Inositol is an essential growth factor for the normal growth and proliferation of yeast cells. Within yeast cells, inositol not only acts as a precursor of cell membrane phospholipids, including phosphatidylinositol, but also participates in physiological processes such as intracellular signal transduction by generating a series of phosphorylated derivatives. Yeast cells primarily synthesize endogenous inositol via inositol-1-phosphate synthase and take up exogenous inositol through transporters represented by inositol transporter 1 (Itr1). These two mechanisms together form the basis for inositol to exert functions in physiological activities, including yeast growth and metabolism. This paper introduces the physiological functions of inositol and its derivatives, elaborates the biosynthesis pathway of inositol within yeast cells, summarizes the molecular mechanisms for inositol transport and utilization in yeast, and reviews the effects of exogenous inositol supplementation on fermentation performance of different yeasts, aiming to decipher the growth-regulation mechanisms of yeast and provide theoretical support for the improvement of fermentation performance.

Distillers’ grains are the major solid by-product generated during Baijiu production, with an annual output exceeding 10 million tons. They are characterized by high moisture content and susceptibility to spoilage. Traditionally, distillers’ grains are mainly applied in feed production, composting, and anaerobic fermentation, whereas such applications suffer from low added value and potential secondary pollution. Distillers’ grains are rich in carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, which enables their development into high-value functional materials and endows them with broad resource utilization prospects. Starting from the output trend of distillers’ grains, this paper compares the compositional differences among various types of Baijiu distillers’ grains, elaborates the research progress of distillers’ grains in conventional application fields including feed, composting, anaerobic fermentation, and component extraction. Moreover, it reviews the advances of distillers’ grains-derived functional materials in high-value fields such as sodium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, adsorbents, catalysts, electromagnetic shielding materials, and adhesives. Finally, it proposes the future research prospects of distillers’ grains-derived functional materials in terms of raw material treatment, structure-activity relationship, and green large-scale preparation.

Baijiu aging, a critical process determining its quality, is a dynamic process driven synergistically by physical and chemical changes. Physical changes mainly consist of the volatilization of low-boiling irritant substances, selective adsorption by aging containers, hydrogen bond association between ethanol and water molecules, and self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules. In the initial aging stage (3-12 months), these changes can effectively mitigate the pungency of newly distilled liquor and drive core macroscopic sensory indicators, including mouthfeel softness, basic aroma profile, and pungency intensity, towards apparent dynamic stability. Chemical changes are the core driving force for the formation of long-term flavor quality and the generation of aged flavor compounds in Baijiu, covering core pathways such as redox-based flavor precursor generation, regulation of esterification-hydrolysis equilibrium, condensation reactions, and ambient-temperature Maillard reaction. The aforementioned changes synergistically promote Baijiu flavor to evolve towards harmony and mellowness. This paper systematically reviews the core mechanisms of Baijiu aging and analyzes the key controversies and research bottlenecks in the current field, aiming to provide a reference for relevant research and industrial practice.

The Baijiu industry generates a large amount of distiller’s grains annually, which are rich in cellulose, protein, starch, and various minerals, and also contain abundant microbial biomass, flavor compounds and bioactive substances, thereby possessing high value for resource utilization. Improper disposal of distiller’s grains not only causes resource waste but also poses severe pollution to the ecological environment. Therefore, achieving efficient resource utilization of Baijiu distiller’s grains is of great practical significance for assisting the Baijiu industry in practicing the concept of green, low-carbon and circular development. This paper summarizes the sources and main components of Baijiu distiller’s grains as well as their pretreatment methods, with a focus on reviewing the construction of synthetic microbial communities and their application in the resource utilization of distiller’s grains, and further concludes the application progress of modern microbial technology in this field, so as to provide a reference for the resource utilization of distiller’s grains and the sustainable development of the brewing industry.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a prevalent metabolic liver disease worldwide whose pathogenesis is inextricably linked to the direct hepatotoxicity of ethanol metabolites and gut-liver axis dysfunction. Current treatment options remain severely limited, highlighting the urgent clinical need for safe and effective adjunctive therapies. Probiotics, owing to their ability to modulate gut microbiota and host metabolism, have attracted considerable interest for their hepatoprotective and alcohol-detoxifying effects. This review systematically discusses the underlying mechanisms of alcohol-detoxifying probiotics, summarizes candidate strain sources and screening strategies, and provides a comprehensive update on preclinical and clinical findings. Collectively, this review aims to support fundamental research and facilitate translational applications of these probiotics in clinical and industrial settings.

The effectiveness of the national food safety standard for prepared dishes depends on whether it can bridge the deep-seated divide between public perception and technical definitions. From a legal perspective, the national standard possesses the dual attributes of both a technical specification and a social contract. It is not only a risk-control framework based on food science, but also an institutional arrangement that redefines the boundaries between the freedom of production and operation and consumer rights. This dual nature means that, following the publication of the standard, compliance inspections based solely on technical indicators cannot automatically secure social acceptance; rather, the institutional design of the implementation phase serves as the linchpin linking scientific rationality with public concerns. To ensure that the national standard for prepared dishes truly becomes an effective tool for rule-of-law governance, an institutional framework centered on the implementation phase should be established. Uniformity and predictability in the application of the standard should be ensured through authoritative administrative interpretations and discretionary benchmarks. Technical definitions should be translated into mandatory obligations to provide clear information at the catering stage, thereby bridging the institutional gap in consumers’ right to be informed. Statutory review cycles and a mechanism for competition among diverse standards should be utilized to drive the standard’s transformation from a static regulation to a dynamic, evolving framework. Only in this way can the national standard transcend its status as a mere technical document and become a legal institutional vehicle that balances industrial development, regulatory effectiveness, and public trust.

As the saccharification and fermentation starter for brewing sauce-flavor (Jiangxiangxing) Baijiu, high-temperature Daqu is crucial to its flavor and quality. This paper elucidates the microbial community succession patterns and the contribution of the main functional microorganisms to the formation of important flavor compounds in high-temperature Daqu during the fermentation, and demonstrates the differences in microbial community structure between the outer crust (Qupi) and the inner core (Quxin) of Daqu, as well as between Daqu of varying colors, resulting from spatial variations within the Daqu itself and differences in the fermentation environment. This paper provides a theoretical basis and scientific evidence for the process optimization and quality control of high-temperature Daqu production, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of the traditional Baijiu brewing industry.

