To investigate the flavor changes in goat meat upon storage, the volatile components observed in goat meat after different storage periods were determined using gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS). A total of 38 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were determined from the goat meat samples, including alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, hydrocarbons, ethers, and amine compounds. 1-Hexanol, 3-Hydroxy-2-butanone, and Ethyl Acetate were the main volatile substances in fresh goat meat, and they rapidly decreased with increasing storage time and can be used as biomarkers for identifying fresh meat. When combined with the contents of total volatile basic–nitrogen (TVB-N) and the total numbers of bacterial colonies observed in physical and chemical experiments, the characteristic volatile components of fresh, sub-fresh, and spoiled meat were determined by principal component analysis (PCA). This method will help with the detection of fraudulent production dates in goat meat sales.

Introduction: Sheep placenta extract (SPE) is a representative traditional medicinal substance that exhibits multiple experimentally validated physiological properties, including anti-aging effects, wound healing acceleration, antioxidant activity, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. However, the mechanism by which SPE influences the delay of aging is still not yet clear.Methods: Exploring the effects of sheep placenta extract on D-gal induced senescence in a mouse model of aging by macrogenomics and metabolomics.Results: In the serum of aging mice treated with SPE, the levels of antioxidant function such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) were notably higher compared to those in the blank group, whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) levels decreased. We revealed that SPE alleviated the changes in gut microbiota caused by aging in mice, with a significant decrease in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio in the gut. Furthermore, Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila), which is known for its regulating immune response and potential anti-aging effects, showed a significant increase of 1177.94%. The analysis of UHPLC-QE-MS combined with orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) screening of differential metabolites in mouse serum metabolic profiles revealed a significant upregulation of cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and triptolide in serum metabolites, following SPE treatment, which are commonly believed to have immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and anti-tumor effects.Discussion: The role of SPE in ameliorating aging may be associated with the increased abundance of A. muciniphila in the gut microbiota and the accumulation of two metabolites, EPA and triptolide, in the serum.

Introduction: Hu sheep, known for its high quality and productivity, lack fundamental scientific research in China.Methods: This study focused on the effects of 24 h postmortem aging on the meat physiological and transcriptomic alteration in Hu sheep.Results: The results showed that the 24 h aging process exerts a substantial influence on the mutton color, texture, and water content as compared to untreated group. Transcriptomic analysis identified 1,668 differentially expressed genes. Functional enrichment analysis highlighted the importance of glycolysis metabolism, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and the FcγR-mediated phagocytosis pathway in mediating meat quality modification following postmortem aging. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction analysis uncovered complex regulatory networks involving glycolysis, the MAPK signaling pathway, protein metabolism, and the immune response.Discussion: Collectively, these findings offer valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying meat quality changes during postmortem aging in Hu sheep, emphasizing the potential for improving quality control strategies in mutton production.

Background/Objectives: Selenium biofortification is of interest for edible mushrooms, but excessive selenium (Se) may impair fungal growth and metabolic homeostasis. Methods: Agaricus bisporus mycelia were exposed to nominal sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃) concentrations of 0–20 µg/mL, and phenotypic evaluation was integrated with transcriptomic and widely targeted metabolomic analyses of the 0, 5, 10, and 15 µg/mL groups. Results: At 5 µg/mL, final colony diameter and dry biomass were greater than those in CK (Tukey-adjusted p = 0.0313 and 0.0189, respectively), whereas 15–20 µg/mL reduced both endpoints. Transcriptomic results and exploratory metabolomic associations suggested concentration-related changes in starch and sucrose metabolism and glutathione-related redox processes. Phosphoglucomutase (PGM; gene1915) expression and associated sugar profiles were consistent with altered carbon metabolism; CUF1 (gene816) and RLM1 (gene5124) correlated with PGM as candidate regulators. Selenium exposure elicited isoform-specific glutathione S-transferase responses and induced expression of the glutathione peroxidase gene (GPX; gene6123). Conclusions: Low-dose sodium selenite (5 μg/mL) promoted Agaricus bisporus mycelial growth, whereas higher concentrations inhibited growth and were associated with changes in carbohydrate and glutathione-related metabolism.

Tapered optical fiber-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) probes have emerged as promising miniaturized platforms for chemical and molecular sensing by integrating optical excitation, plasmonic enhancement, and Raman signal collection within a single fiber architecture. Their enhanced light–matter interaction, compact geometry, and remote interrogation capability make them particularly attractive for in situ sensing in confined and complex environments. This review systematically examines recent advances in tapered optical fiber SERS probes, covering enhancement mechanisms, taper fabrication, plasmonic hotspot engineering, and analytical applications. Particular emphasis is placed on how taper geometry and plasmonic nanostructure organization jointly influence sensing performance. Fabrication and hotspot-engineering strategies are critically compared in terms of sensitivity, reproducibility, stability, fabrication complexity, and scalability. Representative applications in biomedical analysis, food safety, and environmental monitoring are further evaluated. Despite these advances, practical implementation remains constrained by insufficient hotspot reproducibility, quantitative reliability in complex matrices, long-term stability and antifouling performance, as well as the limited scalability of current fabrication protocols. Future progress will require balancing analytical sensitivity with reproducibility, robustness, and real-sample compatibility, while advancing deterministic hotspot engineering, selective recognition interfaces, standardized performance evaluation, intelligent spectral analysis, and Lab-on-Fiber integration. Together, these developments could accelerate the transition of tapered optical fiber SERS from laboratory-scale demonstrations to field-deployable platforms for remote and in situ molecular sensing.