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Objective: This study aimed to explore the impurity removal law of soybean lecithin concentrate, analyze and identify the substances that affect the transparency of soybean lecithin concentrate. Methods: Using food-grade soybean lecithin concentrate as raw material and light transmittance as the main evaluation index, the effects of ceramic membrane pore size, material-liquid ratio, solvent system （n-hexane, n-hexane-anhydrous ethanol） and solvent ratio on impurity removal of soybean lecithin concentrate were investigated. Moreover, the collected impurities and soybean concentrated lecithin before and after impurity removal were analyzed and identified by lipidomics. Results: In the system of n-hexane-anhydrous ethanol, the inorganic ceramic membrane with a pore size of 20 nm was selected, and the ratio of solid to liquid of food-grade soybean concentrated lecithin: n-hexane-anhydrous ethanol was 1∶3 and the ratio of n-hexane to anhydrous ethanol was 3∶1, which could effectively remove the particulate and fat-soluble impurities that affected its transparency. Moreover, the lipid-soluble substances affecting the transparency of soybean condensed lecithin were identified as sugar ester monogalactose diacylglycerol and derivative ester dimethyl phosphatidylethanolamine by lipid proteomics analysis. Conclusion: The nano-scale ceramic membrane can effectively remove impurities from concentrated soybean lecithin in the system of n-hexane and absolute ethanol, and the transparency of the prepared products is better than that of imported transparent soybean lecithin.

In this study, highly stable algal oil-based nanoemulsions stabilized by a combination of soy protein isolate (SPI) and stevioside (STE) were prepared by pre-structuring the oil phase. The microstructure observation, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test, and rheological analysis of the algal oil-based oleogels showed that in algal oil with 4% (m/m) beeswax added, a large number of crystals were connected to form a stable network structure, thereby constructing a stable oleogel. The effects of algal oil pre-structuring on the formation and stability of algal oil-based nanoemulsions were investigated. The results showed that the addition of beeswax had no significant effect on nanoemulsion formation. With increasing concentration of beeswax in algal oil (up to 6%), the physical stability of nanoemulsions gradually increased; however, at a higher concentration (8%), more rigid gel network was formed, which destroyed the interfacial layer and in turn led to deterioration of the physical stability of the nanoemulsion. The results of thermal oxidation and photooxidation tests showed that oil phase structuring significantly improved the oxidative stability of the nanoemulsion, and the sample with 6% beeswax added in the oil phase displayed the highest oxidative stability. This study can provide technical support for the preparation of highly stable nanoemulsion-based delivery systems for algal oil in the food industry.

Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra or Morella rubra) is a valuable fruit, yet the mechanism of its flesh segment development is not well understood. Using paraffin sectioning, we investigated the flower buds of the 'Biqi' and 'Zaojia' varieties, revealing that the flesh segment development in these Chinese bayberry varieties involved the formation of a primordium outside the ovary wall, the establishment of a simple columnar structure, and the formation of the primary flesh segment. Assessment of endogenous hormone levels indicated the significant reductions in jasmonic acid (JA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) levels at the critical stages of flesh segment development. Correlation analysis highlighted the essential roles of IAA, JA, abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellins in the flesh segment developmental process, underscoring the complex interactions driven primarily by the IAA, JA, and ABA networks. Gene modules positively correlated with flesh segment development were identified using transcriptome-based weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in plant hormone signal transduction pathways, particularly for upregulated genes associated with auxin and JA signaling. Key genes predicted to be involved in flesh segment development included LAX2 and LAX3 (auxin transport), JAZ6 (JA signaling repression), and KAN1 and KAN4 (regulating multiple hormonal signaling pathways). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) validation confirmed that the expression trends for these genes were consistent across both varieties, particularly for CRC, SEP1, SEP3, IAA7, and JAZ6. Immunofluorescence localization studies revealed that auxin was primarily distributed in the central vascular bundle and outer cells of the flesh segment. This uneven auxin distribution might contribute to the unique morphology of flesh segments. Overall, this study provides insights into the hormonal regulation and genetic factors involved in the development of Chinese bayberry flesh segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parthenocarpy, the development of fruit without fertilization, is a significant trait in fingered citron (Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle). This study aims to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms underlying parthenocarpy through comparative transcriptome analysis and phytohormone profiling between fingered citron and its non-parthenocarpic counterpart, citron. A total of 66 differentially expressed hormone-related genes were identified, with the auxin pathway emerging as the most prominent in fingered citron. Protein–protein interaction analysis revealed a potential interaction between auxin and abscisic acid (ABA). Phytohormone content analysis indicated that fingered citron exhibited higher levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and lower levels of ABA compared to citron. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) suggested that the interplay between auxin and ABA is crucial for triggering parthenocarpy. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiments demonstrated that silencing CmsABI5 led to decreased ABA levels, while auxin levels remained unchanged, resulting in disrupted parthenocarpy and increased ethylene levels, indicating a secondary hormonal response. Additionally, gene expression changes associated with failed parthenocarpy showed down-regulation of SAUR50 and up-regulation of PP2C 56, linking these changes to ABA signaling. Our findings highlight the central regulatory role of auxin in parthenocarpy in fingered citron, with ABA acting as a critical modulator. The suppression of ABA alone disrupts parthenocarpy despite stable auxin levels, emphasizing the necessity of balanced hormone interactions. This research underscores the significant role of auxin, rather than gibberellin (GA), in regulating parthenocarpy in fingered citron, contributing valuable insights to the understanding of fruit development mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapeseed protein, as a valuable plant protein, holds great potential as a natural emulsifier for construction of food‐grade high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). In this work, rapeseed protein, obtained through salt extraction combined with ultrafiltration, was employed as a sole stabilizer to formulate algae oil‐based HIPEs. The effects of protein concentration and pH changes on the physicochemical properties of HIPEs are systematically evaluated. The results show that a protein concentration of 0.5 wt% is sufficient to form stable and self‐supporting HIPEs. As the protein concentration increases, the droplet size of HIPEs gradually decreases, leading to a more robust structure and enhanced stability. Compared to neutral conditions (pH 7.0), the HIPEs under acidic pH 3.5 exhibit more densely packed emulsion droplets with smaller size and more uniform distribution, contributing to superior mechanical properties (higher G′ and yield stress) as well as preferable thixotropic and creep recovery behaviors, which thereby improve their physical stability during storage, thermal processing, and freeze‐thaw cycles. Furthermore, the rapeseed protein‐stabilized HIPEs inhibit the oxidation of algae oil, especially at pH 3.5. The results of oral lubrication indicate that the reduction in the friction coefficient is mainly associated with an increase in protein concentration, with minor effect from pH variation. These findings suggest that rapeseed protein is an effective emulsifier for preparing stable and processable HIPEs, especially under acidic conditions, which have great potential for applications in semi‐solid emulsion foods or edible oil structuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BRANCHED1 (BRC1) is a crucial member of the TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) gene family and is well known for playing a central role in shoot branching by controlling buds' paradormancy. However, the expression characteristics and molecular regulatory mechanism of BRC1 during blueberry bud dormancy are unclear. To shed light on these topics, shoots of three blueberry cultivars with different chilling requirements (CRs) were decapitated in summer to induce paradormancy release and subjected to different levels of chilling in winter to induce endodormancy release. The results showed that the high-CR cultivar 'Chandler' had the strongest apical dominance among the three cultivars; additionally, the expression of VcTCP18, which is homologous to BRC1, was the highest under both the decapitation treatment and low-temperature treatment. The 'Emerald' cultivar, with a low CR, demonstrated the opposite trend. These findings suggest that VcTCP18 plays a negative regulatory role in bud break and that there may be a correlation between the CR and tree shape. Through yeast 1-hybrid (Y1H) assays, we finally screened 21 upstream regulatory genes, including eight transcription factors: zinc-finger homeodomain protein 1/4/5/9, MYB4, AP2-like ethylene-responsive transcription factor AINTEGUMENTA (ANT), ASIL2-like, and bHLH035. It was found that these upstream regulatory genes positively or negatively regulated the expression of VcTCP18 based on the transcriptome expression profile. In summary, this study enriched our understanding of the regulatory network of BRCl during bud dormancy and provided new insights into the function of BRC1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]