Search Results (21)

Whole mulberry juice (WMBJ) was prepared using a novel high-energy fluidic microfluidizer (HEFM). The effects of varying treatment pressures (0–120 MPa) on the physical stability and nutritional quality of the juice were investigated. As the pressure increased, the average particle size (D[4,3]) decreased from 232.46 μm to 38.27 μm. This indicated that the pulp particles became smaller and more evenly dispersed, resulting in an increase in the apparent viscosity. At 90 MPa, the precipitation weight ratio increases, the turbidity value is the lowest, and the physical stability is significantly improved. Furthermore, the HEFM treatment exhibited a favorable impact on the soluble solids, pH value, total acid content, color, and antioxidant activity of the WMBJ. The contents of anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, and total polyphenols in the WMBJ reached their zenith with the 90 MPa treatment. The results demonstrated that WMBJ, characterized by its excellent physical stability and high nutritional value, can be effectively prepared through the utilization of HEFM technology. This technological approach represents a novel method for industrial WMBJ production that is both efficient and environmentally friendly while ensuring the preservation of the product’s quality. Full article

Morus alba L. (Moraceae), white mulberry, is an ancient, well-known source of several compounds with potent biological activities and beneficial effects on human health. In this study, the juices of three stabilised undifferentiated cell lines, calli maintained in light and dark conditions, and suspensions maintained in dark condition of M. alba were investigated for their phytochemical content and biological activity. The results highlighted the main presence of oxyresveratrol and resveratrol-backbone glucosides, together with benzofuran derivatives. Oxyresveratrol triglucoside was found for the first time in M. alba in vitro cultures, where it represents the main compound, accounting for almost 90 µg/mL in all the juices. The total stilbenoid content resulted significantly higher in calli juices during the logarithmic phase of the growth cycle, and cell suspension juice exhibited the statistically highest total content (313.21 µg/mL of juice). Only cell suspension juice showed ROS reduction in Caco-2 cells, whereas all the juices reduced IL-1β and TNF-α levels in Caco-2 cells stimulated with LPS. These results lay the groundwork for the future exploitation of M. alba dedifferentiated cultures as sustainable resources of stilbenoid compounds to be used in the nutraceutical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Full article

Fermentation of mulberry juice not only improves its shelf life, but also effectively enhances their flavor and nutritional quality. This study elucidated the phytochemical and flavor characteristics of mulberry juice fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BXM2, originally isolated from naturally fermented fruit beverage, through widely targeted metabolomics. The fermentation produced the unique flavor of fermented juice and decreased the pH from 4.15 to 3.19. The metabolomic analysis detected 907 non-volatile metabolites, from which 359 significantly different non-volatile metabolites (up 238, down 121) were screened out. Among 731 identified volatile metabolites, 26 flavor substances were the major contributors to the flavor differences between fermented and unfermented mulberry juices. It is hypothesized that lipid metabolism and amino acid catabolism are crucial pathways for the flavor enhancement of mulberry juice fermented with L. plantarum BXM2. Meanwhile, significant increases of the contents of a variety of bioactive substances, such as indole-3-lactic acid, octadeca-9,12,15-trienoic acid, di-/tri-peptides, etc., conferred additional health potential to BXM2-fermented mulberry juice. Full article

Healthy, nutritious, and delicious mulberry wine is loved by everyone, but there is no specific yeast for mulberry wine. To screen for yeasts with low-yield higher alcohols for the fermentation of mulberry wine, we tested five commonly used commercial yeasts available on the market to ferment mulberry wine. All five yeasts were able to meet the requirements in terms of yeast fermentation capacity, speed, and physical and chemical markers of mulberry wine. The national standards were met by the fermentation requirements and the fermented mulberry wine. We identified yeast DV10 as a yeast with low-yield higher alcohols suitable for mulberry wine fermentation. The total higher alcohol content in fermented mulberry wine was 298 mg/L, which was 41.9% lower than that of fermented mulberry wine with yeast EC118. The contents of 17 free amino acids and five sugars in mulberry juice and five yeast-fermented mulberry wines were tested. The results showed that the higher the amino acid and sugar content in yeast-fermented mulberry wine, the higher the content of higher alcohols produced by fermentation. A correlation analysis performed on each higher alcohol produced when yeast DV10 fermented the mulberry wine indicated decreased sugar and related amino acids. The findings demonstrated a substantial negative correlation among the levels of increased alcohol, decreased sugar, and matching amino acid content. Considering the correlation values among increased alcohol, decreased sugar, and related amino acids, the very slight difference suggests that both sugar anabolism and amino acid catabolism pathways have an equivalent impact on the synthesis of higher alcohols during the fermentation of mulberry wine. These results provide a theoretical basis for reducing the content of higher alcohols in mulberry wines, given the history and foundation for producing mulberry wine. Full article