With the deepening of the concept of healthy consumption, Lujiu, as an important component of traditional Chinese alcoholic beverages, has increasingly attracted market attention due to its unique flavor and efficacy, and has become the 3^rd largest alcoholic beverage category in China. However, current research on Lujiu mainly focuses on functional components and process optimization, lacking a systematic review of its conceptual system, classification standards, and industry development status. Based on clarifying the concept and classification of Lujiu, this paper summarizes its research progress from the perspectives of process and functional components, and analyzes the main challenges and future development trends in light of industrial dynamics, so as to provide theoretical support and practical reference for the sustainable development of the Lujiu industry.

High-temperature Daqu is the core starter of sauce-flavor Baijiu, and its solid-state fermentation mechanism is complex. This paper systematically summarizes the research progress of multi-omics technologies, including metagenomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, in this field. Metagenomics revealed the core thermotolerant microbiota, including bacterial genera Bacillus and Kroppenstedtia, as well as the fungal genus Thermoascus; transcriptomics elucidated the upregulation of heat shock protein genes (HSP60/HSP70) in dominant species (such as Bacillus) under high-temperature conditions, as well as the regulatory roles of acetate ester synthase gene (atfA) and riboflavin biosynthesis gene (ribB) in flavor compound synthesis; and metabolomics identified that the Maillard reaction is a key pathway for the formation of characteristic flavor compounds in high-temperature Daqu, with pyrazines and esters being the main flavor compounds. Multi-omics integration revealed a cascade regulatory network of “microorganism-gene-metabolite”. In the future, dynamic omics and synthetic biology need to be combined to deepen the elucidation of the underlying mechanisms and promote the precision production of traditional fermentation.

To analyze the relationship between the quality of high-temperature Daqu and the microbial communities in the fermentation room (Qu warehouse) bioaerosols during fermentation, the warehouse environmental parameters and bioaerosol microbial community structures during the fermentation of high- and low-quality high-temperature Daqu were systematically compared, and functional prediction was further performed to reveal the microbial and functional potential. The results showed that the temperature in the high-quality Qu warehouse exhibited a “decrease-increase-decrease” pattern with a continuously declining relative humidity, whereas the low-quality Qu warehouse showed a relatively low temperature with pronounced fluctuations in relative humidity. The bioaerosols of the high-quality Qu warehouse significantly enriched thermophilic functional microbiota, including Bacillus, Kroppenstedtia, Thermoascus, and Monascus, whereas those of the low-quality Qu warehouse enriched Streptomyces and Paecilomyces. Spearman correlation analysis further indicated that the temperature and humidity of the Qu warehouse were the key environmental factors driving the colonization of thermophilic dominant microbiota. Functional prediction revealed that the high-quality Qu warehouse enriched more saprotrophic fungi and signal transduction-related pathways, thereby exhibiting stronger substrate degradation and environmental response potential. In contrast, the low-quality Qu warehouse had a higher proportion of functionally unclassified fungi, pointing to a potential imbalance in microbial functional profiles. In summary, this study elucidated the succession patterns, environmental driving factors, and functional differences of the bioaerosol microorganisms in the Qu warehouse, thereby providing a theoretical basis for directionally improving Daqu quality through the regulation of aerosol microecology.

Protease-producing strains were screened from fermented mash of Xiaoqu Baijiu production by transparent-halo method combined with Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The recovered isolates were identified by morphological observation, physiological and biochemical experiments and molecular biological techniques, protease-producing conditions were optimized by single-factor experiments and response-surface methodology, and enzymatic properties of the resultant protease were further analyzed. The results showed that strain B2 with high protease-producing capacity was isolated and identified as Bacillus velezensis. The strain demonstrated robust growth in the presence of ethanol 2%-4%, exhibiting a certain degree of ethanol tolerance. Optimal culture conditions for protease production by strain B2 were determined as follows: initial medium pH 6, fermentation temperature 37 ℃, fermentation duration 24 h; medium components: maltose 17 g/L, peptone 11 g/L, MnSO₄ 0.9 g/L. Under these conditions, the extracellular protease activity reached 39.44 U/mL, representing a 37% increase compared with the pre-optimization level. Enzymatic property analysis revealed that the optimal reaction temperature and pH of the protease system were 50 °C and 7, respectively. It retained over 70% relative activity in the presence of ethanol 12%, demonstrating favorable ethanol tolerance. Inhibitor assays revealed that the proteases secreted by strain B2 formed a complex enzyme system consisting of serine protease and metalloprotease. Collectively, these findings provided scientific references and fundamental data for the fermentation-based application of B. velezensis B2 and the development of ethanol-tolerant proteases.

Using a low higher-alcohol-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae FBKL2.8022 as the fermentation strain, rice wine was brewed with Guizhou Baishui (BS) rice stored for 0, 14, and 19 months and Liaoning organic (YJ) glutinous rice stored for 0, 14, 19, and 44 months as raw materials. The variation patterns of basic physicochemical indicators and hydrolyzed amino acids in rice, as well as higher alcohols and acetate esters during rice wine fermentation, were analyzed. The results showed that under the same storage time, the amylopectin and total starch contents of BS rice were significantly higher than those of YJ glutinous rice, whereas the hydrolyzed amino acid content was lower; with the extension of storage time, the protein and hydrolyzed amino acid contents of both rice varieties decreased. As fermentation progressed, the glucose content in the fermentation broth of all seven rice samples declined, and the total free amino acids showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing; the mass concentrations of total higher alcohols and total acetate esters in the resulting rice wines were 223.48-405.63 and 20.38-27.64 mg/L, respectively. At storage times of 14 and 19 months, the total higher alcohol contents of BS rice wines (405.63 and 400.94 mg/L) were significantly higher than those of YJ glutinous rice wines (264.32 and 259.90 mg/L), indicating that the effect of rice variety on higher alcohol content outweighed that of storage time. Correlation analysis revealed that free amino acids were mostly strongly correlated with higher alcohols and acetate esters, with the correlation in BS rice being stronger than that in YJ rice; storage time exerted inconsistent effects on the correlation between free amino acids and alcohols/esters in the two rice varieties. In conclusion, the influence of variety on the correlation between carbon/nitrogen levels and alcohol/ester formation was overall stronger than that of storage time. This study provided a theoretical basis for regulating alcohol and ester contents in rice wine through the carbon and nitrogen components of raw materials.

