This study investigated the effects of adding different concentrations of TP (tremella polysaccharide) on the water distribution, rheological, thermal, microstructure, and retrogradation properties of WS (wheat starch) gels. The results showed that the starch aging increased during storage, and the addition of TP reduced the rate of change of the elastic modulus of the starch gel and delayed the short-term aging of WS. In the same storage period, the hardness value of the gel decreased and the texture became softer with the increase in the mass fraction of TP. TP increased the T₀ (starting temperature) of the system and decreased the enthalpy of retrogradation (ΔH_r). No new groups were formed after the retrogradation of the compound system, the hydrogen bonding force increased with the increase in polysaccharide, and the relative crystallinity and the degree of ordering of the system decreased. The addition of TP increased the content of bound water and immobile water, decreased the content of free water, and increased the gel water-holding capacity, indicating that it could effectively inhibit the long-term retrogradation of WS. The findings provide new theoretical insights for the production of starch-based foods.

Using a multidisciplinary approach, this paper was designed to prepare, identify, and characterize novel maize antioxidant cyclic peptides from protein hydrolysate of corn gluten meal (CGM). A bioinformatics approach was used to identify the best protease, and the results showed that papain+subtilisin was most likely to produce antioxidant cyclic peptides. The result of the enzymatic hydrolysis validation experiment showed that hydrolysate by papain+subtilisin yielded the highest concentration of cyclic peptide (67.14 ± 1.88%) and remarkable DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical scavenging rates (81.06 ± 2.23%, 82.82 ± 1.83%, and 47.44 ± 2.43%, respectively) compared to other hydrolysates. Eleven antioxidant cyclic peptides were identified in the protein hydrolysate of CGM through sequential purification and mass spectrometry analysis. The results of molecular docking analysis indicated that the cyclic peptides can form stable hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with the key amino acid residues of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). Cyclic peptides may regulate the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway by occupying the Kelch domain of Keap1, inhibiting the ubiquitination degradation of Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), thereby stabilizing the Nrf2 protein and activating the antioxidant gene network. This study underlined the bioinformatics approach for antioxidant cyclic peptide discovery, which is time- and cost-effective and promotes new cyclic peptide drugs or functional food development.

Chicken with Armillaria mellea prepared via pressure cooking is a traditional Chinese delicacy with great potential for food development. Optimizing its cooking time is crucial. In this study, chicken and Armillaria mellea were pressure-cooked for different amounts of time (20 min, 25 min, 30 min, 35 min, and 40 min). In total, 101 and 81 volatile compounds were identified by GC-MS and GC-IMS, respectively. The results showed that the content of volatile compounds was the highest at 40 min. Nonanal, decanal, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, and 1-octen-3-ol were identified as the most critical aroma compounds at this time, which brought unique fat, oil, and mushroom aroma to chicken with Armillaria mellea during the pressure-cooking process. The optimal time was determined to be 35 min through sensory properties. In summary, the optimal cooking time for chicken with Armillaria mellea prepared via pressure cooking is 35–40 min. Our research results not only preliminarily determined the optimal conditions for industrial processing of the prepared dish of with Armillaria mellea prepared via pressure cooking, laying a foundation for the later industrial production of prepared dishes and international sales, but also stimulated innovative composite food development and promoted people’s exploration of the mechanism of heat treatment on composite food flavor and taste.