Medicinal-food homologous Chinese herbal medicines (MFH-CHMs), a cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB), a widely used probiotic in fermentation industries, create a promising synergy that has garnered increasing research attention in the era of health-conscious lifestyles.This review systematically synthesizes existing studies on LAB fermentation of MFH-CHMs, detailing fermentation techniques and the advantages of LAB fermentation, while compiling the official lists of MFH-CHMs approved by China’s National Health Commission and food-grade LAB strains.The mechanisms underlying LAB fermentation of MFH-CHMs are elucidated, with particular emphasis on its impact on bioactive compounds and functional properties.Experimental evidence demonstrates that LAB fermentation significantly enhances the bioavailability of active compounds in MFH-CHMs, leading to improved antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and anti-inflammatory effects.These findings suggest that LAB fermentation holds immense potential for modernizing traditional Chinese medicine fermentation technology, positioning it as a future trend in the field.

Cichorium intybus polysaccharides (CIP), as natural dietary fiber-based prebiotics, have attracted growing interest in the development of functional dairy products.In this study, a dynamic in vitro model simulating gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation was established to systematically investigate the antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and gut microbiota-regulating effects of probiotic fermented milk fortified with CIP at different concentrations.Results showed that the 0.9% low-dose group released more oligosaccharide fragments during digestion, significantly enhancing the scavenging activities against DPPH free radicals, cationic radicals, and hydroxyl radicals, and exhibited superior antioxidant capacity.Meanwhile, it demonstrated significantly stronger inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase than the 1.6% high-dose group (P<0.05).During the anaerobic fermentation phase, CIP supplementation promoted the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), with the low-dose group showing notably increased SCFA levels and improved microbial diversity.High-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that low-dose CIP significantly enriched beneficial genera, such as Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium, while suppressing potentially pathogenic taxa, including Shigella, resulting in a more stable and functionally favorable gut microbiota structure.In contrast, the high-dose group enriched certain probiotics but led to reduced microbial diversity and limited SCFA production efficiency.These findings indicated that low-dose CIP exerted multiple synergistic functional effects by modulating digestive enzyme activity and gut microecology, offering theoretical support and a dosage optimization reference for its application in functional probiotic dairy formulations.

Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk), a potential probiotic within the gut microbiota, plays a role in regulating mucus layer homeostasis and host metabolism.However, its strain safety and probiotic efficacy require systematic evaluation for food-based applications.This study comprehensively assessed the probiotic properties of Akk ATCC BAA835 through in vitro assays, including adhesion (biofilm formation, self-aggregation, hydrophobicity), antioxidant activity (DPPH free radical/hydroxyl radical/superoxide anion scavenging), acid/bile salt tolerance, and gastrointestinal survival simulation.Additionally, antibiotic susceptibility tests and acute/subacute toxicity animal trials were conducted to evaluate safety.Key findings revealed that Akk ATCC BAA835 did not form biofilms, exhibited a self-aggregation rate of 37.97% (24 h, moderate), and displayed hydrophobicity exceeding 50% in xylene, hexadecane, and octane solutions (up to 70.42% in xylene at 8 h).The strain fermentation broth demonstrated superior scavenging capacity for DPPH free radical and superoxide anions compared to bacterial suspensions and cell-free supernatants.Survival rates exceeded 88% under pH 2.0 and 3 mg/mL bile salt conditions, with >95% viability in simulated gastrointestinal fluids, indicating robust environmental tolerance.Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed resistance to aminoglycosides.Acute toxicity tests at 1×10¹¹ CFU/kg body weight caused no mortality or organ damage in animals, while serum total cholesterol levels significantly decreased versus controls.In subacute toxicity trials, high-dose females (1×10¹⁰ CFU/kg/d) exhibited slightly elevated kidney organ coefficients, though histopathological analysis (H&E staining) revealed no abnormalities.Notably, red blood cell distribution width values declined significantly, suggesting improved erythrocyte physiology.This systematic evaluation of Akk ATCC BAA835’s probiotic traits and safety provides critical data to support its development as a functional probiotic and offers reference for future applications in functional foods.