Pear wine was prepared using ‘Akizuki’ pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) as the raw material and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the fermentation starter, the fermentation conditions were optimized through single-factor experiments and response surface methodology, and the dynamic changes in basic physicochemical indicators, sugars, organic acids, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and aroma compounds were analyzed. The results showed that the optimal fermentation conditions were as follows: initial sugar content 25 °Brix, fermentation temperature 25 ℃, inoculum 0.30 g/kg, and fermentation time 7 days. Under these conditions, the ethanol and reducing sugar contents of the pear wine were 12.07% and 0.49 g/L, respectively. During the fermentation, sugars were rapidly consumed while the ethanol content gradually increased; the contents of total phenols, total flavonoids, and individual phenolics all showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, and were 1.07, 2.08, and 3.16 times those before fermentation at the end of fermentation, respectively. The scavenging rates of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) cation radicals and the total antioxidant capacity exhibited variation trends basically consistent with those of phenolic compounds, increasing by 73.02%, 29.04%, and 83.43%, respectively, at the end of fermentation compared with before the fermentation. Correlation analysis revealed that individual phenolic compounds such as hyperoside, quercetin, and isoquercitrin were strongly correlated with antioxidant activity. A total of 80 aroma compounds were identified during fermentation, of which 61 were detected at the end of fermentation with a total content of 7 824.47 μg/L, and seven key differential aroma compounds were screened out, namely octanoic acid, ethyl octanoate, isoamyl hexanoate, ethyl decanoate, isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, and phenethyl acetate. This study provided a theoretical reference for the optimization of the production process, targeted regulation of functional components, and improvement of flavor quality of pear wine.

A dominant strain with high lipase production capacity was isolated from freeze-dried powder of Aspergillus aculeatus BNCC 19623 via the olive oil plate screening method, whose molecular identification was completed by 18S rDNA sequencing, sequence homology alignment and phylogenetic tree analysis; on this basis, fermentation conditions for lipase biosynthesis of the strain were optimized, and the enzymatic characteristics of its extracellular lipase were systematically explored. The results showed that the screened high lipase-producing strain was identified as A. aculeatus. The optimal fermentation parameters for lipase synthesis were determined as follows: fermentation duration 40 h, fermentation temperature 28 °C, olive oil supplementation 5%, inoculation volume 4%, and initial pH 6.5. Under these conditions, the lipase activity reached 162.5 U/mL, which was increased by 46.4% compared with the pre-optimization level of 111.0 U/mL. The optimal ammonium sulfate saturation for lipase salting-out was 70%, and the enzyme exhibited a molecular weight of approximately 32.5 kDa, with its optimal catalytic conditions recorded at 30 °C and pH 8.5-9.0; its activity barely declined after 3 h of water bath incubation at 30 °C, whereas roughly 30% activity was lost following 3 h incubation at 40 °C, and metal ions (10 mmol/L Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺) exerted significant stimulatory effects on lipase activity. The findings of this study provided theoretical references for fermentative production and application of lipase from A. aculeatus.

To improve the yield of 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) in alcoholic beverages, DNJ-producing endophytic strains were isolated and screened from mulberry leaves and stems, and further identified via morphological observation and molecular biological analysis. Simulated fermentation of light-flavor (Qingxiangxing) Baijiu and rice wine was performed under laboratory conditions, and the optimal mulberry leaf supplementation dosage was systematically explored. The synergistic effects of mulberry leaf substrate fermentation by screened endophytes on DNJ accumulation, liquor yield, and comprehensive quality of alcoholic beverages were evaluated. The results showed that two high-yield DNJ endophytic strains, S3 and S5, were successfully isolated and identified as Staphylococcus pasteuri and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, respectively. The optimal supplementation amount of mulberry leaves was determined to be 4.5% for both light-flavor Baijiu and rice wine fermentation systems. Compared with the blank group without mulberry leaf addition, the supplementation of 4.5% mulberry leaves increased the ethyl acetate content of light-flavor Baijiu by 90.7%, reduced the contents of n-propanol and fusel oil by 44.8% and 45.0%, respectively, and exerted little effect on liquor yield. In rice wine fermentation, 4.5% mulberry leaf addition had no significant impact on sugar content and ethanol volume fraction. After mulberry leaf fermentation mediated by the strains S3 and S5, the DNJ contents in fermented grains of light-flavor Baijiu reached 105.80 and 99.19 mg/kg, respectively; while the DNJ concentrations in rice wine were 1 205.5 and 1 402.5 μg/L, which were 169.6% and 152.7%, 50.8% and 75.5% higher than those of the single mulberry leaf supplementation group, respectively. This study provided a new strategy for enhancing the production of DNJ in fermented grains of light-flavor Baijiu and fermented alcoholic drinks.

Taking the high-temperature stacking fermented grains from rounds 3, 4, and 5 of sauce-flavor (Jiangxiangxing) Baijiu as the research objects, the dynamic succession pattern of microbial community structure and the variation trend of key enzyme activities were systematically revealed by high-throughput sequencing and enzyme activity determination. The intrinsic relationships among microbial community structure, temperature, and enzyme activity were dissected by redundancy analysis combined with Spearman correlation analysis. The results showed that the core microbiota structure was stable across rounds, with bacteria dominated by Virgibacillus, Kroppenstedtia, Oceanobacillus, and Bacillus, and fungal communities dominated by Monascus and Paecilomyces. The ecological functional characteristics differed among the rounds: in the round 3, the temperature increased gently, with the activities of liquefying enzyme, saccharifying enzyme, and cellulase exhibiting a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, while protease activity fluctuated within a narrow range. In the round 4, the initial stacking temperature was high and the microbial community structure fluctuated more drastically, with rapid enzymatic responses but obvious later-stage differentiation. In the round 5, the temperature rose the fastest, with the thermophilic bacterium Kroppenstedtia abundantly enriched and rising to the predominant genus, and the overall enzyme activity level remaining relatively low. Correlation analysis further indicated that temperature was the key environmental factor driving microbial community succession, which regulated key enzyme activities by directionally enriching thermotolerant microbiota such as Kroppenstedtia, Bacillus, and Monascus. Specifically, liquefying enzyme was significantly and positively correlated with Monascus and Kroppenstedtia, cellulase with Paecilomyces, saccharifying enzyme with Oceanobacillus and Zygosaccharomyces, and protease with Oceanobacillus (P < 0.05). In summary, temperature-driven microbial community succession is the key factor leading to metabolic functional differentiation among the rounds, and this study provided a theoretical basis for the precise regulation of the round-based process of sauce-flavor (Jiangxiangxing) Baijiu.

