Although Lilium brownii (L. brownii) bulbs are popular fresh vegetables, a series of quality problems still remain after harvest. In this study, fresh L. brownii bulbs were placed in the dark at 25, 4, and −20 °C and under light at 25 °C from 0 to 30 days; the chemical compositions were analyzed by ultraviolet spectrophotometry (UV) and high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS). During the 30-day storage period, the browning degree increased over the storage time and with increasing temperature, but the contents of proteins and free amino acids decreased and were aggravated by light. The total polyphenol content increased until the 6th day at 25 °C (dark or light), but it did not significantly accumulate at −20 or 4 °C. The reducing sugar content showed a dynamic balance, but the total polysaccharide content decreased constantly in the four storage conditions. The polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity increased with storage time and increasing temperature, while it was inhibited by light. The increase rates of malondialdehyde (MDA) content at −20 °C and light (25 °C) were higher than those at 4 and 25 °C. In addition, 12 secondary metabolites were identified, most of which accumulated during the storage period, for example, 1-O-feruloyl-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosylglycerol; 1,3-O-di-p-coumaroylglycerol; 1-O-feruloyl-3-O-p-coumaroylglycerol; and 1,2-O-diferuloylglycerol. The variations in nutrient levels had a low correlation with browning, but the variations in MDA, PPO, and secondary metabolite (phenolic acids) levels had a high correlation with browning. In conclusion, fresh L. brownii bulbs should be stored at a low temperature (4 °C) and in dark condition, and browning bulbs are excellent materials for secondary metabolite utilization.

Poria cocos (Schw.) wolf (P. cocos) is an important medicinal material with both therapeutic and edible properties. This study investigated volatile constituents, amino acids, proteins, polysaccharides, triterpenoid ingredients, and alcohol-soluble extracts on P. cocos during eight drying processes. A total of 47 volatile components were found and identified; the main volatile components of shade drying (SD) and hot-air drying at 50 °C (HD50) were esters and alcohols, while for drying in hot air at 60 °C~100 °C (△ = 10 °C) and infrared drying (ID), the main compounds were aldehydes and hydrocarbons. The amino acids in P. cocos remained the same when dried with various methods. Compared with SD samples, with the temperature increase, the content of amino acids showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing, while the content trend of proteins was the opposite. The HD70 samples had the highest content of polysaccharide, triterpenoid ingredients, alcohol-soluble extracts, and antioxidant activity. Furthermore, volatile compounds showed a correlation between non-volatile constituents. This research provides evidence that the aroma, active components, and activity of P. cocos were affected by the drying method.

Aurantii fructus (zhiqiao, ZQ) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and raw material of TCM healthcare food (TCM-HF), mainly focused on the regulation of gastrointestinal disorders and the abundant application of antioxidants. Pharmacological investigations of ZQ flavonoids have identified them as the main bioactive components in recent years, but little has been reported on the extraction processes of antioxidant flavonoids (AFs). The aim of this study was to establish an efficient ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) method for the extraction of AFs from ZQ using a response surface methodology (RSM), analyze the composition of AFs, and develop a qualitative evaluation method for ZQ. Flavonoid yield and antioxidant ability were selected as the responses to optimize the extraction of AFs, and the multiple effects of independent variables were investigated. The optimized conditions for the extraction of AFs based on the Box-Behnken design (BBD) were as follows: ethanol concentration, 58%; extraction temperature, 70 °C; and extraction time, 17 min. The flavonoid yield and antioxidant activity reached 241.70 mg/g and 59.42%, respectively, which matched the predicted values. Furthermore, optimized UAE processes were first established for the efficient and fast extraction of AFs. Flavanones and polymethoxyflavonoids (PMFs) were identified as potential AFs using time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Meanwhile, the quality of ZQ was evaluated using the criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) method for the first time, and Yuanjiang ZQ was considered as an excellent raw material of TCM-HF.

This study systematically evaluated the potential of Polygonatum odoratum fibrous root powder (YZF) as a natural growth promoter in broiler feed by its effects on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and cecal microbiota. 240 one-day-old yellow-feathered broilers were randomly divided into 4 groups (6 replicates of 10 birds each), the control group received a basal diet, while the experimental groups were supplemented with 0.5 %, 1 % and 2 % YZF, respectively, with an experimental period of 56 days. The results showed that 1) BW (p < 0.001), ADG (p < 0.001) and ADFI (p = 0.005) were significantly higher and FCR was lower (p < 0.001) in all dose groups than in the control group in the 1 ∼ 28 days of age, whereas there was no significant difference in the later 29 ∼ 56 days of age. 2) The addition of 1 % YZF significantly increased the semi-eviscerated rate, eviscerated rate and breast muscle rate of broilers (p < 0.05). 3) Addition of YZF significantly reduced serum triglyceride (p = 0.032) and malondialdehyde levels while enhancing total antioxidant capacity in yellow feather broilers (p < 0.05). 4) Supplementation of YZF not only significantly reduced the shear force and cooking/dripping loss of chicken (p < 0.05), but also significantly enhanced the content of essential amino acids, umami amino acids and sweet amino acids of chicken (p < 0.05). 5) Supplementation of YZF significantly altered the cecum flora composition of broiler, in which the low and medium dose groups significantly increased the relative abundance of butyrate-producing genera (e.g., Butyricimonas, Shuttleworthia) and the relative abundance of these beneficial bacteria was positively correlated with growth performance (p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with lipid levels (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 0.5 % and 1 % YZF improved growth performance, carcass quality, meat quality, and antioxidant status in broilers, while also increasing the abundance of beneficial cecal bacteria. These findings support the potential of YZF as a natural growth-promoting feed additive for poultry production, with the 1 % supplementation level proving to be optimal.

Lily bulb core is an underused by‐product of edible lily processing. We hypothesized that dietary supplementation with lily bulb core extract (BHX) would improve growth performance and meat quality and would be accompanied by changes in intestinal morphology, cecal fermentation, and microbiota. A total of 240 one‐day‐old male yellow‐feathered broilers were assigned to four dietary treatments with six replicate cages of 10 birds each: a basal diet (CON) or the basal diet supplemented with 300, 600, or 900 mg/kg BHX for 53 days. All BHX treatments increased average daily gain over days 1–53, whereas 300 and 600 mg/kg reduced the feed conversion ratio compared with CON. Cooking loss in both breast and leg muscles was lower at 600 and 900 mg/kg than in CON. The duodenal villus‐height‐to‐crypt‐depth ratio was increased at 300 and 600 mg/kg. Cecal butyrate increased in all BHX groups and reached the highest concentration at 900 mg/kg. Overall alpha and beta diversity did not differ significantly among treatments, although selected bacterial genera differed among groups. BHX improved several production, meat‐quality, and intestinal traits, with 600 mg/kg producing the most consistent overall response under the present experimental conditions.