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Mayonnaise formulated with novel egg yolk ingredients has enhanced thermal and rheological properties

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  • Egg yolk is a good emulsifier used in many food applications and is required for mayonnaise. This study aimed to evaluate the function of fractionated yolk as co-products of obtaining IgY, the plasma fraction which is rich in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and granules consisting of mainly high-density lipoprotein (HDL), in preparation of mayonnaise. Particularly, a novel modification was performed to remove the divalent ions, i.e., calcium, in the granular fraction that forms phosphocalcic bridges that hold the HDL particles together, and are responsible for the low solubility and functionality. The removal of 55% calcium (of the total ion) increased the solubility of de-calcium granules (DC-Gran) under acidic conditions of pH 4.0, 42.9% compared to 4.2% of the untreated Gran. The mayonnaise made with the LDL-based products and DC-Gran had a high heat stability (greater than 90%) and small oil droplet sizes of 4.59 and 5.02 μm. Higher interaction strength, firmness, and low polydispersity index (PDI) were obtained in mayonnaise prepared by DC-Gran compared to the Gran counterpart. This is the first report of using such modified granular fraction to produce mayonnaise, with improved functionality and demonstrating the high-value application of yolk fractionation co-products.
  • Bletilla Rchb. f. is one of the most economically valuable groups of orchids in the world. Due to its ornamental significance, the genus Bletilla occupies an important place in the worldwide horticultural market. Furthermore, in China, Japan, South Korea, and other Asian countries, it is highly valued for its medicinal use[1].

    There are eight species in the genus Bletilla, including Bletilla chartacea (King & Pantl.) Tang & F.T. Wang, Bletilla cotoensis Schltr., Bletilla foliosa (King & Pantl.) Tang & F.T. Wang, Bletilla formosana Schltr., Bletilla guizhouensis J. Huang & G.Z. Chen, Bletilla morrisonensis Schltr., Bletilla ochracea Schltr., and Bletilla striata Rchb.f.[2,3]. The distribution area spans from northern Myanmar in Asia to Japan via China[4]. Five species are native to China, namely, B. foliosa, B. formosana, B. guizhouensis, B. ochracea, and B. striata. In China, people have assigned various names to Bletilla based on its morphology and efficacy, such as baiji (白及/白芨), baigen (白根), baige (白给), baijier (白鸡儿), baijiwa (白鸡娃), diluosi (地螺丝), gangen (甘根), junkouyao (皲口药), lianjicao (连及草), and yangjiaoqi (羊角七)[5]. These diverse appellations highlight the importance of this genus in Chinese folk biological culture.

    The medicinal material known as 'baiji' in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is usually the dried tuber of B. striata, which is also the authentic product included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia[6]. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020), TCM baiji is sliced, dried, and crushed into a powder that can be used topically or internally, with a recommended dosage of 3–6 g at a time, offering astringent, hemostatic, detumescence, and myogenic effects. It is often used for conditions such as hemoptysis, hematemesis, traumatic bleeding, sores, and skin chaps[7]. Although only B. striata is the authentic product of TCM baiji, the other four Bletilla species native to China are also used as substitutes, and this practice is widespread[8].

    Modern research indicates that Bletilla contains a variety of chemical components, including benzol, dihydrophenanthrene, phenanthrene, and quinone derivatives. These components confer pharmacological effects on Bletilla, such as hemostasis, anti-tumor activity, and promotion of cell growth[9]. Due to its outstanding medicinal value, Bletilla can be found in nearly every corner of the traditional medicine market (Fig. 1). However, habitat destruction and uncontrolled mining have led to a significant reduction in the native populations of Bletilla, making its protection an urgent priority. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive review of relevant research up to August 2023, covering botanical characteristics, resource distribution, ethnobotanical uses, chemical components, pharmacological effects, clinical applications, and safety evaluations of Bletilla. The aim is to raise awareness and promote the protection and sustainable use of this genus.

    Figure 1.  Varieties of Bletilla at the traditional March Medicinal Market in Dali, Yunnan, China.

    The morphology of different Bletilla species is highly similar. The primary taxonomic feature distinguishing each species is the characteristics of the flower, particularly the lip of the flower, including its size, shape, and the number and shape of longitudinal ridges on the lip plate (Table 1, Fig. 2)[1014].

    Table 1.  The morphological differences among five species of Bletilla plants native to China.
    Morphological featureBletilla striataBletilla formosanaBletilla ochraceaBletilla foliosaBletilla guizhouensis
    Plant height (cm)18−6015−8025−5515−2045−60
    Rhizome shapeCompressedCompressedSomewhat compressedSubgloboseCompressed
    Rhizome diameter (cm)1−31−2About 21−1.53−4
    Stem characteristicsStoutEnclosed by sheathsStoutStout, shortThin
    Leaf shapeNarrowly oblongLinear-lanceolateOblong-lanceolateElliptic-lanceolateNarrowly lanceolate
    Leaf size (cm)8−29 × 1.5−46−40 × 0.5−4.58−35 × 1.5−2.85−12 × 0.8−325−45 × 1.2−4.5
    Flower colorPurplish red or pinkPale purple or pinkYellowPale purpleDeep purple
    Flower sizeLargeMediumMediumSmall to mediumLarge
    Inflorescence structureBranched or simpleBranched or simpleSimpleSimpleBranched
    Pedicel and ovary length (mm)10−248−12About 187−913−17
    Sepal shapeNarrowly oblongLanceolateLanceolateLinear-lanceolateOblong-elliptic
    Petal shapeSlightly larger than sepalsSlightly narrower than sepalsObliqueLanceolateOblong-elliptic
    Lip shapeObovate-ellipticBroadly ellipticNarrowly rhombic-obovateNarrowly oblongNarrowly oblong
    Lip colorWhite with purplish veinsWhitish to pale yellow with small dark purple spotsWhitish to pale yellow with small dark purple spotsWhite with purplish spots and purple edgeWhite with deep purple edge
    Number of lip Lamellae5 lamellae5 undulate lamellae5 longitudinal lamellae3 fimbriate lamellae7 longitudinal lamellae
    Column characteristicsSubterete, dilated towards apexSubterete, dilated towards apexSlender, dilated towards apexCylindric, dilated towards apexSuberect, with narrow wings
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    Figure 2.  (a)−(d) Bletilla striata (Thunb. ex Murray) Rchb. f. (e)−(h) Bletilla formosana (Hayata) Schltr. (i)−(l) Bletilla ochracea Schltr. (m), (n) Bletilla sinensis (Rolf) Schltr. (o), (p) Bletilla guizhouensis Jie Huang & G.Z. Chen (Photographed by Wang Meina, Zhu Xinxin, and He Songhua).

    The flowers of B. striata are large and purplish-red or pink, with narrowly oblong sepals and petals measuring 25−30 mm in length and 6−8 mm in width. They have acute apices, nearly as long as the sepals and petals. The lip is obovate or elliptic, predominantly white with purplish-red coloration and purple veins, measuring 23−28 mm in length, slightly shorter than the sepals and petals. The lip disc exhibits five longitudinal folds extending from the base to near the apex of the middle lobe, with waviness occurring only above the middle lobe[11]. In China, B. striata is found in regions such as Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Gansu, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Zhejiang. It also occurs in the Korean Peninsula and Japan, thriving in evergreen broad-leaved forests, coniferous forests, roadside grassy areas, or rock crevices, at altitudes ranging from 100−3,200 m[12].

    B. ochracea's flowers are medium to large, featuring yellow or yellow-green exteriors on the sepals and petals, while the insides are yellow-white, occasionally nearly white. The sepals and petals are nearly equal in length, oblong, measuring 18−23 mm long and 5−7 mm wide, with obtuse or slightly pointed apices, often adorned with fine purple spots on the reverse side. The lip is elliptic, typically white or light yellow, measuring 15−20 mm in length and 8−12 mm in width, with three lobes above the middle. The lip disc is characterized by five longitudinally ridged pleats, with undulations primarily occurring above the middle lobe[13]. B. ochracea is native to southeastern Gansu, southern Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Yunnan, thriving in evergreen broad-leaved forests, coniferous forests, or beneath shrubs, in grassy areas or alongside ditches at altitudes ranging from 300−2,350 m[14].

    B. formosana's flowers come in shades of lavender or pink, occasionally white, and are relatively small. The sepals and petals are narrowly oblong, measuring 15−21 mm in length and 4−6.5 mm in width, and are nearly equal in size. The sepals have subacute apices, while the petal apices are slightly obtuse. The lip is elliptic, measuring 15−18 mm in length and 8−9 mm in width, with three lobes above the middle. The lip disc exhibits five longitudinal ridge-like pleats, which are wavy from the base to the top of the middle lobe[15]. B. formosana is indigenous to southern Shaanxi, southeastern Gansu, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, central to northwest Yunnan, southeast Tibet (Chayu), and Japan. It is typically found in evergreen broad-leaved forests, coniferous forests, road verges, valley grasslands, grassy slopes, and rock crevices, at altitudes ranging from 600−3,100 m[16].

    The flowers of B. foliosa are small and lavender, with white sepals and petals featuring purple apices. The sepals are linear-lanceolate, measuring 11−13 mm in length and 3 mm in width, with subacute apices. The petals are lanceolate, also measuring 11−13 mm in length and 3 mm in width, with acute apices. The lip is white, oblong, adorned with fine spots, and features a purple apex. It measures 11−13 mm in length and 5−6 mm in width, tapering near the base and forming a scaphoid shape. The lip is anteriorly attenuated, unlobed, or abruptly narrowing with inconspicuous three lobes and exhibits fringe-like fine serrations along the edge. Three longitudinal ridge-like pleats are present on the upper lip disc[17]. B. foliosa typically grows on hillside forests, with its type specimen collected from Mengzi City, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China[17].

    B. guizhouensis is a recently discovered species in Guizhou, China. In terms of shape, B. guizhouensis closely resembles B. striata, but it can be distinguished by its ovate-oblong buds, oblong dorsal sepals, obovate lips, and middle lobes of the lips, which are oval in shape. The disc of B. guizhouensis features seven distinct longitudinal lamellae, setting it apart from other known Bletilla species and establishing it as a distinct species[2]. Presently, B. guizhouensis has only been found in Guizhou, China, primarily thriving in evergreen broad-leaved forests at altitudes ranging from 900−1,200 m[3].

    Understanding the morphology, habitat, and distribution of Bletilla species is crucial for the conservation and propagation of these resources. To effectively implement plant conservation and breeding programs, a comprehensive understanding of the specific morphological characteristics, growth environments, and native habitats of these plants is essential, as without this knowledge, effective results cannot be achieved.

    The ethnobotanical uses of Bletilla worldwide primarily fall into two categories: ornamental and medicinal purposes. Bletilla orchids, renowned for their striking and distinct flowers, are commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes across many countries[18]. Valued for their aesthetic appeal, these orchids are frequently grown in gardens and utilized as potted plants. Among the various cultivars, B. striata stands out as the most favored choice for ornamental horticulture due to its ease of cultivation and adaptability to diverse climates[19,20].

    Contrastingly, in select Asian countries, Bletilla assumes a crucial role as a medicinal plant. For instance, influenced by TCM, the tuber of Bletilla also serves as a crude drug for hemostatic and anti-swelling purposes in Japan[21]. Likewise, traditional Korean medicine, deeply rooted in TCM principles, extensively documents the versatile use of Bletilla in addressing issues such as alimentary canal mucosal damage, ulcers, bleeding, bruises, and burns[22]. In Vietnam, Bletilla has been used as a medicinal herb for treating tumors and skin fissures, aligning with practices observed in the ethnic communities of southwest China[23].

