The leaf of sweet tea (Lithocarpus litseifolius) is widely used as an edible and medicinal plant in China, which is rich in bioactive polysaccharides. In order to explore and promote the application of sweet tea polysaccharides in the functional food industry, the microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent extraction (MDAE) of polysaccharides from sweet tea leaves was optimized, and the structural properties and biological functions of sweet tea polysaccharides prepared by MDAE (P-DM) were investigated and compared with that of hot water extraction (P-W). The maximum yield (4.16% ± 0.09%, w/w) of P-DM was obtained under the optimal extraction conditions (extraction time of 11.0 min, extraction power of 576.0 W, water content in deep eutectic solvent of 21.0%, and liquid–solid ratio of 29.0 mL/g). Additionally, P-DM and P-W possessed similar constituent monosaccharides and glycosidic bonds, and the homogalacturonan (HG) and arabinogalactan (AG) might exist in both P-DM and P-W. Notably, the lower molecular weight, higher content of total uronic acids, and higher content of conjugated polyphenols were observed in P-DW compared to P-W, which might contribute to its much stronger in vitro antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antiglycation, and prebiotic effects. Besides, both P-DW and P-W exhibited remarkable in vitro immunostimulatory effects. The findings from the present study indicate that the MDAE has good potential to be used for efficient extraction of bioactive polysaccharides from sweet tea leaves and P-DM can be developed as functional food ingredients in the food industry.

Soluble dietary fibers (SDFs) exist as the major bioactive components in legumes, which exhibit various biological functions. To improve the potential applications of legume SDFs as healthy value-added products in the functional food industry, the physicochemical properties and biological functions of SDFs from ten selected traditional legumes, including mung bean, adzuki bean, red bean, red sword bean, black bean, red kidney bean, speckled kidney bean, common bean, white hyacinth bean, and pea, were studied and compared. Results showed that the physicochemical properties of SDFs varied in different species of legumes. All legume SDFs almost consisted of complex polysaccharides, which were rich in pectic-polysaccharides, e.g., homogalacturonan (HG) and rhamnogalacturonan I (RG I) domains. In addition, hemicelluloses, such as arabinoxylan, xyloglucan, and galactomannan, existed in almost all legume SDFs, and a large number of galactomannans existed in SDFs from black beans. Furthermore, all legume SDFs exhibited potential antioxidant, antiglycation, immunostimulatory, and prebiotic effects, and their biological functions differed relative to their chemical structures. The findings can help reveal the physicochemical and biological properties of different legume SDFs, which can also provide some insights into the further development of legume SDFs as functional food ingredients.

Background: Eurotium cristatum (E. cristatum) is the probiotic fungus in Fu-brick tea, with which fermentation brings a unique flavor and taste and health-promoting effects. Tartary buckwheat leaves are rich in functional active substances such as flavonoids and phenolic compounds, yet are not effectively utilized. Methods: Tartary buckwheat leaves were processed into raw green tea first and subsequently fermented with E. cristatum to develop a novel fermented leaf tea. The tea quality was evaluated by the aspects of the sensory scores by E-tongue, the volatile compounds by HS-SPME-GC-MS, the non-volatile profile by biochemical and UPLC-MS/MS methods and the antioxidant activity by the colorimetric assay. Results: Fermented leaf tea displayed a golden yellow color, a unique “flower” aroma and a dark-tea taste, with an improved sensory acceptability. Fermentation raised the content of volatile heterocyclic and aromatic compounds, alkenes and other aromatic components, which produced a unique floral flavor. The proportion of sour, bitter and astringency accounting non-volatile compounds such as phenolic acids and amino acids decreased, while the proportion of umami and sweet accounting substances such as responsible amino acids increased. Fermented leaf tea displayed a relative stronger total antioxidant activity against ABTS. Conclusion: E. cristatum fermentation exerted positive effects on Tartary buckwheat leaf tea quality.

Exploring the phenotypic trait variation and diversity of kiwifruit male plant resources can support selection, breeding, and genetic improvement, ultimately enhancing agricultural production. In this study, 50 kiwifruit male plants were collected from the resource nursery of Sichuan Provincial Natural Resources Bureau. The phenotypic variation of the germplasm was analyzed using 16 quantitative traits. The analysis involved coefficient of variation (CV), Shannon-Wiener index (H), principal component analysis, correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and comprehensive evaluation. The results showed that the variation range of 16 phenotypic traits in kiwifruit male germplasm resources was 1.55% to 83.71%, with an average coefficient of variation of 28.62%, and an H index of 1.265 to 2.941. The average CVs of diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid were 22.62%, 18.99% and 18.18%, respectively, and the average CV of diploid was the largest. Indicated that the male germplasm resources of kiwifruit showed significant phenotypic diversity, and the diploid showed higher diversity characteristics. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the cumulative variance contribution rate of the first seven principal components was 76.66%, which effectively captured the information from 21 traits. Cluster analysis divided the 50 kiwifruit male germplasm resources into 4 clusters; each cluster exhibited distinct phenotypic characteristics. The analysis also determined the trait characteristics and breeding value of each cluster. The results of this study provide valuable information for genetic improvement, protection, and evaluation of kiwifruit male germplasm resources.

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum), a medicinal and edible crop, is valued for its richness in flavonoids and polyphenols, which confer antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities. Eurotium cristatum, a dominant fungus crucial for the quality of Fuzhuan tea, produces unique aromas and metabolites. This study developed cookies by replacing 20% of low-gluten flour with Tartary buckwheat flour that had undergone solid-state fermentation with E. cristatum followed by baking. Compared to cookies containing non-inoculated buckwheat flour, the fermented cookies contained significantly higher levels of total flavonoids (4.97 mg/g) and polyphenols (2.31 mg/g), and exhibited markedly enhanced antioxidant activity, as evidenced by a 16.4% higher ABTS radical scavenging rate and a 42.5% greater ferric reducing power. The fermented cookies also exhibited improved textural and sensory properties, a unique aroma profile characterized by pleasant floral notes, and a more homogeneous microstructure. HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis indicated that the optimized flavor resulted from the upregulation of key pleasant aroma compounds (e.g., (E)-2-nonenal, anethole) and the suppression of specific off-odor compounds (e.g., 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, p-cresol). In conclusion, solid-state fermentation with E. cristatum followed by baking, effectively improves both the nutritional and sensory characteristics of Tartary buckwheat cookies, providing a viable strategy for developing novel, health-promoting bakery products with an appealing compelling flavor profile.

The mitochondrial genome of C. laorentou was sequenced using Illumina in this study. The length of the circular mitochondrial genome is 56,088 bp, with a GC content of 30.26%. It encodes 44 genes, including 14 core protein coding genes (PCGs), 26 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, 1 rps3 gene, and 1 free open reading frame (ORF). A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on a joint dataset of 14 mitochondrial core PCGs, which indicate that C. laorentou has the closest genetic relationship with Infundibulycybe hongyinpan and Leucopaxillus giganteus. This study provides the first mitogenome resource for the genus Catathelasma, offering crucial molecular data for its taxonomic placement and enriching fungal mitochondrial genome databases.