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Konjac glucomannan (KGM) has been reported to be beneficial to human health, as well as having potential functional properties as a fat replacer in dairy products. In this study, 0.5% KGM solution was added to prepare low-fat (LFKGM) and skimmed (SKKGM) yogurts, and their physicochemical properties were compared with those of full-fat yogurt control (FFC), low-fat yogurt control (LFC), and skimmed yogurt control (SKC). Properties and composition were determined and the microscopic structures of all yogurts were observed during storage at 4°C for 21d. Generally, addition of KGM to yogurts had no significant effect on composition, pH, and titratable acidity at each storage day. The LFKGM and SKKGM had higher whiteness, greenness, and yellowness hues compared with those of the LFC and SKC. The proteolysis of LFKGM and SKKGM was similar to that of FFC, whereas it was lower than in LFC and SKC after 14d of storage. Addition of KGM had no positive effects on the water-holding capacity, but led to a decrease in syneresis and spontaneous whey separation in LFKGM and SKKGM compared with those of LFC and SKC. The spontaneous whey separation of LFKGM was similar to that of FFC. Presence of KGM in skimmed yogurt affected textural characteristics, while having little effect on texture of low-fat yogurt. Additionally, LFKGM and SKKGM showed stronger and more stable gel structures than those of FFC, LFC, and SKC. Overall, no substantial changes were found in the characteristics for each yogurt during storage, except for pH and gel structures. Results indicated that KGM may be a good fat replacer to develop reduced-fat yogurts with desired characteristics.

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Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain ASCC 1520 with high soy isoflavone transformation ability was used to ferment soymilk and added to the diet of mice. The impact of L. rhamnosus fermentation on soy isoflavone metabolites and intestinal bacterial community, in conjunction with fecal enzyme activity and short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA) excretion was evaluated. Antibiotics intervention resulted in a decrease in fecal enzyme activities and SCFA. Although long‐term intake of soymilk or L. rhamnosus‐fermented soymilk did not affect the fecal β‐glucuronidase and β‐galactosidase activities, it improved the β‐glucosidase activity when antibiotics were concomitantly administered. Soymilk or fermented soymilk administration increased the isoflavone metabolites (O‐DMA and equol) excreted in urine. Antibiotics decreased the daidzein excretion and its metabolites but showed little effect on glycitein and genistein excretion. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) of the 16s rRNA gene sequencing data found a remarkable shift in gut microbiota after soymilk administration and antibiotics treatment. Matastats test of the relative abundance of bacterial taxa revealed Odoribacter (Bacteroidales family), Lactobacillus (Lactobacillales order), and Alistipes (Rikenellaceae family) were enriched in soymilk while bacterial taxa from Bacteroides and Lactobacillus were enriched in L. rhamnosus‐fermented soymilk. Furthermore, there was less decrease in bacterial taxa with fermented soymilk group even when antibiotics were concomitantly administered. Overall, this study revealed that the gut microbiota of a healthy host is enough for the whole isoflavone metabolism under normal conditions. Feeding mice with L. rhamnosus‐fermented soymilk improved fecal enzyme activity and kept the balance of the gut mirobiota when antibiotics were used. Practical Application Feeding mice with L. rhamnosus‐fermented soymilk improved fecal enzyme activity and kept the balance of the gut mirobiota when antibiotics were used.

Cereal Chem. 94(2):291-297Edible beans are among the most important grain legumes consumed by humans. To provide new information on the antioxidant phenolics of edible beans, the antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) in both soluble and bound fractions of 42 edible beans from China were systematically evaluated, with main phenolic compounds identified and quantified in 10 beans possessing the highest TPC. Edible beans contained a wide range of total antioxidant capacity and TPC generally comparable with common grains, fruits, and vegetables, and their bound fractions had significant antioxidant capacity, TPC, and TFC. Red sword bean was found for the first time to show extremely high total antioxidant capacity (ferrous[II] at 235 ± 13.2 µmol/g and Trolox at 164 ± 10.5 µmol/g) and TPC (1767 ± 58.3 mg of GAE/100 g). Phenolic compounds such as catechin, ferulic acid, gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, and protocatechuic acid were widely detected in selected beans. A positive correlation was found between antioxidant capacity (ferric-reducing antioxidant power [FRAP] and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity [TEAC] values) and TPC, with correlation coefficient r = 0.974 (FRAP value versus TPC) and r = 0.914 (TEAC value versus TPC). Therefore, beans with high antioxidant capacity and phenolic content can be valuable sources of dietary natural antioxidants for the prevention of oxidative stress-related chronic diseases. † Corresponding authors. Phone:

Buckwheat (BF) and millet (MF) are recommended as healthy foods due to their unique chemical composition and health benefits. This study investigated the thermal and rheological properties of BF-WF (wheat flour) and MF-WF flour blends at various ratios (0:100 to 100:0). Increasing BF or MF concentration led to higher cold paste viscosity and setback viscosity of pasting properties gel adhesiveness, storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″) of dynamic oscillatory rheology, and yield stress (σ0 ) of flow curve of WF. BF and MF addition decreased peak viscosity and breakdown of pasting, gel hardness, swelling volume, and consistency coefficient (K) of flow curve of WF. Thermal properties of the blends appeared additive of that of individual flour. Nonadditive effects were observed for some property changes in the mixtures, and indicated interactions between flour components. This may provide a physicochemical basis for using BF and MF in formulating novel healthy products.