The effects of core microorganism community on flavor compounds and active substances during the aging process of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium.

Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP) is a traditional herbal and food spice, the flavor and active compounds content of Xinhui CRP improves with aging. To investigate the pattern of microbial community succession during the aging of Xinhui CRP and its correlation with changes in flavor compounds, the high-throughput sequencing, HPLC, and GC-IMS were used to analyze the microbial community, flavonoids, and flavor compounds of five different aging years in this study. The results revealed different dominant microbial communities in Xinhui CRP at different aging time, and unclassified Bacteria were the predominant bacterial genus during 10-15 years of aging. As the aging time increases, the abundance of microbial community decreases and gradually stabilizes. At the fungal genus level, Xeromyces (>99 %) were the dominant genus during the 10-15 years aging time and had a significant correlation with polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), and the concentrations of PMFs increased with the progression of aging years. The GC-IMS results revealed distinctive flavor profiles in Xinhui CRP across different aging years, floral and fruity aromas, such as heptanal, 3-methyl-3-butenol, and 1-butanol, among others, with increasing aging years. A comprehensive correlation analysis further elucidates the close relationship between the core microorganism community and flavor formation in Xinhui CRP (p < 0.05). Notably, Pseudomonas and Escherichia Shigella exhibited significant correlations with beta-pinene and alpha-pinene, whereas Aureobasidium and Sarcopodium were associated with nerol and α-phellandrene (p < 0.05). This study provides new ideas for accelerating the good quality and flavor of Xinhui CRP during the aging process from the perspective of key microorganisms.

Preparation, structural analysis of alcohol aroma compounds/ß-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes and the application in strawberry preservation.

The dynamic combination of aromas and cyclodextrins is an important means to achieve their stability and controllability, and accurately revealing their interaction rules is the key to designing and constructing high-quality aroma nanocarriers. In this study, the inclusion mechanism between alcohol aroma compounds with different structures and ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) was studied by combining molecular dynamics simulation and experimental methods. Results showed that the selected alcohol aroma compounds formed inclusion complexes (ICs) with ß-CD in a 1:1 ratio, while alcohol aroma compounds containing cyclic structures were more tightly bound to ß-CD. Van der Waals forces were the primary forces driving the formation and stabilization of the ICs. Cinnamyl alcohol/ß-CD ICs showed the most significant antimicrobial effect and notably prolonged the shelf life of strawberries. This study aimed to provide theoretical support for precisely designing and preparing highly stable flavours and fragrances, as well as expanding their application range.

Pickering nanoemulsion loaded with eugenol contributed to the improvement of konjac glucomannan film performance.

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is becoming a very potential food packaging material due to its good film-forming properties and stability. However, KGM film has several shortcomings such as low mechanical strength, strong water absorption, and poor self-antibacterial performance, which limits its application. Therefore, in order to enhance the mechanical and functional properties of KGM film, this study prepared Pickering nanoemulsion loaded with eugenol and added it to the KGM matrix to explore the improvement effect of Pickering nanoemulsion on KGM film properties. Compared to pure KGM film and eugenol directly added film, the mechanical strength of Pickering-KGM film was significantly improved due to the establishment of ample hydrogen bonding interactions between the ß-cyclodextrin inclusion complex system and KGM. Pickering-KGM film had significant antioxidant capacity than pure KGM film and eugenol directly added KGM film (eugenol-KGM film) (~3.21 times better than KGM film, ~0.51 times better than eugenol-KGM film). In terms of antibacterial activity, Pickering-KGM film had good inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, and raspberry preservation experiment showed that the shelf life of the Pickering-KGM film could be extended to about 6 days. To sum up, this study developed a novel means to improve the film performance and provide a new insight for the development and application of food packaging film.

Chromosome-level genome of Thymus mandschuricus reveals molecular mechanism of aroma compounds biosynthesis.