    In China, Bletilla boasts a longstanding medicinal history, with numerous classical ancient Chinese medicine books containing detailed records of its medicinal applications[2432]. Even in contemporary society, many ethnic groups residing in mountainous areas in China continue to uphold the traditional medical practice of using Bletilla medicinally[31].

    In ancient Chinese medical literature, detailed records of Bletilla's morphology can be traced back to the late Han Dynasty, around 200 AD[24]. The Mingyi Bielu, a historical source, documented, 'Bletilla grows in the valley, with leaves resembling those of Veratrum nigrum L., and its root is white and interconnected. The ideal time for harvesting is September'. As awareness of the medicinal significance of Bletilla grew, successive dynastic-era Chinese medical texts consistently included descriptions of Bletilla's morphology (Table 2). In the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen compiled these earlier accounts of Bletilla's plant characteristics in his work, the Compendium of Materia Medica. He even provided an illustrative depiction of this plant genus (Fig. 3)[25].

    Table 2.  Morphological description of the plants belonging to Bletilla in the ancientChinese medicinal books.
    Dynasty (Year)TitleAuthorOriginal ChineseEnglish translation
    Late Han
    (184−220 AD)
    Mingyi Bielu/白给生山谷, 叶如藜芦,
    根白相连, 九月采
    Bletilla grows in the valley, with leaves like Veratrum nigrum L., root is white and connected. September is the time for harvesting.
    Wei-Jin period
    (220−420 AD)
    WuPu BencaoWu Pu白根, 茎叶如生姜, 藜芦,
    十月花, 直上, 紫赤色,
    根白连, 二月, 八月, 九月采
    Bletilla, stems and leaves like Zingiber officinale Roscoe and V. nigrum. It blooms in October and is purple and red, the inflorescence is vertical and upward. The roots are white and connected. It can be dug in February, August, and September.
    the Northern and Southern
    (420−589 AD)
    Bencao JizhuTao Hongjing近道处处有之, 叶似杜若,
    根形似菱米, 节间有毛
    It is everywhere near the road. The leaves are like Pollia japonica Thunb. The roots are like the fruit of Trapa natans L., and internode are many fibrous roots.
    Tang
    (618−907 AD)
    Su Jing, Zhangsun Wuji, etcTang materia medica生山谷, 如藜芦, 根白连, 九月采Born in the valley, with leaves like V. nigrum, root is white and connected. September is the time for harvesting.
    Song
    (960−1279 AD)
    Su SongCommentaries on the Illustrations白芨, 生石山上。春生苗,
    长一尺许, 似栟榈及藜芦,
    茎端生一台, 叶两指大, 青色,
    夏开花紫, 七月结实, 至熟黄黑色。
    至冬叶凋。根似菱米, 有三角白色, 角端生芽。二月, 七月采根
    Bletilla grow on the stone hill. It sprouts in spring and grows about a foot long. The seedlings are like Trachycarpus fortunei (Hook.) H. Wendl. and V. nigrum. The leaves are two finger-size. In summer, it blooms purple flowers and bears fruit in July. The ripe fruit is yellow-black. The leaves wither in winter. The root is like the fruit of T. natans, with three corners, white, and sprouting at the corners. The roots are dug in February and July.
    Ming
    (1368−1644 AD)
    Li ShizhenCompendium of Materia Medica一棵只抽一茎, 开花长寸许,
    红紫色, 中心如舌, 其根如菱米,
    有脐, 如凫茈之脐,
    又如扁扁螺旋纹, 性难干
    Only one stem per herb. The flower is more than one inch long, red and purple, and the center resembles a tongue. Its root is similar to the fruit of T. natans, possessing an umbilicus akin to that of Eleocharis dulcis (N. L. Burman) Trinius ex Henschel. It has spiral veins and is challenging to dry.
    −, Anonymous.
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    Figure 3.  Bletilla in Compendium of Materia Medica.

    Generally, ancient Chinese medical texts did not make clear distinctions between different Bletilla species. They collectively referred to plants with similar morphological traits as 'baige', 'baigen', 'baiji', 'gangen', 'lianjicao', or 'ruolan'. However, through textual analysis, it has been established that the descriptions of Bletilla in ancient texts before the Ming Dynasty largely align with Bletilla striata in terms of plant height, pseudo-bulb shape, leaf morphology, flower and fruit colors, and other characteristics. While the Bletilla portrayed in attached images may not precisely match B. striata in terms of morphology, considering the textual descriptions, it generally corresponds with B. striata. In writings from the Ming Dynasty and later periods, more specific descriptions of Bletilla emerged, encompassing details about its vascular arrangement, inflorescence, and flower structure, which consistently align with B. striata. Consequently, researchers have corroborated that the original plant of Bletilla described in ancient texts is Bletilla striata[24,33].

    According to the ancient Chinese medicinal books, Bletilla was used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including coughing, bruising, and bleeding, but their most mentioned use in ancient Chinese texts is for skin whitening and freckle removal[25]. Since ancient times, Bletilla species have been used consistently for skin care and whitening, and there are many well-known skincare products related to Bletilla. These Chinese formulae with Bletilla are similar to modern facial masks, face creams, facial cleanser, hand creams and other skin care products[26].

    For example, a prescription for 'facial fat (面脂)' in Medical Secrets from the Royal Library (752 AD) is made by boiling Bletilla with other traditional ingredients, and is applied to the face, resulting in skin whitening, freckle and wrinkle removal[27]. The 'Angelica dahurica cream (白芷膏)' in the General Medical Collection of Royal Benevolence (1111−1125 AD) is reputed to whiten facial skin through a seven-day treatment regiment, and contains Bletilla as the main botanical ingredient along with Angelica dahurica[28]. Jingyue Quanshu (1563-1640 AD) also contains a prescription called 'Yurong powder (玉容散)' for facial skin care. 'Yurong powder' is made of a fine powder of Bletilla, Nardostachys jatamansi (D. Don) DC., Anthoxanthum nitens (Weber) Y. Schouten & Veldkamp and other herbs[29]. Washing the face with Yurong powder in the morning and evening every day is said to make a person's face white without blemishes (Fig. 4)[29].

    Figure 4.  Yurong powder made of Bletilla and other traditional Chinese medicines in Jingyue Quanshu.

    In addition, in ancient Chinese medicine texts, Bletilla is also a well-known medicine for treating hematemesis, hemoptysis and bruises[23]. According to Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica (25−220), grinding the white fungus into fine powder and taking it after mixing with rice soup can be effective for treating lung damage and hematemesis[30]. Among the Prescriptions for Universal Relief (1406), 18 traditional Chinese medicines, such as Bletilla, are used to make 'snake with raw meat cream', which is said to be useful to treat carbuncles and incised wounds[31]. There is also a record of Bletilla powder treating lung heat and hematemesis in the Collected Statements on the Herbal Foundation (1624)[32].

    In ancient Chinese medicinal texts, most Bletilla are said to be useful for lung injury and hemoptysis, epistaxis, metal-inflicted wounds, carbuncles, burns, chapped hands and feet, whitening and especially for skin care. In the ancient medicinal texts, Bletilla is used alone or mixed with other traditional Chinese medicines. It is usually used in the form of a powder. The various medicinal effects of Bletilla described in these ancient texts suggest the great potential of this genus in clinical application, especially in the market of skin care products and cosmetics.

    As a skin care herb praised by ancient medical classics, 11 ethnic minorities in China, such as Bai, Dai, De'ang, Jingpo, Lisu, Miao, Mongolian, Mulao, Tu, Wa, and Yi still retain the traditional habit of using Bletilla for skin care in their daily life (Table 3). In addition to B. striata, B. formosana and B. ochracea are also used as substitutes. Although Chinese ethnic groups have different names for Bletilla spp., the skin care methods are basically the same. Dry Bletilla tubers are ground into a powder and applied to the skin[34], and this usage is also confirmed by the records in ancient medical texts[23, 24]. The various local names of Bletilla by different ethnic groups also indirectly suggests which ethnic groups play an important role in the traditional use. For example, Bai people called B. striata baijier (白鸡儿), goubaiyou (狗白尤), and yangjiaoqi (羊角七) (Table 3).

    Table 3.  The traditional medicinal knowledge of Bletilla in ethnic communities, China.
    Ethnic groupLatin nameLocal nameUsed partUse methodMedicinal effect
    AchangBletilla striata (Thunb. ex Murray) Rchb. F.BaijiTuberAfter the roots are dried, chew them orally or grind them into powder for external applicationTuberculosis, hemoptysis, bleeding from gastric ulcer, burns and scalds
    BaiBaijier, Goubaiyou, YangjiaoqiTuberTreatment of tuberculosis hemoptysis, bronchiectasis hemoptysis, gastric ulcer hemoptysis, hematochezia, skin cracking
    DaiYahejieTuberUsed for tuberculosis, tracheitis, traumatic injury, and detumescence
    De'angBageraoTuberTuberculosis, hemoptysis, bleeding from gastric ulcer, burns and scalds
    DongShaque, SanjueTuberTreat hematemesis and hemoptysis
    JingpoLahoiban, PusehzuotuberFor tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, hemoptysis, gastric ulcer, hematemesis, hematuria, hematochezia, traumatic bleeding, burns, impotence
    MengMoheeryichagan, NixingTuberFor tuberculosis hemoptysis, ulcer bleeding, traumatic bleeding, chapped hands, and feet
    MiaoBigou, Wujiu, SigouTuberUsed for hemoptysis of tuberculosis, bleeding of ulcer disease, traumatic bleeding, chapped hands, and feet
    MolaoDajiebaTuberTreat internal and external injuries caused by falls
    TibetanSanchabaijiTuberFresh chopped and soaked with honey; Powdered after sun-dried, then taken with honey and waterMainly used to treat cough, asthma, bronchitis, lung disease and a few gynecological diseases
    TuRuokeyeTuberAfter the roots are dried, chew them orally or grind them into powder for external applicationTreatment of tuberculosis, hemoptysis, bloody stool, chapped skin
    WaBaijiTuberAfter the roots are dried, chew them orally or grind them into powder for external applicationFor tuberculosis, hemoptysis, gastrointestinal bleeding, scald and burn
    YaoBiegeidaiTuberTreat gastric ulcer, pulmonary tuberculosis, cough, hemoptysis, and hematemesis
    YiDaibaij, Tanimobbaili, Niesunuoqi, AtuluoboTuberTreatment of tuberculosis, hemoptysis, golden wound bleeding, burns, chapped hands and feet
    ZhuangManggounuTuberTreat stomachache and hemoptysis
    BaiBletilla formosana (Hayata) Schltr.Baijier, YangjiaoqiTuberAfter the roots are dried, chew them orally or grind them into powder for external applicationIt is used for emesis, hemoptysis due to tuberculosis, and hemoptysis due to gastric ulcer. External application for treatment of incised wound
    MiaoLianwuTuberThe effect is the same as that of B. striata
    LisuHaibiqiuTuberIt can treat tuberculosis, hemoptysis, epistaxis, golden sore bleeding, carbuncle and swelling poison, scald by soup fire, chapped hands and feet
    YiNiesunuoqi, Yeruomaoranruo, Atuluobo, Ribumama, Atuxixi, Abaheiji, Binyue, ZiyouTuberIt is used for tuberculosis, hemoptysis, traumatic injury, treatment of frostbite, burn, scald, bed-wetting of children and other diseases
    BaiBletilla ochracea Schltr.Baijier, YangjiaoqiTuberAfter the roots are dried, chew them orally or grind them into powder for external applicationFor hematemesis, epistaxis, hemoptysis due to tuberculosis, hemoptysis due to gastric ulcer; External application of golden sore and carbuncle
    MengMoheeryichagan, NixingtuberThe effect is the same as that of B. striata
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    The formation of traditional medical knowledge among Chinese people is often directly related to the specific living environment and cultural background[34]. For example, the Bai, Dai, De'ang, Jingpo, Lisu Yi, Wa and other ethnic minorities live in mountainous areas. The cold weather in winter and year-round outdoor manual work makes it difficult to maintain their skin[35, 36]. In the face of this situation, the ethnic people who are concerned about their physical appearance have long ago chosen local Bletilla species for skin care, and have handed down this tradition for many generations[34]. This important traditional skin care tradition is worthy of further in-depth study.

