Polyphenols Extracted from Shanxi-Aged Vinegar Inhibit Inflammation in LPS-Induced RAW264.7 Macrophages and ICR Mice via the Suppression of MAPK/NF-κB Pathway Activation

Shanxi-aged vinegar, a traditional Chinese grain-fermented food that is rich in polyphenols, has been shown to have therapeutic effects on a variety of diseases. However, there has been no comprehensive evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of polyphenols extracted from Shanxi-aged vinegar (SAVEP) to date. The anti-inflammatory activities of SAVEP, both in RAW 264.7 macrophages and mice, were extensively investigated for the potential application of SAVEP as a novel anti-inflammatory agent. In order to confirm the notion that polyphenols could improve inflammatory symptoms, SAVEP was firstly detected by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In total, 19 polyphenols were detected, including 12 phenolic acids. The study further investigated the protective effect of SAVEP on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in RAW264.7 macrophages and ICR mice. The results showed that compared with those of the model group, SAVEP could remarkably recover the inflammation of macrophage RAW264.7 and ICR mice. SAVEP can normalise the expression of related proteins via the suppression of MAPK/NF-κB pathway activation, inhibiting the expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins, and consequently the production of inflammatory factors, thus alleviating inflammatory stress. These results suggest that SAVEP may have a potential function against inflammation.     

Butyltin compounds in vinegar collected in Beijing: Species distribution and source investigation

Forty-eight vinegar samples including white vinegar,rice vinegar and mature vinegar were collected from several markets in Beijing.Butyltin compounds were determined by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography and flame photometric detector after in situ ethylation with sodium tetraethylborate.Butyltin species were detected in sixteen vinegar samples and ranged from 0.012 to 14.10 μg Sn L 1.The detection rate of white vinegar is higher than that of rice vinegar and mature vinegar.Vinegar samples with relatively high butyltin concentration(>1.5 μg Sn L 1) were those stored in plastic bags,indicating that the plastic bag was one of the possible sources of butyltin contamination.This was further confirmed by the leaching experiments of three selected plastic bags,and monobutyltin was detected in the leaching solvents.According to the estimation,the average daily intake of total butyltin compounds through vinegar consumption is about 0.04 ng Sn/kg b.w.,much lower than the Tolerable Daily Intake(TDI) of 100 ng Sn/kg b.w.set by the European Food Safety Authority(EFSA).     

The Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential of Artisanal and Industrial Apple Vinegars and Their Ability to Inhibit Key Enzymes Related to Type 2 Diabetes In Vitro

The main objective of the current study was to determine the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, and α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition of apple vinegar produced by artisanal and industrial methods. Apple vinegar samples were analyzed to identify their electrical conductivity, pH, titratable acidity, total dry matter, Brix, density, mineral elements, polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C. The antioxidant activity of apple vinegar samples was evaluated using two tests, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Finally, we determined α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities of artisanal and industrial apple vinegar. The results showed the following values: pH (3.69–3.19); electrical conductivity (2.81–2.79 mS/cm); titratable acidity (3.6–5.4); ash (4.61–2.90); °Brix (6.37–5.2); density (1.02476–1.02012), respectively, for artisanal apple vinegar and industrial apple vinegar. Concerning mineral elements, potassium was the most predominant element followed by sodium, magnesium, and calcium. Concerning bioactive compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C), the apple vinegar produced by the artisanal method was the richest sample in terms of bioactive compounds and had the highest α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition. The findings of this study showed that the quality and biological activities of artisanal apple vinegar were more important than industrial apple vinegar.     

食用调和油是否变质的快速检验

如何在家快速检验外观尚无变化的食用调和油是否变质？根据食用调和油酸败变质的原因和产物,结合已有的专业检验方法,通过大量的对比实验,找到了简单易行的快速检验方法,即以白醋作溶剂,用碘化钾淀粉试纸检测食用调和油是否变质。     

Production of bacterial cellulose by Gluconacetobacter sp. RKY5 isolated from persimmon vinegar

The optimum fermentation medium for the production of bacterial cellulose (BC) by a newly isolated Gluconacetobacter sp. RKY5 was investigated. The optimized medium composition for cellulose production was determined to be 15 g/L glycerol, 8 g/L yeast extract, 3 g/L K₂HPO₄, and 3 g/L acetic acid. Under these optimized culture medium, Gluconacetobacter sp. RKY5 produced 5.63 g/L of BC after 144 h of shaken culture, although 4.59 g/L of BC was produced after 144 h of static culture. The amount of BC produced by Gluconacetobacter sp. RKY5 was more than 2 times in the optimized medium found in this study than in a standard Hestrin and Shramm medium, which was generally used for the cultivation of BC-producing organisms.     

Isotopic composition of bottled water in Saudi Arabia

The ¹⁸O/¹⁶O and ²H/¹H ratios of 18 water brands representing the most popular bottled water brands in the Saudi market were measured using a system based on the latest advancements in tunable off-axis integrated cavity output diode laser spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) in the near-infrared spectral region. Utilizing δ¹⁸O and the δ²H values of locally produced water samples, a meteoric water line (δ²H?=?7.84 δ¹⁸O?+?2.11) was extracted and found to be consistent with the slope of the global meteoric water line (GMWL) and the geographic location of Saudi Arabia.