This study utilized two common macroalgae species from Taiwanese waters, green algae Ulva lactuca (Ulva) and red algae Sarcodia suae (Sarcodia), to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a novel cell wall disruption technique combining Fenton reagent and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). The study analyzed protein characteristics, polysaccharide changes, and texture properties after pretreatment. Following cell wall disruption, the combined treatment of Fenton reagent and ultrasound significantly enhanced protein extraction yields, reaching 13.34 ± 0.50 % for Ulva and 3.96 ± 0.28 % for Sarcodia. In addition to increased yields, SDS-PAGE analysis and elevated free amino acid concentrations confirmed extensive protein degradation into low-molecular-weight peptides, indicating effective breakdown of protein structures. This enhanced degradation profile suggests that the pretreatment not only improves extraction efficiency but also promotes the production of functional protein hydrolysates. The surface hydrophobicity of the treated macroalgae significantly increased, while total and free sulfhydryl groups showed a decreasing trend, indicating that proteins were broken into smaller peptides, resulting in the destruction of sulfhydryl groups. To investigate the impact of the novel extraction technique on polysaccharides, the water-soluble total sugar and reducing sugar contents were measured. The disrupted Sarcodia samples showed total sugar and reducing sugar contents of 33.62 % and 2.76 mg/mL, respectively, while Ulva samples exhibited 27.00 % and 3.12 mg/mL, with significant increases observed in both macroalgae. Additionally, texture analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that cell wall disruption enhanced the texture and compactness of the macroalgae. This study presents a high-efficiency cell wall disruption technique that effectively overcomes the challenges associated with macroalgae processing. By providing a robust scientific foundation, the research highlights the potential of macroalgae as valuable resources for food processing and plant-based meat production, while simultaneously contributing to sustainable practices and supporting efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

This study aimed to evaluate the antiglycation effects of adlay on protein glycation using in vitro glycation assays. Adlay seed was divided into the following four parts: the hull (AH), testa (AT), bran (AB), and polished adlay (PA). A solvent extraction technique and column chromatography were utilized to investigate the active fractions and components of adlay. Based on a BSA-glucose assay, the ethanolic extracts of AT (ATE) and AB (ABE) revealed a greater capacity to inhibit protein glycation. ATE was further consecutively partitioned into four solvent fractions with n-hexane, ethyl acetate (ATE-Ea), 1-butanol (ATE-BuOH), and water. ATE-BuOH and -Ea show marked inhibition of glucose-mediated glycation. Medium–high polarity subfractions eluted from ATE-BuOH below 50% methanol with Diaion HP-20, ATE-BuOH-c to -f, exhibited superior antiglycation activity, with a maximum inhibitory percentage of 88%. Two phenolic compounds, chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid, identified in ATE-BuOH with HPLC, exhibited potent inhibition of the individual stage of protein glycation and its subsequent crosslinking, as evaluated by the BSA-glucose assay, BS-methylglyoxal (MGO) assay, and G.K. peptide-ribose assay. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the antiglycation properties of ATE in vitro that suggest a beneficial effect in targeting hyperglycemia-mediated protein modification.

Jelly fig is a crop of high economic value; however, the processing by-product of jelly fig, “jelly fig shell”, is not well utilized. In this study, jelly fig shell pectin was extracted through the microwave extraction technique. Then, galacturonic acid content, degree of esterification, molecular weight, functional group properties, and antioxidant activity were determined. The highest pectin yield (21.6 ± 0.1 %) was obtained at 200 mM citric acid and microwave power of 800 W, with extraction time of 4 min. The content of galacturonic acid in pectin was greater than 65 %, which meets the specifications of food-grade pectin. In terms of antioxidant ability, the IC50 of 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging rate of jelly fig shell pectin was 175.1 μg/mL. These results suggest that, comparing to the extracted jelly fig seed pectin, jelly fig shell has stable quality under more desirable extraction conditions, and has better physicochemical properties.