    The six main classes of Bletilla chemical components, phenanthrene derivatives, phenolic acids, bibenzyls, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and steroids, have been described previously. Almost three hundred compounds have been isolated from Bletilla, including 116 phenanthrene derivatives, 58 phenolic acids, 70 bibenzyls, 8 flavonoids, 24 triterpenoids and steroid and 13 other compounds (Figs 514). Chemical structures of the isolates of Bletilla species most are phenanthrene derivatives, which have been demonstrated to possess various pharmacological activities.

    The prominent opioids oxycodone, hydrocodone, naloxone, and naltrexone are all phenanthrene derivatives[37]. Currently, phenanthrene derivatives (Fig. 5, 1 to 66) were isolated from B. formosana, B. ochracea, and B. striata. In 2022, 17 phenanthrene derivatives (117) were isolated from the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extracts of B. striata tubers[38]. Then, other phenanthrene derivatives were isolated from Bletilla, such as dihydrophenanthrenes (1841), phenanthrenes (4266), biphenanthrenes (Fig. 6, 6789), dihydro/phenanthrenes with uniquestructures (90112) and phenanthraquinones (Fig. 7, 113116). Thus far, this genus has been documented to include these compounds, which have been shown to exhibit pharmacological actions[3945].

    Figure 5.  Phenanthrene derivatives from Bletilla species (1−66)[3841,4345,47,49,58,7072,7479].
    Figure 6.  Phenanthrene derivatives from Bletilla species (67−105)[41,43,49,5961,70,76,7986].
    Figure 7.  Phenanthrene derivatives from Bletilla species (106−116)[43,49,70,75,84,85,87].

    Phenolic acids are carboxylic acids created from the skeletons of either benzoic or cinnamic acids[4648]. Fifty-eight phenolic acids (Figs 810, 117 to 174) were isolated from B. formosana, B. ochracea, and B. striata.

    Figure 8.  Phenolic acids from Bletilla species (117−134)[1,5,36,4752,54,67,88,90].
    Figure 9.  Phenolic acids from Bletilla species (135−169)[39,45,4854,56,61,68,69,73,76,82,83,8994].
    Figure 10.  Phenolic acids from Bletilla species (170−174)[20,95].

    For example, compounds 121, 126, 139, 141, 148, 149, 154, 155 and 157 were isolated from the rhizomes of B. formosana[1,49,5052]. The structures of these compounds were determined, mostly from their NMR spectroscopy data. Additionally, protocatechuic (136) and vanillin (137) also have been isolated from B. striata[53]. Moreover, some bioactive components such as 2-hydroxysuccinic acid (164) and palmitic acid (165) have been discovered and identified from B. striata[20,5456].

    The bibenzyls were small-molecular substances with a wide range of sources, which were steroidal ethane derivatives and resembling the structural moiety of bioactive iso-quinoline alkaloids[57].

    For example, depending on their structural characteristics, 70 bibenzyl compounds (Fig. 11, 175 to 244) can be grouped into three groups, simple bibenzyls (175186, 233238), complex bibenzyls (189225) and chiral bibenzyls (226-232, 239-244)[5860].

    Figure 11.  Bibenzyls from Bletilla species (175-244)[1,4042,47,49,50,5860,70,73,76,9699].

    Flavonoids are among the most common plant pigments. Eight bibenzyls (Fig. 12, 245 to 252) have been isolated from B. formosana, B. ochracea, and B. striata. Apigenin (245) and 8-C-p-hydoxybenzylkaempferol (249) were isolated from the whole plant of B. formosana[45]. Bletillanol A (250), bletillanol B (251) and tupichinol A (252) were isolated from B. striata[61]. The names and chemical structures of the flavonoids reported from Bletilla are shown below (Fig. 12).

    Figure 12.  Flavonoids from Bletilla species (245–252)[45,61].

    Twenty-four triterpenoids and steroids (Fig. 13, 253 to 276) have been reported from Bletilla (Fig. 13), such as, tetracyclic triterpenes (253259) and pentacyclic triterpenes (189225) and chiral bibenzyls (260)[6264]. Steroids (261276) isolated from the Bletilla and have shown some bioactivity. For example, bletilnoside A (272) was isolated from Bletilla species and displayed anti-tumor activity[65,66].

    Figure 13.  Triterpenoids and steroid compounds from Bletilla species (253-276)[56,6265].

    Thirteen other compounds (Fig. 14, 277 to 289) were isolated from B. formosana, B. ochracea, and B. striata. These compounds included amino acids, indoles and anthraquinones[67,68]. For example, syringaresinol (285) and pinoresinol (286) have been described in the methanol extract of the tubers of B. striata[61].

    Figure 14.  Others compounds from Bletilla species (277−289)[50,54,61,62,67,68,94,97].

    Based on the information about the chemical constituents of Bletilla species, it appears that there is a substantial body of research on these compounds. However, there are some areas that may warrant further investigation and research. At first, it would be valuable to investigate potential synergistic effects and interactions between the different classes of compounds within Bletilla species, as some of the compounds may work together. Besides, it is worth considering the improvement of compound yield. Optimizing extraction methods and finding the most efficient and environmentally friendly techniques are vital for both research purposes and potential commercial applications. It is also important to take into account the variability in chemical composition among different Bletilla species and even within the same species from different cultivars.

    The rich and varied chemical components make the plants of Bletilla have a wide variety of pharmacological activities (Table 4). Many studies have shown that the plants of this genus have anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, antiviral, antioxidant, hemostatic, antibacterial, and other biological activities, which help to support the traditional medicinal practice of Bletilla in folk medicine.