With the expansion of the drinking population, plant-based beverages with alcohol detoxification and hepatoprotective effects have broad market prospects.This study employed single-factor analysis and response surface methodology to optimize the processing conditions of fermented juice beverages.Additionally, a human alcohol breath test and a zebrafish drunkenness model were used to investigate their effects on alcohol detoxification and hepatoprotection, providing a theoretical basis for the application of such beverages.The results showed that the optimal processing conditions for the fermented juice beverage were:a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1∶30(g∶mL) for the fermented material, 0.09% Ampelopsis grossedentata powder, 0.03% turmeric, and 0.01% sucralose, yielding a sensory score of (88.75±0.31).Compared with the control group, within 30 minutes of consuming the fermented juice beverage, the rate of decline in exhaled alcohol concentration in humans accelerated, and sobering time was shortened by 2 h.Furthermore, within the maximum tolerated concentration, the beverage exhibited significant sobering effects on ethanol-induced excitement-phase drunken zebrafish, with a more pronounced effect observed at higher doses.Meanwhile, the auxiliary protective effect against alcoholic fatty liver increased with the concentration of beverage, indicating that fermented juice beverages at appropriate concentrations possess alcohol-detoxifying and liver-protective properties.

With the development of the health industry, probiotics are increasingly becoming part of people’s daily dietary lives.Conducting safety evaluations of probiotics at the strain level is of significant importance for human health.This study systematically reviews the research progress on the safety evaluation of probiotics based on the research achievements of experts both domestically and internationally, as well as related guidance documents on probiotic safety.It summarizes the standard procedures for safety evaluation and provides an outlook on the future development trends of evaluation methods.The safety evaluation process for probiotics comprises four components, including analysis of domestic and international safety evaluation data, strain classification and identification, in vitro assessments, and in vivo evaluations.Analysis of domestic and foreign safety evaluation data refers to a comprehensive analysis of the domestic and foreign use history and safety of bacterial species (including but not limited to their pathogenicity and toxicity-producing ability reports, clinical trial data, scientific and technological literature or reviews, etc.).The most effective method for strain classification and identification is whole genome sequencing, which assesses strain safety by analyzing virulence genes, genes related to undesirable characteristics, and antibiotic resistance genes in probiotics.In vitro evaluation includes testing for hemolytic activity, biogenic amine levels, antibiotic resistance, and D-lactic acid production.In vivo evaluation is primarily based on toxicological evaluation using animal models.This paper provides new ideas and theoretical references for selecting probiotic safety evaluation methods and alternative toxicological models.

Chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) is an essential component in articular cartilage repair.CSA is synthesized by the hydroxyl sulfonation of N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) at position 4 in chondroitin catalyzed by chondroitin 4-O-sulfotransferase-1 (C4ST-1).However, the low enzyme activity of C4ST-1 limits its catalytic efficiency, thereby hindering the industrial production of CSA.For this reason, this study aimed to enhance C4ST-1 enzyme activity by combining recombinant strain construction and medium optimization.Initially, based on the screening and determination of Komagataella phaffii GS115 as the chassis cell, the combination of OST1-α secretion signal peptide and SUMO Pro 3 solubility-enhancing tag was further optimized for the secretion and expression of C4ST-1, and the highest enzyme activity of C4ST-1 was 1,889.2 U/L after shake flask fermentation.Given that previous studies found inorganic salts to inhibit C4ST-1 enzyme activity and the high cost of the existing medium, this study optimized the medium components and found that omitting the expensive component, yeast nitrogen base without amino acids (YNB), resulted in a 68.4% increase in C4ST-1 enzyme activity compared to the original medium.Furthermore, the screening and optimization of carbon sources, other nitrogen sources, and biotin further increased the C4ST-1 enzyme activity.Finally, fed-batch fermentation in a 5 L fermenter for 72 hours achieved a maximum enzyme activity of 5 040.7 U/L.This study not only lays the foundation for the large-scale production of CSA, but will also provide a reference for the fermentation and production of sulfotransferases required for the synthesis of other glycosaminoglycans (e.g., heparin, dermatan sulfate).

Whole wheat steamed bread is rich in dietary fiber, B vitamins, and phenolic acid bioactive ingredients, which have significant efficacy in regulating intestinal flora and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.However, insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) in bran interferes with the binding of starch to the gluten network through physical barrier effect, while phytic acid reduces the bioaccessibility of minerals and other minerals through chelating effect, which leads to poor palatability and low nutrient utilization of the product.In recent years, based on enzyme regulation, microbial traditional fermentation and germination, and other biotechnological means, directional degradation of phytic acid, reconfiguration of the physicochemical properties of IDF, and through the regulation of gluten protein crosslinking network to enhance the rheological characteristics of the dough and fermentation ability, thereby improving the texture and nutritional quality of whole wheat steamed bread.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the regulatory mechanisms of enzymatic hydrolysis technology, fermentation technology, and germination technology on the processing adaptability of whole wheat dough and the sensory characteristics of the final product, and clarifies their effects on improving the nutritional quality and sensory characteristics of whole wheat steamed bread.With the growth of the demand for precise nutrition, the application prospects of biomodification technology in the processing of whole wheat staple foods are broad.This study provides a theoretical basis and technical path for the development of whole wheat steamed bread with both high nutrition and excellent quality.

