Zanthoxylum bungeanum as a natural pickling spice alleviates health risks in animal-derived foods via up-regulating glutathione S-transferase, down-regulating cytochrome P450 1A

Endogenous aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was quantified in five hundred and forty Hengshan goat meat samples (0.00 ± 23.09 μg kg −1 ). Zanthoxylum bungeanum ( Z. bungeanum ), as a natural pickling spice, can ameliorate the flavor of animal-derived food (goat meat). Yet, considering the direct administration of Z. bungeanum in AFB1-contaminated goat meat, the degradation mechanisms of AFB1 remain elusive. Here, UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS-based integrative metabolomics (LOQ: 1.74–59.54 μg kg −1 ) and proteomics analyses were executed to determine the effects of Z. bungeanum in the biotransformation of AFB1. Z. bungeanum (1.50 %, w/w ) application mediated the metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, significantly down-regulated cytochrome P450 1A and stimulated the up-regulation of glutathione S-transferase levels in AFB1-contaminated goat meat, leading to degradation of AFB1 (20.00–3.39 μg kg −1 ). Metabolomics assays indicated that Z. bungeanum up-regulated l -histidine (1.43–2.21 mg kg −1 ) and l -arginine, manifesting potential applications for the contribution of Z. bungeanum to the nutritional value of goat meat.