    Table 4.  Summary of the pharmacological activities of Bletilla species.
    Pharmacological activityTested substance/partTested system/organ/cellTested dose/dosing methodResultsRefs.
    Anti-inflammatoryEthanol extract of Bletilla striataRAW264.7 cells RAW264.7 cells were pre-treated with ethanol extract of B. striata for 1 h and then stimulated with LPS (200 ng/mL) for 12 h, 0.05% DMSO was applied as the parallel solvent control. The culture supernatant was collected for IL-6 and TNF-α detection.Ethanol extract of B striata significantly inhibited LPS-induced interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression at 2.5 µg/mL.[41]
    The ethyl acetate-soluble (EtOAc) extract of tubers of B. striataH2O2-induced PC12 cell injury modelPC12 cells were seeded in 96-well multiplates at a density of 1.5 × 105 cells/mL. After overnight incubation at 37 °C with 5% CO2, 10 μM test samples and H2O2 (final concentration of 450 μM) were added into the wells and incubated for another 12 h.It protected the cells with the cell viabilities of 57.86 ± 2.08%, 64.82 ± 2.84%, and
    64.11 ± 2.52%.
    [98]
    Ethanol extract of tubers of B. striataRAW264.7 cellsCells were treated with ethanol extracts (25 μM) dissolved in DMSO, in the presence of
    1 μg/mL lipopolysacchride
    (LPS) for 18 h
    The anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 of 2.86 ± 0.17 μM.[54]
    PE extract of the tubers of B. striataLPS-stimulated BV2 cellsCells treated with extract
    (0, 1, 10, 30, 100 μg/mL) and dihydropinosylvi (0, 1, 10, 30, 100 μM) in presence of LPS
    (1 μg/mL)
    The anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 values of 96.0 μM.[96]
    Ethanol extract of the roots of B. striataCox-1 and Cox-2Treated with the ethanol extracts at various concentrations
    (0, 1, 10, 100 μM)
    The compounds with sugar moieties displayed selective inhibition of Cox-2 (N90%).[38]
    B. striata polysaccharide (BSPb)Human mesangial cells (HMCs)HMCs were pre-treated with BSPb (5, 10, 20 μg/mL)BSPb efficiently mediated expression of NOX4 and TLR2, to attenuate generation of ROS and inflammatory cytokines.[12]
    Compounds extracted from the rhizomes of Bletilla ochraceaRAW264.7 cellsAfter 24 h preincubation,
    cells were treated with serial dilutions in the presence of
    1 μg/mL LPS for 18 h. Each compound was dissolved in DMSO and further diluted in medium to produce different concentrations. NO production in the supernatant was assessed by adding 100 μL of Griess regents.
    It showed the inhibitory effects with IC50 values in the range of 15.29–24.02 μM.[76]
    Compounds extracted from the rhizomes of B. ochraceaMurine monocytic RAW264.7 cellsAfter 24 h preinubation, RAW 264.7 cells were treated with compounds (25 μM) dissolved in DMSO, in the prenence of
    1 μg/mL LPS for 18 h. NO production in each well was assessed by adding 100 μL of Giress regent
    It showed the inhibitory effects with IC50 2.86 ± 0.17 μM.[86]
    Compounds extracted from the rhizomes of Bletilla formosanaElastase Release AssaysNeutrophils (6 × 105 cells/mL) were equilibrated in MeO-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-p-nitroanilide (100 μM) at 37 °C for 2 min and then incubated with a test compound or an equal volume of vehicle (0.1% DMSO, negative control) for 5 min.Most of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities. The results showed that IC50 values for the inhibition of superoxide anion generation and elastase release ranged from 0.2 to 6.5 μM and 0.3 to 5.7 μM, respectively.[49]
    Anti-tumorTwo compounds from Bletilla striataA549 cellsCompounds were tested for their ability to induce ROS generation in A549 cells at concentrations of 20 two compounds for 24 h, the cells were harvested to evaluate the ROS production.The two compounds exhibited antiproliferative effects using the MTT test; these effects may be due to cell cycle arrest and inducing ROS generation.[87]
    Stilbenoids from B. striataBCRP-transduced K562 (K562/BCRP) cellsIt showed antimitotic activity and inhibited the polymerization of tubulin at IC50 10 μM.[78]
    Compounds extracted from the rhizomes of B. ochraceaThe human tumor cell lines HL-60 (acute leukemia), SMMC-7721 (hepatic cancer), A-549 (lung cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), and SW480 (colon cancer)100 μL of adherent cells were seeded into each well of 96-well cell culture plates. After 12 h of incubation at 37 °C, the test compound was added. After incubated for 48 h, cells were subjected to the MTS assay.All isolated metabolites except 7 were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines (HL-60, SMMC7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW480).[76]
    AntiviralThe tuber of B. striataMadin-Darby canine kidney model and embryonated eggs modelAs simultaneous treatment with 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) ranging from 14.6 ± 2.4 to 43.3 ± 5.3 μM.Phenanthrenes from B. striata had strong anti-influenza viral activity in both embryonated eggs and MDCK models.[107]
    The 95% ethanol
    Extract of B. striata
    BALB/C miceIt has significant anti-influenza
    virus effect in mice, which may be related to the increase of IL-2, INFα, INF-β and thus enhance the immune function of mice.
    [12]
    AntioxidantCompounds extracted from the rhizomes of B. formosanaDPPH radical-scavenging assaySolutions containing 160 μL of various concentrations of sample extract, 160 μL of various concentrations of BHA, 160 μL of various concentrations of ascorbic acid, and the control (160 μL of 75% methanol) were mixed separately with 40 μL of 0.8 mM DPPH dissolved in 75% methanol. Each mixture was shaken vigorously and left to stand for 30 min at room temperature in the dark.Tthe seedlings grown by tissue culture of B. formosan collected in Yilan County had the best antioxidant capacity. In addition, B. formosana collected in Taitung County had the best scavenging capacity in the tubers, leaves and roots.[93]
    Fibrous roots of B. striataDPPH model and superoxide anion systemThe ABTS+ solution was prepared by reacting 7 Mm ABTS with 2.45 mM potassium persulfate (final concentrations both dissolved in phosphate buffer, 0.2 M, pH 7.4) at room temperature for 12–16 h in the dark.It removed free radicals and inhibit tyrosinase activity.[33]
    B. striata extracts (BM60)The murine macrophage cells NR8383, male SD mice (180~200 g)NR8383 were pretreated with extracts (1, 10 and 100 g/mL) for 4 h and then 65 stimulated with 1 g/mL of LPS for 24 h. Acute lung injury was induced in mice by nonhexposure intratracheal instillation of LPS (3.0 mg/kg). Administration of the BM60 extract of 35, 70, and 140 mg/kg (L, M, H) was performed by oral gavages.The BM60 treatment reduced the production of NO in NR8383 macrophages. Treatments with BM60 at the doses of 35, 70, 140 mg/kg significantly reduced macrophages and
    neutrophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).
    [12]
    The crude
    polysaccharides obtained from B. striata
    DPPH free radical scavenging activityConcentration
    range of 2.5–5.0 mg/mL
    The IC50 of BSPs-H was 6.532 mg/mL.[35]
    HemostasisB. striata polysaccharide (BSP)Diabetes mellitus (DM) mouse models were induced by high fat-diet feeding combined with low-dose streptozocin injectionDM mouse models were induced by high fat-diet feeding combined with low-dose streptozocin injection. The BSP solutions were applied on the surface of each wound at a volume of 50 μl. RD mice were assigned as normal controls and received saline treatment (n = 6). All mice were treated with vehicle or BSP once daily from the day of wounding (d0) until 12 days later (d12).BSP administration accelerated diabetic wound healing, suppressed macrophage infiltration, promoted angiogenesis, suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation, decreased IL-1β secretion, and improved insulin sensitivity in wound tissues in DM mice.[112]
    B. striata Micron Particles (BSMPs)Tail amputation model and healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats
    (250 ± 20 g, 7 weeks of
    age)
    Rats were divided into six groups of five treated with cotton gauze and BSMPs (350–250, 250–180, 180–125, 125–75, and < 75 μm), respectively.Compared to other BSMPs of different size ranges, BSMPs of 350–250 μm are most efficient in hemostasis. As powder sizes decrease, the degree of aggregation between particles and hemostatic BSMP effects declines.[109]
    Rhizoma Bletillae polysaccharide (RBp)Adult male SD rats weighing 220 ± 20 gAfter incubation for 1 min at 37 °C, 300 μL of PRP was dealt with different concentrations of RBp (50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/L) under continuous stirring, and the vehicle was used as the blank control.RBp significantly enhanced the platelet aggregations at concentrations of 50−200 mg/L in a concentration-dependent manner.[113]
    AntibacterialBibenzyl derivatives from the tubers of Bletilla striataS. aureus ATCC 43300, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051, S. aureus ATCC 6538 and Escherichia coli ATCC 11775Using a microbroth dilution method, bacteria were seeded at
    1 × 106 cells per well (200 μL) in a
    96-well plate containing Mueller-Hinton broth with different concentrations (from 1 to 420 μg/mL, 300 μg/mL and so on;
    2-fold increments) of each test compound.
    It showed inhibitory activities with MIC of (3–28 μg/mL) against S. aureus ATCC6538[116]
    The crude extract of B. striataS. album, A. capillaris, C. cassiaThey were seeded at 1 × 106 cells per well (200 μL) in a 96-well plate containing Mueller−Hinton broth (meat extracts 0.2%, acid digest of casein 1.75%, starch 0.15%) with different concentrations (from 1 to 128 μg/mL; 2-fold increments) of each test compound.It showed S. album (0.10%), A. capillaris (0.10%), and C. cassia (0.10%) to have the strongest antibacterial properties.[118]
    The ethyl acetate-soluble (EtOAc) extract of tubers of B. striataS. aureus ATCC 43300, S. aureus ATCC 6538, and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051) and Escherichia coli ATCC 11775)Bacteria were seeded at 1 × 106 cells per well (200 μL) in a 96-well plate containing Mueller Hinton broth with different concentrations (from 1 to 420 μg/ml; 2-fold increments) of each test compound.The extract was effective against three Gram-positive bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 52–105 μg/ml.[98]
    The phenanthrene fraction (EF60) from the ethanol extract of fibrous roots of Bletilla striata pseudobulbsS. aureus ATCC 25923, S. aureus ATCC 29213, S. aureus ATCC 43300, E. coli ATCC 35218, and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Bacillus subtilis 168EF60 was active against all tested strains of Staphylococcus aureus, including clinical isolates and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of EF60 against these pathogens ranged from 8 to 64 μg/mL.EF60 could completely kill S. aureus ATCC 29213 at 2× the MIC within 3 h but could kill less than two logarithmic units of ATCC 43300, even at 4× the MIC within 24 h. The postantibiotic effects (PAE) of EF60 (4× MIC) against strains 29213 and 43300 were 2.0 and 0.38 h, respectively.[117]
    Anti-adhesiveBletilla striata extraction solutionPPA was induced by cecal wall abrasion, and Bletilla striata was injected to observe its efect on adhesion in ratsThe rats in the sham operation group was not treated; the other rats of the three experimental groups were intraperitoneally injected with 8 ml of phosphate-buffered saline (Control group), 15% Bletilla striata extraction solution (BS group), and 0.2% hyaluronic acid solution (HA group), respectively.Bletilla striata decreased the development of abdominal adhesion in abrasion-induced model of rats and reduced the expression of the important substance which increased in PPAs.[120]
    ImmunomodulatoryB. striata polysaccharide (BSPF2)Mouse spleen cellsTo observe the immune activity of BSPF2, mouse spleen cells were stimulated with BSPF2 at 10–100 g/mL for 72 h.Immunological assay results demonstrated that BSPF2 significantly induced the spleen cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner.[121]
    Anti-pulmonary fibrosisB. striata polysaccharideClean grade male SD ratsSD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, sham operation group (equal volume of normal saline), model group (equal volume of normal saline), tetrandrine positive control (24 mg/kg) group and white and Polysaccharide low
    (100 mg/kg) and high (400 mg/kg) dose groups.
    The Bletilla striata polysaccharide has remarkable regulation effect on anti-oxidation system and immune system, but cannot effectively prevent lung fibrosis.[127]
    Small molecule components of Bletilla striataClean grade male SD ratsSD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, sham operation group (0.5 mL normal saline), model group (0.5 mL normal saline), and positive control group (tetrandrine 24 mg/kg) and low (20 mg/kg) and high (40 mg/kg) dosage groups of the small molecule pharmacological components of Bletilla, which were administered by gavage once a day for 2 consecutive months.The small molecule components of Bletilla striata can effectively prevent lung fibrosis though regulating the anti-oxidation system,immune system and cytokine level; SMCBS is one of the active components of Bletilla striata on silicosis therapy[124]
    —, not given.
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    Many phytochemicals have been well characterized to lessen swelling or inflammation[89]. A series of phenolic acid and polysaccharide compounds isolated from Bletilla demonstrated anti-inflammatory bioactivity against BV-2 microglial, RAW 264.7, and PC12 cells[96,100102]. For example, phochinenin K (106) exhibited growth inhibitory effects with an IC50 of 1.9 μM, and it is a possible candidate for development as neuroinflammation inhibitory agent[43]. Using the H2O2-induced PC12 cell injury model, (7S)-bletstrin E (242), (7R)-bletstrin F (243) and (7S)-bletstrin F (244) could clearly protect the cells with the cell viabilities of 57.86% ± 2.08%, 64.82% ± 2.84%, and 64.11% ± 2.52%, respectively[98]. With an IC50 of 2.86 ± 0.17 μM, 2,7-dihydroxy-4-methoxyphenanthrene (53) showed potential action against NO generation in RAW 264.7 macrophages[54]. The use of Bletilla in traditional skin care, it is said to function as an astringent, hemostatic and wound healing[33]. Modern medical pharmacology research has validated that this plant has antibacterial effects, which may may help to explain, in part, its traditional use in skin care[24].

    Though it's mentioned that some of these compounds from Bletilla have demonstrated anti-inflammatory action, more extensive studies are needed to fully understand their mechanisms of action, potential therapeutic applications, and safety profiles. Conducting in vivo studies and clinical trials can provide more concrete evidence of their effectiveness.

    There are important antineoplastic agents that have originated from plant natural products[103]. In recent years, several bibenzyl and flavonoid compounds have been discovered from Bletilla that have antineoplastic activity against A549 cells and other cells. For example, 7-hydroxy-2-methoxy-phenanthrene-3,4-dione (160) and 3′,7′,7-trihydroxy-2,2′,4′-trimethoxy-[1,8′-biphenanthrene]-3,4-dione (163) have shown strong antiproliferative effects and induced ROS production after 24 h in A549 cells[87]. The doxorubicin (Dox)/FA (folate)-BSP-SA (stearic acid) modified Bletilla striata polysaccharide micelles boosted the drug enrichment in tumors and improved the in vivo anticancer effects[104,105]. Micelles, nanoparticles, microspheres, and microneedles are examples of B. striata polysaccharide-based drug delivery systems that exhibit both drug delivery and anti-cancer functionality. These experiments confirmed that some of the compounds isolated from the Bletilla have potential activity for the treatment of cancer.

    However, most of the evidence presented in the previous studies is based on in vitro experiments or cell culture studies. It is highly necessary to use animal models to study the in vivo anti-tumor effects of Bletilla extracts or compounds. These studies can help evaluate the safety and effectiveness of treatments based on Bletilla. Additionally, through such methods, researchers can further investigate the mechanisms of Bletilla's anti-tumor activities, exploring how Bletilla compounds interact with cancer cells, immune responses, and signaling pathways involved in tumor growth and metastasis.

