Comprehensive Analysis on Physicochemical Properties and Characteristic Compounds of Insect-Infested Ziziphi Spinosae...

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Ziziphi spinosae semen (ZSS) is a valuable edible and medicinal plant part susceptible to insect infestation by Plodia interpunctella.
• Current methods lack chemical-based identification for insect-infested ZSS.
• Understanding chemical changes is crucial for quality control and authenticity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a chemical identification method for insect-infested ZSS.
• To compare volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metabolites in infested versus uninfested ZSS.
• To identify characteristic compounds indicating insect damage.

Main Methods:

• Physicochemical analyses: color, total flavonoid content (TFC), and key active compounds (spinosin, jujuboside A/B, betulinic acid).
• Untargeted metabolomics: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS).
• Volatile organic compound analysis: Headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS).

Main Results:

• Significant changes in color, decreased TFC, and reduced levels of spinosin, jujuboside A, jujuboside B, and betulinic acid were observed.
• Nine VOCs and twenty-one metabolites were identified as potential markers for infestation.
• Uric acid, gluconic acid, hypoxanthine, and xanthine were identified as characteristic compounds in insect-infested ZSS.

Conclusions:

• This research provides a scientific basis for identifying insect-infested ZSS using chemical markers.
• The identified VOCs and metabolites offer a reliable method for quality assessment.
• The study serves as a model for identifying insect-infested edible and medicinal materials.