentiation and osteogenic gene expression in cultured mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells by using alkaline phosphatase activity analysis, alizarin red S staining and real-time PCR assay. RESULTS Alkaline phosphatase activity and alizarin red S staining analyses demonstrated no significant difference between differentiating MC3T3-E1 cells cultured in the presence of phosvitin and those cultured in the presence of ascorbic acid after 21 days of differentiation. Our real-time PCR assay also indicated the two groups were similar in the expression of the osteogenic gene markers, collagen type I, osteocalcin, runt-related transcription factor 2, and bone morphogenetic protein-2. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that phosvitin plays a similar role to that of ascorbic acid in osteoblast differentiation and mineralisation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a tenfold-concentrated simulated body fluid, a strategy for rapid deposition of a biomimetic calcium phosphate layer on the scaffolds of electrospun collagen nanofiber membranes was developed. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of mineralization conditions and phosvitin (PV) on hydroxyapatite nucleation and growth. The mineralization model, the pH of the environment, and the deposition time were optimized. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images demonstrated that homogeneous and well-crystallized inorganic mineral layers were generated in the dynamic mineralization model system after incubating 3 h at pH 5.7. PV, which possesses the highest level of phosphorylation among egg proteins, was used as a model protein to investigate the contribution of PV in the mineralization process. The morphological structure and composition of the collagen/calcium phosphate composite nanofibers were also characterized by energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning photoelectron spectrometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. XRD results showed the transformation process of mineralization materials from dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) to HA through the changes of characteristic peaks at approximately 11° of DCPD and 31.8° of HA. 1.0 mg/mL. Phosvitin significantly promoted the phase transformation from DCPD to hydroxyapatite. High performance liquid chromatography results indicated that PV induced the mineralization rather than being the part of the hydroxyapatite. The minerals formed on electrospun collagen nanofiber membranes were identified to be from hydroxyapatite. These findings extended the potential application field of PV to biomimetic material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Physical changes such as chicken egg white thinning and egg yolk flattening occur during storage, implying a decline in egg quality. To reveal the deteriorative process related to chicken egg internal quality, a comparative proteomic method was used in this study to analyze the alterations in egg yolk plasma proteins at different storage times (0, 20 and 40 days) under an ambient temperature of 22 ± 2 °C. RESULTS Using two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry, 33 protein spots representing 12 proteins were identified with significant ( P < 0.05) alterations in abundance at different storage times. The proteins that showed significant changes in abundance included serum albumin, vitellogenin fragments, IgY chains, ovalbumin, ovoinhibitor, α2-macroglobulin-like protein 1-like, hemopexin, transthyretin, apolipoprotein A-I and β2-glycoprotein I precursor. Accelerating degradation for most egg yolk plasma proteins was observed after prolonged storage (from day 20 to day 40). CONCLUSION It is likely that the increased degradation of protease inhibitors such as ovoinhibitor and α2-macroglobulin-like protein 1-like during prolonged storage lead to an imbalance of protease and antiprotease in egg yolk, which may play a key role in the degradation of egg yolk proteins. These findings will provide an insight into the effects of storage on egg yolk protein changes and give a deeper understanding of the deteriorative process of chicken egg yolk. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quick, easy, cheap, rugged, effective, and safe (QuEChERS)-based method has been validated for the extraction of 42 pesticides and herbicides including organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), carbamate pesticides (CBs), herbicides (HBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and synthetic pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs) from chicken eggs. The QuEChERS-based extraction procedure was followed by cleanup steps using C18 and primary secondary amine sorbents. The supernatant was analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The OPPs, CBs, and HBs were quantified by UHPLC-MS/MS, while the OCPs and PYRs were detected by GC-MS. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.01 to 8.5 μg kg, and the analyte recoveries were in the range of 64.9-123.2 %. Furthermore, the repeatabilities (intra-day and inter-day) were good, and linear matrix-matched calibration curves were obtained. Acetochlor was identified in concentrations ranging from 0.27 to 0.44 μg kg in four samples from 80 chicken eggs. The method was successfully demonstrated for the fast and reliable analysis of pesticides and herbicides in chicken egg samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Almond ( Prunus dulcis) is a popular tree nut worldwide and offers many benefits to human health. However, the importance of almond kernel proteins in the nutrition and function in human health requires further evaluation. The present study presents a systematic evaluation of the proteins in the almond kernel using proteomic analysis. RESULTS The nutrient and amino acid content in almond kernels from Xinjiang is similar to that of American varieties; however, Xinjiang varieties have a higher protein content. Two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis demonstrated a wide distribution of molecular weights and isoelectric points of almond kernel proteins. A total of 434 proteins were identified by LC-MS/ MS, and most were proteins that were experimentally confirmed for the first time. Gene ontology ( GO) analysis of the 434 proteins indicated that proteins involved in primary biological processes including metabolic processes (67.5%), cellular processes (54.1%), and single-organism processes (43.4%), the main molecular function of almond kernel proteins are in catalytic activity (48.0%), binding (45.4%) and structural molecule activity (11.9%), and proteins are primarily distributed in cell (59.9%), organelle (44.9%), and membrane (22.8%). CONCLUSION Almond kernel is a source of a wide variety of proteins. This study provides important information contributing to the screening and identification of almond proteins, the understanding of almond protein function, and the development of almond protein products. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Hen egg white ovomacroglobulin ( OVM) possesses a variety of bioactivities and could potentially be used as a pharmaceutical agent. It has been reported that OVM is involved in wound healing and cancer pathological processes, and previous results suggest that OVM plays a potential role in cell proliferation and migration; however, this has not yet been proven. In the present study, the effects of OVM on fibroblast proliferation and migration were evaluated. RESULTS Results of cell counting, cell viability, and cell cycle indicated that proliferation of fibroblasts was not altered by OVM treatment. However, scratch assays showed that OVM could promote the migration of 3 T6 mouse embryonic fibroblasts and human skin fibroblasts ( HSF). Also, the adhesion of HSF to the collagen matrix was also enhanced by OVM treatment. RT-qPCR and western blot analysis showed that β1-integrin, β-tubulin, and β-actin were up-regulated while E-cadherin was down-regulated in OVM-treated HSF cells. The effect of OVM was silenced after forming a complex with trypsin, suggesting that the protease inhibitory ability of OVM is important for its effect on cell migration. CONCLUSION These results suggested that promotion of OVM on cell migration was achieved by enhancing cell adhesion to extracellular matrix, reducing intercellular aggregation, and strengthening cytoskeleton. The finding of the promotion effect of OVM on cell migration is important for understanding its role in wound healing and cancer pathological processes. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) is the only antibody existing in chicken egg yolk, which has many significant advantages. We developed an immunity affinity biosensor system based on resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) and using immunity affinity rabbit anti-chicken IgY (anti-IgY) labeling Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). This system was rapid and sensitive for IgY detection due to the IgY-anti-IgY affinitive immunity interaction. The RRS and absorption spectra of AuNPs and the binding system were analyzed. In addition, the effects of several factors on the scattering intensity were investigated. Under optimal conditions, RRS intensity of anti-IgY-AuNPs increase linearly with an increasing concentration of IgY from 4 to 200 ng/mL. The limit of detection was 1.92 ng/mL. This rapid and selective IgY detection method was used in synthetic samples and egg products with recoveries between 89.86 and 110.25 %, thereby demonstrating the feasible and practical application of this assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid oxidation, fatty acid profile and microstructure of duck egg supplemented with garlic oil were monitored over the salting period. The antioxidant activity of garlic oil was measured by 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and its activity was compared to that of standard synthetic antioxidants (butylated hydroxyl toluene and gallic acid). The scavenging percentage of garlic oil increased in a dose-dependent manner. The supplementation of garlic oil altered the characteristics of duck egg during salting. In addition, oil exudation by yolk and lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) showed an increasing trend concomitant with salting time. Microstructure observation revealed comparatively loose shell membrane structure in duck egg supplemented with garlic oil, which facilitates the transportation of oil toward the yolk. These findings contribute to a better understanding that garlic oil can be used as a potential antioxidant agent and a healthy natural food additive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple optimization method of immobilization of avidin on magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs)' surface was proposed in this study. The avidin-immobilized MNPs were then developed and used to immobilize a model enzyme [Horseradish peroxidase (HRP)]. The loading capacity (LC) and activity of avidin-immobilized