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ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to elucidate the microbial characteristics of fermented soybean paste （douchi） in China and explore the microbial interactions in douchi.MethodsThirty-seven representative douchi samples were collected from a Chinese market， and microbial information was obtained by metagenomic sequencing. Douchi samples were clustered and illustrated using non-metric multidimensional scaling. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance was used to evaluate microbial community differences among regions. Mantel tests were performed to analyze the relation between geographic distance and microbiome dissimilarity. Linear discriminant analysis effect size was used to determine the microbial features that most likely explained the differences between the regions. A network was constructed to analyze the interactions between microorganisms.ResultsThe results revealed a nearly significant difference in douchi microbial diversity across different regions， with higher microbial diversity observed in Central China. The Mantel test analysis demonstrated a strong correlation between microbial community distances in douchi and geographical distances. Among the bacteria present in douchi， the predominant phylum was Firmicutes （average abundance： 80.9%）， the most abundant order was Bacillales （average abundance： 66%）， and the most abundant genus was Bacillus （50.3%）. This study also found that beneficial bacteria and foodborne pathogens coexist in douchi. The main beneficial bacteria included Bacillus and various lactic-acid-producing bacteria. Foodborne pathogenic bacteria included Salmonella enterica， Bacillus cereus， Staphylococcus aureus， and Cronobacter sakazakiit. Within the species network， a potential synergistic relation was observed among Bacillales species， whereas competitive interactions were observed between Bacillales and other microbial orders， including Lactobacillales.ConclusionDouchi in China harbors a diverse array of microorganisms and exhibits significant regional variations and distinct features. Most products contain both beneficial and foodborne pathogenic bacteria.

ObjectiveTo systematically investigate the health food containing probiotics approved by the government in China， and analyze the application of strains， function claims， recommended intake and distribution of applicable population， and provide reference for the management reform of probiotics products.MethodsThe information of health food containing probiotics approved by the government in China from 1996 to 2022 were collected and investigated， including the kinds of probiotics， function claims， recommended intake and the information of applicable populations.ResultsA total of 168 health foods containing probiotics were approved in China from 1996 to 2022， 82.14% and 77.98% of the products used Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium respectively， 61.31% of the products used Lactobacillus acidophilus， but all products were not labeled with the level of strain. In terms of function claims， most products claimed “enhancing immunity”， “regulating intestinal flora” and “laxative”. The recommended intake of probiotics ranged from 0.12 to 3.63×1011 CFU/d. Claims such as “immunocompromised people”， “people with intestinal flora imbalance” and “people with constipation” were the most common applicable populations for consumption. 42.86% of the products did not labeled with “the unsuitable population”， and more than 69.79% of the products labeled with “the unsuitable population” targeted at infants and young children.ConclusionThere are some approved health food containing probiotics in China， none of which is clearly labeled to the strain level， which is not in line with the scientific definition of probiotics. The existing products are of a single function， product function claim depends on the results of high-quality population studies. The approval of products suitable for infants and young children should be scientific and prudent.

Objective To investigate the effect of sulforaphane (SFN) on oxidative stress and mitochondrial injury in hepatocytes. Methods We examined malondialdehyde (MDA) content by ELISA in the liver tissues and the protein expression of the antioxidant enzymes including hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), NADH dehydrogenase quinone 1 (NQO1) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) using Western blotting in the liver tissues from a rat model of hepatic oxidative stress established by high-fat diet. We also assessed the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane protential by fluorescence microscopy, tested glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels using ELISA, and detected mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content using real-time quantitative PCR in cultured hepatocytes (HHL-5 cells) under fatty acid-induced oxidative stress. Results In the rat model of hepatic oxidative stress, SFN significantly reduced high-fat diet-induced elevation of MDA level (P < 0.05) and up-regulated the protein expression of the antioxidant enzymes in the liver tissues (P < 0.05). In cultured HHL-5 cells, SFN obviously reduced free fatty acid-induced elevation of ROS level (P < 0.05) and increased GSH content (P < 0.05), SOD level (P < 0.05), mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.05), and the content of mtDNA (P < 0.05). Conclusion SFN can enhance the antioxidant capacity of hepatocytes to improve high-fat diet-induced hepatic oxidative stress in rats and provide protection of mitochondrial function in the hepatocytes.

Objective: To determine the content of vitamin K&#95;2 in different types of fermented bean products and analyze the difference of vitamin K&#95;(2 )content., Methods: A total of 98 kinds of typical fermented bean products were included in Chinese traditional fermented bean products(Douchi, Sufu, soybean paste). Process, region, sales volume, raw materials and flavor were considered, and the content of vitamin K&#95;2 in fermented bean products was determined by high performance liquid chromatography., Results: Chinese bean fermented foods generally contained vitamin K&#95;2, and the subtype menaquinone-7(MK-7)was the main one. The content of vitamin K&#95;2 in Douchi was the highest(437.55 μg/100 g), the content of vitamin K&#95;2 in Sufu and Soybean paste were lower(7.48 μg/100 g and 2.47 μg/100 g). The content of vitamin K&#95;2 in bacterial Douchi was higher than that in Mucor type and Aspergillus oryzae type which were 403.94, 232.98 and 81.00 μg/100 g(P&lt;0.05). Soybean type Douchi was higher than that in black bean type of Douchi which were 610.41, 178.08 μg/100 g(P&lt;0.05), and the content of vitamin K&#95;2 in dry Douchi was higher than the content of vitamin K&#95;2 in water Douchi which were 1 517.45 μg/100 g, 297.58 μg/100 g(P&lt;0.05). However, there were no significant difference in the content of vitamin K&#95;2 in Soybean paste and Sufu in different types and regions(P &gt; 0.05)., Conclusion: Vitamin K&#95;2 is widely contained in Chinese fermented bean products, and its content is mainly affected by fermentation microorganisms and processing technology.