As one of the main components of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL) constitutes approximately 5% of HMOs.It plays important roles in modulating gut microbiota, providing immune support, and promoting brain development.At present, the research on the synthesis of 3-FL mainly focuses on Escherichia coli.This study introduced lac12 from Kluyveromyces lactis, gmd and gmer from Mortierella alpina, and screened six α-1,3-fucosyltransferases (α-1,3-Fut).Among them, fut3Bc from Neobacillus cucumis was selected, enabling the synthesis of 3-FL in Yarrowia lipolytica for the first time, with a yield of 0.66 g/L.Further overexpression of related genes identified the metabolic step catalyzed by α-1,3-Fut as the rate-limiting step in 3-FL synthesis.Subsequently, by adding a small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) tag to Fut3Bc and multi-copy expressing SUMO-fut3Bc, the 3-FL yield increased to 2.28 g/L.Finally, enhancing the supply of NADPH further improved the 3-FL yield to 2.84 g/L.After fed-batch fermentation in 5 L fermentor, the 3-FL yield reached 14.70 g/L.This study explores the feasibility of producing 3-FL in Yarrowia lipolytica and provides valuable insights for constructing microbial cell factories for the production of HMOs.

Baijiu, a representative traditional Chinese distilled spirit, embodies millennia of wisdom and cultural heritage.Research suggests that moderate Baijiu consumption may exert multidimensional effects on physical, mental, and social well-being.In terms of physical health, Baijiu contains various bioactive compounds.It also holds potential for integration with traditional Chinese medicine to develop novel health-promoting beverages, thereby broadening the scope of the wellness industry.Regarding mental health, moderate Baijiu consumption has been associated with positive outcomes such as enhanced emotional well-being, reduced anxiety, and improved sleep quality.However, these effects require rigorous scientific evaluation and must be considered in the context of individual differences.Socially, moderate Baijiu consumption promotes interpersonal socialize relationships.From the perspective of industrial development, the Baijiu industry has integrated agriculture, catering services, cultural tourism, and other sectors to create economic synergy.Nonetheless, it is crucial to recognize that long-term excessive consumption poses significant health risks.In the future, interdisciplinary research should be conducted to explore the correlation between Baijiu drinking behavior, psychological emotions, and social health.It is also important to explore Baijiu as a cultural symbol.The aim is to promote the sustainable development of the Baijiu industry based on scientific evidence.

To investigate the current status, development trends, and management optimization pathways for dosage forms of health food in China, current regulatory requirements for health food dosage forms were systematically reviewed.The dosage form distribution of registered and filed products was statistically analyzed, domestic and international regulatory practices and demands of Chinese consumers were summarized and compared with the status of registered/filed products status.Existing problems with health food forms were identified.The dosage forms of registered and filed health food in China are highly concentrated in drug-like forms, accounting for nearly 90%.This leads to issues including incomplete alignment with market demands, misalignment with food attributes and standards, and impacts on consumers’ accurate perception and rational use.Significant differences exist compared to dosage form proportions in countries/regions with mature health food management.Developing health food in conventional food formats offers expandable institutional and technical space.This approach will help bridge the gap between health functionality and consumer experience, addressing diverse health needs.Specific suggestions for quality control and oversight were proposed.

Menaquinone-7 (MK-7), an important bioactive form of vitamin K₂, exhibits broad application prospects in promoting bone health, preventing cardiovascular diseases and treating neurodegenerative disorders.In this study, Bacillus subtilis 168 was selected as the chassis strain, and a multi-module metabolic engineering strategy was employed to optimize the MK-7 biosynthetic pathway systematically.Initially, key genes in competing branch metabolic pathways, including the isochorismate-pyruvate lyase gene (dhbB), aromatic amino acid biosynthesis genes (trpE/aroH), and the phosphotransferase system (PTS) glucose transporter gene (ptsG), were knocked out to minimize precursor diversion.Subsequently, the efficiency of the electron transport chain was enhanced by overexpressing the NADH dehydrogenase gene (ndh) and the terminal oxidase gene (sdhCAB), thereby facilitating electron transfer.Furthermore, the heterologous dxs gene from Agrobacterium tumefaciens was introduced, and the endogenous rate-limiting enzyme gene hepS was overexpressed to increase the flux of the methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway.Ultimately, the engineered high-yielding strain S13 achieved an MK-7 titer of (123.90±6.52) mg/L in shake-flask fermentation.Upon scale-up validation in a 3 L fermenter, the production further increased to 242.38 mg/L, laying a solid foundation for the industrial-scale microbial fermentation of MK-7.

