Development of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide craft beer and its hepatorenal protective effects in hyperuricemic mice

• Novel functional craft beer developed via Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide (TFP) supplementation, addressing hyperuricemia risk while preserving sensory attributes. • Optimized extraction-purification process yields high-molecular-weight TFP with potent antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. • TFP beer demonstrates dual regulatory mechanisms: suppressing hepatic uric acid production and modulating renal urate transporters (Urat1/Glut9 downregulation, Abcg2 upregulation). • In hyperuricemic mice, TFP beer significantly reduces serum uric acid, promotes urinary excretion, and alleviates hepatorenal histopathological injury. • Optimal supplementation level balances functional efficacy with consumer acceptability, providing an industry-applicable strategy for health-oriented beer innovation. The health risks of hyperuricemia associated with beer consumption necessitate development of functional craft beers that maintain sensory quality. This study investigated the effects of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide (TFP) fortification on craft beer's physicochemical properties, sensory characteristics, antioxidant capacity, xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity, and hepatorenal protective effects. TFP was incorporated into craft beer at multiple concentrations during the brewing process. Results demonstrated that TFP addition dose-dependently increased beer viscosity and color intensity, while moderate fortification achieved optimal sensory scores. TFP beer exhibited dose-dependent XOD inhibition with IC50 of 21.5 mg/mL, and significantly enhanced DPPH (EC50 7.7 mg/mL) and ABTS (EC50 10.8 mg/mL) scavenging. In hyperuricemic mice, 10 g/L TFP beer reduced serum uric acid by 33.2%, increased urinary uric acid excretion by 66.0%, and improved renal function markers compared to regular craft beer. Mechanistic investigation revealed that TFP beer downregulated renal urate reabsorption transporters while upregulating excretion transporters, concurrently attenuating histopathological damage in both liver and kidney tissues. These findings indicate that TFP-supplemented craft beer offers a novel functional beverage approach to alleviate hyperuricemia and associated hepatorenal injury while maintaining desirable sensory attributes, presenting significant potential for health-oriented innovation in the beer industry.