Control of the oil content of fried dough sticks through modulating structure change by reconstituted gluten fractions.

In our study, we explored how gluten's role during dough formation and thermal processing can mitigate the adverse effects of physical factors on product quality. We discovered that a gluten network with a gliadin/glutenin ratio of 5:5 effectively limits oil penetration into the dough's core. This particular ratio is found to reduce the exposure of hydrophobic groups due to the presence of hydrated ß-sheet structures. In contrast, gluten networks with higher gliadin proportions than typical wheat gluten tend to be looser, leading to increased chromophore exposure and facilitating more oil absorption. These observations highlighted the complex link between changes in gluten structure, varying protein compositions, and oil content in fried dough sticks. This research provided a foundation for developing specialized low-fat wheat flour and improving the quality of fried dough products.

The protective role of prebiotics and probiotics on diarrhea and gut damage in the rotavirus-infected piglets.

Rotavirus is one of the pathogenic causes that induce diarrhea in young animals, especially piglets, worldwide. However, nowadays, there is no specific drug available to treat the disease, and the related vaccines have no obvious efficiency in some countries. Via analyzing the pathogenesis of rotavirus, it inducing diarrhea is mainly due to disturb enteric nervous system, destroy gut mucosal integrity, induce intracellular electrolyte imbalance, and impair gut microbiota and immunity. Many studies have already proved that prebiotics and probiotics can mitigate the damage and diarrhea induced by rotavirus infection in hosts. Based on these, the current review summarizes and discusses the effects and mechanisms of prebiotics and probiotics on rotavirus-induced diarrhea in piglets. This information will highlight the basis for the swine production utilization of prebiotics and probiotics in the prevention or treatment of rotavirus infection in the future.

Protective effect of Broussonetia papyrifera leaf polysaccharides on intestinal integrity in a rat model of diet-induced oxidative stress.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Broussonetia papyrifera polysaccharides (BPP) on the jejunal intestinal integrity of rats ingesting oxidized fish oil (OFO) induced oxidative stress. Polysaccharides (Mw 16,956 Da) containing carboxyl groups were extracted from Broussonetia papyrifera leaves. In vitro antioxidant assays showed that this polysaccharide possessed antioxidant capabilities. Thirty-two male weaned rats were allocated into two groups orally infused BPP solution and PBS for 26 days, respectively. From day 9 to day 26, half of the rats in each group were fed food containing OFO, where the lipid peroxidation can induce intestinal oxidative stress. OFO administration resulted in diarrhea, decreased growth performance (p < 0.01), impaired jejunal morphology (p < 0.05) and antioxidant capacity (p < 0.01), increased the levels of ROS and its related products, IL-1ß and IL-17 (p < 0.01) of jejunum, as well as down-regulated Bcl-2/Bax (p < 0.01) and Nrf2 signaling (p < 0.01) of jejunum in rats. BPP gavage effectively alleviated the negative effects of OFO on growth performance, morphology, enterocyte apoptosis, antioxidant capacity and inflammation of jejunum (p < 0.05) in rats. In the oxidative stress model cell assay, the use of receptor inhibitors inhibited the enhancement of antioxidant capacity by BPP. These results suggested that BPP protected intestinal morphology, thus improving growth performance and reducing diarrhea in rats ingesting OFO. This protective effect may be attributed to scavenging free radicals and activating the Nrf2 pathway, which enhances antioxidant capacity, consequently reducing inflammation and mitigating intestinal cell death.

Structural characteristics and paste properties of wheat starch in natural fermentation during traditional Chinese Mianpi processing.

Fermentation plays a crucial role in traditional Chinese mianpi processing, where short-term natural fermentation (within 24 h) is considered advantageous for mianpi production. However, the influence of short-term natural fermentation on the properties of wheat starch is not explored yet. Hence, structural characteristics and paste properties of wheat starch during natural fermentation were investigated in this study. The findings revealed that fermenting for 24 h had a slight effect on the morphology of wheat starch but significantly decreased the particle size of starch. Compared to native wheat starch, the enzyme activity produced during fermentation may destroy the integrity of starch granules, resulting in a lower molecular weight but higher relative crystallinity and orderliness of starch. After 24 h of natural fermentation, higher solubility and swelling power were obtained compared to non-fermentation. Regarding paste properties, fermented starches exhibited higher peak viscosity and breakdown, along with lower final viscosity, tough viscosity, and setback. Furthermore, the hardness, gel strength, G', and G" decreased after fermentation. Clarifying changes in starch during the short-term natural fermentation process could provide theoretical guidance for improving the quality and production of short-term naturally fermented foods such as mianpi, as discussed in this study.

Yucca schidigera purpurea-sourced arabinogalactan polysaccharides augments antioxidant capacity facilitating intestinal antioxidant functions.

This study isolated and purified a novel homogeneous arabinogalactan polysaccharide from Yucca schidigera extract (YSE), unveiled its unique structure and explored its antioxidant function. Firstly, the antioxidant potential of YSE was demonstrated in piglet trials. A homogeneous polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 24.2 kDa, designated as Yucca schidigera polysaccharide B (YPB), was isolated and purified from YSE. The monosaccharide composition of YPB was Rha, Araf, Galp, and Glcp, whose molar percentages were 2.8 %, 11.6 %, 45.5 %, and 40.0 %, respectively. Methylation analysis combined with 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance showed that YPB was a complex polysaccharide with a main glycosidic linkage pattern of →2)-α-ʟ-Rha-(1 â†’ 3)-ß-ᴅ-Galp-(1→3)-ß-ᴅ-Galp-(1 â†’ 3)-ß-ᴅ-Galp-(1 â†’ 3)-ß-ᴅ-Glcp-(1→, and branched Araf and Galp fragments were connected with the main chain through →3,6)-ß-ᴅ-Galp-(1→, →3,4)-ß-ᴅ-Glcp-(1→, and →2,4)-α-ʟ-Rha-(1→ linkages. Following the in vitro biochemical assays of bioactive components, YPB should be the contributor to the antioxidant activity in YSE. Based on the establishment of oxidative stress model, YPB exhibited strong antioxidant capacity and activated NRF2 pathway, and then provided protection against the damage induced oxidative stress in IPEC-J2 cells and rats. Further analysis with inhibitors found that this antioxidant effect was attributed to its interaction with epidermal growth factor receptor and mannose receptor, and stimulating PI3K/AKT pathway.