Mulberry is renowned for its medicinal properties and bioactive compounds, yet its high moisture content renders it highly perishable and challenging to transport over long distances. This inherent limitation to its shelf life poses sustainability challenges due to potential food waste and the increased carbon footprint associated with transportation. To address this issue sustainably, mulberry vinegar emerges as a biotechnological solution. Utilizing a fermented mixture of crushed mulberries, sugar, and mixed acid, transforms the highly perishable raw material into a more stable product. However, conventional methods of mulberry vinegar production often involve heat-intensive processing, which poses environmental concerns and energy inefficiencies. Recognizing the need for sustainable practices, this review delves into alternative non-thermal technologies (NTTs) that can revolutionize mulberry vinegar production. These technologies, such as ultrasonication, ultra-high-pressure homogenization, pulsed light treatments, enzyme-assisted pretreatment, and membrane filtration, offer eco-friendly alternatives by eliminating the need for excessive heat. NTTs enhance energy efficiency and sustainability in mulberry vinegar production by deactivating the microbes and extending the shelf life, thereby enhancing product stability and quality without using thermal methods. Ultrasonication, for example, plays a pivotal role in improving bioactive compound extraction, contributing to the overall quality enhancement of mulberry juice. Enzyme-assisted pretreatment, specifically with Pectinex Ultra SP-L and Viscozyme L, not only enhances juice quality, but also holds promise for sustainable vinegar production. Furthermore, ultra-high-pressure homogenization and pulsed light treatments positively influence mulberry processing, offering additional sustainable alternatives. Membrane filtration, especially ultrafiltration, not only enhances the phenolic content, but also contributes to stability in mulberry juice, showcasing potential benefits for vinegar production. In conclusion, exploring these NTTs represents a transformative shift from traditional heat treatment methods in mulberry food processing. By providing energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and high-quality alternatives, this review offers valuable insights into sustainable practices, particularly in mulberry vinegar production, thereby contributing to a more sustainable future for the mulberry food industry. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of adding probiotics, prebiotics, and different types of jelly agents on a few key quality attributes of potentially functional mulberry jellies throughout a 10-day storage period at 4 °C. Mullbery juice was separately fermented at 37 °C for 24 h using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum O21; it was a favorable matrix for the proliferation of probiotics. Lactic acid fermentation positively affected the total anthocyanin concentration of investigated products. Also, antioxidant capacities of mulberry juices were improved by L. plantarum O21 fermentation. The results showed that the applied prebiotic–inulin addition and agar–agar addition, as a gelling agent in recipes of potentially functional mulberry jellies, were proved to be beneficial technological solutions, both in fresh and stored products, and obtained an appropriate, high number of LAB bacteria, good sensory quality, and beneficial antioxidant properties. Full article

Mulberries, known for their high sugar content and rich bioactive compounds, have attracted attention for their potential health benefits. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid with multiple physiological functions. To increase the GABA content and enhance the antioxidant capacity in fermented mulberry beverages, we screened a high-yielding strain, Lactobacillus brevis S3, known for its probiotic properties. L. brevis S3 demonstrated an excellent tolerance to simulated gastric acid, gastric juice, intestinal fluid, bile salts, osmotic pressure, and phenol, making it a safe and valuable probiotic candidate for mulberry fermentation. We attempted the addition of different nutritional components to enhance the GABA content in mulberry juice, including 1% yeast extract; 0.5% peptone; 0.01% metal ion complex (magnesium sulfate, manganese sulfate, and ferrous sulfate); combinations of yeast extract and peptone, and all three components. Mulberry juice supplemented with all three components reached a viable cell count of 1.2 × 10¹⁰ CFU/mL after 72 h. The antioxidant capacity and GABA titer were enhanced. The DPPH free radical scavenging capacity increased by 1.62 times, and the GABA content reached 7.48 g/L. By utilizing L. brevis S3 with excellent probiotic properties and supplementation with nutritional components, it is possible to produce low-sugar mulberry functional beverages with a high DPPH free radical scavenging capacity that are rich in GABA. Full article