Strains with high cellulase-producing capacity were isolated and screened from rotten straw, followed by morphological observation, physiological and biochemical tests, and molecular biological identification. High-cellulase-producing mutants were screened by ultraviolet mutagenesis, and enzymatic property of the produced cellulase was analyzed. The results showed that the strain B9 with relatively high cellulase activity was obtained and identified as Bacillus subtilis. Using the strain B9 as the original strain, a mutant B9-78 with enhanced cellulase yield was obtained via ultraviolet mutagenesis. The carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) and filter-paper enzyme (FPA) activities of the mutant B9-78 reached (6.63 ± 0.20) and (9.50 ± 0.66) U/mL, which were 2.77- and 3.24-fold those of the original strain B9, respectively, and the mutant exhibited favourable genetic stability. The cellulase produced by mutant B9-78 had an optimal reaction temperature 50 ℃ and an optimal pH 6, showing good temperature and pH stability. Exogenous addition of Ba²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Mg²⁺ strongly promoted cellulase activity, whereas Fe²⁺ and Cu²⁺ exerted obvious inhibitory effects on enzyme activity. These findings can provide strain resources for efficient cellulose degradation and support the optimization of application conditions for this strain in industrial scenarios.

A total of 30 Bacillus strains (1#, 2#, 4#-14#, 16#-19#, 21#-33#) were isolated from fermented grains of Feng-flavor Baijiu, among which nine strains with superior enzyme-producing capacity were obtained by preliminary screening via a plate halo assay. Their enzyme-producing profiles and metabolic characteristics of volatile flavor compounds were further systematically evaluated via simulated Daqu fermentation and liquid-state sorghum juice fermentation. The results revealed that strain 24#, identified as B. velezensis, exhibited the optimal comprehensive performance in saccharifying power (252 U), liquefying power (0.48 U), and esterifying power (16.65 U). A total of 47 compounds, including alcohols, esters, acids, furans, aldehydes, ketones, and phenols, were detected in fermentation products of sorghum juice by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among the tested isolates, B. licheniformis 5# possessed the highest capacity for 2,3-butanediol production ((1 204.86 ± 74.94) μg/L); B. licheniformis 8# yielded the maximum amount of 3-hydroxy-2-butanone ((1 937.66 ± 215.17) μg/L). B. licheniformis 16# and B. amyloliquefaciens 18# showed optimal synthesis capacity for ethyl hexanoate ((905.36 ± 99.6) μg/L) and hexanoic acid ((2 153.86 ± 160.91) μg/L), respectively. This study systematically illustrated the functional diversity of Bacillus during Feng-flavor Baijiu brewing based on their enzyme-producing and aroma-generating properties, which provided germplasm resources for targeted flavor regulation and development of functional strains.

To investigate the effects of shading treatment of grapevine on the quality of ‘Marselan’ wine, the top parts of grapevines were shaded with shading nets with shading rates of 20% (Q1) and 50% (Q2) during the period from 5% veraison to full ripeness, with no-shading treatment set as the control (CK). Grapes were harvested for winemaking, and wine color parameters, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity were determined, followed by correlation analysis of quality indicators. The results showed that total phenols, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins, and total flavan-3-ols in group Q1 were significantly higher than those in CK, reaching 4 156, 3 929.8, 685.41, and 1 370.83 mg/L, respectively, whereas CK possessed the highest total flavonol content (634.271 mg/L). A minor color difference was observed between Q1 and CK, and the wine from Q1 exhibited favorable color coordination. Group Q1 obtained the highest malic acid content of 2.413 g/L. Moderate shading of Q1 significantly increased the contents of non-anthocyanin phenols, including gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, syringic acid, and epicatechin. Meanwhile, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical scavenging capacity (1 182.72 μmol/L) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) value (1 213.75 μmol/L) were enhanced. Correlation analysis revealed that ABTS cation radical scavenging capacity and FRAP value showed extremely significant positive correlations with total phenols, total anthocyanins, and other indicators (P < 0.01). Conclusion, moderate shading of grapevine can effectively strengthen wine antioxidant activity and improve color stability by regulating the content and proportion of phenolic compounds.

Using Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar (aged for 1-8 years), ripe vinegar, raw vinegar, and brewed white vinegar as raw materials, high-quality raw vinegar was screened with the contents of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), lactic acid, and tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) as indicators. Functional vinegar powder was subsequently prepared using xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) and maltodextrin as embedding materials in combination with spray-freeze drying technology, and its protective effect on intestinal health was systematically evaluated through a Caco-2 epithelial cell model, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal barrier injury model, and an H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress model. The results showed that 7-year-aged Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar exhibited the optimal comprehensive performance of functional components, with the content of SCFAs reaching 5.489%, containing three SCFAs, namely acetic acid, butyric acid, and isovaleric acid; its lactic acid content was the highest (1.580%); and its TMP content reached 498 mg/kg. Cell experiments indicated that the original vinegar powder, XOS-embedded vinegar powder, and maltodextrin-embedded vinegar powder prepared from 7-year-aged Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar all showed no significant cytotoxicity. The three vinegar powders significantly elevated the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of Caco-2 cells, while the two embedded vinegar powders exhibited comparable but weaker effects than the original vinegar powder. In the LPS-induced barrier injury model, only the original vinegar powder significantly restored the TEER from 1 490 to 1 630 Ω·cm² (P < 0.05), whereas the two embedded vinegar powders showed no significant repair effect on the damaged barrier (P > 0.05). In the H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress model, the three vinegar powders significantly increased the viability of damaged cells, with the original vinegar powder outperforming the two embedded vinegar powders (P <0.05). In conclusion, vinegar powder could effectively ameliorate LPS-induced cellular barrier injury and H₂O₂-induced cellular oxidative stress injury, thereby improving intestinal barrier function, which suggested its intestinal barrier-protective potential at the in vitro cell model level and its promising application in the development of intestinal health-related products.

By integrating culture-dependent methods and metagenomics, this study systematically characterized the amylase-, protease-, and esterase-producing functional microbial resources, as well as the community composition and metabolic enzyme profiles, of premium- and superior-grade medium-high temperature Daqu used for strong-sauce composite-flavor (Nongjiangjianxiangxing) Baijiu. The results showed that 25 strains were isolated, with Bacillus as the dominant group. Superior-grade Daqu was the main source of high protease-producing and amylase-producing strains, while premium-grade Daqu contributed the strain with the highest esterase activity, B. velezensis T18. Metagenomic analysis further revealed that premium-grade Daqu had higher species diversity, superior-grade Daqu harbored higher relative abundance of Bacillus, and premium-grade Daqu harbored higher relative abundances of Ascomycota, Mucoromycota, Aspergillus, and Rasamsonia. Functional enzymatic profile analysis uncovered the differentiation of metabolic strategies between the two types of Daqu: superior-grade Daqu focused on basic raw material degradation and sugar release, whereas premium-grade Daqu emphasized the fine conversion of complex substrates and advanced flavor synthesis. This study elucidated the microbial mechanism underlying the quality differentiation between premium- and superior-grade Daqu from the perspectives of strain- and community-level function, and the screened superior strains provided key microbial resources and theoretical support for targeted microbial regulation during Baijiu brewing.