L-Theanine is a unique non-protein amino acid derived from tea plant, which is widely used in food, medicine, and functional drinks.Microbial fermentation has become a research hotspot in the industrial production of L-theanine due to its advantages of easy availability of raw materials, green environmental protection of the process, and controllable system.This paper systematically reviews recent global academic advances in L-theanine preparation, combined with metabolic regulation, efficient supply of ethylamine, ATP energy regeneration, and precise control of fermentation process.This review focuses on the technological innovation path of microbial fermentation synthesis and purification of L-theanine, which are expected to promote the efficient, safe, and sustainable industrial production of L-theanine.The research prospects the research direction of new technologies, and innovatively proposes a “fermentation-separation dynamic coupling” model, aiming to provide scientific support for establishing an independent intellectual property system for green and sustainable L-theanine production.

2′-Fucosyllactose (2′-FL), the most abundant human milk oligosaccharide component in human colostrum, plays crucial roles in maintaining intestinal ecological balance, resisting the adhesion of pathogenic bacteria, regulating the immune system, and promoting the development of the nervous system.In this study, Escherichia coli MG1655 was employed as the host strain.First, the α1,2-fucosyltransferase gene (futC) from Helicobacter pylori NCTC11639 was chromosomally integrated, enabling de novo 2′-FL biosynthesis using glycerol as the sole carbon source.Subsequently, a series of metabolic engineering strategies were implemented, including deletion of competing pathway genes (lacZ and wcaJ), overexpression of endogenous lactose permease (LacY), and enhancement of GDP-L-fucose synthesis pathway enzymes, thereby improving the supply of glycosyl donors and acceptors and significantly boosting 2′-FL productivity.Finally, replacement of wild-type FutC with the high-activity variant FutC^V93I elevated 2′-FL titers to 6.57 g/L in shake flasks and 31.13 g/L in a 5 L bioreactor, providing important data support for the subsequent large-scale industrial production of 2′-FL.

Oolong tea, a semi-fermented tea characterized by its distinctive floral and fruity aroma, exhibits aroma quality that is highly dependent on precise processing regulation.This review summarizes the categories and characteristics of key aroma compounds in oolong tea, along with the predominant aroma components across different cultivars.It consolidates the impact of processing steps-including withering, tossing (or shaking), heat fixation, rolling, and drying-on aroma constituent formation, while elucidating the biosynthetic pathways of critical aroma substances and their stress response mechanisms, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for process optimization and targeted aroma quality modulation.Current challenges in oolong tea processing include significant variations in stress response thresholds among cultivars,difficulties in achieving precise control and standardization of process parameters,limited understanding of synergistic/antagonistic interactions between aroma components,and insufficient exploration of novel aroma profiles generated through cross-process synergies.Future research should focus on utilizing omics technologies to deeply dissect stress response networks and implementing fine-tuned regulation at each processing stage to enable directed synthesis of aroma compounds, laying the groundwork for developing oolong teas with personalized flavor profiles.

Adequate sleep duration and high-quality sleep play a crucial role in maintaining individuals’ physical and mental health, cognitive abilities, and work performance.Poor sleep quality is one of the common problems for individuals during the flight process, but there is still a slight shortage of practical and effective improvement measures.As an emerging research direction with great potential and promising application prospects for improving sleep status, nutritional intervention has gradually received widespread attention.Therefore, this article focuses on exploring the current status of food materials with sleep-improving functions, compatibility principles, development technologies, and product forms, providing theoretical references and research ideas for the future development of sleep-improving foods for long-duration flights.

Plant-based beverages, broadly defined as drinks formulated primarily from botanical ingredients, have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their alignment with consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable dietary choices.Among the emerging strategies to enhance the sensory and nutritional qualities of such beverages, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation has shown considerable promise.The flavor and nutritional profiles of LAB-fermented plant-based beverages are largely attributed to the microbial metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, which leads to the generation of a wide array of aromatic compounds and bioactive nutrients.Key enzymes involved in these biochemical transformations—such as lactate dehydrogenase, proteases, and lipases—play essential roles in modulating the final product characteristics.Nevertheless, challenges persist in standardizing flavor profiles and managing variability in raw plant materials.The integration of multi-omics technologies offers powerful tools to elucidate the metabolic pathways underlying fermentation and to refine process parameters.Furthermore, the adoption of novel fermentation technologies holds potential to further improve both sensory attributes and nutritional functionality, thereby driving innovation and sustainable growth in the plant-based beverage industry.This review summarizes recent advances in the understanding of flavor and nutritional compound formation during LAB fermentation of plant-based beverages, providing insights that may inform future product development and industrial application.