Lemon processing by-products are rich in flavonoids, limonoids, and phenolic acids, but their direct utilization is limited by glycoside-dominant flavonoid profiles, bitterness-associated limonoids, and insufficiently defined valorization strategies. This study compared eight food-relevant microorganisms, including lactic acid bacteria, Bacillus, yeast, and filamentous fungi, using a common aerobic submerged fermentation framework for lemon by-products. Rather than evaluating fermentation as a single uniform process, the study aimed to determine whether different microbial groups could redirect the same substrate toward distinct functional remodeling profiles. Targeted HPLC analysis of flavonoids, limonoids, and phenolic acids, together with DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging assays, revealed clear strain-dependent differences in metabolite remodeling and antioxidant outcomes. L. plantarum showed the most consistent antioxidant enhancement profile, characterized by increased hesperetin and phenolic acid responses together with low DPPH and ABTS IC₅₀ values. L. pentosus promoted flavonoid remodeling but showed a more timing-sensitive antioxidant response. S. cerevisiae tended to preserve glycosylated flavonoids and showed a release-oriented phenolic acid profile with strong early ABTS activity. R. stolonifer exhibited the most pronounced limonoid remodeling, including marked limonin reduction and obacunone accumulation, suggesting potential relevance for bitterness-oriented applications. These findings demonstrate that different microorganisms can be functionally classified according to their dominant remodeling tendencies, including antioxidant enhancement, flavonoid conversion, glycosylated flavonoid preservation, phenolic acid release, and limonoid-associated debittering. This functional classification provides a practical basis for selecting microorganisms according to the intended application of lemon by-product valorization.

Kinmen peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. cultivar Kinmen No. 1) is a unique crop used to produce local specialty “peanut candy”; however, the peanut skins (PSs) are treated as waste owing to the bitter taste. To support the valorization of this agro-industrial by-product, peanut skin ethanolic extract (PSE) was prepared and evaluated for its hypolipidemic potential in a cholesterol/fat-fed hamster model, together with its antioxidant capacity and chemical composition. Hamsters were fed a cholesterol/fat-enriched diet supplemented with PSE at 0.1%, 0.2%, or 0.4% (w/w) for 8 weeks. Serum lipid profiles were determined, and derived atherogenic indices were calculated. In parallel, antioxidant activity was assessed using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and reducing power assays, while chemical characterization included total phenolics, crude phytosterols, and HPLC profiling of representative phenolic compounds. PSE significantly reduced serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) compared with the cholesterol/fat-enriched control, whereas triglycerides were not significantly altered. The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was also reduced in PSE-treated groups, with the greatest reduction observed in the 0.1% PSE group (0.33 ± 0.04 vs. 0.56 ± 0.12 in the negative control). In addition, PSE exhibited marked antioxidant activity, with IC₅₀ values of 141.3 and 76.2 μg/mL in the DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. Chemical analyses showed that PS contained 1098 ± 189 µg β-sitosterol equivalents/g PS and 199.3 ± 4.6 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g PS, and HPLC identified p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, daidzein, catechin, and resveratrol as representative phenolic constituents. Collectively, these findings support Kinmen peanut skin as a promising value-added source of bioactives for functional ingredient development targeting cholesterol dysregulation and oxidative processes.

Macroalgae are emerging as sustainable and functional ingredients aligned with net-zero goals. However, their rigid cell walls and high viscosity limit direct applications in food processing. In this study, two representative species—Ulva lactuca and Sarcodia suae—were pretreated by a Fenton–ultrasound cavitation method to produce broken-wall seaweed powders, which were incorporated into plant-based meat at 5 % and 10 % levels. The pretreatment markedly reduced viscosity (over 95 %), enhanced foamability, and improved dispersion within the protein matrix. In the formulated products, free amino acid and sulfhydryl contents increased after heating, while texture became softer and more cohesive due to finer porous microstructures. These findings demonstrate that broken-wall macroalgae can act as natural functional modifiers to tailor processing and textural properties of plant-based meat. Furthermore, this work proposes the concept of a processing database for broken-wall seaweeds as a foundation for future upcycling-oriented food innovation.