MNPs were optimized through selecting the most appropriate nanoparticle's size and shape, glutaraldehyde concentration, cross-linking reaction time, ultrasonic processing time, and initial concentration of avidin. The LC under optimized conditions was 63.37 ± 1.29 mg avidin/g MNPs, and the immobilized protein was still able to maintain its high biological activity of 10.86 ± 0.13 U/mg (biotin-binding activity of nature avidin was 14.1 U/mg) and better thermal stability compared to free avidin. A highly reusable, stable, and easily recovered immobilized HRP was obtained using MNPs as carriers. The immobilized HRP was reused repeatedly more than 9 times and retained more than 65 % of its original activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive components in five tisues (longissimus muscle (LSM), biceps femoris muscle (BFM), liver (LV), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and abdominal adipose tissue (AAT)) of yak in Tibet and yellow cattle in Hubei were investigated. Yak was significantly higher (p<0.01) than yellow cattle in the squalene content of lipids of BFM (59.82/19.07 mg/100g), LSM (20.99/7.81 mg/100g) and LV (6.94/2.67 mg/100g), respectively, but not in SAT and AAT (p>0.05). Yak was also significantly higher (p<0.05) than yellow cattle in the total tocopherol content. Additionally, yak hepatic lipids showed the highest content of saturated fatty acids (58.11%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, 25.81%) and the lowest content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, 16.08%), while yellow cattle AAT had the highest content of MUFA (47.54%) and the lowest content of PUFA (2.36%). The considerable differences between the two in composition suggest that the five tissues of yak are potential sources of bioactive components and essential fatty acids for humans. Practical applications: The results from the analysis of the contents of squalene, tocopherols, total lipids，moisture, ash, and pH and fatty acid profile in the studied tissues of Tibet yak and Hubei yellow cattle provide useful information for developing functional foods using yak meat or other tissues as materials. Comparison of squalene and total tocopherol contents in different tissues of yak and yellow cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to improve detection accuracy of the blood spots and meat spots in eggs, which can provide consumers with high-quality eggs. Spectroscopy technology and multiple classifier fusion for abnormal egg detection were investigated. Micro fiber spectrometer (Ocean Optics company, USB2000+) was used to collect the transmittance spectroscopy of both normal and abnormal eggs, which were from Hubei Shendan Healthy Food Co., Ltd. After outliers detection and elimination, there were 336 eggs in all, which were randomly assigned to training set and test set; among the 336 eggs, 224 (about two-thirds of the total) were assigned to the training set, and the remaining 112 (about one-third of the total) were assigned to the test set. Before multiple classifier fusion, all data collected from micro fiber spectrometer was preprocessed including the methods of SNV (standard normal variate), smoothing and MSC (multiplicative scatter correction). usion of multiple classifiers was used to detect the foreign bodies of eggs on the basis of single-classifier. Firstly, five single-classifiers which was inclusive of Naive Bayes classifier, Mahalanobis distance classifier, PLS-DA (partial least squares-discriminate analysis) classifier, AdaBoost (adaptive boosting) classifier and SVM (support vector machine) classifier were all trained, and five groups of classification results were attained. In order to choose suitable one from these five single-classifiers, according to diversity measure, output disagreement measure and error agreement measure were introduced and used, and Naive Bayes, AdaBoost and SVM classifiers were selected as the single-classifiers; then, on the basis of these three selected single-classifiers, through feature level fusion, 21 base-classifiers were obtained. In order to get the final base-classifiers which were used to accomplish the multiple classifier fusion, in a similar way, through output disagreement measure and error agreement measure again, 5 base-classifiers were chosen from these 21 base-classifiers. Finally, 5 basic-classifiers were fused by weight vote strategy on the decision level. The weight vote strategy was that each base-classifier was allocated a weight value according to its accuracy rate, and the higher accuracy rate a base-classifier had, the larger weight value it would be allocated, because it was more trusted. Detection accuracy rate of ensemble classifier, which was formed after multiple classifier fusion, was 92.86% and 91.07%, respectively for normal eggs and abnormal eggs. As a contrast, among all the single-classifiers and base-classifiers, the highest detection accuracy of normal eggs in the test set was 91.07%, which came from AdaBoost (500-600 nm), and the highest detection accuracy of abnormal eggs in the test set was 89.29%, which came from SVM (550-600 nm). The experiment results showed that the model established by multiple classifier fusion could take full advantage of the information which came from each single-classifier or base-classifier, and in the aspect of the detection accuracy of either normal eggs or abnormal eggs, the model established by multiple classifier fusion was indeed superior to the model established by each single-classifier