The framework of this study was a comprehensive investigation of Morus nigra L. extracts, with the aim to establish the correlation between chemical composition and antioxidant/hepatoprotective activity of a series of black mulberry extracts obtained from aerial parts of the plant. Black mulberry leaf (MLEE), bark (MBEE), juice (MJ) and fresh fruit (MFEE) extracts were obtained using the conventional Soxhlet extraction, while the supercritical CO₂ extraction procedure was employed for preparation of the seed oil (MSO). Analysis of the chemical composition was performed using spectrophotometric, HPLC and GC methods. For the evaluation of antioxidant activity, in vitro FRAP and DPPH assays were applied. In Haan strain NMRI mice with streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress, in vivo antioxidant activity and liver tissue integrity were examined. The content of polyphenolic compounds was the highest in MBEE (68.3 ± 0.7 mgGAE/g) with the most abundant compounds being polyphenolic acids, followed by MLEE (23.4 ± 0.5 mgGAE/g) with the flavonoids isoquercetin and rutin being present in a significant amount. An analysis of MSO revealed a high content of γ-linoleic acid. The highest antioxidant activity in vitro (FRAP and DPPH) was observed for MLEE, MBEE and MSO. Beneficial effects were confirmed in vivo, with lower values of hepatosomatic index, potentiation of the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase, a lower rate of lipid peroxidation and reduced positivity for the P450 enzyme in animals treated with MLEE, MBEE and MSO. Black mulberry leaf and bark extracts as well as seed oil exhibited significant antioxidant activity. Apart from the confirmed biological properties of the fruit and leaf extracts, the observed activities of black mulberry seed oil and bark extract imply its importance as a sustainable source of phytochemicals. Full article

Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is considered a medicinal and food-homologous plant in China. An obstacle to its widespread use is that its annual season and shelf life are extremely short. In this paper, fermented black mulberry juice (FBMJ) was prepared with various probiotic strains, and response surface methodology was used to determine the optimum production conditions for achieving the maximum active substance content in the resulting product. The fermentation process increased levels of biological enzymes and total phenols in the resulting juice. When the ratios of the Lactobacillus inocula to the total inoculum were 27.96% for L. paracasei, 15.37% for L. casei, 16.64% for L. plantarum, and 5.12% for L. delbrueckii, the B. animalis subsp. lactis content reached 15.83%, the L. fermentum content reached 19.08%, and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity reached 310 U/g. To study the antioxidant characteristics of the juice, C2C12 cells were treated with H₂O₂ to induce oxidative stress and the cytoprotective activity of FBMJ was subsequently evaluated. After treatment with FBMJ for 24 h, cell viability was found to be protected under H₂O₂ exposure, while SOD and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were increased. The reactive oxygen species level and malondialdehyde content were also decreased. These results provide molecular evidence for the antioxidant effect of FBMJ and demonstrate that lactic acid bacteria fermentation has a positive effect on black mulberry juice (BMJ). Full article

The fruit and leaves of mulberry (Morus alba L.) contain a variety of health-beneficial components. At present, although both alcoholic and non-alcoholic mulberry beverages are commercially available, studies on fermented alcoholic beverages mixed with both mulberry fruit and mulberry leaf are rare. In this study, different amounts (1, 2 and 3%, g/mL dry weight) of mulberry leaves were added during the alcoholic fermentation of mulberry juice. After 9 days of fermentation, the 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) content increased from 61.12 ± 3.10 to 153.39 ± 3.98 μg/mL, and the quercetin content increased from 0.45 ± 0.01 to 20.14 ± 0.08 mg/L in the mulberry alcoholic beverages with the addition of mulberry leaves at 2%. Moreover, the ABTS⁺ scavenging capacity at the end of fermentation for the same sample was enhanced by 40.9%. In addition, the total sugar, total phenols, total anthocyanins, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) contents of the fermented samples all decreased significantly at the end of fermentation. A total of 33 volatile compounds and 17 free amino acids were detected in the fermented alcoholic beverages with mulberry leaves added. The total free amino acid content increased with the increase in mulberry leaf addition. Principal component analysis showed that the addition of mulberry leaves during fermentation increased the contents of GABA, DNJ, total flavonols and protocatechuic acid in mulberry alcoholic beverages. All these studies revealed the dynamic changes in functional components in the alcoholic fermentation of mulberry juices with the addition of mulberry leaves. Overall, the addition of mulberry leaf powder at 2% was selected as the appropriate addition for producing mulberry alcoholic beverages with enhanced nutritional value. Full article

Mulberry seeds are a byproduct of juice processing and may be an important resource for its abundant compounds. In this study, we analyzed the qualitative composition of free and bound phenolics from six varieties of mulberry seeds using UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. Free phenolics (FPs) and bound phenolics (BPs) were measured using the Folin–Ciocalteu method; antioxidant capacity was determined by measuring 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity, using the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. A total of 28 free and 11 bound phenolics were extracted and identified, wherein five free phenolics were found in mulberry matrices for the first time. The six varieties of mulberry seeds exhibited higher content of FPs than BPs, and there was a correlation between the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Consequently, three varieties were selected for their high phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. This study might offer a theoretical basis for the utilization of mulberry seed. Full article

