Objective evaluation and scientific regulation of flavor quality are critical research topics for sauce-flavor (Jiangxiangxing) Baijiu. While existing studies predominantly focused on the qualitative and quantitative identification of volatile components, the impact of boiling point characteristics, a pivotal physical parameter, on overall flavor formation has received limited attention. From the perspective of boiling point distribution, this review systematically summarized the compositional characteristics of flavor compounds in sauce-flavor Baijiu. It explored the promotional roles of “three-high” brewing processes and dominant microbial communities in the biosynthesis of high-boiling-point flavor compounds, alongsided the evolutionary patterns of these substances during the aging process based on boiling point variations. Furthermore, the applicability of analytical techniques, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry, and high performance liquid chromatography, in flavor profiling was evaluated based on low-to-medium (< 200 ℃) and medium-to-high (> 200 ℃) boiling point ranges. By elucidating the critical role of boiling point characteristics in flavor evolution mechanisms, this study aims to provide a theoretical foundation for the precision distillation, scientific aging, and intelligent blending of sauce-flavor Baijiu.

To explore the research status and evolutionary trend of immobilized fermentation technology in the food industry, literature from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI; 1980-2025) and Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection (2001-2025) were retrieved and screened. CiteSpace software was adopted to conduct bibliometric analyses, including publication output, collaboration network, and keyword co-occurrence, clustering, burst detection, and timeline mapping. By comparing the research differences between domestic and overseas studies, this study aims to identify the research hotspots, core research teams, and existing deficiencies in this field. The results showed that the global publication output in this field followed an inverted U-curve, with a peak of 83 articles in CNKI and 23 in WOS. The proportions of core authors domestically and internationally were only 2.46% and 4.11%, respectively, with network densities of 0.001 8 and 0.004 8, indicating that a concentrated core author group had not been formed. Domestic research showed a single-core characteristic centered on immobilization and fermentation, while international research presented a multi-center coupling pattern with a more systematic and diverse perspective. Domestic research has shifted toward functional strains and high-value products in recent years, whereas international research has continuously focused on enzyme immobilization and precise regulation, showing remarkable disparities in development paths. This paper can provide a theoretical basis and data support for the upgrading of immobilized fermentation technology toward high efficiency, continuity, and green production in China’s food industry.

To screen probiotic strains with high angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, 539 preserved probiotic strains in laboratory were used as research materials. Strains with strong ACE inhibitory activity were preliminarily screened according to ACE inhibition rate and further identified via physiological-biochemical tests and molecular biological methods. The fermentation conditions for the selected strain were optimized using single-factor experiments, Plackett-Burman design, steepest ascent experiment, and Box-Behnken design. The results showed that strain Y43-3-1, which exhibited the highest ACE inhibitory activity, was isolated and identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. The optimal fermentation conditions were as follows: glucose 1.9 g/100 mL, yeast powder 12 g/L, fermentation duration 28 h, incubation temperature 37 ℃, inoculation volume 2% (V/V), initial pH 6.0. Under optimized conditions, the ACE inhibition rate reached 65.72%, which was significantly higher than the initial value of 58.16%. In summary, L. plantarum Y43-3-1 with potent ACE inhibitory activity was screened out, and its fermentation conditions were optimized in this study. This work provided excellent strain resources and theoretical support for its development and application in antihypertensive functional foods or probiotic preparations.