or base-classifier. Even though the detection accuracy was enhanced by a small margin, considering that a large number of either normal eggs or abnormal eggs were being produced and being detected in lots of companies that were involved in eggs, in this meaning, the slight promotion of detection accuracy was of great significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Some hydrolyzed peptides derived from food proteins possess antioxidant and anti-fatigue activities. In this study, egg white protein powder ( EWPP) was hydrolyzed with pepsin for various times, and four peptide fractions were separated from the hydrolysates by ultrafiltration. The antioxidant activity of the four peptide fractions was determined. The peptide fraction with the strongest antioxidant activity was used to evaluate its anti-fatigue effect and probable mechanisms. RESULTS The egg white peptides ( EWPs) fraction with molecular weight 2-5 kDa (named EWPs2) showed stronger antioxidant activity than the other peptide fractions ( P < 0.05). The swimming time to exhaustion of mice administered EWPs2 was longer ( P < 0.05) than that of the control group. EWPs2 increased the levels of blood glucose (by 28.4-42.2%), muscle glycogen (by 6.4-10.6%) and liver glycogen (by 10.7-23.8%) and significantly decreased the levels of lactic acid in muscle and urea nitrogen in blood ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Among the four peptide fractions, EWPs2 possessed the strongest antioxidant activity and exhibited an anti-fatigue effect. The experimental data could clarify partially the anti-fatigue mechanisms of EWPs and provide an important basis for developing EWPs as safe and natural antioxidants and anti-fatigue agents for wide use. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Fatty acid profiles and volatile composition in the yolks of conventional eggs from seven different species (duck, free-range chicken, silky chicken, quail, pigeon, goose, and chicken) were compared using GC-MS and electronic nose (E-nose). The results showed that there were significant differences among the fatty acid profiles of the seven avian eggs. Goose eggs contained the highest contents of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids but the lowest content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and the differences were significant ( p<0.05). The PUFA proportion was the highest in the free-range chicken eggs of all the tested avian eggs. The ω-3 PUFA content and the ω-6/ω-3 ratio were significantly ( p<0.05) higher in the yolks of goose and silky chicken. The volatile compositions of egg yolks are esters, alcohols, alkenes, and nitrogenous compounds, and the major compounds that contributed to discrimination of different species of eggs were ethyl acetate, pathalic acid butyl isohexyl ester, O-methylisourea hydrogen sulfate, 1-butanol, and N-isopropylbenzamide. In addition, seven different species of eggs were distinguished from each other through principal component analysis of E-nose data, suggesting that the E-nose may be a potential technology for discriminating different species of eggs. Practical applications: The results showed that the major volatile components could be used as chemical markers to distinguish different species of eggs by the chemometric method. The results obtained from the electronic nose analysis agreed well with the GC-MS results, suggesting the potential application of the E-nose technique in the market quality control and the detection of counterfeit eggs. Twenty-two fatty acids were detected and significant differences were found in the fatty acid proportions of different poultry eggs. A total of 41 volatiles were identified by GC-MS, and E-nose can successfully discrimination different species of eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breathing is an important physiological activity of egg as a living organism, and it has a great influence on its storage, conveyance and incubation. Therefore, it is of great significance to study egg's breathing regularity and respiration intensity in a day and during its storage time in a month. In this paper, non-invasive micro-test technique (NMT) was used to real-time monitor O2 flux passing in and out the eggs through the eggshell and study the breathing regularity and the respiration intensity of the eggs. With this method, gas exchange (O2) was measured and it was confirmed that breathing indeed exists. In order to study egg's respiration in a day, a customized micro-testing examination platform was constructed for the real-time monitoring of the intensity and rate of oxygen exchange between an egg and its external environment at 4 time points (6:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 24:00). On the other hand, egg's O2 flux was measured at the same time in a day during a month as to seeking for breathing regularity in its storage time. It was indicated that the optimal distance of probe towards the egg surface was 50 μm and the blunt end of the egg was selected as the optimum measurement location via the pre-experiment. The results show that there are three breathing patterns of eggs, consuming O2, exhaust O2, and both including consuming and exhausting O2. After group A testing, it is concluded that both fertilized and non-fertilized eggs breathe strong at dawn and weak at noon regularly in a day and the respiration intensity of the two types of eggs perform difference at different time points. Fertilized eggs have more active physical activity and the process