To investigate the effect of one-year storage at different temperatures (ambient temperature, 4 and 15 ℃) on physicochemical indices, starch properties, and brewing performance of glutinous red sorghum grains, sorghum Yinuohong No.4 was used as the test material. Physicochemical indices of sorghum grains were determined, and starch structure as well as gelatinization characteristics were analyzed by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA), respectively. Xiaoqu light-flavor (Qingxiangxing) Baijiu was brewed using the sorghum Yinuohong No.4 stored for one year; the changes in physicochemical indices of fermented grains during fermentation were explored, and volatile flavour compounds of Baijiu brewed by Xiaoqu were analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that storage at 4 ℃ inhibited the deterioration of sorghum grains. After one-year storage of sorghum, the contents of moisture, protein, amylose, tannin and fat, together with fatty acid value, were 10.69%, 12.33%, 4.98%, 1.57%, 5.02% and 5.60 mg/100 g, respectively, presenting the lowest degradation extent. Sorghum stored at 4 ℃ maintained the compact structure of starch granules with a crystallinity of 31.24%, and its gelatinization thermal and viscosity characteristic parameters were closest to those before the storage. A total of 35 volatile flavor compounds were detected in Xiaoqu light-flavor Baijiu brewed from sorghum stored at 4 ℃, with a total content of 3 367.35 mg/L. The concentrations of ethyl acetate and total acid were 337.61 and 513.83 mg/L, respectively, while methanol content was 108.54 mg/L, which complied with the limit requirements specified in the national food safety standard GB 2757-2012 National food safety standard-Distilled spirits and their formulated beverages. These results can provide references for the storage of raw materials for Baijiu brewing.

Taking cider as the research material, differences in fermentation characteristics of the mixed-culture system consisting of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CGMCC 2.3854 and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa under 18, 23 and 28 ℃ were systematically compared. Fermentation kinetics measurement and dynamic monitoring of microbial growth were performed, combined with comprehensive evaluation of antioxidant activity, volatile flavor components and sensory attributes of finished cider to decipher the influencing mechanism of fermentation temperature on flavor profile and sensory quality of mixed-culture fermented cider. The results showed that lower fermentation temperature prolonged the fermentation duration. The ethanol volume fraction in cider from mixed-culture groups (8.50%-8.86%) was slightly lower than that from pure-culture groups (8.98%-9.52%), whereas total phenolic content and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity were higher than those of pure-culture groups at the same temperature. Cider co-fermented at 28 ℃ showed a deeper amber color, with the highest lactic acid content, relatively low acetic acid content, and the most balanced organic acid profile, along with the greatest abundance of flavor compounds, particularly higher alcohols, which endowed the cider with enhanced aroma complexity and a mellow mouthfeel. Consequently, sensory evaluation confirmed superior overall acceptability, aroma and taste of the cider fermented at 28 ℃. Collectively, mixed-culture fermentation at 28 ℃ is capable of effectively improving the comprehensive quality of cider.

To improve the color stability, functional component retention, and post-drinking comfort of tartary buckwheat integrated alcoholic beverage, the blended liquids were prepared by adding 0.01 g/L of mint, clove, sage, bamboo leaf, oregano leaf, and moringa leaf extracts together with 5.0% (V/V) tartary buckwheat extract, and the effects of the six extracts on the quality and post-drinking comfort of the integrated alcoholic beverage were then analyzed after storage at room temperature for 90 days and at a high temperature (50 °C) for 30 days, respectively. The results showed that the addition of natural plant extracts did not affect the total acid or total ester contents of the integrated alcoholic beverages. Under room temperature conditions, the oregano leaf extract exhibited the optimal color stabilization effect on the body of the integrated alcoholic beverage, effectively slowing down the degradation of total flavonoids and maintaining the highest rutin retention rate (80.23%). However, under high-temperature accelerated conditions, the protective effects of all extracts on color and functional components were weakened to varying degrees. As for post-drinking comfort, the sage extract could shorten the intoxication period and reduce the degree of drunkenness in mice. Moreover, the sensory scores of tartary buckwheat integrated alcoholic beverages with oregano leaf, mint, bamboo leaf, and sage extracts all exceeded 90, among which the tartary buckwheat integrated alcoholic beverage with sage extract showed relatively better taste harmony. Collectively, these findings provided a theoretical basis and technical support for improving the quality of tartary buckwheat integrated alcoholic beverage and for the application of natural antioxidants in alcoholic beverages.

Lactic acid bacteria were isolated and purified from traditional red sour soup collected in Qiannan, Guizhou Province, China. Six strains with strong acid-producing capacity and high nitrite-degrading ability were obtained through screening, and their tolerance properties were further evaluated. Using Maolaguo and chili as raw materials, the effect of mixed-strain fermentation on total acid and nitrite contents of red sour soup was explored with single-factor experiments combined with response-surface methodology. The results showed that all six lactic acid bacterial strains grew well under a nitrite concentration of 200 g/L. Strains LZ-13 and LZ-31 exhibited a prominent growth advantage under a high sodium chloride concentration (80 g/L). All strains maintained stable growth under acidic conditions at pH 4.0. Strain LZ-28 showed strong tolerance in simulated artificial gastrointestinal fluid. The optimal compound ratio of strain LZ-31 to LZ-28 was 2:1, and the optimal compound fermentation conditions were fermentation time 5 d, fermentation temperature 31 ℃, and inoculum 3%. Under these conditions, the fermented red sour soup achieved a total acid content of (19.54 ± 0.11) g/kg and a nitrite content of (2.72 ± 0.12) mg/kg. Compared with naturally fermented red sour soup, significant improvements were observed in color, aroma, taste scores, and overall score of sensory evaluation. The fermented product presented a bright red color, moderate sour-hot taste, and mellow flavor. In conclusion, screening functional strains from local resources for compound fermentation can effectively increase total acid content, reduce nitrite level, and improve the sensory quality of red sour soup.

Using glucose as the substrate and strains belonging to Bacillus sp., Enterobacter sp., and Serratia sp. as candidates, high-yielding 2,3-butanediol-producing strains were screened. The 2,3-butanediol content in the fermentation broth of these strains were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and their fermentation conditions were optimized. The results showed that all candidate strains possessed the capability to synthesize 2,3-butanediol, among which B. amyloliquefaciens 35M exhibited the highest 2,3-butanediol-producing capacity. When glucose was used as carbon source, 2,3-butanediol yield was markedly higher than that obtained with maltose, fructose, or sucrose. The optimal fermentation conditions for 2,3-butanediol production by this strain were as follows: glucose addition 100 g/L, fermentation temperature 37 ℃, shaking speed 200 r/min and initial pH 6. Under these optimized conditions, the 2,3-butanediol yield reached 46.31 g/L, representing a 132% increase compared with the pre-optimization level of 19.93 g/L. This study effectively enhanced the 2,3-butanediol yield of B. amyloliquefaciens 35M through optimized fermentation.