    Antiviral medications are essential for preventing the spread of illness, and are especially important nowadays with pandemics and drug-resistant viral strains[5, 6]. Therefore, it is vitally necessary to find novel, safe, and effective antiviral medications to treat or prevent viral infections[106]. B. striata plant contains compounds that have been recorded in ancient texts to cure cough, pneumonia, and skin rashes, and these may be related to potential antiviral constituents[23]. Some constituents of B. striata have antiviral activity, for example, phenanthrenes and diphenanthrenes from B. striata displayed potent anti-influenza viral in a Madin-Darby canine kidney model and embryonated eggs model, diphenanthrenes with parentally higher inhibitory activity than monophenanthrenes[107]. But more research is needed to further determine the antiviral activity of Bletilla, understand how Bletilla compounds interact with viral proteins or the host immune response, and conduct safety and toxicity studies, which are crucial for the development of related materials.

    Free radicals have the potential to exacerbate lipid peroxidation and harm cell membranes, which can lead to several prevalent human diseases, including cancer, cataracts, and coronary heart disease[108]. Research has shown that extracts from Bletilla possess strong antioxidant activity. However, this antioxidant activity can vary depending on the different growing environments of the plant. Additionally, the antioxidant capabilities of extracts from different parts of the Bletilla plant also vary[93]. Clinical studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine formulas containing Bletilla can inhibit tyrosinase activity and possess antioxidant properties, thus resulting in skin-whitening effects[108]. Furthermore, some research reveals that the polysaccharides in the plant exhibit significant antioxidant activity, effectively scavenging free radicals and inhibiting tyrosinase activity[33]. This highlights the skin-whitening potential of the fibrous root of Bletilla striata, indicating promising prospects for the comprehensive utilization of the B. striata plant[33]. However, most studies on the pharmacological activities of Bletilla have focused solely on B. striata, neglecting other species within the genus. Different species may possess varying phytochemical compositions and antioxidant properties, which can lead to an incomplete understanding of the genus as a whole.

    Available hemostatic agents are expensive or raise safety concerns, and B. striata may serve as an inexpensive, natural, and promising alternative[109]. Polysaccharides of B. striata displayed hemostatic activity through inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome[110112]. The ADP receptor signaling pathways of P2Y1, P2Y12, and PKC receptors may be activated as part of the hemostasis[113]. Alkaloids from Bletilla have hemostatic activities through platelet deformation, aggregation, and secretion. In addition, polysaccharides of Bletilla striata have potential wound-healing medicinal value[110]. Currently, Bletilla plants have been used in various traditional systems, such as traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, to control bleeding.

    Previous studies revealed that Bletilla displayed antibacterial effects[114]. For example, bletistrin F, showed inhibitory activities with MIC of (3–28 μg/mL) against S. aureus ATCC 6538[115,116]. Antimicrobial screening of Bletilla showed S. album (0.10%), A. capillaris (0.10%), and C. cassia (0.10%) to have the strongest antibacterial properties[117,118]. In addition, phenanthrenes are worthy of further investigation as a potential phytotherapeutic agent for treating infections caused by S. aureus and MRSA[119]. However, further in vivo studies on the antibacterial activity of Bletilla are lacking, which is needed for clinical application. For example, the specific mechanism of antibacterial activity of Bletilla still needs to be elucidated. While research on the antibacterial activity of Bletilla plants is promising, it faces several shortcomings and challenges that need to be addressed for a more comprehensive understanding of their potential therapeutic applications. Further studies with standardized methodologies, mechanistic insights, clinical trials, and consideration of ecological and safety concerns are essential to advance this field.

    There are other pharmacological activities of Bletilla, like anti-fibrosis activity, anti-adhesive activity, and immunomodulatory activity. For example, B. striata has been studied as a new and cheaper antiadhesive substance which decreased the development of abdominal adhesion abrasion-induced model in rats[120]. However, the natural resources of Bletilla are also getting scarcer. To preserve the sustainable development of Bletilla species, proper farming practices are required, along with the protection and economical use of these resources. The immunomodulatory activity of the Bletilla species was assessed using the 3H-thymidine incorporation method test, and BSP-2 increased the pinocytic capacity and NO generation, which improved the immunomodulatory function[121,122].

    B. striata extract was shown to have anti-pulmonary fibrosis effect[123]. B. striata polysaccharide can successfully prevent lung fibrosis through established by invasive intratracheal instillation method and evaluated by lung indexes[123,124]. Moreover, Bletilla species need further investigations to evaluate their long-term in vivo and in vitro activity before proceeding to the development of pharmaceutical formulation.

    While there is currently a deep understanding of the pharmacological activity of plants in the Bletilla genus, there are still many gaps that need to be addressed. To overcome these shortcomings, future research on the pharmacological activity of Bletilla species should emphasize comprehensive, well-designed studies with a focus on species-specific effects, mechanistic insights, and rigorous clinical trials. Additionally, collaboration among researchers, standardization of methods, and transparent reporting of results can help advance our understanding of the therapeutic potential of Bletilla plants. Researchers should also consider safety aspects and explore potential herb-drug interactions to ensure the responsible use of Bletilla-based therapies.

    There are several common clinical applications of Bletilla striata in TCM. The gum of B. striata has unique viscosity characteristics and can be used as thickener, lubricant, emulsifier and moisturizer in the petroleum, food, medicine, and cosmetics industries[125130]. B. striata is used as a coupling agent, plasma substitute, preparation adjuvant, food preservative and daily chemical raw material[131133]. In clinical practice, B. striata glue has also been proven to control the infections and is beneficial to the healing of burns and wounds[133135].

    In ethnic communities in Southwest China, the locals chew fresh Bletilla tubers directly or take them orally after soaking in honey to treat cough, pneumonia and other diseases[33, 34]. This traditional use is common in local communities in Southwest China, and suggests at the safety of Bletilla. However, current research shows it is still necessary to control the dosage when using Bletilla[136].

    Zebrafish embryos and larvae respond to most drugs in a manner similar to humans[137]. Militarine, the main active ingredient of Bletilla, was tested in a zebrafish embryo development assay at concentrations of 0.025 g/L and 0.05 g/L, and with the increased concentration, the heart rate of zebrafish embryos is slowed. Mortality and malformation rates of zebrafish embryos gradually increased with time and militarine concentration[138]. Although Bletilla species are safe at therapeutic dose ranges, further research on their safety is required[136]. More in-depth studies should be carried out on Bletilla to extract effective ingredients and make better preparations for clinical use[139].

    According to the traditional medicinal knowledge in ancient Chinese texts, Bletilla has been an important ingredient for skin care since ancient times. Many ethnic minority groups in China still retain the practice of using Bletilla for skin care, and the plant parts and preparation methods of use are consistent with the records in ancient texts. Almost 300 phytochemicals have been identified from Bletilla, and some of them possess important pharmacological activities, which support its traditional uses and suggest the important medicinal development potential of this genus. This review has demonstrated that Bletilla, as an important medicinal plant of Orchidaceae, still requires further research to fathom its medicinal potential.

    For instance, it is necessary to enhance the quality control procedures based on the chemical components and pharmacological activity of Bletilla. The chemical composition and pharmacological properties of Bletilla are critical areas of current research. According to previous studies, the main bioactive components of Bletilla can vary greatly according to its origin, harvest time, distribution, storage, and adulteration. However, variation in bioactivities caused by the differences in Bletilla constituentshave not been explored extensively yet. To develop clinical applications of Bletilla, it is crucial to further explore the mechanism of action between its chemical composition variation and its pharmacological actions.

    In addition, although the tuber has historically been the main medicinal part of Bletilla, research has shown that the chemical composition in other parts of Bletilla, such as stems, leaves, and flowers, also give these parts a variety of pharmacological activities. Further in-depth analysis of the chemical components and pharmacological activities of different parts of this genus is worthwhile, to explore the specific chemical basis of its pharmacological activities, develop related drugs, and promote clinical applications. For example, Bletilla polysaccharide has good hemostasis and astringent wound effects[110], so it may have the potential to be developed into a drug or related medical materials to stop bleeding and heal wounds.

    Finally, as a cautionary note, many unrestrained collections and the destruction of habitats have made the resources of wild Bletilla rarer. In addition to protecting the wild populations of Bletilla, appropriate breeding techniques should be adopted to meet the commercial needs of this economically important genus, thereby allowing its sustainable use in commerce.

    The authors confirm contribution to the paper as follows: study conception and design, funding acquirement: Long C; data analysis, draft manuscript preparation, literature review: Fan Y, Zhao J; manuscript revise and language editing: Wang M, Kennelly EJ, Long C. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

    The raw data supporting the conclusion of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation, to any qualified researcher. Requests to access these datasets should be directed to Yanxiao Fan (fanyanxiao0510@163.com).

    This research was funded by the Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Talent and Platform Plan (202305AF150121), Assessment of Edible & Medicinal Plant Diversity and Associated Traditional Knowledge in Gaoligong Mountains (GBP-2022-01), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32370407, 31761143001 & 31870316), China Scholarship Council (202206390021), and the Minzu University of China (2020MDJC03, 2022ZDPY10 & 2023GJAQ09).

  • The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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  • Cite this article

    Wan Z, Fei T, Wang T. 2022. Mayonnaise formulated with novel egg yolk ingredients has enhanced thermal and rheological properties. Food Materials Research 2:11 doi: 10.48130/FMR-2022-0011
    Wan Z, Fei T, Wang T. 2022. Mayonnaise formulated with novel egg yolk ingredients has enhanced thermal and rheological properties. Food Materials Research 2:11 doi: 10.48130/FMR-2022-0011

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Mayonnaise formulated with novel egg yolk ingredients has enhanced thermal and rheological properties

Food Materials Research  2 Article number: 11  (2022)  |  Cite this article

Abstract: Egg yolk is a good emulsifier used in many food applications and is required for mayonnaise. This study aimed to evaluate the function of fractionated yolk as co-products of obtaining IgY, the plasma fraction which is rich in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and granules consisting of mainly high-density lipoprotein (HDL), in preparation of mayonnaise. Particularly, a novel modification was performed to remove the divalent ions, i.e., calcium, in the granular fraction that forms phosphocalcic bridges that hold the HDL particles together, and are responsible for the low solubility and functionality. The removal of 55% calcium (of the total ion) increased the solubility of de-calcium granules (DC-Gran) under acidic conditions of pH 4.0, 42.9% compared to 4.2% of the untreated Gran. The mayonnaise made with the LDL-based products and DC-Gran had a high heat stability (greater than 90%) and small oil droplet sizes of 4.59 and 5.02 μm. Higher interaction strength, firmness, and low polydispersity index (PDI) were obtained in mayonnaise prepared by DC-Gran compared to the Gran counterpart. This is the first report of using such modified granular fraction to produce mayonnaise, with improved functionality and demonstrating the high-value application of yolk fractionation co-products.

    • Mayonnaise is a good example of oil-in-water emulsions with a semi-solid structure emulsified by egg yolk. Egg yolk plays a critical role in mayonnaise with an oil volume fraction greater than 0.74[13]. The combination of yolk lipoproteins and phospholipids contributes to the formation and stabilization of mayonnaise[4]. Because of the health concerns of increased cholesterol, many attempts have been made to develop low-cholesterol or cholesterol-free sauces with similar characteristics to 'real' mayonnaise, such as use of wheat gluten[1], apple pomace particles[5], and gums[6] as replacements for the egg yolk. Besides the use of non-egg ingredients, the granular fraction of yolk with enhanced solubility and functionality might provide a possible solution to enable the production of mayonnaise with increased protein and reduced cholesterol content.