Effect of matcha addition level on physicochemical properties, microstructure, and microbial growth of yogurt was investigated by adding matcha into set yogurt. The results demonstrated that matcha supplementation distinctly endowed yogurt a green color, and slight elevations in pH values (4.3-4.5) were observed at matcha addition levels of 1.0%-2.0%. Moderate matcha supplementation (1.5%-2.0%) maintained favorable water-holding capacity with whey separation rates ranging from 0.8% to 1.0%, whereas excessive matcha resulted in coarse texture. The contents of total phenolic acids and total flavonoids increased with rising matcha addition, with the maximum total phenolic acid content reaching 240 mg/100 g, among which free phenolic acids exhibited a particularly prominent growth amplitude. After fermentation, the particle size of casein aggregates enlarged as matcha addition increased, peaking at 91 μm with a matcha addition 2.5%. The total count of Lactobacillus rose along with higher matcha concentration, while Streptococcus reached the maximum population of (8.9 ± 0.3) × 10⁷ CFU/g at the matcha addition 1.5%. Morphological and biochemical identification verified that Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus served as the dominant strains in yogurt. Accordingly, moderate matcha supplementation (1.5%-2.0%) can balance the sensory attributes and probiotic proliferation of yogurt while efficiently enriching polyphenols, which provided theoretical support for the development of matcha fermented dairy products.

To investigate the dynamic variations in physicochemical properties, active components and volatile flavor compounds of ‘Ziqiu’ wine during the fermentation, ‘Ziqiu’ harvested from a vineyard in Shaoguan, Guangdong Province were used as raw materials, and wine was brewed via ambient-temperature fermentation. Various physicochemical indicators and volatile flavor compounds of wine samples collected during the fermentation were determined. The results showed that the contents of total phenolics, total flavonoids, total proanthocyanidins and total anthocyanins in ‘Ziqiu’ wine reached 2.81, 0.75, 1.13 and 0.25 mg/mL, respectively; the scavenging rates of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radicals and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals were 57.09% and 65.99%, respectively, at the end of fermentation. Compared with samples collected on the 1^st fermentation day, significant increases (P < 0.05) were observed in the contents of total phenolics, total flavonoids, total proanthocyanidins, total anthocyanins and ABTS cation radical scavenging rate. A total of 30 kinds of volatile flavor compounds were detected in ‘Ziqiu’ wine, among which the relative contents butyl 2-methylbutanoate, methyl 2-furoate and phenylacetaldehyde increased significantly (P < 0.05). Electronic tongue analysis indicated a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in bitterness during fermentation, and sensory evaluation showed favorable performance in color, body and aroma indices. These findings provided theoretical support for developing new wine products and improving wine quality in the Guangdong and Hunan regions.

The physicochemical properties of six pea varieties, namely white pea (B) and mottled peas (MJ, MJ1, MJ2, MG1, MG2), were compared. In view of the high mass fractions of starch (61.36%), protein (25.20%) and fat (1.60%) in mottled pea MJ1, medium-high temperature Daqu was prepared using the mottled pea MJ1 and white pea B as raw materials, and their physicochemical characteristics, microbial community structures, as well as the compositions of flavor substances in the brewed Baijiu were comparatively investigated. The results revealed that Daqu made from the mottled pea exhibited superior saccharifying power (434.80 U) and fermenting power (0.39 U). High-throughput sequencing analysis demonstrated that the Daqu produced with white pea possessed higher species richness, diversity and evenness, whereas the Daqu produced with mottled pea showed stronger dominance of dominant species, with its dominance index 1.72-2.71 times as high as that of white pea Daqu. The results of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS) indicated that the Baijiu fermented with mottled pea Daqu contained 160 more types of flavor compounds than that brewed with white pea Daqu. Correlation analysis identified discrepancies in the correlation networks among physicochemical properties, microorganisms and flavor substances between the two types of Daqu. Flavor formation in mottled pea Daqu relied more heavily on fungal communities, while flavor production in white pea Daqu was closely associated with bacterial communities. In conclusion, moderate supplementation of mottled pea MJ1 can improve the quality of medium-high temperature Daqu and present great potential for enhancing the complexity and intensity of liquor flavor.

