Abstract Despite the use of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) as food flavoring and coloring agents, they are also known to constitute acrylamide, heterocyclic amines, advanced glycosylation end products, and precursors of low molecular weight compounds. The very little is known about the toxicology of peony seed meal-derived MRPs. In this study, sub-chronic toxicity of peony seed meal derived MRPs was evaluated in Sprage-Dawley (SD) rats. Results showed that the body weight, hematology and serum biochemistry, organ coefficient and histopathology of SD rats with daily intake of peony seed meal-derived MRPs lower than 0.45 g/kg were not affected. After feeding with peony seed meal-derived MRPs for 13-weeks, there were no significant toxic effect on either male or female rats. This study provides a theoretical basis for the safety of MRPs derived from the reactants of enzymatic hydrolysis of peony seed meal.

Abstract Xuan-Mugua is a Chinese traditional fruit and is mainly preserved by air drying. To explore the effect of temperature on the drying property and quality of the fruits, they were sliced and dried at 60-90 °C. The results indicated that the drying time shortened from 150 to 80 min with the increasing temperature and the minimal time was found at 90 °C. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity generally decreased by 5.09-18.27% at higher temperature (90 °C) and their maximums respectively appeared at 60 and 80 °C. Compared with the medium temperatures (60 and 70°C), the phenolic profiles changed obviously at higher temperatures (80 and 90 °C), and a transformation of chlorogenic acid was detected; besides, with the increasing temperature, the main phenolics including catechin and chlorogenic acid respectively decreased by 29.3% and 18.4%. Taking the above findings together, 70 °C should be the proper temperature to dry Xuan-Mugua fruits.

Abstract The phenolic compounds in dried Lycium barbarum (LB) and L. barbarum meal (LBM) were extracted using ultrasonic method, reflux method and enzymatic method, and the composition, content of polyphenols and antioxidant abilities of the extracts were analyzed. 40 phenolic compounds were identified with HPLC-MS/MS, with 35 compounds detected from LB and 33 from LBM. 40 compounds were classified into phenolic acids and their derivatives, flavonoids, and their derivatives, lignanamides and other phenolic substances. Differences existed in samples extracted from different materials or under different extraction methods. It was explicitly observed that LB was higher than LBM in phenolic content. The phenolics in LB and LBM had significant antioxidant effects, with LBM extracts showing the higher antioxidant effect. This study compared the differences in polyphenols of L. barbarum and its meal, meanwhile explored the effects of different extraction methods, which could contribute to the exploitation of L. barbarum and its meal.