5-Hydroxyvaleric acid (5-HV) is an important five-carbon compound with a wide range of applications in the fields of pharmaceuticals, fragrances, and materials.At present, there are few studies on the biological production of 5-HV, which is mostly discovered as an intermediate and suffers from low yield and high production cost.In this study, a 5-HV-producing E.coli strain from our laboratory was modified to synthesize 5-HV without induction by removing some elements of the lactose manipulator in the plasmid, thus avoiding the use of the costly and toxic inducer IPTG.The 5-HV titer was further improved by overexpressing the transcriptional activator of the rate-limiting enzyme aldehyde reductase, yqhC.To reduce the amount of base used during fermentation, the Hfq-DsrA antacid element was introduced into the chassis cells to improve the acid tolerance of the strain.Finally, in a 10 L fermenter, the pH of the fermentation broth was maintained in an acidic environment, and 47.5 g/L of 5-HV was achieved with a yield of 42% (glucose to 5-HV, mass fraction), while the amount of alkali added was reduced by 45%.The methodology and results of this study are instructive for the large-scale bioproduction of 5-HV.

Lactobacillus gasseri TF08-1, a probiotic candidate isolated from the fecal of a healthy female, has been reported to alleviate conditions such as hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and obesity.To facilitate its further application, the antibacterial activities, stress resistances and safety profile of L. gasseri TF08-1 were evaluated.The results demonstrated antibacterial activities of the cell-free supernatant of L. gasseri TF08-1 against four pathogens with L-lactic acid as one of the antibacterial agents.L. gasseri TF08-1 also showed resistance to stimulated oral, gastric and intestinal stresses, as well as autoaggregation and surface adhesion abilities.Additionally, L. gasseri TF08-1 lacked hemolysis, did not produce biogenic amine, and was sensitive to antibiotics.It was non-pathogenic to rat and maintained phenotypic and genetic stability within 20 generations.In conclusion, L. gasseri TF08-1 showed promising probiotic properties and stress resistance, and is safe for future application.

The traditional sourdough steamed bread has a unique flavor and aroma, which is closely related to the diverse microbial composition of the traditional Chinese sourdough starter, known as “Lao mian”.To clarify the influence of different microbial communities in traditional sourdough starters on the formation of flavor compounds in steamed bread, this review systematically summarizes recent advances in understanding the microbiota structure of starters from various geographical regions.It further analyzes the influence of microbial diversity on the flavor characteristics of sourdough steamed bread and the underlying formation mechanisms.Evidence indicates that traditional sourdough starters contain complex microbial consortia, predominantly composed of yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, and molds.These microorganisms contribute to the generation of various compounds, including alcohols, esters, aldehydes, sugars, and organic acids, through pathways such as glycolysis, Ehrlich pathway and amino acid conversion, thereby imparting the unique flavor to steamed bread.Future research should focus on the screening of functional microbial strains and the optimization of compound starter cultures utilizing multi-omics technologies.This approach is expected to establish a theoretical foundation for the standardized production of sourdough starters and the targeted modulation of flavor profiles.

Cell-based foods promise to supply animal protein through large-scale cell culture rather than animal farming.Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is an essential nutrient supplied by the culture medium, critical for maintaining cell survival and growth in vitro.Currently, most BSA in use is extracted from bovine serum, which is plagued by batch variability and contamination risks.Here, we report an engineered Komagataella phaffii platform for efficient production of recombinant BSA (rBSA).Through systematic screening of 17 promoters and 38 signal peptides, the combination of P_AOX2m promoter and M4FI signal peptide proved optimal, achieving a 2.57-fold increase in rBSA yield compared to the starting strain.Subsequently, by screening for high-copy strains and co-expressing the molecular chaperone HRD1 and protein transcription factor HAC1, a high-yielding rBSA strain was obtained.This strain achieved a yield of 0.40 g/L rBSA in shake flask fermentation, 8 times that of the starting strain.Furthermore, the protein structure and bioactivity of purified rBSA were evaluated, confirming its natural-like secondary structure and excellent pro-proliferative effect on bovine mesenchymal stem cells.This work optimized the extracellular expression of rBSA in Komagataella phaffii and evaluated its potential application in cell-based food production.