Objective: To understand the addition of microbial food cultures in infant and follow-up formula milk powder in China., Methods: The product information of infant and follow-up formula milk powder approved in China from 2017 to 2022 was investigated, including the query platform and packaging label information, and the strains, addition rates and addition amount of microbial food cultures were statistically analyzed., Results: From 2017 to 2022, a total of 1438 infant and follow-up formula milk powder products were approved in China, of which 434 products were added with microbial food cultures, 6 types of strains were used, namely Bifidobacterium animalis Bb-12, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07, Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716, Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, the top three addition rates were Bifidobacterium animalis Bb-12, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07, the addition rate were 79.72%, 18.43% and 12.67%, respectively. The addition amount of the strains ranged from 1×10~6 to 6×10~7 CFU/g, the median value was 1×10~6 CFU/g., Conclusion: There is insufficient scientific evidence on the feeding effect, types and amounts of microbial food cultures added to infant and follow-up formula in China.

Objective: To understand the distribution of the content range of essential ingredients in commercial follow-up formula for older infants in China, analyze the differences between the content of essential ingredients in commercial older infant formula milk powder in China and the requirements of the new national standard(GB 10766-2021)., Methods: The label information of 478 commercial follow-up formula for older infant registered and approved from January 2017 to June 2022 were collected and entered. The distribution of essential ingredients was statistically analyzed, which was compared with the requirements of the new national food safety standard., Results: The new national standard has 31 essential components. Compared with the old national standard(GB 10767-2010), five indicators of carbohydrate, α-linolenic acid, choline, selenium and manganese were added. The new national standard has 28 essential component requirements revised, including 13 adjusted the lower limit, 7 adjusted the upper limit, and 16 essential components added the upper limit. Among the approved 478 older infant formula milk powders, the distribution of 11 essential ingredients were all in line with the new national standard, and 14 essential ingredients were less than the lower limit of the new national standard. The essential ingredients whose minimum value was less than the lower limit of the new national standard and the proportion exceeds 50% were vitamin D, iodine and choline. with the proportions(number of cases) of 98.33%(470 cases), 74.06%(354 cases) and 72.37%(275 cases), respectively. The maximum value of essential ingredients exceeded the maximum requirements stipulated in the new national standard, and the protein in 13.18%(63 cases) of the older infant formula milk powder was higher than the maximum requirements of the new national standard., Conclusion: The content of essential components in most commercial products in China meets the new national standard requirements. Some essential ingredients need to be adjusted.

Objective: To investigate the effects of rice on intestinal microflora in rats., Methods: Thirty 4-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, rice group and wheat group according to body weight. The control group was fed with AIN-93 diet, the rice group and the wheat group was fed with the AIN-93 diet which the carbohydrate was replaced with rice and wheat, respectively, for 4 weeks. At the end of the experiment, lipid related biochemical indexes were determined, and the contents of the distal colon(feces) of rats were collected for macro factor detection., Results: From the beginning to the end of feeding, there was no difference in weight gain among the groups. After the end of the experiment, there was no difference among lipid-related indicators and blood glucose. α diversity showed that there was no difference in the diversity of intestinal microbiota between the rice and wheat groups, and the gene abundance analysis of intestinal microbiota in the wheat group showed that the gene abundance of intestinal microbiota was lower. The difference analysis of intestinal microbiota result showed that compared with the rice group, the wheat group was composed of higher proportion of verrucomicrophyla and lower proportion of Bacteroidetes. Lefse analysis showed that the surface group was enriched with Akkermansia Muciniphila, Bifidobacterium animalis, and a variety of beneficial bacteria such as Faecalibaculum rodentium and Intestinimonas butyriciproducens, while Prevotella copri was rich in the rice group. Glycoside hydrolases 8, glycoside hydrolases 16, glycoside hydrolases 99 and glycosyl transferase family 56., Conclusion: Rice or wheat as different carbohydrate sources have different effects on the composition of intestinal microflora and carbohydrate-related active enzymes in rats.

Objective: To explore the surgical method and effectiveness of the great toenail bed flap supplied with the fibular dorsal artery of great toe in repair of the finger nail bed central longitudinal defect., Methods: Between May 2012 and February 2017, 7 cases (7 fingers) with the finger nail bed central longitudinal defects were repaired with the great toenail bed flap supplied with the fibular dorsal artery of great toe. There were 3 males and 4 females; the age ranged from 17 to 35 years (mean, 27 years). The cause of injury included cutting injury in 2 cases, electric shaving injury in 3 cases, and frictional injury in 2 cases. The defect located at thumb in 3 cases, index finger in 3 cases, and middle finger in 1 case. The defect area ranged from 12 mm×8 mm to 21 mm×13 mm. The time from injury to admission was 1-2 hours (mean, 1.5 hours). The area of the great toenail bed flap ranged from 14 mm×10 mm to 23 mm×15 mm. The wound of donor site was directly sutured in 3 cases and repaired with full thickness skin graft in 4 cases., Results: All the great toenail bed flaps and skin grafts at the donor sites survived; and all wounds healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 9 to 36 months (mean, 23 months). The finger nails were smooth and shiny and recovered ideal appearance. At 9 months after operation, the two-point discrimination of the skin ranged from 7 to 9 mm (mean, 8 mm). According to the standard evaluation for nail bed repair issued by Zook etc., 6 cases were rated as excellent and 1 case as good, and the excellent and good rate was 100%., Conclusion: It is an ideal method to repair the finger nail bed central longitudinal defect with the great toenail bed flap supplied with the fibular dorsal artery of the great toe.