Naringenin and naringin are a class of hydrophobic polyphenol compounds and both have several biological activities containing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. Nevertheless, they have low water solubility and bioavailability, which limits their biological activity. In this study, an easy pH-driven method was applied to load naringenin or naringin into nanoliposomes based on the gradual reduction in their water solubility after the pH changed to acidity. Thus, the naringenin or naringin can be embedded into the hydrophobic region within nanoliposomes from the aqueous phase. A series of naringenin/naringin-loaded nanoliposomes with different pH values, lecithin contents and feeding naringenin/naringin concentrations were prepared by microfluidization and a pH-driven method. The naringin-loaded nanoliposome contained some free naringin due to its higher water solubility at lower pH values and had a relatively low encapsulation efficiency. However, the naringenin-loaded nanoliposomes were predominantly nanometric (44.95–104.4 nm), negatively charged (−14.1 to −19.3 mV) and exhibited relatively high encapsulation efficiency (EE = 95.34% for 0.75 mg/mL naringenin within 1% w/v lecithin). Additionally, the naringenin-loaded nanoliposomes still maintained good stability during 31 days of storage at 4 °C. This study may help to develop novel food-grade colloidal delivery systems and apply them to introducing naringenin or other lipophilic polyphenols into foods, supplements or drugs.

Anthocyanin-based smart packaging has been widely used for food freshness monitoring, but it cannot meet the requirements of smart films with antibacterial properties. This study aimed to enhance the antibacterial properties of intelligent films by incorporating Amomum tsao-ko essential oil (AEO) for mantis shrimp spoilage tracking and keeping the product fresh. A smart film was designed by introducing AEO and purple potato anthocyanin (PPA) to a polyvinyl alcohol/cellulose nanocrystal (PVA/CNC) polymer matrix. Our findings revealed that APP and AEO imparted the smart film with a favorable oxygen barrier, UV protection, mechanical properties, and antioxidant and pH/NH₃-sensitive functions. Interestingly, the PVA/CNC-AEO-PPA film achieved 45.41% and 48.25% bactericidal efficacy against S. putrefaciens and V. parahaemolyticus, respectively. Furthermore, a visual observation confirmed that the target film (PVA/CNC-AEO-PPA) changed color significantly during mantis shrimp spoilage: rose red—light red—pink—light gray—dark gray. Meanwhile, the PVA/CNC-AEO-PPA film retarded the quality deterioration of the mantis shrimp effectively. The PVA/CNC-AEO-PPA film shows great application potential in mantis shrimp preservation and freshness monitoring; it is expected to become a rapid sensor for detecting seafood quality non-destructively and a multifunctional film for better preservation of product quality.

People are increasingly preparing milk tea using plant-based milks rather than cow's milk, e.g., vegans, those with lactose intolerance, and those with flavor preferences. However, adding plant-based milks to tea may impact the digestion, release, and bioaccessibility of nutrients and nutraceuticals in both the tea and milk. In this study, oat milk tea model systems (OMTMSs) containing different fat and tea polyphenol concentrations were used to explore the impact of tea on macronutrient digestion in oat milk, as well as the impact of oat milk matrix on the polyphenol bioaccessibility in the tea. An in vitro gastrointestinal model that mimics the mouth, stomach, and small intestine was used. Tea polyphenols (>0.25%) significantly reduced the glucose and free fatty acids released from oat milk after intestinal digestion. Tea polyphenols (>0.10%) also inhibited protein digestion in oat milk during gastric digestion but not during intestinal digestion. The bioaccessibility of the polyphenols in the tea depended on the fat content of oat milk, being higher for medium-fat (3.0%) and high-fat (5.8%) oat milk than low-fat (1.5%) oat milk. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis showed that lipids improved the tea polyphenol bioaccessibility by influencing the release of flavonoids and phenolic acids from the food matrices. These results provide important information about the impact of tea on the gastrointestinal fate of oat milk, and vice versa, which may be important for enhancing the healthiness of plant-based beverages.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely utilized in the production of various fermented foods. Lacticaseibacillus casei (Ls. casei) fermentation has been demonstrated to enhance antioxidant activity, flavor, and nutritional value. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties, proximate chemical compositions, antioxidant activities, and volatile profiles of pineapple juice fermented by Ls. casei LK-1. Strain growth, physicochemical parameters, phenolics and flavonoids, carbohydrates, organic acids (by HPLC), free amino acids (FAAs), antioxidant activities (DPPH and FRAP methods), and volatile profiles (by GC-MS) of fermented pineapple juice were characterized. After 30 h of fermentation, the cell count reached 9.07 log CFU/mL. The fermentation process led to a significant decrease in pH, total soluble solids (TSS), and the a* value (p < 0.05), with an increase in the L* and b* values (p < 0.05). Lactic acid and total umami amino acids were elevated, whereas sucrose and total sweet amino acid levels remained unchanged. The fermented juice exhibited enhanced DPPH scavenging activity and FRAP values. In terms of volatile profiles, esters and terpenes were the dominant volatiles in the fermented pineapple juice. The fermentation resulted in the production of 2-heptanone, 2-undecanone, and a significant reduction in 2-furaldehyde (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using Ls. casei LK-1 for fermentation to develop novel fermented pineapple juice with improved antioxidant properties and a modified volatile profile.