Background: Thymus mandschuricus is an aromatic and medicinal plant with notable antibacterial and antioxidant properties. However, traditional breeding methods rely on phenotypic selection due to a lack of molecular resources. A high-quality reference genome is crucial for marker-assisted breeding, genome editing, and molecular genetics. Results: We utilized PacBio and Hi-C technologies to generate a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome for T. mandschuricus, with a size of 587.05 Mb and an N50 contig size of 8.41 Mb. The assembled genome contained 29,343 predicted protein-coding genes, and evidence of two distinct whole-genome duplications in T. mandschuricus was discovered. Comparative genomic analysis revealed rapid evolution of genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and the CYP450 gene family in T. mandschuricus. Additionally, we reconstructed the gene families of terpenoid biosynthesis structural genes, such as TPS, BAHD, and CYP, and identified regulatory networks controlling the expression of aroma-synthesis genes by integrating transcriptome data from various organs and developmental stages. We discovered that hormones and transcription factors may collaborate in controlling aroma-synthesis gene expression. Conclusion: This study provides the first high-quality genome sequence and gene annotation for T. mandschuricus, an indigenous thyme species unique to China. The genome assembly and the comprehension of the genetic basis of fragrance synthesis acquired from this research could potentially serve as targets for future breeding programs and functional studies.

A Novel Water-Soluble Polysaccharide from Daylily (Hemerocallis citrina Baroni): Isolation, Structure Analysis, and Probiotics Adhesion Promotion Effect.

The daylily (Hemerocallis citrina Baroni) flower is a traditional raw food material that is rich in a variety of nutrients. In particular, the content of polysaccharides in daylily is abundant and has been widely used as a functional component in food, cosmetics, medicine, and other industries. However, studies on the structure-effective relationship of daylily flower polysaccharides are still lacking. In view of this, daylily flower polysaccharides were isolated and purified, and their physical and chemical properties, structure, antioxidant activity, and adhesion-promoting effect on probiotics were evaluated. The results showed that a novel water-soluble polysaccharide (DPW) with an average molecular weight (Mw) of 2.224 kDa could be successfully isolated using column chromatography. Monosaccharide composition analysis showed that DPW only comprised glucose and fructose, with a molar ratio of 0.242:0.758. Through methylation and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis, it was inferred that DPW belonged to the fructans group with a structure of α-D-Glcp-1→2-ß-D-Fruf-1→(2-ß-D-Fruf-1)n→. Antioxidant analysis showed that DPW showed strong 2-Phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-Oxide (PTIO-scavenging activity with IC50 of 1.54 mg/mL. DPW of 1.25 to 5 mg/mL could significantly increase the adhesion rate of Lactobacillus acidophilu, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, and Lactobacillus plantarum on Caco-2 cells. Considering the above results, the present study provides a theoretical basis and practical support for the development and application of daylily polysaccharides as a functional active ingredient.

Inhibitory effects of nobiletin-mediated interfacial instability of bile salt emulsified oil droplets on lipid digestion.

Previous lipase inhibitors studies mainly focus on the binding between inhibitors and lipase, ignoring the impact of inhibitors on the oil-water interface of lipid droplets. This study aimed to investigate the effect of nobiletin (NBT) from Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium on the oil-water interface properties and lipid digestion. Here, we found that NBT could destroy bile salt (BS)-stabilized lipid droplets and thus inhibited free fatty acid release, owing to the interaction between NBT and BS at the oil-water interface, and reducing the stability of the oil-water interface (the stability index decreased from 91.15 ± 2.6 % to 66.5 ± 3.6 %). Further, the molecular dynamics simulation and isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that NBT could combine with BS at oil-water interface through intermolecular interactions, including hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals force, and steric hindrance. These results suggest that the interfacial instability of NBT mediated BS emulsified oil droplets may be another pathway to inhibit lipid digestion.

Antibacterial aroma compounds as property modifiers for electrospun biopolymer nanofibers of proteins and polysaccharides: A review.