Craft beer was brewed with crystal malts of different chromaticities (78.4, 113.7, 136.7, 221.5 EBC). The viable yeast in fermentation system and physicochemical indicators, color parameters, volatile flavor compounds, and sensory quality of beer were determined to investigate the effects of malt chromaticity on the fermentation process and quality of craft beer. The results showed that addition of crystal malt 10% with chromaticity lower than 136.7 EBC exerted no significant influence on yeast fermentation. However, the fermenting power of yeast decreased markedly when the chromaticity rose to 221.5 EBC. The addition of crystal malt had no significant effect on the diacetyl reduction capacity of yeast (P > 0.05). A strong positive correlation (r = 0.991) existed between beer chromaticity and crystal malt chromaticity. The increase in chromaticity reduced the lightness (L*) of beer, while enhancing red-green chromaticity coordinate (a*) and yellow-blue chromaticity coordinate (b*). Sensory evaluation demonstrated that the rise of crystal malt chromaticity improved roasted aroma, caramel flavor, mouthfeel richness, and sweetness of beer, and alleviated bitterness and astringency. The beer brewed with crystal malt of 113.7 EBC obtained the highest sensory preference score. Analysis of volatile flavor compounds further revealed that the addition of crystal malt increased the contents of characteristic flavor substances including methyl decanoate, linalool, γ-nonalactone, and damascenone. This study provided a theoretical basis for rational selection and flavor regulation of crystal malt in craft beer production.

To elucidate the differences in airborne microorganisms across different zones during the brewing of sauce-flavor (Jiangxiangxing) Baijiu in northern China, air samples collected from factory surroundings (CQ), brewing workshops (CJ) and Qu-making workshops (QF) were subjected to high-throughput sequencing to characterize bacterial and fungal community structures, followed by microbial correlation analysis. The results revealed significant disparities in richness, diversity and species composition of microbial communities among the three zones. The CQ possessed the highest richness and diversity indices of both bacteria and fungi, dominated by genera including Saccharopolyspora and Leptodontidium. The QF was predominated by fermentation-functional microorganisms such as Kroppenstedtia and Aspergillus, whereas the CJ was mainly colonized by anaerobes, including Bacteroides and Monascus. The three zones shared a limited number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs), demonstrating obvious divergence in genus distribution. This study systematically characterized airborne microbial community structures in multiple brewing environments of northern sauce-flavor Baijiu, providing data support for exploring the potential correlation between brewing microecology and liquor quality formation.

To explore the hypoglycemic effect of corn silk fermentation liquid (CSFL) on diabetic mice and its underlying mechanism, a type 2 diabetic mouse model was induced by a high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin. The effects of different doses of CSFL on glucose and lipid metabolism, liver function, histopathology, and intestinal microbiota composition were examined. The results showed that CSFL reduced food and water intake of diabetic mice to varying degrees. Compared with the model group, the high-dose CSFL group exhibited significant reductions in fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.001), along with a significant improvement in glucose tolerance (P < 0.001). The activity of catalase was markedly elevated (P < 0.05). Both high- and low-dose CSFL groups showed significant increases in glutathione peroxidase activity (P < 0.001), significant reduction in malondialdehyde content (P < 0.01, P < 0.001), and significant decreases in aspartate aminotransferase activity (P < 0.05). In both CSFL groups, the liver index was significantly increased (P < 0.001), while no significant differences were observed in the pancreas, kidney, or spleen indices (P > 0.05). CSFL administration effectively alleviated pathological changes such as hepatic steatosis and pancreatic islet cell damage. Compared with the model group, the high-dose CSFL group significantly increased the Chao1, Simpson, and Shannon indices of the gut microbiota (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). CSFL administration decreased the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and increased the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobiota and Akkermansia in the gut of diabetic mice. The contents of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and isobutyric acid in mouse feces were significantly increased by CSFL (P < 0.05, P < 0.001). In conclusion, CSFL can regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, strengthen antioxidant capacity and remodel intestinal microbiota in a dose-dependent manner, indicating its potential for development as a natural hypoglycemic product.

