Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) contamination in food and feed is a global health and economic threat, necessitating the immediate development of effective strategies to mitigate its negative effects. This study focuses on the isolation and characterization of Enterococcus faecium HB2-2 (E. faecium HB2-2) as a potent AFB₁-degrading microorganism, using morphological observation, biochemical profiling, and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. An incubation of E. faecium HB2-2 at 32 °C for 96 h in a pH 10 nutrient broth (NB) medium resulted in a remarkable degradation rate of 90.0% for AFB₁. Furthermore, E. faecium HB2-2 demonstrated 82.9% AFB₁ degradation rate in the peanut meal, reducing AFB₁ levels from 105.1 to 17.9 μg/kg. The AFB₁ degradation ability of E. faecium HB2-2 was found to be dependent on the fermentation supernatant. The products of AFB₁ degradation by E. faecium HB2-2 were analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and a possible degradation mechanism was proposed based on the identified degradation products. Additionally, cytotoxicity assays revealed a significant reduction in the toxicity of the degradation products compared to the parent AFB₁. These findings highlight the potential of E. faecium HB2-2 as a safe and effective method for mitigating AFB₁ contamination in food and feed.

Butter is valued for its unique flavor, which varies among types. This study employed an integrated multi-analytics approach—combining flavoromics, lipidomics, e-sensory evaluation, and physicochemical analysis—to decipher the flavor traits of butters from different brands and processes. Lipidomics identified 277 lipids and 17 differential lipids. Cultured butter (CB) showed higher acid value and free amino acids (FAAs) content than sweet cream butter (SCB). Flavoromics identified 90 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with 40 key VOCs. CB was dominated by ketones, lactones, and medium-chain free fatty acids (FFAs), while SCB was characterized by aldehydes, esters, and short-chain FFAs. E-sensory analysis showed that CB was superior in umami, bitterness, and sourness. These differences in composition and flavor are mainly attributed to synergies between lactic bacteria-derived FAAs and lipid degradation products. The findings provide data and theoretical support for flavored butter development, aiding in commercial butter type identification, quality grading, and traceability.

While Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. (Z. bungeanum) pericarps are a globally prized spice, their leaves are frequently discarded as agricultural waste. This study systematically characterizes the aromatic potential of leaf by-products compared with traditional pericarps under diverse extraction strategies, utilizing an integrated flavoromics and sensomics approach. Qualitative GC-MS-O analysis revealed that leaf-derived fractions possess superior aromatic diversity: leaf essential oil and volatile solvent extract yielded 71 and 68 odorants, respectively, significantly surpassing pericarp counterparts (65 and 43 compounds). Concurrently, HS-GC-IMS profiling confirmed that targeted extraction allows leaf-derived flavors to replicate and exceed traditional spice complexity. Specifically, the leaf solvent extract achieved aromatic parity with pericarps by effectively mirroring the core spicy–citrus profile through cuminaldehyde and limonene retention. Conversely, distilled leaf essential oil unlocked a distinctive herbal–woody sensory innovation, driven by eucalyptol and a broader variety of aldehydes and ketones. Sensomics validation, incorporating aroma recombination, omission experiments, and partial least-squares regression modeling, conclusively identified β-myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, and humulene as core molecular markers dictating these perceptual shifts. Ultimately, this research provides a robust theoretical foundation for upcycling Z. bungeanum leaves into valuable flavoring resources, facilitating circular bio-economy practices by delivering functional equivalence and entirely novel sensory experiences for the global food industry.

The growing problem of antibiotic resistance and associated side effects underscores the need for exploring novel therapeutic strategies. The utilization of insect resources is being investigated as one potential avenue in this context. The effective utilization of insect resources represents a promising pathway to this end. This study focuses on investigating the glycerolysis of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) oil, which is rich in lauric acid, to optimize the production of antimicrobial monoglycerides. Response surface optimization yielded the following optimal conditions: 35.5 min, 219 °C, 0.72% sodium methoxide catalyst, and a 1:4 molar ratio of triglyceride to glycerol. Under these conditions, monoglycerides accounted for 55.86% of the product, specifically glycerol monolaurate, accounting for 29.47%; this mixture showed notable antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. After purification via the solvent crystallization method, the monoglyceride content rose to 69.64%, while the glycerol monolaurate content increased to 35.24%, resulting in enhanced antimicrobial efficacy. Notably, monoglycerides were more effective against Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacteria, consistent with their known membrane-targeting specificity. Importantly, the potent activity against MRSA highlights the potential of these MAGs to combat antibiotic-resistant strains. These findings indicate that BSFL oil is a sustainable feedstock for producing antimicrobial agents with in vitro efficacy. This work supports the further investigation of MAGs derived from BSFL oil as potential candidates to complement existing antibiotics, particularly against resistant strains such as MRSA.