Electrospinning is one of the most promising techniques for producing biopolymer nanofibers for various applications. Proteins and polysaccharides, among other biopolymers, are attractive substrates for electrospinning due to their favorable biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, there are still challenges to improve the mechanical properties, water sensitivity and biological activity of biopolymer nanofibers. Therefore, these strategies such as polymer blending, application of cross-linking agents, the addition of nanoparticles and bioactive components, and modification of biopolymer have been developed to enhance the properties of biopolymer nanofibers. Among them, antibacterial aroma compounds (AACs) from essential oils are widely used as bioactive components and property modifiers in various biopolymer nanofibers to enhance the functionality, hydrophobicity, thermal properties, and mechanical properties of nanofibers, which depends on the electrospun strategy of AACs. This review summarizes the recently reported antimicrobial activities and applications of AACs, and compares the effects of four electrospinning strategies for encapsulating AACs on the properties and applications of nanofibers. The authors focus on the correlation of the main characteristics of these biopolymer electrospun nanofibers with the encapsulation strategy of AACs in the nanofibers. Moreover, this review also particularly emphasizes the impact of the characteristics of these nanofibers on their application field of antimicrobial materials.

Pickering emulsions stabilized by ß-CD microcrystals: Construction and interfacial assembly mechanism.

ß-Cyclodextrin (ß-CD) can combine with oil and other guest molecules to form amphiphilic inclusion complexes (ICs), which can be adsorbed on the oil-water interface to reduce the interfacial tension and stabilize Pickering emulsions. However, the subtle change of ß-CD in the process of emulsion preparation is easily ignored. In this study, ß-CD and ginger oil (GO) were used to prepare the Pickering emulsion by high-speed shearing homogenization without an exogenous emulsifier. The stability of the emulsion was characterized by microscopic observation, staining analysis, and creaming index (CI). Results showed that the flocculation of the obtained Pickering emulsion was serious, and the surface of the droplets was rough with lamellar particles. In order to elucidate the formation process of the layered particles, the GO/ß-CD ICs were further prepared by ball milling method, and the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and interfacial tension analyses found that ß-CD and GO first formed amphiphilic nanoscale small particles (ICs) through the host-guest interaction, and the formed small particles were further self-assembled into lamellar micron-scale amphiphilic ICs microcrystals. These amphiphilic ICs and microcrystals aggregated at the oil-water interface and finally formed the Pickering emulsion. In this study, by exploring the formation process and evolution of GO/ß-CD self-assembly, the formation process and stabilization mechanism of the ß-CD-stabilized GO Pickering emulsion were clarified preliminarily, with the aim of providing a theoretical basis for the development of high-performance CD-stabilized Pickering emulsions.

Mannitol Is a Good Anticaking Agent for Spray-Dried Hydroxypropyl-Beta-Cyclodextrin Microcapsules.

Agglomeration is an undesirable phenomenon that often occurs in spray-dried microcapsules powder. The objective of this work is to determine the best solution for spray-dried hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-ß-CD) microcapsules from four anticaking agents, namely calcium stearate (CaSt), magnesium stearate (MgSt), silicon dioxide (SiO2), and mannitol (MAN), and to explore their anticaking mechanisms. Our results showed that MAN was found to be the superior anticaking agent among those tested. When the MAN ratio is 12%, the microcapsules with a special Xanthium-type shape had higher powder flowability and lower hygroscopicity and exhibited good anticaking properties. Mechanism research revealed that CaSt, MgSt, and SiO2 reduce hygroscopicity and caking by increasing the glass transition temperature of the microcapsules, while MAN prevents the hydroxyl group of HP-ß-CD from combining with water molecules in the air by a crystal outer-layer on the microcapsule surface.

Lignocellulosic depolymerization induced by ionic liquids regulating composting habitats based on metagenomics analysis.