To satisfy industrial-scale production demands, the high-density culture process of indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae FMS was optimized. Medium composition and culture conditions for high-density growth were optimized by one-factor-at-a-time experiments combined with orthogonal array design, followed by a comparative investigation of the growth performance of S. cerevisiae FMS under intermittent feedback fed-batch culture and conventional shake-flask culture. The results demonstrated that the optimal medium composition for high-density culture was 110 g/L fructose, 30 g/L corn steep liquor and 0.03 g/L MnSO₄. The suitable culture conditions were temperature 28 ℃, shaking speed 200 r/min, liquid loading volume 40% (V/V), and inoculation volume 4% (V/V). No significant improvement in final viable cell count was achieved by intermittent feedback fed-batch operation. Under conventional non-fed-batch shake-flask culture, the maximum viable cell count of strain FMS reached 11.49 (lg (CFU/mL)) at the logarithmic growth phase, representing a three-order-of-magnitude increase compared to the initial cell density of 8.27 (lg (CFU/mL)) achieved using the initial YPD medium. The high-density culture system for strain FMS established in this study adopted corn steep liquor as the nitrogen source, which enables high-density cultivation of S. cerevisiae while effectively cutting production costs and provided a theoretical basis for the industrial application of indigenous S. cerevisiae.

The extracts of Semen Hoveniae, Puerariae Lobatae Radix and Mori Fructus were compounded, and the compounding ratio was first screened based on alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity. Subsequently, the preparation process was optimized through single-factor and orthogonal experiments with the comprehensive score of disintegration time, gas production, and sensory score as the evaluation index. Finally, mouse models of acute alcohol intoxication and chronic alcoholic liver injury were established to investigate the anti-hangover and hepatoprotective effects of the effervescent tablets. The results showed that the optimal formulation was as follows: compound (Semen Hoveniae flavonoids:Puerariae Lobatae Radix flavonoids:Mori Fructus polysaccharides = 12:18:70, m/m) 20%, disintegrant (citric acid:sodium bicarbonate =0.6:1, m/m) 60%, stevioside 4%, polyethylene glycol 6000 4%, polyvinylpyrrolidone 1%, and maltodextrin 11%. Under these conditions, the disintegration time, gas production volume, pH value and sensory properties of the effervescent tablets all met the requirements of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and effervescent tablet formulation specifications. The acute alcohol intoxication experiment in mice showed that the effervescent tablets significantly prolonged the alcohol latency time and shortened the intoxication duration. The chronic alcoholic liver injury experiment in mice demonstrated that the tablets ameliorated ethanol-induced body weight loss, significantly increased the activities of ADH and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in liver tissue, elevated the glutathione (GSH) level, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, and downregulated the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and triglyceride (TG) (P < 0.01, P < 0.001). Histopathological examination of liver tissue revealed that the effervescent tablets markedly alleviated hepatocyte steatosis and inflammatory infiltration and restored the structural integrity of hepatic lobules. These findings provided a theoretical basis and technical support for the development of natural-source functional foods with anti-hangover and hepatoprotective effects.

The high-density fermentation process for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum RS20D was optimized, with its optimal medium compositions and fermentation conditions systematically optimized by single-factor experiments combined with response surface methodology, and the effects of culture conditions on exopolysaccharide (EPS) yield were further investigated. The results showed that the optimal medium formula consisted of maltose 47.3 g/L, beef extract powder 65.6 g/L, MgSO₄·7H₂O 1.22 g/L, MnSO₄·H₂O 0.37 g/L, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate-sodium acetate-sodium citrate 0.1 mol/L, Tween 80 1.5 g/L, and tomato juice 30 g/L. The optimum culture parameters were inoculum 4% (V/V), temperature 37 ℃ and initial pH 6.5. Under these optimal culture conditions, the viable cell count in fermentation broth reached 8.67 × 10⁹ CFU/mL, which was 3.04-fold of that obtained in the unoptimized basal medium (2.85 × 10⁹ CFU/mL), while the EPS yield reached 713.58 mg/L, with an approximately 133.7% increase (P < 0.05) compared with the preoptimization (305.32 mg/L). In summary, the phased optimization of both medium components and culture parameters achieved simultaneous improvement in cell density and polysaccharide yield, providing valuable data references for the scaled-up production of L. plantarum RS20D.

Sweet fermented glutinous rice was prepared by fermentation using glutinous rice and black olive as raw materials. Taking the reducing sugar and total acid contents as comprehensive evaluation indicators, the optimal preparation conditions were determined through single-factor and orthogonal experiments. The volatile flavor compounds, antioxidant activity, as well as the active components such as polyphenols and flavonoids of the final product were analyzed. The results showed that the optimal process conditions for sweet fermented glutinous rice were as follows: sweet Qu 0.6%, black olive pomace 6%, glutinous rice soaking time 12 h, fermentation time 48 h, and fermentation temperature 30 °C. Under the optimal preparation conditions, 44 volatile components were identified in the fermented glutinous rice by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), with a reducing sugar content of 185.46 mg/mL, a total acid content of 5.64 g/L, a soluble solids content of 21.0%, a polyphenol content of 0.440 mg/mL, and a flavonoid content of 0.672 mg/mL. The antioxidant activity results showed that at a sweet fermented glutinous rice volume fraction of 100%, the hydroxyl radical scavenging rate was 84.18% with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 52%, and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging rate was 89.55% with an IC₅₀ of 44%. This study provided a new pathway for the high-value utilization of black olive resources and offers a theoretical basis and technical support for the research, development, and industrial production of novel functional sweet fermented glutinous rice.

The traditional detection methods for the key physicochemical indicators (acidity, starch, and moisture) of fermented grains of strong-flavor (Nongxiangxing) Baijiu are lagging and cannot provide timely and effective guidance for production batching in the brewing workshop. Therefore, this study developed an online detection system based on insertion near-infrared spectroscopy for the brewing production line. The system integrated an anti-interference optical probe with automated actuators, and a full-spectrum partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was established by correlating real-time, in situ spectra of fermented grain samples collected from the hopper with reference values obtained by wet-chemical analysis. The results showed that the determination coefficients of the external validation set for the moisture, starch, and acidity prediction models of unloading fermented grains were 0.909, 0.855, and 0.850, respectively, and the root mean square errors of cross-validation were 0.564%, 0.453%, and 0.193 mmol/10 g, respectively. The external validation results showed that the prediction deviations for moisture, starch, and acidity were strictly controlled within the process tolerances of ±1.0%, ±1.5%, and ±0.3 mmol/10 g, respectively, with root mean square errors of prediction of 0.61%, 0.72%, and 0.21 mmol/10 g, respectively. In summary, the online detection system based on insertion near-infrared spectroscopy can be applied to the online detection of fermented grains, which enriched the detection means for fermented grains and provided key technical support for the intelligent upgrading of Baijiu brewing.

