The incidence of skin sensitivity issues in human populations has increased steadily because of external factors, such as environmental changes and emotional stress. Skin sensitivity refers to a state of skin hyperreactivity that occurs under certain physiological or pathological conditions. Sensitive skin may manifest as redness, itching, and pain and even trigger skin diseases, such as eczema or dermatitis, in severe cases. This review discusses the sensitization mechanisms and characteristics of sensitive skin, with a focus on symptom alleviation through three key strategies: skin-barrier repair, reduction in TRPV1 receptor activity, and anti-inflammatory interventions utilizing active substances. The findings will enhance public knowledge regarding sensitive skin, promote further research and practical prevention and treatment methods, and provide theoretical support for developing soothing cosmetic products for sensitive skin.

Abnormal melanogenesis can lead to hyperpigmentation. Tyrosinase (TYR), a key rate-limiting enzyme in melanin production, is an important therapeutic target for these disorders. We investigated the TYR inhibitory activity of hydrolysates extracted from the muscle tissue of Takifugu flavidus (TFMH). We used computer-aided virtual screening to identify a novel peptide that potently inhibited melanin synthesis, simulated its binding mode to TYR, and evaluated functional efficacy in vitro and in vivo. TFMH inhibited the diphenolase activities of mTYR, reducing TYR substrate binding activity and effectively inhibiting melanin synthesis. TFMH indirectly reduced cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation in vitro by downregulating melanocortin 1 receptor expression, thereby inhibiting expression of the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, further decreasing TYR, tyrosinase related protein 1, and dopachrome tautomerase expression and ultimately impeding melanin synthesis. In zebrafish, TFMH significantly reduced black spot formation. TFMH (200 μg/mL) decreased zebrafish TYR activity by 43% and melanin content by 52%. Molecular dynamics simulations over 100 ns revealed that the FGFRSP (T-6) peptide stably binds mushroom TYR via hydrogen bonds and ionic interactions. T-6 (400 μmol/L) reduced melanin content in B16F10 melanoma cells by 71% and TYR activity by 79%. In zebrafish, T-6 (200 μmol/L) inhibited melanin production by 64%. TFMH and T-6 exhibit good potential for the development of natural skin-whitening cosmetic products.

As a culturally iconic Chinese delicacy, pufferfish lacks systematic research on thermal processing optimization and pre-cooked meal development, limiting its industrial standardization and quality preservation. This study aimed to bridge this gap by evaluating steaming effects on Takifugu flavidus quality. This study systematically evaluated its physicochemical properties and flavor profiles under different steaming durations by determining the water loss rate, mass loss rate, water distribution status, textural properties, color, and free amino acid content using an electronic nose, electronic tongue, and headspace gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS). The results indicated that the core temperature of the fish meat reached 70 °C after 9 min of steaming. With higher steaming time, its mass loss rate and water loss rate generally increased, though the water loss rate temporarily decreased at 10 min. The mass loss rate stabilized after 12.5 min. The hardness and chewiness of the fish meat increased significantly when steamed for 12.5 min or longer. After 5 min of steaming, the brightness value and yellow-blue value of the fish meat significantly increased, whereas the red-green value significantly decreased. The total free amino acid content showed a fluctuating upward trend and electronic tongue analysis revealed an increase in umami and richness after steaming. Electronic nose and HS-GC-IMS analyses demonstrated that the variety and content of volatile flavor compounds significantly increased with prolonged steaming. Sensory evaluation showed that the 10 min steaming group exhibited better texture and color, while the 15 min steaming group had the best odor. Therefore, the optimal steaming time for T. flavidus was determined to be 10–15 min. For home cooking, a 15 min steaming process achieves the peak abundance of flavor compounds and the highest sensory evaluation score. For the industrial production of pre-cooked meals, a 10 min steaming process can meet the doneness requirements while maintaining suitable textural properties and color stability. The findings of this study not only advance the scientific understanding of thermal processing effects on pufferfish quality attributes, but also establish a critical technological foundation for developing standardized industrial processing protocols and high-quality pre-prepared pufferfish products.