To investigate the effects of a slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) treatment on the quality of fresh-cut apples during storage, this research used a Box–Behnken design to determine the optimal SAEW treatment conditions. Then, the fresh-cut apple was treated under the optimal condition and subjected to a 13-d storage experiment at 4 °C. For fresh-cut apple treated under the optimal SAEW treatment conditions, the total number of surface colonies was reduced by 2.82 logarithms compared to the control group and the sensory score was 8.73. For the treated fresh-cut apple during storage, the quality of the treated group was significantly greater than the non-treatment group. Thus, the SAEW treatment not only effectively controlled the number of microbes on fresh-cut apple, but also slowed quality deterioration during storage.

This study investigated the impact of gradient milling on the cooking properties and sensory characteristics of Yangxian black rice. The results showed that as the degree of milling increased, the gelatinization time decreased (36.85–23.54 min) and the water uptake ratio of whole black rice (188.29%) was significantly lower compared to that of refined grains (194.05%). Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was further used to monitor the water concentration and distribution of black rice during soaking and cooking. It was found that the bran layers of black rice, as a physical barrier, impeded the water penetration into the kernels for a given soaking and cooking duration. The sensory evaluation conducted by a panel of trained volunteers demonstrated a high score for all sensory attributes in slightly milled black rice, corroborating findings from the taste analyzer. Through correlation analysis of volatile components determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), smell scores in sensory evaluation, and electronic nose response values, 2-pentyl-furan (54.84–12.72 ng/g) and guaiacol (19.39–5.51 ng/g) were found to be the predominant volatile flavor contributors in cooked black rice. Overall, this study provides valuable insight into the intricate relationship between milling degrees and the cooking properties, sensory characteristics, and volatile flavor compounds of Yangxian black rice.

Early adulthood is a critical period for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention, with beverage consumption being a modifiable risk factor. Evidence in young Chinese adults remains limited. We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study (May–June 2023) of 3198 university students aged 18–25 years from seven regions of China. Beverage intake was recorded for seven days using the validated Liq.In7 diary with calibrated cups, and multivariable linear regression, including sex- and age-stratified models and interaction analyses, identified determinants. Sex, age, and sleep quality were the strongest predictors: females consumed less plain water (β = –112.75; 95% CI: –147.98 to –77.53; p < 0.001) and SSBs (β = –23.59; 95% CI: –34.60 to –12.57; p < 0.001), while plain water intake increased with age (β = 33.42; 95% CI: 19.92–46.91; p < 0.001). Poorer sleep quality (higher PSQI) was associated with higher SSBs consumption. SSBs intake among adults aged 22–25 years increased with higher temperature and socioeconomic tier. Interaction models confirmed that plain water intake increased with age in both sexes but remained lower in females. These findings support integrated interventions, including SSBs taxation and nutrition education, aligned with Healthy China 2030 and WHO sugar-reduction targets.

In food safety implementation, bacterial inactivation is an imperative aspect of hygiene and sanitation. Studies on lithium magnesium silicate (LMS) hydrosol incorporated with slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) for decontamination of pathogenic bacteria are limited. This present study aimed to investigate the bactericidal efficacy of LMS hydrosol incorporated with SAEW against Escherichia coli. Optimum combination conditions of SAEW, hydrosol concentration, and available chlorine concentration (ACC) were optimized by response surface methodology under the central composite design against the growth of E. coli. The optimum combination conditions of exposure time, hydrosol concentration, and ACC were 9.5 minutes, 1.7%, and 20.5 ppm, respectively. The results showed that the increase in ACC led to inactivation in the survival of E. coli compared with the control (p<0.05). It can be concluded that the best combination percentage between SAEW and hydrosol ranged from 1.5-1.7%, in which E. coli was reduced by 4.50 log10 CFU/mL at an ACC of 9.94 ppm. When increasing the ACC to 14.84 ppm, E. coli was reduced by 4.51 log10 CFU/mL compared with the initial number of bacteria (8.20 log10 CFU/mL) in the control group. The number of bacteria was undetected after increasing ACC to 19.93, 25.15, and 29.88 ppm at 10 min. This study suggests that LMS hydrosol incorporated with SAEW could potentially be used as an effective sanitizer.