To investigate the effects of partial substitution of NaCl with KCl on the flavor compounds in reduced-sodium shrimp paste, four groups of shrimp paste were fermented with 18% NaCl as the control group (S18-0) and with KCl substituting 3%, 6%, and 9% of NaCl (S15-3, S12-6, and S9-9), respectively, during which the contents of amino acid nitrogen (AAN) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) were monitored. After fermentation, sensory evaluation of the shrimp paste was conducted, and with unfermented shrimp paste as the blank control, the contents of free amino acids, flavor nucleotides, free fatty acids, and volatile flavor compounds were determined, and key differential volatile flavor compounds were screened out based on multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that at the end of fermentation, the group S12-6 exhibited the highest AAN content, and the TVB-N content of the group S9-9 was much higher than that of the other groups, yet still far below the safety limit. The group S9-9 presented a weak aroma with a pungent ammonia smell, whereas the overall acceptability of the groups S18-0, S15-3, and S12-6 showed no significant differences. With the increase in KCl substitution level, the contents of free amino acids, flavor nucleotides, and free fatty acids all exhibited a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, reaching their maximum values in the group S12-6. Glutamic acid was the amino acid contributing most to the taste of shrimp paste, and guanosine monophosphate and inosine monophosphate were the main umami-contributing substances. A total of 59 volatile flavor compounds were identified in the shrimp paste, and principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the volatile flavor compound profiles of the groups S18-0, S15-3, and S12-6 were similar, which differed greatly from that of the group S9-9. Based on a relative odor activity value (ROAV) > 1 and a variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1, eight key differential volatile flavor compounds were screened out, and the relative contents of compounds associated with off-flavors, such as 2,3-pentanedione, were relatively more abundant in the group S9-9. In summary, fermentation with 12% NaCl and 6% KCl enabled the production of flavorful reduced-sodium shrimp paste at the laboratory scale. This study provided technical support and theoretical foundations for the development of reduced-sodium shrimp paste.

Two indigenous non-Saccharomyces strains, Torulaspora delbrueckii TD12 and Hanseniaspora vineae HV26, were co-inoculated with commercial S. cerevisiae RX60 and QA23 to investigate their effects on volatile aroma compounds (VACs) in ‘Marselan’ and ‘Chardonnay’ wines. The results indicated that mixed-strain fermentation significantly improved the aroma complexity of wines, while fermentation performance and aroma phenotype varied substantially across grape varieties. Strain TD12 remarkably increased the glycerol content in ‘Marselan’ wine and reduced the succinic acid content in ‘Chardonnay’ wine, whereas strain HV26 decreased the acetic acid and malic acid contents in both wines. A total of 39 and 40 VACs were identified in ‘Marselan’ and ‘Chardonnay’ wines, respectively. Strain HV26 exhibited outstanding ester-producing capacity during ‘Chardonnay’ fermentation, especially for phenethyl acetate. By contrast, strain TD12 showed a prominent capacity for reducing higher alcohol level in ‘Marselan’ wine. Furthermore, 10 key aroma compounds were screened in ‘Marselan’ wine and 13 in ‘Chardonnay’ wine. Among them, 2,3-butanedione, butyric acid and isobutyric acid were unique to ‘Marselan’ wine, while ethyl caprate, phenethyl acetate, ethyl caprylate, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol and ethyl 9-decenoate were characteristic aroma compounds of ‘Chardonnay’ wine. In conclusion, the fermentation performance and aroma-producing characteristics of non-Saccharomyces are significantly affected by grape variety and mixed-strain. Both strains TD12 and HV26 possess great potential for industrial application. Specifically, strain HV26 is highly suitable for white wine fermentation and can effectively enhance the floral and fruity aroma quality of wine bodies.

Taking Coix seed Baijiu from four production rounds as the research objects, their volatile flavor compounds were determined by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the inter-round differences and evolution patterns of volatile components were analyzed. The results showed that the number of detected volatile compounds increased progressively with the rounds, with 24, 29, 30, and 41 compounds in rounds 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Round 1 was dominated by esters (46.68%) and alcohols (21.71%); round 2 shifted to esters (44.16%) and aldehydes and aldehyde derivatives (25.06%) as the dominant components, while alcohols (21.38%) showed no significant difference from round 1; round 3 was again dominated by esters (41.12%) and alcohols (21.46%); by round 4, the proportion of esters had decreased to 31.74%, whereas alcohols had risen to 39.94%, emerging as the dominant component. A total of 18 esters were detected across the four rounds, of which 13 were fatty acid esters, and ethyl acetate was the principal component in all rounds. The dynamic changes of alcohols were notable: the relative contents of 1-propanol (5.41%→14.57%) and phenethyl alcohol (2.79%→4.97%) increased gradually across the rounds, whereas acetal (14.84%→5.20%) decreased substantially. In summary, this study revealed the formation and evolution patterns of flavor compounds in Coix seed Baijiu, providing foundational data for process standardization, flavor quality improvement, product grading and blending.

Cuihong plum (Prunus salicina ‘Cuihongli’) wine was prepared from Cuihong plums, and its fermentation process conditions were optimized by single-factor experiments and orthogonal experiments. The volatile flavor components of the fruit wine were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the key flavor compounds were determined in conjunction with their relative odor activity values (ROAV). The results showed that the optimal fermentation conditions were as follows: fermentation time 9 days, fermentation temperature 22 °C, initial sugar content 22 °Brix, and yeast inoculum 0.25%. Under these optimized conditions, the ethanol content of Cuihong plum wine reached 12.57%, the total acid content was 5.86 g/L, and the sensory score was 84.83. A total of 41 volatile flavor compounds were identified, including 10 esters, 5 alcohols, 4 aldehydes, 6 acids, 5 terpenes, 4 ketones, 2 phenols, 3 olefins, and 2 other components. Moreover, eight key flavor compounds were determined, including esters such as ethyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, and ethyl lactate, as well as linalool and β-damascone, which endowed the Cuihong plum wine with typical “fruity-floral-sweet” complex aroma. Collectively, this study revealed the material basis of the unique aroma quality of this fruit wine, thereby providing a key theoretical basis for the targeted regulation of flavor and the standardized production of specialty Cuihong plum wine.