The application of ionic liquids with sawdust and fresh dairy manure was studied in composting. The degradation of organic matter (OM), dissolved organic matter (DOM), and lignocellulose was analyzed. The DOM decreased by 14.25 mg/g and 11.11 mg/g in experimental group (ILs) and control group (CK), respectively. OM decreased by 7.32% (CK) and 8.91% (ILs), respectively. The degradation rates of hemicellulose, lignin, and cellulose in ILs (56.62%, 42.01%, and 23.97%) were higher than in CK (38.39%, 39.82%, and 16.04%). Microbial community and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) were analyzed based on metagenomics. Metagenomic analysis results showed that ionic liquids enriched Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria in composting. Compared with CK, the total abundance values of GH11, GH6, AA6, and AA3_2 in ILs increased by 13.98%, 10.12%, 11.21%, and 13.68%, respectively. Ionic liquids can improve the lignocellulosic degradation by regulating the environmental physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, C/N) to promote the growth of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) abundance. Therefore, ionic liquids are a promising additive in lignocellulosic waste composting.

In-situ generation of H2O2 by zero valent iron to control depolymerization of lignocellulose in composting niche.

Lignocellulosic degradation is a bottleneck of bioconversion during the composting process. In-situ generation of H2O2 in the composting system was an ideal method for efficiently promoting lignocellulase degradation, and zero valent iron (ZVI) was concerned because it can generate H2O2 by reducing dissolved oxygen. This study focused on the effects of ZVI treatment on lignocellulose degradation, microbial communities, and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) genes during composting. Its results indicated that ZVI increased H2O2 content during composting, accompanied by the formation of •OH. The degradation rates of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose in ZVI group (20.77%, 30.35% and 44.7%) were significantly higher than in CK group (17.01%, 26.12% and 38.5%). Metagenomic analysis showed that ZVI induced microbial growth that favored lignocellulose degradation, which increased the abundance of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes but reduced Proteobacteria. At the genus level, the abundance of Thermomonospora, Streptomyces, and Bacillus significantly increased. In addition, glycoside hydrolases and auxiliary activities were important CAZymes families of lignocellulose degradation, and their abundance was higher in the ZVI group. Redundancy analysis showed that the increased H2O2 and •OH content was a critical factor in improving lignocellulose degradation. Overall, H2O2 as a co-substrate enhanced the enzymatic efficiency, •OH unspecifically attacked lignocellulose, and the increase in functional microbial abundance was the main reason for promoting lignocellulose degradation in composting.

Biochar-based solid acid accelerated carbon conversion by increasing the abundance of thermophilic bacteria in the cow manure composting process.

This study investigated the effects of biochar-based solid acids (SAs) on carbon conversion, alpha diversity and bacterial community succession during cow manure composting with the goal of providing a new strategy for rapid carbon conversion during composting. The addition of SA prolonged the thermophilic phase and accelerated the degradation of lignocellulose; in particular, the degradation time of cellulose was shortened by 50% and the humus content was increased by 22.56% compared with the control group (CK). In addition, high-throughput sequencing results showed that SA improved the alpha diversity and the relative abundance of thermophilic bacteria, mainly Actinobacteria, increased by 12.955% compared with CK. A redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that Actinobacteria was positively correlated with the transformation of carbon.

SAFE and SBSE combined with GC-MS and GC-O for characterization of flavor compounds in Zhizhonghe Wujiapi medicinal liquor.

Volatile compounds in Chinese Zhizhonghe Wujiapi (WJP) medicinal liquor were extracted by solvent-assisted flavor evaporation extraction (SAFE) and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), respectively, and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results showed that a total of 123 volatile compounds (i.e., 108 by SAFE, 50 by SBSE, and 34 by both) including esters, alcohols, acids, aldehydes, ketones, heterocycles, terpenes and terpenoids, alkenes, phenols, and other compounds were identified, and 67 of them were confirmed as aroma-active compounds by the application of the aroma extract dilution analysis coupled with gas chromatography-olfactometry. After making a simulated reconstitute by mixing 41 characterized aroma-active compounds (odor activity values ≥1) based on their concentrations, the aroma profile of the reconstitute showed good similarity to that of the original WJP liquor. Omission test further corroborated 34 key aroma-active compounds in the WJP liquor. The study of WJP liquor is expected to provide some insights into the characterization of special volatile components in traditional Chinese medicine liquors for the purpose of quality improvement and aroma optimization.