The effect of dietary Yucca schidigera extract supplementation on productive performance, egg quality, and gut health in laying hens with Clostridium perfringens and coccidia challenge.

Yucca schidigera extract (YSE) is a green feed additive that is known to reduce toxic gas emissions and promote intestinal health in animal production. This study investigated the potential of dietary YSE supplementation to mitigate the negative effect of Clostridium perfringens and coccidia infection on productive performance and gut health in laying hens. A total of 48 Lohmann gray laying hens (35 wk of age) were randomly allotted to 1 of 2 groups (n = 24) fed with either a basal diet or a YSE-supplemented diet for 45 d. From d 36 to 45, half of the hens in each group were orally administrated with Clostridium perfringens type A and coccidia. This challenge impaired productive performance and egg quality (P < 0.05), destroyed jejunal morphology and functions (P < 0.05), induced jejunal epithelial cell apoptosis (P < 0.05), and downregulated the antioxidant capacity and Nrf2 pathway expression of jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05) in laying hens. Supplementing YSE in the laying hen diet, to some extents, improved productive performance and egg quality (P < 0.05), and alleviated the effect of challenge on morphology, functions, cell apoptosis, and antioxidant capacity in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Overall, the results suggested that dietary YSE supplementation might mitigate the negative effects of Clostridium perfringens and coccidia infection on gut health, and thereby improve the productive performance and egg quality of laying hens, possibly through enhancing the antioxidant capacity of the jejunum.

Yucca schidigera extract decreases nitrogen emission via improving nutrient utilisation and gut barrier function in weaned piglets.

Yucca schidigera extract (YE) can decrease ammonia concentration in livestock housing, which could be associated with the inhibition of urease. The aim of this study was to investigate the other possible reasons of dietary YE supplementation reducing nitrogen emission in weaned piglets. A total of 14 crossbred weaned barrows were allotted into two groups fed the diets supplementing 0 and 120 mg/kg YE for 14 days. The YE administration decreased F/G ratio and hindgut NH3 -N production in weaned piglets (p < 0.05). Dietary YE supplementation decreased serum urea nitrogen levels, and increased nutrient digestibility, which could be related to the improvement of morphology, digestive and absorptive enzyme activities, and nutrient transporter mRNA expression in jejunal mucosa of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of tight junction proteins, mucins and apoptosis-related genes was also improved by YE treatment in jejunal mucosa of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). In addition, dietary YE supplementation regulated the microbiota structure and volatile fatty acid content in distal intestine of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). These results suggest that YE administration can decrease hindgut NH3 -N production in weaned piglets, which is associated with the increased nutrient utilization and gut-barrier function.

Lentinan administration alleviates diarrhea of rotavirus-infected weaned pigs via regulating intestinal immunity.

BACKGROUND: Lentinan (LNT) may regulate many important physiological functions of human and animals. This study aimed to verify whether LNT administration could relieve diarrhea via improving gut immunity in rotavirus (RV)-challenged weaned pigs. METHODS: Twenty-eight weaned pigs were randomly fed 2 diets containing 0 or 84 mg/kg LNT product for 19 d (n = 14). RV infection was executed on d 15. After extracting polysaccharides from LNT product, its major monosaccharides were analyzed. Then, LNT polysaccharide was used to administrate RV-infected IPEC-J2 cells. RESULTS: Dietary LNT supplementation supported normal function of piglets even when infected with RV, as reflected by reduced growth performance loss and diarrhea prevalence, and maintained gut immunity (P < 0.05). The polysaccharide was isolated from LNT product, which molecular weight was 5303 Da, and major monosaccharides included glucose, arabinose and galactose. In RV-infected IPEC-J2 cells, this polysaccharide significantly increased cell viability (P < 0.05), and significantly increased anti-virus immunity via regulating pattern recognition receptors and host defense peptides (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Those results suggest that LNT administration increases the piglets' resistance to RV-induced stress, likely by supporting intestinal immunity.

Tea bioactive components prevent carcinogenesis via anti-pathogen, anti-inflammation, and cell survival pathways.

Cancer seriously impairs human health and survival. Many perturbations, such as increased oxidative stress, pathogen infection, and inflammation, promote the accumulation of DNA mutations, and ultimately lead to carcinogenesis. Tea is one of the most highly consumed beverages worldwide and has been linked to improvements in human health. Tea contains many active components, including tea polyphenols, tea polysaccharides, L-theanine, tea pigments, and caffeine among other common components. Several studies have identified components in tea that can directly or indirectly reduce carcinogenesis with some being used in a clinical setting. Many previous studies, in vitro and in vivo, have focused on the mechanisms that functional components of tea utilized to protect against cancer. One particular mechanism that has been well described is an improvement in antioxidant capacity seen with tea consumption. However, other mechanisms, including anti-pathogen, anti-inflammation and alterations in cell survival pathways, are also involved. The current review focuses on these anti-cancer mechanisms. This will be beneficial for clinical utilization of tea components in preventing and treating cancer in the future.