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Article

The Release of Bound Phenolics to Enhance the Antioxidant Activity of Cornmeal by Liquid Fermentation with Bacillus subtilis

1
College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, China
2
College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, China
3
Institute of Food Science and Technology, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, China
4
College of Bioengineering, Jingchu University of Technology, Jingmen 448000, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Foods 2025, 14(3), 499; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030499
Submission received: 18 December 2024 / Revised: 2 February 2025 / Accepted: 3 February 2025 / Published: 4 February 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry)

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of Bacillus subtilis fermentation on the composition of phenolic substances and antioxidant activity in cornmeal. The results indicate that the fermentation process significantly increased both the total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). After 5 days of fermentation, the TPC rose from 31.68 ± 1.72 mg/g to 39.46 ± 2.95 mg/g, representing a 24.56% increase, while the TFC increased from 2.13 ± 0.11 mg/g to 7.56 ± 0.29 mg/g, marking a 254.93% increase. Additionally, the proportion of free phenolic compounds in cornmeal increased from 20.24% to 83.98%, while the proportion of bound phenolic compounds decreased from 79.76% to 16.02%. Furthermore, the hydrolytic enzyme activities of cellulase, β-glucosidase, and xylanase were significantly correlated with the free phenolic content (FPC) (r > 0.85, p < 0.05), indicating their crucial role in releasing free phenolic compounds from cornmeal. Employing scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses, we inferred that the carbohydrase enzymes produced by the microorganisms disrupted the cellular structure of cornmeal and weakened the interactions between bound phenolics and the food matrix, thereby facilitating the release of phenolic compounds. This release resulted in an overall increase in the antioxidant activity of the cornmeal. The study provided a novel approach to enhancing the bioavailability of phenolic acids in cornmeal, indicating the potential benefits of fermentation in food processing.
Keywords: cornmeal; bound phenolics; carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes; antioxidant activity; fermentation; Bacillus subtilis cornmeal; bound phenolics; carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes; antioxidant activity; fermentation; Bacillus subtilis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhang, P.; Zhang, J.; Li, L.; Gu, T.; Chen, S.; Wang, J.; Gao, M. The Release of Bound Phenolics to Enhance the Antioxidant Activity of Cornmeal by Liquid Fermentation with Bacillus subtilis. Foods 2025, 14, 499. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030499

AMA Style

Zhang P, Zhang J, Li L, Gu T, Chen S, Wang J, Gao M. The Release of Bound Phenolics to Enhance the Antioxidant Activity of Cornmeal by Liquid Fermentation with Bacillus subtilis. Foods. 2025; 14(3):499. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030499

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhang, Ping, Jialan Zhang, Li Li, Tong Gu, Suo Chen, Jinsong Wang, and Mengxiang Gao. 2025. "The Release of Bound Phenolics to Enhance the Antioxidant Activity of Cornmeal by Liquid Fermentation with Bacillus subtilis" Foods 14, no. 3: 499. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030499

APA Style

Zhang, P., Zhang, J., Li, L., Gu, T., Chen, S., Wang, J., & Gao, M. (2025). The Release of Bound Phenolics to Enhance the Antioxidant Activity of Cornmeal by Liquid Fermentation with Bacillus subtilis. Foods, 14(3), 499. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030499

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