      Egg yolk plasma, rich in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and granular fraction, rich in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), are produced as co-products during the isolation of the yolk immunoglobulins, IgY. Creating high value applications for these co-products are needed. The plasma and granular fractions have been shown to have emulsifying properties and could be potentially used in food applications such as mayonnaise[7]. The granules contribute to about 22% of yolk dry matter with about 50% of yolk proteins and 7% of yolk lipids, whereas plasma represents about 78% of the dry matter accounting for about 50% of yolk proteins and 90% of yolk lipids[4]. When isolating IgY, the insoluble fraction of egg granules (70% HDL, 16% phosvitin and 12% LDL) is removed by centrifugation, while plasma (85% LDL and 15% livetins) is further separated into water-soluble livetins which contains IgY and the insoluble polysaccharide-LDL complex[8]. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), a common polysaccharide used as a food stabilizer, could be used for LDL removal by forming a unique LDL product, i.e., LDL-CMC fat pad that floats on top after centrifugation[9]. This unique LDL product may have an improved emulsifying property due to the presence of CMC compared to LDL alone, and can be used as an emulsifying agent. However, the emulsification property of LDL-CMC complex in mayonnaise has not been examined. This research intends to address this knowledge gap. In addition, a reduced fat LDL-CMC was examined in this study to evaluate the effect of defatting on its emulsifying property when preparing mayonnaise.

      Due to its low solubility and aggregated structure, the egg granular fraction had shown greater challenges in its use in food emulsions[10]. Hence, conditions and novel methods for effectively solubilizing the granular fraction are of interest for this investigation. Phosphocalcic bridges are known to account for the poor solubility of granules. Breakage of the phosphocalcic bridge via calcium removal may help increase the solubility of the granular fraction leading to an enhanced emulsifying property[11]. To the best of our knowledge, such a novel concept of a de-calcium granular product and its application as an emulsifier have not been reported in the literature.

      In this study, egg yolk was fractionated to obtain plasma and granules followed by modifications to produce two unique products, LDL-CMC and de-calcium granular fraction (DC-Gran). These products were used to prepare mayonnaise, and the effect of the CMC and de-calcium treatment on the emulsifying properties of the granules was evaluated by characterizing the properties of mayonnaise. Textural and rheological properties, heat stability, and oil droplet size were assessed and compared to the mayonnaise control made with fresh yolk. We hypothesized that modified granules with enhanced solubility would lead to a mayonnaise with improved emulsion characteristics. We also hypothesized the presence of CMC would result in further enhanced emulsion stability of mayonnaise.

    • Figure 1 demonstrates a general schematic for fractionating egg yolk into different products. To remove excess egg white, the yolk was carefully separated from the white and rolled on a paper towel. The yolk membrane was then pierced, and the contents of the yolk were poured into a beaker. Deionized (DI) water was added to the beaker in a 1:1 (w/w) ratio to the yolk. The mixture was stirred slowly until homogenous and then poured into 50 mL centrifuge tubes. The tubes were centrifuged for 45 min at 10,000 ×g at 4 °C. The plasma (supernatant) from each tube was poured off into a new beaker, and the granule (pellet) was removed and 200 ppm of sodium azide (NaN3) was added for preservation. CMC solution (1% w/w) was added into the plasma at 0.2:1 (w/w) ratio and the pH of the mixture was adjusted to 5.0 using 1 N HCl. CMC-plasma mixture was incubated at room temperature for 30 min prior to centrifugation at 10,000 ×g for 45 min at 4 °C. After centrifugation, livetin fraction (subnatant) was separated from the LDL-CMC (fat-pad). For comparison and evaluating the effect of CMC, LDL was also prepared using the protocol established by Anton et al.[12] with modifications. In brief, ammonium sulfate (40%) was added to the plasma followed by constant stirring at 4 °C for 1 h and centrifuged at 10,000 ×g for 30 min at 4 °C. The precipitated LDL fraction was dialyzed in deionized water for 3 d under refrigerated temperature to remove the residual ammonium salt.

      Figure 1. 

      Fractionation schematic of fresh egg yolk to obtain the yolk fractions (red) used in this study.

    • A fresh LDL-CMC fat pad was dispersed in acetone in 1:10 solid to solvent ratio (w/v). After the pellet was in contact with acetone, homogenization was carried out at 10,000 rpm for 2 min followed by incubation at room temperature (23 °C) for 12 h. After incubation, the solubilized neutral lipid was filtered and removed from the residual pellet fraction, resulting in samples with reduced neutral lipids. The acetone was rotary evaporated to collect the neutral lipid fraction for lipid removal quantification.

    • Fresh granule pellets were dispersed in DI water at 2% (w/w) solid content. The sample was stirred slowly and the pH of the dispersion was adjusted to 11 using 2 N NaOH until the granular component was completely solubilized in water. Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) was added to the solution in the 2:1 molar ratio to the calcium in the solubilized granules followed by constant stirring at room temperature for 5 hr and continuous stirring at 4 ºC for 3 d. Granule solution was then centrifuged twice at 15,000 g for 15 min at 4 °C to remove the precipitated calcium carbonate. The supernatant was collected, and the pH of the solution was adjusted to 7.0 followed by centrifugation at 15,000 ×g for 10 min at 4 °C to recover the de-calcium granules. The recovered granules were dialysis at 4 °C for 2 d to remove the salt.

    • Egg granules and de-calcium granules were freeze-dried prior to calcium analysis as described by Barickman et al.[13] and Masson & Dalix[14] with some modifications. In brief, 10 mL of 70% HNO3 was added to 0.5 g dried samples followed by digestion at 95 °C overnight. Calcium content was measured using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS; Agilent Technologies, Inc., Wilmington, DE, USA). Calcium content is expressed on a dry weight basis.

    • The microstructure of native and de-calcium granular fraction was observed by CLSM (Leica SP8, Leica Microsystems Inc., Buffalo, IL, USA), as described by Gallier et al.[15]. Fresh native and de-calcium granules, 0.2 g, were dispersed in 2 mL of deionized water. Then the lipid and protein of the sample were fluorescently stained by adding 100 µL of the fluorescent dyes (1 mg/mL) Fast Green FCF for protein and Nile Red for lipid. All the samples were observed under a 40× oil-immersion objective. The Nile Red probe was excited at 488 nm and the filters were set to collect the emitted light between 550−620 nm. The Fast Green FCF probe was excited at 633 nm and emitted light was collected between 650 and 750 nm.

    • The protein solubility of native and the modified granular products was measured as described by Anton et al.[16] with some modifications. In brief, samples were diluted in a DI water to an approximate protein concentration of 4% (w/w). The pH of diluted samples was adjusted from 2.0 to 12.0. Samples were then equilibrated at room temperature for 2 h under constant stirring followed by centrifugation at 10,000 ×g for 20 min at 10 °C. Prior to centrifugation, a sample (1 mL) was taken for the determination of initial protein content. Concentration of proteins in the supernatant was determined as the solubilized protein. The protein solubility was calculated as:

      Proteinsolubility%=Solubilizedprotein(mg)Initialproteincontent(mg)×100%

      Protein concentration was measured using the Lowry method[17,18].

    • Mayonnaise containing different fractionated egg yolk products (fresh yolk (FY), de-calcium egg granules (DC-Gran), native egg granules (Gran), LDL-CMC, defatted LDL-CMC (DF-LDL-CMC), LDL, combination of Gran and LDL-CMC (Gran-LDL-CMC)) were prepared in duplicate based on the formulation used by Kim et al.[19]. The detailed formula of each mayonnaise is shown in Table 1. Fractionated egg yolk products were applied with a same solid content as 4% (w/w) as using the fresh yolk control. Vinegar, salt, sugar, water and egg products were mixed using KitchenAid® mixer at speed 4 for 3 min. The mixing speed was increased to level 8 while 10 mL of oil was added dropwise using a titration burette within 10 min. Then, another 70 mL oil was added within 10 min. The remaining oil (154 mL) was added using a disposable pipette and the mixing speed was increased to 10 for 5 min for all samples except Gran and DC-Gran mayonnaises. For these samples, the remaining oil was added and mixed at speed level 8 for 5 min to maintain the structure of the mayonnaise. The high-speed mixing at level 10 would cause a breakdown of the emulsion. All mayonnaise samples were stored in capped containers at 4 °C. All analyses were performed after equilibrating at room temperature on storage day 0, 2, 7, 14 and 28 for storage stability evaluation.

      Table 1.  Ingredients used for mayonnaise preparation.

      SampleEgg products (g)Water (g)Oil (g)Vinegar (g)Salt (g)Sugar (g)
      FY24.025.5234.09.04.53.0
      LDL47.12.4
      LDL-CMC26.323.2
      Gran27.721.8
      DC-Gran31.018.5
      Gran-LDL-CMCGran: 6.1
      LDL-CMC: 20.5
      22.9
      Defatted LDL13.536.0
      FY: Fresh yolk; Gran: native granular fraction; DC-Gran: de-calcium granular fraction; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; CMC: carboxymethyl cellulose.
    • Rheological measurements of mayonnaise were performed using a Discovery Hybrid rheometer (TA Instruments, New Castle, DE) with a serrated parallel plate (diameter 40 mm) at a gap distance of 1 mm and normal force maintained at 0.5 ± 0.2 N. Before starting the measurements, all samples were allowed to rest for 10 min after loading to allow temperature equilibration and sample relaxation. The static viscoelasticity of mayonnaise was analyzed. Furthermore, the dynamic viscoelasticity of mayonnaise was measured by oscillatory tests.

    • Shear rate was increased logarithmically from 0.01 to 100 s−1 in 100 s, then decreased to 0.01 s−1 in 100 s. This test was conducted at 20 °C to simulate how mayonnaise is often used at room temperature. The data curve was fitted using the Herschel-Bulkley model, and the model parameters of dynamic yield stress (ιo), apparent viscosity (K) and flow index (n) were calculated by the equipment software (TRIOS, TA Instruments, DE, USA), as

      τ=τ0+Kγn

      where τ is the shear stress, γ is the shear rate, τ0 is the yield stress, K is the consistency coefficient, and n is the flow index. All R2 values of the model fitting were higher than 0.98.

    • To obtain dynamic viscoelastic measurements, the linear viscoelastic range (LVR) was determined using strain sweep (0.01−300%) at a fixed frequency of 1.0 Hz at 20 °C. The storage modulus (G') was recorded as the mean G' within the LVR and it is often correlated with the sample firmness. The static yield stress was obtained as the stress where a 10% reduction in the average G' from the LVR region was observed[20]. The loss modulus (G'') was also recorded as the mean G'' within the LVR.

      Dynamic frequency sweep was conducted over a frequency range of 0.1−100 Hz at a constant strain of 0.1%, which was within the LVR to determine the stability of samples over time[20,21]. The ratio of G'' and G' was recorded as tan δ. The experimental data of all frequency sweep tests were correlated to the Power Law equation:

      G=Aw1/z

      G* is the complex modulus of the sample (G* = (G'2 + G''2)0.5), w is the applied angular frequency, and z is the coordination number. All R2 values are higher than 0.98.

    • Tests were carried out using a TA.XT-Plus Texture Analyzer (Stable Micro Systems, UK) with a load cell of 50 kg. Compression test was performed using a cylindrical probe (3.8 cm diameter). Forty grams of mayonnaise samples were carefully scooped into 60 mL polystyrene jars. One cycle compression was applied at a constant 1 mm/s, to a sample depth of 5 mm, and returned to the start position. The positive peak was taken as a measurement of firmness[22].

