Corn husk, a by-product of corn starch production and processing, contains high-quality dietary fiber (DF). Our study compares and analyzes the impact of Hericium erinaceus solid-state fermentation (SSF) on the structure and physicochemical characteristics of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) of corn husks. The study also investigates the kinetics of SSF of H. erinaceus in this process. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results revealed significant structural changes in corn husk SDF before and after fermentation, with a significant elevation in the functional group numbers. The data indicate that the fermented corn husk SDF’s water-holding, swelling, and oil-holding capacities increased to 1.57, 1.95, and 1.80 times those of the pre-fermentation SDF, respectively. Additionally, the results suggest that changes in extracellular enzyme activity and nutrient composition during SSF of H. erinaceus are closely associated with the mycelium growth stage, with a mutual promotion or inhibition relationship between the two. Our study offers a foundation for corn husk SDF fermentation and is relevant to the bioconversion of maize processing by-products.

Obesity-induced insulin resistance (IR) can precipitate metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Zeaxanthin, a crucial member of the carotenoid family, has been found to mitigate the damage caused by obesity. However, reports on the effects of zeaxanthin on obesity-induced IR are lacking. Our objective was to examine the metabolic regulatory impacts of zeaxanthin on mice subjected to a high-fat diet (HFD) that triggered IR and to explore their influence on gut microbiota regulation. This study constructed a mouse model of metabolic dysfunction caused by lipid-rich nutritional patterns to investigate physiological and biochemical indices, liver pathway expression, and the intestinal microbiota. The mechanisms by which zeaxanthin improved both IR and glucose metabolic disorders were elucidated. The results demonstrate that zeaxanthin effectively suppressed obesity. The fasting blood glucose, area under curve of oral glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test, and homeostatic model assessment–insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) indices in the HFDZEA group decreased by 14.9%, 25.2%, 28.9%, and 29.8%. Additionally, zeaxanthin improved the lipid metabolism and alleviated damage to the liver and pancreas while also activating the PI3K/Akt pathway, regulating hepatic gluconeogenesis and the glycogen metabolism. The number of OTUs in the HFDZEA group increased by 29.04%. Zeaxanthin improved the structure and profile of the gastrointestinal microbiome and enhanced its diversity, increasing probiotics abundance, decreasing pathogen abundance, and thereby ameliorating the dysbiosis of enteric microbial communities in rodents with obesity resulting from excessive fat consumption. The outcomes of our analysis provide a rational basis for advancing zeaxanthin-based nutritional products.

Static magnetic field (SMF) is an emerging food-processing technology that has been widely applied in areas such as processing and sterilization. However, its influence on sprout production or health-related attributes has not yet been investigated. Therefore, in this study, corn sprouts were used as the raw material to compare the differential health effects of SMF treatment in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. The in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of SMF-treated corn sprouts were assessed by analyzing changes in their active ingredients. Histological staining, qRT-PCR and 16s rDNA sequencing were performed in the DSS-induced colitis mouse model. The results indicated that dietary fiber and total phenol contents were significantly higher in SMF-treated corn sprouts (M-CSP) compared to SMF-untreated corn sprouts (C-CSP). M-CSP alleviated the symptoms of DSS-induced colitis, significantly reduced colonic epithelial damage, and suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors. In addition, M-CSP markedly improved the diversity and abundance of intestinal microbiota. These findings provide new insights for the development and application of SMF technology to functional food ingredients.

Corn is a major grain crop in China; however, mycotoxin contamination during storage threatens grain quality. In this study, naturally contaminated corn was stored at 15 °C or 35 °C under 65 ± 5% relative humidity for 8 months, with monthly sampling. Mycotoxin contents and fungal communities were analyzed, and the major quality indicators of corn were evaluated. Under both storage conditions, aflatoxins and ochratoxin A remained below detection limits. At 15 °C, fumonisins B₁ and B₂ decreased by 3.2% and 2.5%, respectively, after 8 months of storage. FB₃ reached 41.51 ± 2.10 μg/kg at month 8, representing a 17.3% decrease. Deoxynivalenol and zearalenone remained relatively stable. At 35 °C, the concentrations of FB₁, FB₂, and FB₃ reached 414.85 ± 3.27, 59.52 ± 1.53, and 91.76 ± 2.04 μg/kg, respectively. These five toxins increased by 13.8%, 40.0%, 82.8%, 10.4%, and 26.1%, respectively. Analysis of fungal communities indicated that dominant taxa differed between storage conditions, with higher relative abundance of Fusarium at 35 °C and higher Trichoderma at 15 °C. Storage at 35 °C resulted in a significant decrease in crude fat, starch content, germination rate, and antioxidant enzyme activity compared with conditions at 15 °C, while free fatty acid content increased. Storage at 15 °C limited toxin accumulation and quality deterioration compared with 35 °C. Temperature control can therefore improve corn preservation.