of metabolism than those of non-fertilized ones. Fertilized egg respiration shows significant difference (P<0.05) at noon and dawn in a day, but non-fertilized egg does not. In addition, after group B testing, it is intended that during storage time in a month, there exists two breathing peaks in its storage period in a month, and each peak appears at the eggs quality changing time. The second peak value exceeds the first peak value. It reveals that there's a unique breathing pattern of eggs that O2 respiration rate is high when life metabolism is active, and low when life metabolism is negative. Eggs laid lately are breathing relatively positive. This study can provide a reference for optimizing storage conditions, improving the hatchability of fertilized eggs and hatching egg embryo in further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reports about predictive model developed between textural and pasting properties are insufficient, and the application and feasibility of predictive model in rice blend have not been reported. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the pasting parameters can be used to predict the textural properties of cooked rice and to make analysis of the application and feasibility of predictive model in rice blends. The results showed that viscosity hold, viscosity end, breakdown, and setback had a significant correlation with textural properties. The principal component factor analysis results indicated that the loadings were large for viscosity hold, viscosity end, setback on the first component, and for breakdown on the second component. The predictive models for estimating the texture of cooked rice with high accuracy were developed, which were validated with acceptance for application in rice blends by conducting 95% confidence limits validation of statistical analysis system procedure on simplex-lattice design rice blends. The optimized predictive models could be extensively used in single rice cultivars as well as rice blends, which is helpful to improve the use of low quality rice cultivars by blending high quality with low quality rice to meet the needs of consumers at a relatively lower cost. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ovomucin has been considered to contribute a lot to the excellent functional properties of egg white. This work focused on investigating the effects of pH and protein concentration on foaming and emulsifying properties of ovomucin to evaluate the proper use of this egg protein as a functional food ingredient, and to clarify its contribution to the functional properties of egg white under different pH conditions. Protein solubility and surface hydrophobicity were measured through the pH ranged from 2.3 to 11.0. Alkali treatment gave ovomucin improved emulsification properties, which were correlated well with the surface hydrophobicity ( r≥ 0.89, P < 0.01). Although ovomucin showed lower foaming capacity in acid and neutral solution, enhanced foaming stability was observed with weak acid-treated ovomucin (pH 5 to 6) compared to native ovomucin. These results demonstrated that acid and alkali treatment, which leads to partial unfolding of ovomucin can improve functional properties of ovomucin, with the greatest improvement for emulsification properties being from the alkali treatment and for foaming stability being from weak acid treatment. These results are helpful to produce unfolding ovomucin suitable for wide range of applications in food industry, and to provide useful information on the proper use of egg white in different food systems. Practical Application: Ovomucin plays a critical functional role in egg white products. However, it is typically insoluble in distilled water or common salt solutions, which has thus limited its commercial applications. Alkaline treatment resulted in gradual increase in solubility, which markedly enhanced the emulsifying properties, on the other hand foaming stability of ovomucin can be promoted by weak acid treatment. The results of this work help to produce unfolding ovomucin suitable for wide range of applications in food industry, and to provide useful information on the proper use of egg white in different food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this study, cinnamon powder and clove powder were successfully prepared using a high-frequency oscillatory-type ball mill at 20 ± 1C. The release behavior of inhibitory components (ICs) from powders into anhydrous alcohol was investigated by UV spectrometer. Also the release kinetics was evaluated by fitting the experimental data to standard release equations (zero-order, first-order, Higuchi and Ritger-Peppas equation). The results revealed that the release rate of the ICs was much faster from the clove powder than that from the cinnamon powder, which was probably related to the source of plant material, powder particle size, the structure and morphology, the aggregations of ultrafine powders, volatilization, oxidization and total loaded content. Their release profiles were found to be biphasic with a burst release followed by a gradual release phase, and the best fit was found with Ritger-Peppas model for the cinnamon powder and Higuchi model for the clove powder. It proved that the two powders could extend the shelf life of chilled meat because of their release behaviors. