Cordyceps militaris and Armillaria mellea formula alleviates depressive behaviors via microglia regulation in an unpredictable chronic mild stress animal model

Changes in Volatile Compounds and Sensory Properties of Chicken with Armillaria mellea During the Pressure-Cooking Process

Chicken with Armillaria mellea prepared via pressure cooking is a traditional Chinese delicacy with great potential for food development. Optimizing its cooking time is crucial. In this study, chicken and Armillaria mellea were pressure-cooked for different amounts of time (20 min, 25 min, 30 min, 35 min, and 40 min). In total, 101 and 81 volatile compounds were identified by GC-MS and GC-IMS, respectively. The results showed that the content of volatile compounds was the highest at 40 min. Nonanal, decanal, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, and 1-octen-3-ol were identified as the most critical aroma compounds at this time, which brought unique fat, oil, and mushroom aroma to chicken with Armillaria mellea during the pressure-cooking process. The optimal time was determined to be 35 min through sensory properties. In summary, the optimal cooking time for chicken with Armillaria mellea prepared via pressure cooking is 35-40 min. Our research results not only preliminarily determined the optimal conditions for industrial processing of the prepared dish of with Armillaria mellea prepared via pressure cooking, laying a foundation for the later industrial production of prepared dishes and international sales, but also stimulated innovative composite food development and promoted people's exploration of the mechanism of heat treatment on composite food flavor and taste.

A Comprehensive Review of the Diversity of Fungal Secondary Metabolites and Their Emerging Applications in Healthcare and Environment

Fungi and their natural products, like secondary metabolites, have gained a huge demand in the last decade due to their increasing applications in healthcare, environmental cleanup, and biotechnology-based industries. The fungi produce these secondary metabolites (SMs) during the different phases of their growth, which are categorized into terpenoids, alkaloids, polyketides, and non-ribosomal peptides. These SMs exhibit significant biological activity, which contributes to the formulation of novel pharmaceuticals, biopesticides, and environmental bioremediation agents. Nowadays, these fungal-derived SMs are widely used in food and beverages, for fermentation, preservatives, protein sources, and in dairy industries. In healthcare, it is being used as an antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunosuppressive drug. The usage of modern tools of biotechnology can achieve an increase in demand for these SMs and large-scale production. The present review comprehensively analyses the diversity of fungal SMs along with their emerging applications in healthcare, agriculture, environmental sustainability, and nutraceuticals. Here, the authors have reviewed the recent advancements in genetic engineering, metabolic pathway manipulation, and synthetic biology to improve the production and yield of these SMs. Advancement in fermentation techniques, bioprocessing, and co-cultivation approaches for large-scale production of SMs. Investigators further highlighted the importance of omics technologies in understanding the regulation and biosynthesis of SMs, which offers an understanding of novel applications in drug discovery and sustainable agriculture. Finally, the authors have addressed the potential for genetic manipulation and biotechnological innovations for further exploitation of fungal SMs for commercial and environmental benefits.