    • The heat stability of mayonnaise was evaluated using the method modified from Ghazaei et al.[23]. In brief, 5 g samples were heated at 80 °C for 30 min, then centrifuged at 3,000 g for 15 min at 4 °C. The separated oil was carefully withdrawn and discarded. The heat stability of the mayonnaise was calculated as:

      Mayonnaiseheatstability(%)=weightofmayonnaiseafteroilseparation(g)initialweightofmayonnaise(g)×100
    • Mayonnaise structure was observed under a microscope as described by Primacella et al.[20]. A drop of diluted mayonnaise sample (1:2 sample to water w/w) was placed on a slide. The sample was covered with a cover glass and observed at 40× magnification at room temperature for oil droplet size measurement. Particle size analysis was carried using ImageJ[24] followed by statistical analysis to obtain size distribution and mean particle size. The polydispersity index (PDI), indicating the spread of the particle size or size distribution, was calculated as follow:

      PDI=(δ/d)2

      where PDI is a dimensionless value and δ and d are the standard deviation and mean droplet diameter[25].

    • All experiments and measurements were performed in duplicate. Statistical analysis was performed with JMP Pro 13, statistical software from Statistical Analysis System (SAS) Institute Inc. (Cary, NC, USA). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted, and significance of difference (P < 0.05) was calculated using Tukey's HSD (honest significant difference) test.

    • Various mayonnaises were made through emulsification using different types of egg yolk products including FY, DC-Gran, Gran, LDL-CMC, DF-LDL-CMC, LDL and the combination of Gran and LDL-CMC at a ratio of 22:78 (Gran-LDL-CMC, representing the same proportion as in fresh yolks). After de-calcium treatment, a 55.0% calcium reduction (of the total calcium) was achieved in DC-Gran products as measured by ICP-MS calcium analysis. A semi-solid and viscous mayonnaise was successfully formed using all types of fractionated egg yolk products except DF-LDL-CMC.

      After acetone extraction which removed, about 11% (w/w) of total lipids from LDL-CMC, the DF-LDL-CMC product was not able to facilitate the formation of the semi-solid mayonnaise, but rather a liquid oil-in-water emulsion. The loss of functionality of DF-LDL-CMC is likely due to the denaturation of LDL apoproteins during solvent extraction which reduced the emulsification property of the products[26]. Thus, DF-LDL-CMC was not further evaluated in the following experiments, and only the properties of the other six types of mayonnaise were discussed.

    • The size and uniformity of various mayonnaise samples are demonstrated in Fig. 2. Particle size is an essential parameter for emulsion systems which affects the stability and rheological properties of emulsions[27]. The characteristics of mayonnaises and their stabilities are associated with the mean particle size and particle-size distribution of the oil droplets. Smaller droplet size leads to a higher droplet surface area per gram of sample and a more stable emulsion system.

      Figure 2. 

      Bright field optical microscopic images of mayonnaises at 40× magnification, mean particle size of mayonnaise droplets, and polydispersity index (PDI). Scale bar = 50 μm. Values with different superscripts are significantly different within the same column (P < 0.05).

      As shown in Fig. 2, the mean particle sizes of LDL containing mayonnaises were significantly lower than samples made from Gran and FY (P < 0.05). Mayonnaise prepared by LDL-CMC had the smallest particle size of 3.28 µm indicating that the complexing of CMC with LDL, at a level of 1.2% CMC (w/w, dry weight basis) in LDL, was able to enhance the emulsification property of LDL. It was reported that the functional properties of protein are generally improved by complexation with other polysaccharides[28]. Studies have shown that the addition of CMC increased the viscosity of the dispersion and electrostatic repulsion among protein particles, thus, leading to a long-term stability of acidified skimmed milk drinks containing 0.04% CMC[29] and whey protein isolate stabilized oil-in-water emulsion with 0.08% CMC[28].

      The addition of CMC also led to a more uniform mayonnaise emulsion with the lowest polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.36. FY mayonnaise had the highest value of PDI followed by LDL, Gran, Gran-LDL-CMC, LDL-CMC and DC-Gran. No significant difference was observed between the PDI value of LDL-CMC and DC-Gran (P > 0.05). PDI represents the distribution of particle size populations where an increased PDI indicates a wider range of particle size population[25,30]. A PDI value less than 0.1 indicates monodisperse particles and a value higher than 0.1 implies polydisperse particle size distribution[25]. All six mayonnaise samples evaluated in this study had polydisperse particles (PDI > 0.1) while FY demonstrated the broadest particle size distribution indicating the least homogeneity. The addition of Gran in LDL-CMC (Gran-LDL-CMC, reconstituted yolk system) increased the polydispersity (PDI) compared to LDL-CMC alone. This is due to the presence of the insoluble and aggregated granular particles leading to a reduced emulsification activity.

      Mayonnaise with LDL alone had the second smallest particle size of 4.59 µm among the six products examined. LDL is known to be the most important contributor to the emulsifying properties of egg yolk, showing a better emulsion stabilizing ability than egg yolk and the granular fraction in water at neutral pH[31]. As shown in Table 2, LDL fraction had the highest lipid content of 88% (w/w, dry weight basis) followed by the combination of Gran and LDL-CMC, FY and Gran. Gran had the lowest lipid content and highest protein content of 64% (w/w, dry weight basis). The high lipid content of LDL can result in a higher content of phospholipids compared to FY and Gran products. The phospholipid-protein complexes could contribute to the superior emulsifying properties of LDL products[32,33]. As a zwitterionic surfactant, phospholipids are one of the most effective natural emulsifiers which can reduce the interfacial tension of emulsions[34], where the hydrophobic interaction plays a critical role in maintaining the protein-phospholipids interaction by incorporating proteins into phospholipids micelles[35]. In addition, electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between phospholipids and protein can lead to desirable conformational changes of protein resulting in an improved emulsifying property[36]. Thus, the abundance of phospholipid-protein complexes in LDL products is responsible for their enhanced emulsifying property compared to Gran and FY products.

      Table 2.  Composition of egg yolk ingredients relative to the total solid content.

      SampleProtein
      (%, w/w) (d.b.)
      Lipid
      (%, w/w) (d.b.)
      Phospholipids
      (%, w/w) (d.b.)
      FY33.062.520.6
      Gran64.031.011.1
      LDL10.088.023.8
      Gran-LDL-CMC21.476.021.1
      d.b.: dry weight basis. Composition was calculated based on yolk, granule and plasma composition summarized by Anton (1997[11]; 2006[37]; 2007[38]) and solid content of each product.

      This study most notably demonstrates an enhanced emulsifying property of DC-Gran after disruption of the native granule aggregation. DC-Gran samples demonstrated a significant smaller particle size of 5.02 µm and more uniform mayonnaise emulsion, with a PDI value of 0.35, compared to the native Gran samples as shown in Fig. 2 (P < 0.05), indicating a greatly enhanced emulsification property of DC-Gran. In addition, there was no significant difference in particle sizes among samples made with LDL, DC-Gran and Gran-LDL-CMC (P > 0.05).

      Under low ionic strength and acidic pH, the egg granules mainly contain the non-soluble HDL-phosvitin complexes linked by phosphocalcic bridges in an aggregated state leading to its poor solubility[7,39]. During the de-calcium process, aggregated egg granules were first solubilized under alkaline conditions. Calcium was then removed by the formation of insoluble calcium carbonate. The replacement of the divalent calcium by monovalent sodium is able to destabilize the compact structure of granules[40]. The destabilization of egg granules had increased the accessibility of the proteins during the emulsification of mayonnaise leading to the formation of smaller and more uniform oil droplets compared to the one emulsified by the native granules. Figure 3 demonstrates the microstructure of native and de-calcium granular fractions dispersed in deionized water. Aggregated clusters were observed in the native granular fraction, whereas smaller and more dispersed particles were found in the de-calcium treated granular fraction. This confirms that de-calcium treatment is able to successfully break the phosphocalcic bridge resulting in smaller granular particles which provides an enhanced functional property. Anton & Gandemer[11] also observed an increased solubility of granules in sodium chloride solution (> 0.3 M) due to the disruption of the phosphocalcic bridges by monovalent sodium.

      Figure 3. 

      Confocal microscopy images of native and de-calcium granular fractions stained with Nile Red (lipid) and Fast Green FCF (protein). Scale bar = 20 µm.

    • Mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion which contains a high oil content of up to 80% (w/w), giving a semi-solid and viscoelastic behavior. The rheological behavior is an imperative property of mayonnaise which strongly affects its sensory properties as well as its perceived textures. Difference in emulsification ingredients can change the rheological properties of mayonnaise. Hence, to evaluate the potential utilization of fractionated egg yolk ingredients in preparation of mayonnaise, rheological behavior of mayonnaise was evaluated and compared. Flow behavior was assessed to demonstrate the relationship between shear stress and shear rate, while dynamic viscoelasticity was measured in the linear viscoelastic range (LVR) to obtain storage and loss modulus and sample behaviors upon various frequencies applied.

    • Table 3 represents the flow behavior of mayonnaises with the yield stress (ιo), apparent viscosity (K) and flow index (n) obtained using the Herschel-Bulkley model. All mayonnaise samples behaved as non-Newtonian fluids for which their viscosity decreased with an increase in shear rate, indicating a shear thinning behavior.

      Table 3.  Herschel-Bulkley model parameters of mayonnaise samples measured at 20 °C.

      Sampleι (yield stress) (Pa)K (Pa.s)n
      FY17.5 ± 2.8c45.1 ± 5.3b0.24
      LDL23.6 ± 6.9c100.2 ± 11.8a0.19
      LDL-CMC44.4 ± 2.3c118.1 ± 8.8a0.23
      Gran98.6 ± 15.5b117.9 ± 25.1a0.18
      DC-Gran204.2 ± 36.6a120.9 ± 32.0a0.24
      Gran-LDL-CMC46.6 ± 5.9c116.5 ± 3.6a0.19
      Within the same column, values with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).

      Yield stress is an important parameter to consider during food manufacturing. The yield stress values, as shown in Table 3, represent a dynamic yield stress in contrary to the static yield stress obtained by the viscoelasticity measurement. Dynamic yield stress is the minimum stress required to maintain the flow of the material[41]. Compared to FY mayonnaise, Gran and DC-Gran had a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the yield stress. The high yield stress of Gran containing mayonnaise likely results from the high protein content of the granular fraction leading to a thicker emulsion formation compared to mayonnaise emulsified by LDL products[11]. Moreover, DC-Gran had an even higher yield stress than the native Gran (P < 0.05) which was due to the increased dispersion and accessibility of proteins and enhanced emulsification. Although not statistically different due to the high variation of the DC-Gran and Gran mayonnaises, FY had the lowest yield stress followed by LDL, LDL-CMC, and Gran-LDL-CMC. The yield stress of LDL-CMC was significantly higher than of LDL (P < 0.05) which was due to the thickening effect of the CMC addition. The dynamic yield stress values of the six types of mayonnaises ranged from 17.5 to 204.2 Pa, which in general were close and within the range reported in previous studies: 23−305 Pa[42]. Various factors, such as particle volume fraction, particle size, and magnitude of interparticle forces, could also lead to differences in dynamic yield stresses[43].