A method for the determination of vitexin and isovitexin content in mung bean Lujiu was established based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). An Ultimate LP-C₁₈ chromatographic column (300 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) was adopted, and segmented gradient elution was performed using methanol-0.2% formic acid solution as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min with detection wavelength set at 270 nm, and the external standard method was employed for quantitative analysis. The results showed that vitexin and isovitexin exhibited favourable linear relationships within the concentration range of 4-160 mg/L, with coefficients of determination greater than 0.999 9. The limits of detection for vitexin and isovitexin were 0.37 and 0.30 mg/L, while the limits of quantitation were 1.25 and 1.02 mg/L, respectively. The spiked recoveries ranged from 94.60% to 97.10% for vitexin and from 94.93% to 96.75% for isovitexin. There were certain differences in the contents of vitexin and isovitexin in different batches of mung bean Lujiu. The developed approach featured high sensitivity, rapid analysis and wide applicability, enabling accurate quantification of vitexin and isovitexin in mung bean Lujiu, which was expected to provide qualitative and quantitative technical support for the homogenization control of its functional active components.

Using Shanxi aged vinegar with different aging years as the research object, the composition and variation patterns of its flavor compounds were analyzed by employing headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) for volatile components and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry for non-volatile components, and the compound differences among different aging years were investigated by multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that the fresh vinegar and one-year-aged vinegar were relatively similar in both volatile and non-volatile profiles, while there were great differences between them and the 3-, 5- and 10-year-aged samples. With the extension of aging time, volatile components including furfural, trimethylpyrazine, tetramethylpyrazine, ethyl acetate, and phenethyl acetate gradually accumulated, whereas furfuryl alcohol and 3-methylbutanoic acid showed a decreasing trend. Combined with odor activity values, seven key differential aroma-active compounds, including guaiacol, phenethyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and trimethylpyrazine, were screened out, and the sample aroma gradually evolved from fermented and smoky notes at the early aging stage to a composite aroma integrating caramel, roasted, and floral and fruity notes at the later stage. The non-volatile components were dominated by adenosine phosphate and L-phenylalanine at the early aging stage, which could impart certain umami and bitterness to Shanxi aged vinegar, whereas the contents of vanillic acid and small-molecule peptides increased at the later aging stage, contributing to enhanced umami and mellow body of the vinegar. During aging, the volatile and non-volatile flavor compounds changed synergistically, which may be related to the concentration effect brought by “the traditional aging process of ‘Xiafu Shai, Dong Laobing’ (sun-drying in summer and ice-removing in winter)” and the slow non-enzymatic reactions, jointly promoting the formation and improvement of the flavor quality of Shanxi aged vinegar.

To systematically clarify flavor discrepancies among low-alcohol Baijiu of different aroma types, low-alcohol light-flavor (Qingxiangxing), strong-flavor (Nongxiangxing) and sauce-flavor (Jiangxiangxing) Baijiu were selected as research materials. Their flavor compounds were analyzed by electronic nose and electronic tongue, together with gas chromatography-flame ionization detector and headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Chemometric methods including principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis were further applied to screen key differential marker compounds. The results revealed differences in sensor responses of electronic nose and electronic tongue for the three types of low-alcohol Baijiu, and PCA enabled effective discrimination among these Baijiu samples. A total of 80 volatile flavor compounds were identified in the three low-alcohol Baijiu samples, mainly consisting of esters (33), alcohols (21) and acids (9). Sauce-flavor Baijiu possessed the highest total content of volatile flavor compounds at 7 914.4 mg/L, followed by strong-flavor Baijiu (5 025.9 mg/L) and light-flavor Baijiu (3 615.5 mg/L). A total of 34 kinds of key differential flavor compounds were screened with variable importance in projection values greater than 1, including 8 esters, 12 alcohols, 4 acids, 3 aldehydes, 3 ketones and 4 other compounds, which could serve as potential markers for aroma-type identification. This study provided theoretical foundations and data references for aroma-type identification and directional regulation of flavor quality of low-alcohol Baijiu.

The brewing industry, as a historical classic industry carrying the Chinese cultural lineage, is transitioning toward a world-class industrial ecosystem, which represents a frontier issue in industrial economics and regional development studies. Taking the Baijiu industry in Luzhou as the research object, this paper constructs a “four-dimension” synergy analytical framework covering creative research and development, capital operation, production and manufacturing, as well as marketing, based on industrial niche theory and value chain system theory, and introduces a coupling coordination degree model for quantitative measurement, systematically deconstructing the ecological transformation path of traditional Baijiu producing regions. The results showed that the coupling synergy degree of the “four-dimension” in Luzhou’s Baijiu industry increased from 0.298 to 0.695 during 2019-2025, remaining in a transitional stage from “severe imbalance” to “primary coordination”. Compared with Zunyi and Yibin, Luzhou exhibited four major structural bottlenecks, including fragmentation of innovation elements, superficiality of industryfinance integration, homogenization of cluster structure, and vagueness of cultural narrative. Accordingly, it is recommended to achieve a qualitative jump from a “traditional production area” to the “core pole of a world-class ecosystem” by building an “innovation ecological community” in the research and development dimension, activating the “chain-cluster symbiosis” value network in the financial dimension, reshaping the “circle-layer” potential in the production dimension and creating an “immersive” brand experience in the marketing dimension.

Against the backdrop of profound restructuring and brand cultural upgrading in the Baijiu industry, this study aimed to explore the interactive effects of intangible cultural heritage narrative types and brand history of Baijiu enterprises on consumers’ purchase intentions. Based on narrative transportation theory, a theoretical model incorporating intangible cultural heritage narrative type (craft-oriented vs. emotion-oriented), brand history (long vs. short), narrative transportation, cultural identity, and purchase intention was constructed and empirically tested through three independent 2 × 2 between-subjects scenario experiments using two-way analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, and the PROCESS macro. The results revealed a significant interactive effect between narrative type and brand history: long-history brands were better aligned with craft-oriented narratives, whereas short-history brands were more compatible with emotion-oriented narratives. Narrative transportation was found to mediate the pathway through which this interactive effect influenced purchase intention. In addition, cultural identity positively moderated the interactive effect of narrative type and brand history on narrative transportation, and this moderation was asymmetric. Specifically, among consumers with high cultural identity, both matching effects were significant, whereas among those with low cultural identity, only the emotion-oriented narrative path for short-history brands remained effective. This study provided a theoretical basis and practical reference for Baijiu enterprises to optimize their intangible cultural heritage narrative strategies based on brand history, thereby enhancing brand communication effectiveness and consumer identification.