Red mud conserved compost nitrogen by enhancing nitrogen fixation and inhibiting denitrification revealed via metagenomic analysis.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of adding red mud (RM) on denitrification and nitrogen fixation in composting. The results revealed that the retentions of NH4+-N and NO3--N in experimental group (T) with RM were 16.20% and 7.27% higher than that in control group (CK) at the mature stage, respectively. The composition and structure of RM can effectively inhibit denitrification and enhance nitrogen fixation. Moreover, metagenomic analysis revealed that Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the main microorganisms in denitrification process, while Firmicutes were the main microorganisms in nitrogen fixation process. In T, denitrifying genes nirK and nosZ were 11% and 18% lower than those in CK, respectively, while nitrogen-fixing genes nifK and nifD were 18% and 34% higher than those in control group, respectively. Therefore, adding RM could reduce nitrogen loss and improve the quality of compost via enhancing nitrogen fixation and inhibiting denitrification process.

Syringa oblata genome provides new insights into molecular mechanism of flower color differences among individuals and biosynthesis of its flower volatiles.

Syringa oblata is a high ornamental value tree owing to its elegant colors, unique aromas and wide adaptability, however, studies on the molecular mechanism underlying the formation of its ornamental traits are still lacking. Here, we presented a chromosome-scale genome assembly of S. oblata and the final genome size was 1.11 Gb with a contig N50 of 4.75 Mb, anchored on 23 chromosomes and was a better reference for S. oblata transcriptome assembly. Further by integrating transcriptomic and metabolic data, it was concluded that F3H, F3'H, 4CL and PAL, especially the F3'H, were important candidates involved in the formation of floral color differences among S. oblata individuals. Genome-wide identification and analysis revealed that the TPS-b subfamily was the most abundant subfamily of TPS family in S. oblata, which together with the CYP76 family genes determined the formation of the major floral volatiles of S. oblata. Overall, our results provide an important reference for mechanistic studies on the main ornamental traits and molecular breeding in S. oblata.

Humification process and mechanisms investigated by Fenton-like reaction and laccase functional expression during composting.

This study aims to explore the impacts of the Fenton-like reaction on hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, humic substance (HS) formation, laccase activity and microbial communities during composting to optimize composting performances. The results indicated that the activity of laccase in the presence of the Fenton-like reaction (HC) (35.92 U/g) was significantly higher than that in the control (CP) (29.56 U/g). The content of HS in HC (151.91 g/kg) was higher than that in CP (131.73 g/kg), and amides, quinones, aliphatic compounds and aromatic compounds were promoted to form HS in HC by 2D-FTIR-COS analysis. Proteobacteria contributed most greatly to AA1 at phylum level, Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas abundances increased in HC. Redundancy analysis indicated that there was a strong positive correlation among the Fenton-like reaction, laccase and HS. Conclusively, the Fenton-like reaction improved the activity of laccase, promoted the formation of HS and enhanced the quality of compost.

Illite/smectite clay regulating laccase encoded genes to boost lignin decomposition and humus formation in composting habitats revealed by metagenomics analysis.

The aim of this study was to use metagenomics to investigate how Illite/smectite clay (I/S) affected Auxiliary Activities (AA1, AA2, AA3) thereby enhancing lignin decomposition and humification. Metagenomics analysis illustrated that the abundances of AA1, AA2, AA3 in test group (TG) with 10% I/S were 28.98%, 15.18%, 14.36% higher than that in reference group (RG), respectively. Meanwhile, I/S greatly boosted the efficiency of lignin degradation (17.96%) and humus formation (7.16%) compared with RG (13.10%, 3.49%). Furthermore, Actinobacteria was the microorganism with the greatest contribution in RG and TG to secreting AA1 (41.12%, 57.37%), AA2 (62.42%, 65.28%), AA3 (47.04%, 55.47%). Redundancy analysis (RDA) demonstrated that I/S could make the laccase encoding gene-AA1 contribute more to HS formation relative to AA2 and AA3. In conclusion, applying I/S in cattle manure composting effectively improved the abundance, bioavailability of lignin degradation functional gene enzymes and the composting efficiency.