      The consistency coefficient (K) is often used as an indication of fluid viscosity. As shown in Table 3, the calculated K values ranged from 45.1 to 120.9 Pa s, where only FY mayonnaise had a consistency coefficient value within the range previously reported by Juszczak et al.[44] on Polish commercial mayonnaise: 11.86−67.91 Pa s. The four other types of mayonnaises exhibited a K value greater than 100 Pa s, where the highest coefficient was observed for DC-Gran mayonnaise followed by LDL-CMC, Gran, Gran-LDL-CMC, LDL, and FY. These differences in consistency coefficient could be caused by the balance of interparticle colloidal forces which includes attractive (mainly van der Waals and hydrophobic) and repulsive (mainly electrostatic and steric) forces[27]. Since an increased viscosity of emulsion could slow droplet movement, thus retard creaming and coalescence, a higher viscosity of mayonnaise can be an indicator for a better emulsion stability[27].

      The flow index (n) values of all mayonnaises at 20 °C were lower than 1.0 indicating the pseudo-plastic fluid behavior[45]. Overall, the flow index of the six types of mayonnaise was within the range reported previously at ambient temperature (20 °C)[44,46]. The flow index varied widely from 0.13 to 0.91 for some commercial or self-prepared mayonnaises likely resulting from the different evaluation methods applied such as capillary viscometer, cone-plate viscometer, and different shear rate applied[42].

    • As shown in Fig. 4a, all samples had a viscoelastic behavior where the storage modulus (G') is greater than the loss modulus (G''), which is typical for concentrated emulsions indicating a more solid-like behavior[47]. The storage modulus represents the recoverable energy when a material is subjected to deformation. When shear stress continues to increase and reaches the threshold, the storage modulus will decrease resulting in a less solid-like behavior. As shown in Fig. 4a, FY and LDL mayonnaise had the lowest G' followed by LDL-CMC, Gran-LDL-CMC, Gran and DC-Gran mayonnaise which was the firmest. The high G' of the DC-Gran mayonnaise could have resulted from the high interaction strength (A) as mentioned in the later discussion. Compared to the dynamic yield stress, the static yield stress is more applicable during food manufacturing which relates to the need to initiate a flow of a material normally by pumping. As shown in Fig. 4b, FY mayonnaise required the lowest stress to flow and DC-Gran the highest.

      Figure 4. 

      Viscoelasticity of mayonnaises. (a) Average storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G'') within the linear viscoelastic region (LVR). (b) Static yield stress. Bars with different letter are statistically different (P < 0.05) within the same chart and parameter.

      Coordination number (z) and the coefficient A can be used to distinguish the rheological characteristics among mayonnaises made from different fractionated egg yolk products[48]. Based on the weak gel model proposed by Gabriele et al.[49] and Bohlin's theory[50], the rheological structure of mayonnaise can be viewed as a three-dimensional network where weak and strong interactions are used to link the droplet particles or units. The coordination number z is the number of the rheological units correlated with one another in the three-dimensional structure, while the coefficient A is the strength of the interaction between those units[49]. Higher value of A and z indicates an increased emulsion stability[48]. As shown in Table 4, granule containing mayonnaises (Gran, DC-Gran, Gran-LDL-CMC) exhibited a significantly (P < 0.05) higher coefficient A compared to FY, LDL and LDL-CMC mayonnaises. This indicates a stronger interaction between oil droplets in granule containing samples as compared to the other three mayonnaises. Moreover, DC-Gran had the highest coefficient A indicating the increased emulsifying properties by the de-calcium treatment. The z values obtained in this study are similar to those reported by previous researchers[48,51]. Table 4 shows that Gran, DC-Gran and LDL mayonnaises had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower z value compared to FY, LDL-CMC, and Gran-LDL-CMC indicating smaller number of droplet particles were linked by the interactions.

      Table 4.  Power law parameters for mayonnaise samples.

      SampleAz
      FY292.3 ± 17.8e11.8 ± 0.7a
      LDL378.1 ± 3.4d,e10.4 ± 0.0b
      LDL-CMC540.9 ± 16.0c,d11.5 ± 0.2a
      Gran1,370.6 ± 93.3b9.7 ± 0.4b,c
      DC-Gran3,427.4 ± 170.9a9.3 ± 0.20c
      Gran-LDL-CMC707.0 ± 50.7c12.3 ± 0.3a
      Within the same columns, values with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).
    • Texture analysis was performed to measure the firmness of the mayonnaise samples at large strain deformation by the compression test. As shown in Fig. 5, DC-Gran mayonnaise demonstrated the highest firmness followed by Gran, Gran-LDL-CMC, LDL-CMC, LDL and FY. The high firmness of Gran and DC-Gran mayonnaise could be resulting from the high protein content of Gran product which can lead to a firm and thick multilayer formed by granular proteins[11]. The firmness data obtained using the texture analyzer followed the trend of the storage modulus (G') obtained from the rheological analysis, a similar trend was observed by Primacella et al.[20].

      Figure 5. 

      Firmness values of mayonnaises determined by penetration test. Bars with different letters are statistically different (P < 0.05).

    • At elevated temperatures, emulsion can break down due to the coalescence or separation of the water and oil phase[52] and merging of oil droplets[53]. Heat stability evaluation is often used as an accelerated stability test of samples during storage to monitor droplet coalescence, flocculation, and creaming. Egg yolk protein starts to denature at temperatures higher than 64 °C[54], and we chose a higher temperature to evaluate protein stability in the mayonnaise system. As shown in Fig. 6, after heating at 80 °C for 30 min, minimal oil separation was observed in DC-Gran, LDL and LDL-CMC mayonnaise indicating a high temperature resistance of these samples. DC-Gran mayonnaise was found to be significantly more heat stable compared to Gran sample (P < 0.05). The high temperature resistance of DC-Gran could be resulting from the high interaction strength (A) between the connection units. LDL and LDL-CMC also had a fair heat resistance, which maybe due to the small particle size of the emulsion droplets[55,56].

      Figure 6. 

      Heat stability of mayonnaises prepared with different fractionated egg yolk components. Bars with different letters are statistically different (P < 0.05).

    • To evaluate the effect of calcium removal on the granular fraction, protein solubility of DC-Gran and the native Gran was assessed at pH 2-12. As shown in Fig. 7, the removal of calcium enhanced the solubility of the granular fraction at pH < 5, which can increase the accessibility of DC-Gran proteins during emulsification at acidic conditions. Mayonnaises normally have a pH less than 4.1[57,58]. Despite the de-calcium treatment, both Gran and DC-Gran had the lowest solubility at pH 6.0 resulting from the isoelectric point (pI) of lipoprotein which is around 6.0 for egg yolk proteins[59].

      Figure 7. 

      Solubility of granular products (Gran and DC-Gran) under pH 2-12.

      The 55.0% calcium reduction of the total calcium improved the emulsification property of Gran, leading to the formation of a more stable emulsion under acidic environments. Since the emulsifying activity is related to the capacity of surface-active molecules (proteins or phospholipids), it is important to have a high protein dispersibility under the application conditions[31]. At pH 4.0, DC-Gran had a solubility of 42.9% compared to the 4.2% of Gran. This increased solubility of DC-Gran allows higher accessibility of DC-Gran proteins during emulsification resulting in a finer and more homogenous emulsion compared to that from Gran. Several studies have compared emulsifying properties of native granules and granules after disruption with NaCl, which showed that disrupted granules was more effective to form and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions[7,60], however, the dissociation of granules by calcium removal has not been reported.

    • Figure 8 summarizes the changes in mayonnaise properties over a storage period of 28 d in refrigeration temperature. As shown in Fig. 8a, there were no drastic changes of G´ over the 28 days with only a slow decrease over time. Changes of yield stress are shown in Fig. 8b, where an increased yield stress was observed within the first 2 days for samples except FY, Gran and Gran-LDL-CMC. The yield stress of FY decreased significantly over time (P < 0.05) with an initial yield stress of 19.6 Pa and 10.8 Pa after 28 d refrigeration storage. The yield stress of Gran and Gran-LDL-CMC also gradually decreased with time, but Gran-LDL-CMC was more stable with a higher yield stress compared to Gran. The addition of Gran (Gran-LDL-CMC) significantly decreased the yield stress of mayonnaise compared to LDL-CMC sample (P < 0.05). The yield stress of the LDL, LDL-CMC, and DC-Gran samples stayed stable until the end of the 28 d storage. Except Gran and DC-Gran mayonnaises, the firmness of samples (Fig. 8c) significantly (P < 0.05) increased within the first 2 d and stays stable over the remaining days of storage. This is likely resulting from the kinetic equilibration of the emulsion system[52].

      Figure 8. 

      Changes in mayonnaise properties upon storage at 4 °C. (a) Storage modulus (G'). (b) Static yield stress. (c) Firmness. (d) Heat stability.

      Figure 8d demonstrates the changes in heat stability over time. Except FY, Gran and DC-Gran, there was a drastic increase in heat stability of samples within the first 2 d of storage. After 2 d, the heat stability of LDL and LDL-CMC remained constant, and they exhibited the best heat stability along with DC-Gran at the end of 28-d storage compared to the other samples. No significant changes in heat stability were observed for Gran and DC-Gran samples within 28-d of storage (P > 0.05). There was a slow decrease in heat stability of Gran-LDL-CMC, but it still had an enhanced heat stability compared to FY. Overall, LDL-CMC, DC-Gran and LDL mayonnaises demonstrated the best heat stability (> 90%) by the end of the 28-d refrigeration storage. This indicates that oil droplet size plays an important role in the texture and stability of mayonnaise, where small particle size may contribute to a more stable and firmer texture over extended storage.

      Other than mayonnaises, the two unique yolk-based products, LDL-CMC and DC-Gran, can be utilized in preparation of other emulsions. For example, DC-Gran might be able to structure edible oil into solid-like fats as potential alternatives for partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) by the formation of Pickering emulsions[61]. In addition, these two products might be used in preparations of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) such as delivery systems for nutraceuticals or bioactives[62] and templates for highly porous materials (polyHIPEs)[63]. Demonstrating the superior functionalities of the fractionated yolk products, the industrial IgY recovery process can be modified to use food grade processing aids or standards, so the co-products of LDL and granular fractions can be made into high-performing food ingredients.

    • Mayonnaises prepared using different egg yolk co-products derived from IgY separation demonstrate an excellent heat stability and improved rheological properties compared to the mayonnaise made from fresh yolk. Calcium reduction treatment of egg granules leads to an increased solubility of the granular proteins under acidic conditions, resulting in an increased accessibility of granular components for providing emulsification function. The use of CMC for complexing with LDL enhances the emulsifying property of LDL, resulting in mayonnaise with the smallest particle size. Overall, LDL, LDL-CMC and DC-Gran demonstrate the ability to produce mayonnaises with higher firmness and stability compared to mayonnaises made from fresh yolk.

      • This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch/Multi-state project (accession number: 1023982), and the Egg Industry Center located at Iowa State University, USA.

      • The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

      • Copyright: © 2022 by the author(s). Published by Maximum Academic Press on behalf of Nanjing Agricultural University. This article is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
    Figure (8)  Table (4) References (63)
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    Wan Z, Fei T, Wang T. 2022. Mayonnaise formulated with novel egg yolk ingredients has enhanced thermal and rheological properties. Food Materials Research 2:11 doi: 10.48130/FMR-2022-0011
    Wan Z, Fei T, Wang T. 2022. Mayonnaise formulated with novel egg yolk ingredients has enhanced thermal and rheological properties. Food Materials Research 2:11 doi: 10.48130/FMR-2022-0011

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