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Cinnamon and clove were traditional food spices and were commonly used in the food industry because of their special aroma as well as their antibacterial and antifungal activities. On the other hand, controlled-release systems using biodegradable polymers were widely used in numerous applications, especially food preservation. However, before carrying out this study, it was unknown whether ultrafine powders of ball-milled cinnamon and clove can be directly used as controlled delivery systems for food preservation. In the present work, the release behaviors, kinetics and mechanism of ICs from powders were studied, and the antimicrobial activities of powders were determined. This study showed that ultrafine powders of ball-milled cinnamon and clove would be a promising bacteriostasis and anticorrosion vehicle for food industry because of their controlled-release behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the influence of an egg-enriched diet on plasma, hepatic and fecal lipid levels and on gene expression levels of transporters, receptors and enzymes involved in cholesterol metabolism. Sprague-Dawley rats fed an egg-enriched diet had lower plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, hepatic triglyceride, and cholesterol concentrations, and greater plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, fecal neutral sterol and bile acid concentrations than those fed a plain cholesterol diet. Chicken egg yolk had no effect on sterol 12α-hydroxylase and sterol 27α-hydroxylase; but upregulated mRNA levels of hepatic LDL-receptor, cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase, and downregulated hepatic hydroxymethylglutaryl-(HMG)-CoA reductase and acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) after 90 days. Modification of the lipoprotein profile by an egg-enriched diet was mediated by reducing de novo cholesterol synthesis and enhancing the excretion of fecal cholesterol, via upregulation of CYP7A1 and the LDL receptor, and downregulation of HMG-CoA reductase and ACAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antimicrobial activity of egg albumen has been widely documented. However, the changes in the chemical nature and antimicrobial activity of egg albumen and the way it controls bacteria during the incubation period have not up to now been understood. The purpose of the present investigation was to analyze the antimicrobial potential of egg albumen during early incubation stages (0-5 days). The changes in ovotransferrin and lysozyme content in egg albumen were quantified via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the increase in concentration of ovotransferrin in egg albumen was closely related to the time of incubation, but that of lysozyme remained substantially unchanged and was very similar to that of the non-incubated eggs. The iron ion binding capacity and specific lysozyme activity of the egg albumen during early stages of incubation was also investigated. The changes occurring in egg albumen during early incubation could influence the growth of Salmonella Enteritidis. Very little difference was observed in the virulence response of Salmonella Enteritidis to egg albumen collected at different incubation periods by using the expression of hilA gene as an indicator. Since the first few days of incubation are likely to place heavy demands on the immune capacities of the egg, due to the defenceless immune system of the developing embryo, the changes in antimicrobial activity in egg albumen widen our understanding of the innate immune mechanism of the fertilized egg during its early embryonic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This article describes a novel and simple method that using ultra-fine powders of ball-milled cinnamon and clove directly to inhibit the growth of five spoilage organisms from meat. The effect of ball-milled time on powder granularity and the particle sizes on the antimicrobial effectiveness were evaluated. The results from the antibacterial tests demonstrated that the ultra-fine powders had strong antimicrobial activities, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the clove powder and the cinnamon powder were from 1.0 to 1.5% (w/v) against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Brochothrix thermosphacta and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and the same against Pseudomonas fluorescens were 2.0 and 2.5%, respectively. The inhibitory effect increased with increasing powder concentrations from 0.5 to 2.5% (w/v). However, obvious reversing characteristic appeared when the particle sizes decreased to 7.085 µm for cinnamon and 8.915 µm for clove. This study suggested that traditional spice powders with proper particle sizes taking the place of essential oils as effective antibacterials had a wide application prospect for their low cost and safety. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Ball mills have been successfully used for grinding raw materials to ultra-fine powders because of their easier operation, higher grinding rate, lower energy consumption and considerably less plant space. However, before carrying out this study, it was unknown whether ultra-fine powders of ball-milled cinnamon and clove can directly inhibit the growth of five spoilage organisms from meat. In the present work, the effect of ball-milled time on the powder granularity and the particle sizes on the antimicrobial effectiveness were studied. This study showed that both traditional spice powders with proper particle sizes taking the place of essential oils as effective antibacterials had strong antimicrobial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]