The oligosaccharides extracted from the seeds of peas, specifically consisting of raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose, fall under the category of raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs). The effect of RFOs on intestinal microflora and the anti-inflammatory mechanism were investigated by in vitro fermentation and cell experiments. Firstly, mouse feces were fermented in vitro and different doses of RFOs (0~2%) were added to determine the changes in the representative bacterial community, PH, and short-chain fatty acids in the fermentation solution during the fermentation period. The probiotic index was used to evaluate the probiotic proliferation effect of RFOs and the optimal group was selected for 16S rRNA assay with blank group. Then, the effects of RFOs on the inflammatory response of macrophage RAW264.7 induced by LPS were studied. The activity of cells, the levels of NO, ROS, inflammatory factors, and the expression of NF-κB, p65, and iNOS proteins in related pathways were measured. The results demonstrated that RFOs exerted a stimulatory effect on the proliferation of beneficial bacteria while concurrently inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. Moreover, RFOs significantly enhanced the diversity of intestinal flora and reduced the ratio of Firmicutes-to-Bacteroides (F/B). Importantly, it was observed that RFOs effectively suppressed NO and ROS levels, as well as inflammatory cytokine release and expression of NF-κB, p65, and iNOS proteins. These findings highlight the potential of RFOs in promoting intestinal health and ameliorating intestinal inflammation.

Walnut male flowers (WMFs) are important by-products of walnut production. Studies on the nutritional quality of WMFs have predominantly focused on a single variety or region, and scientific information on different varieties is limited. In this study, ten walnut male flower (WMF) samples were evaluated and compared to assess their nutritional composition, bioactive contents, and antioxidant capacity. All WMF varieties were rich in protein, minerals, and amino acids, with leucine being the most abundant amino acid. All varieties exhibited low fat content and a favorable Na/K ratio. Additionally, they contained high levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, which were associated with strong antioxidant capacity. The variety seemed to exert a greater influence than the region on the nutritional composition and bioactive contents of WMFs. Moreover, polysaccharide, starch, soluble sugar, polyphenol, and fat might serve as potential markers for distinguishing different WMF varieties. This study provides a reference for the development and utilization of WMFs.