Efficient decomposition of lignocellulose and improved composting performances driven by thermally activated persulfate based on metagenomics analysis.

In this study, fresh dairy manure and bagasse pith were used as raw materials to study the effect of potassium persulfate in the aerobic composting process. The influence of sulfate radical anion (SO4-·) generated by thermally activated persulfate on physicochemical parameters, lignocellulose degradation, humic substance (HS) formation, microbial community succession, and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) composition were assessed during composting. Experimental results showed that the degradation rates of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in the treatment group with potassium persulfate (PS) (61.47%, 74.63%, 73.1%) were higher than that in blank control group (CK) (59.98%, 71.47%, 70.89%), respectively. Additionally, persulfate additive promoted dynamic variation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and accelerated the formation of HS. Furthermore, metagenomics analysis revealed that persulfate changed the structure of the microbial community, and the relative abundances of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria increased by 17.64% and 34.09% in PS, whereas 12.09% and 29.96% in CK. Glycoside hydrolases (GHs) and auxiliary activities (AAs) families were crucial to degrade lignocellulose, and their abundances were more in PS. Redundancy analysis (RDA) manifested that Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were closely associated with lignocellulosic degradation. In brief, persulfate could accelerate the degradation of organic components, promote the formation of HS, optimize the structure of microbial community, and improve the compost quality.

Hydrogen peroxide plus ascorbic acid enhanced organic matter deconstructions and composting performances via changing microbial communities.

This work aims to investigate the influence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ascorbic acid (ASCA) on the physicochemical characteristics, organic matter (OM) deconstructions, humification degree and succession of bacterial communities for co-composting of bagasse pith and dairy manure. The results indicated that H2O2 and ASCA accelerated the degradation of lignocellulose, improved the transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM), and enhanced the content of humic substance (HS) and the degree of its aromatization. The bacterial communities were significantly changed in the presence of additives, in which the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria significantly increased. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the degradation of OM and lignocellulose more influenced the bacterial community compositions. Conclusively, adding H2O2 and ASCA accelerated lignocellulose degradation efficiency, and improved the composting process, which provided an optimized method to dispose of lignocellulose wastes and livestock manure.

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Hemerocallis citrina and the antioxidant activity study.

The present study discussed the optimization of the ultrasonic-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from daylily polysaccharides (DPs). The extracted crude polysaccharides were further separated and purified, and the antioxidant activities including 1,1-diphenyl-2-111 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activities of the obtained fractions were also evaluated. The results showed that the optimal ultrasonic-assisted extraction parameters with DPs yield of 15.25 ± 1.13% were water to powder ratio of 25 ml/g, extraction power of 694 W, extraction temperature of 71°C, extraction time of 38 min, and three times extraction. By DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow column, four water-soluble polysaccharide fractions (DP-1, DP-2, DP-3, and DP-4) were successfully obtained. Monosaccharide component analysis showed that the four obtained fractions were all hetero-polysaccharides that mainly contained rhamnose, arabinose, fructose, galactose, glucose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid in different molar ratios. All the four DP fractions did show obvious antioxidant activities in vitro, and the DP-3 component had relatively high ABTS free radical scavenging activity. Overall, our research showed that DPs could provide cheap raw materials for the development of natural antioxidants in medicines, functional foods, and even cosmetics. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This article deals with the optimization of the ultrasonic-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from daylily and its antioxidant activities. The results showed that the optimal ultrasonic-assisted extraction yield of DPs was 15.25 ± 1.13%. By DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow column, four water-soluble polysaccharide fractions were successfully obtained, and all the four DP fractions did show obvious antioxidant activities in vitro. Daylily polysaccharides could provide cheap raw materials for the development of natural antioxidants in medicines, functional foods, and even cosmetics.