The findings suggest that HPM pretreatment not only improved the extraction yield of polysaccharides but also significantly boosted their prebiotic and sleep-promoting effects, paving the way for new functional food applications.
Poria cocos, a key ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, is rich in bioactive compounds like polysaccharides, triterpenoids, and amino acids. Alkali-soluble polysaccharides (ASP) from P. cocos are known for their health benefits, including antioxidative, immunoregulatory, and sleep-enhancing properties. However, their poor water solubility often limits their use in food products. To improve the solubility and functionality of these polysaccharides, researchers have increasingly turned to physical modification techniques such as superfine grinding. While JM has been a standard method for powder size reduction, HPM has emerged as a promising alternative, potentially offering superior results in terms of texture, solubility, and bioactivity. This study compares the effects of these two techniques on P. cocos powders and their alkali-soluble polysaccharides.
A study (DOI: 10.48130/fia-0025-0034) published in Food Innovation and Advances on 11 October 2025 by Xin Jia’s team, China Agricultural University, underscores the potential of HPM as a valuable processing method for enhancing the functional properties of P. cocos polysaccharides.
In this study, researchers compared the effects of two superfine grinding techniques, JM and HPM, on the particle characteristics and biological properties of Poria cocos powders and their extracted ASP. The particle size distribution was measured using parameters like the average particle size (D50) and span value. Results showed that the HPM-treated powders had a larger D50 value (75.20 μm) compared to the smaller D50 value (31.60 μm) observed in the JM-treated powders, suggesting a narrower particle size distribution and greater uniformity in the latter. The HPM treatment also led to a reduction in the lightness (L*) value of the powders, while enhancing their redness (a*) and yellowness (b*), indicating a color shift. Water-holding capacity (WHC), oil-holding capacity (OHC), and swelling capacity (SC) were significantly enhanced in the HPM-treated powders. Specifically, the WHC of HPM-treated powder was 6.95 g·g−1, compared to 3.47 g·g−1 for the JM-treated powder, showing a 100.29% increase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the HPM-treated powders had a more porous structure with minute voids, likely due to the expansion of particles during the HPM process. The physicochemical properties of the ASPs were also assessed, with the HPM-ASP showing higher extraction yield (89.14%) and slightly higher carbohydrate content (94.56%) than JM-ASP. The intrinsic viscosity of HPM-ASP was lower, suggesting a decrease in molecular weight, which is associated with enhanced bioactivity. Furthermore, both JM-ASP and HPM-ASP exhibited prebiotic activity by promoting the growth of probiotic strains, with HPM-ASP showing more significant effects. The sleep-promoting activity of these polysaccharides was tested in C. elegans, where HPM-ASP demonstrated superior sleep-enhancing effects compared to JM-ASP at the same concentrations. These findings highlight the potential of HPM pretreatment for improving the functionality of P. cocos powders and their polysaccharides in food and health applications.
This study demonstrates that high-pressure microfluidization is an effective technique for modifying P. cocos powders and polysaccharides, enhancing their functional properties. Compared to jet milling, HPM pretreatment significantly improved the yield, water retention, and bioactivity of P. cocos-derived polysaccharides, offering a strong foundation for future food applications. Given the increasing interest in functional foods, HPM-treated P. cocos powders represent a promising ingredient for the development of health-enhancing food products that could benefit digestive health and sleep quality.
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References
DOI
10.48130/fia-0025-0034
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.48130/fia-0025-0034
Funding information
This work is financially supported by Nestlé R&D (China) Ltd (202204810610659).
About Food Innovation and Advances
Food is essential to life and relevant to human health. The rapidly increasing global population presents a major challenge to supply abundant, safe, and healthy food into the future. The open access journal Food Innovation and Advances (e-ISSN 2836-774X), published by Maximum Academic Press in association with China Agricultural University, Zhejiang University and Shenyang Agricultural University, publishes high-quality research results related to innovations and advances in food science and technology. The journal will strive to contribute to food sustainability in the present and future.