Brahmi essence, developed from Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. standardized extract and mulberry juice, was proven to improve the memory speed of healthy participants aged 55–80 years old, following a 12-week dietary program. However, the metabolites have not yet been reported. Our objective was to characterize the altered metabolites in the plasma, urine, and feces of healthy volunteers after consumption of Brahmi essence for 12 weeks, using the LC-MS metabolomics approach. The altered metabolites were selected from OPLS-DA S-plots; 15 metabolites in the plasma, 7 in the urine, and 17 in the feces samples were tentatively identified by comparison with an online database and literature. The metabolites in the plasma samples were in the classes of amino acids, acylcarnitine, and phospholipids. Benzeneactamide-4-O-sulphate and 3-hydroxyhippuric acid were found in urine samples. The metabolites in the class of amino acids, together with jujubogenin and pseudojujubogenin, were identified in the fecal samples. The aminoacyl-tRNA, aromatic amino acids, and branched-chain amino acid biosynthetic pathways were mainly related to the identified metabolites in all three samples. It could be implied that those metabolites and their pathways might be linked with the effect of Brahmi essence on memory speed. Full article

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the inhibitory neurotransmitter, can be naturally synthesized by a group of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) which is commonly found in rich carbohydrate materials such as fruits and fermented foods. Thirty-six isolates of GABA-producing LAB were obtained from Thai fermented foods. Among these, Levilactobacillus brevis F064A isolated from Thai fermented sausage displayed high GABA content, 2.85 ± 0.10 mg/mL and could tolerate acidic pH and bile salts indicating a promising probiotic. Mulberry (Morus sp.) is widely grown in Thailand. Many mulberry fruits are left to deteriorate during the high season. To increase its value, mulberry juice was prepared and added to monosodium glutamate (MSG), 2% (w/v) prior to inoculation with 5% (v/v) of L. brevis F064A and incubated at 37 °C for 48 h to obtain the GABA-fermented mulberry juice (GABA-FMJ). The GABA-FMJ obtained had 3.31 ± 0.06 mg/mL of GABA content, 5.58 ± 0.52 mg gallic acid equivalent/mL of antioxidant activity, 234.68 ± 15.53 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/mL of anthocyanin, an ability to inhibit growth of Bacillus cereus TISTR 687, Salmonella Typhi DMST 22842 and Shigella dysenteriae DMST 1511, and 10.54 ± 0.5 log₁₀ colony-forming units (CFU)/mL of viable L. brevis F064A cell count. This GABA-FMJ was considered as a potential naturally functional food for human of all ages. Full article

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of drying method on flavor profiles of mulberry fruit using purge and trap (P&T) flavor extraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and descriptive sensory analysis using a highly trained sensory panel. Mulberry fruit samples were prepared at different temperatures (−20, 0, 50, and 60 °C). The results showed that more diverse volatile compound profiles were produced overall and had increased levels of benzaldehyde, nonanal, and 3,3-dimethylhexane in Sample 3 and 4, which were dried at higher temperature (50 °C and 60 °C). The mulberry fruit samples that received heat treatment had higher grape juice, raisin, and sour aromatics, while samples that did not received heat treatment were characterized as having cucumber, green/grassy, and sweet aromatics. Full article

The silkworm is an oligophagous insect for which mulberry leaves are the sole diet. The nutrients needed for vital activities of the egg, pupal, and adult stages, and the proteins formed in the cocoon, are all derived from the larval stages. The silkworm feeds and grows quickly during the larval stages. In particular, the amount of leaf ingested and digested quickly increases from the ecdysis to the gluttonous stage in the fifth instar period. In this study, we used the iTRAQ proteomic technique to identify and analyze silkworm larval digestive juice proteins during this period. A total of 227 proteins were successfully identified. These were primarily serine protease activity, esterase activity, binding, and serine protease inhibitors, which were mainly involved in the digestion and overcoming the detrimental effects of mulberry leaves. Moreover, 30 genes of the identified proteins were expressed specifically in the midgut. Temporal proteomic analysis of digestive juice revealed developmental dynamic features related to molecular mechanisms of the principal functions of digesting, resisting pathogens, and overruling the inhibitory effects of mulberry leaves protease inhibitors (PIs) with a dynamic strategy, although overruling the inhibitory effects has not yet been confirmed by previous study. These findings will help address the potential functions of digestive juice in silkworm larvae. Full article