To clarify the effects of exogenous monosaccharides on quality-related indices of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ grapes, grape clusters were sprayed with 150 mmol/L fructose, glucose, and rhamnose at the early veraison stage, with sterile water spraying set as the control. Berry samples were collected at E-L35 to E-L39 according to the Eichhorn-Lorenz (E-L) phenological staging system, and quality indicators, including anthocyanin fractions, were determined, followed by principal component analysis (PCA) for comprehensive evaluation of the fruit quality and winemaking potential of the grape berries. The results showed that, compared with the control, all three exogenous monosaccharides increased 100-berry weight at the E-L38 stage and sugar content at the E-L36 stage, while reducing titratable acid and malic acid contents at the E-L38 stage. Among them, fructose treatment showed the most pronounced sugar-increasing effect, increasing by 15.66% relative to the control, whereas glucose treatment showed the most pronounced acid-reducing effect, reducing malic acid by 47.96%. Exogenous monosaccharides treatments also facilitated the accumulation of skin phenolics and anthocyanins at the E-L39 stage. Glucose treatment induced prominent increases in skin total phenols, total anthocyanins, and nine monomeric anthocyanins, including delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, petunidin-3-O-glucoside, and peonidin-3-O-glucoside, with increases of 10.8%, 7.2%, and 26.69%-99.28%, respectively. Fructose treatment significantly elevated flavanol and flavonoid contents, whereas rhamnose treatment significantly raised the proportion of flavonoids and acylated anthocyanins. PCA revealed that the glucose treatment possessed the optimal comprehensive performance. Spraying exogenous monosaccharides at early veraison helps modulate sugar-acid composition and promote the accumulation of skin phenolics and anthocyanins in ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ grape, among which glucose showed the optimal effect and was beneficial to acid balance and color formation in wine.

To develop region-specific functional lactic acid bacteria (LAB), strains were isolated from Hanzhong Jiangshui at different fermentation stages using the gradient dilution and plating method, identified through morphological and molecular biological analysis, and their in vitro probiotic properties were evaluated. The results showed that a total of seven LAB strains were obtained, among which strains 1-1, 1-2, 3-6, and 3-11 were identified as different species of Weissella, strain 2-1 as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, strain 2-3 as Lactobacillus brevis, and strain 3-13 as Leuconostoc litchii. Strain 2-1 exhibited superior growth and acid-producing capacities, while strains 2-1 and 2-3 possessed strong tolerance to simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. Strains 1-1 and 2-1 displayed high cell surface hydrophobicity, and strain 2-1 had the highest auto-aggregation rate (49.82%), with prominent co-aggregation rates of 53.51% against Staphylococcus aureus and 43.89% against Listeria monocytogenes. Strain 3-13 showed a co-aggregation rate of 40.99% with S. aureus. The cell-free supernatant of strain 2-1 fermented for 12 h exerted inhibitory rates over 78% against Escherichia coli, S. aureus and Bacillus subtilis. Strains 2-1 and 2-3 almost completely degraded nitrite with degradation rates close to 100%, and strain 2-3 produced the highest yield of γ-aminobutyric acid, reaching 4.63 g/L. Strains 1-1, 2-1, 2-3, and 3-13 were non-β-hemolytic with a favorable safety profile. In summary, the LAB isolated from Hanzhong Jiangshui exhibited promising probiotic potential, providing a theoretical foundation for the development and application of functional LAB resources.

To investigate the dynamic changes of volatile flavor compounds from three types of high-temperature Daqu (yellow, black, and white Daqu) during the distillation, distillates were prepared by combining 53% ethanol extraction with fractional distillation. Volatile flavor compounds in both Daqu and their distillates were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and their migration patterns during the distillation process were systematically elucidated. The results showed that a total of 180 volatile flavor compounds were identified in the distillates of the three types of high-temperature Daqu, which exhibited pronounced fraction-dependent release characteristics during distillation, and the distillates were accordingly divided into three fractions: front, middle, and tail. Esters, as the dominant volatile components in all three types of Daqu, displayed diverse migration behaviors throughout the distillation process. Compounds such as ethyl hexanoate and ethyl octanoate predominantly migrated in the front fraction, whereas higher fatty acid ethyl esters, including ethyl palmitate and ethyl oleate, were mainly enriched in the tail fraction. Acetals, as characteristic components of yellow Daqu, exhibited rapid migration with an early release termination. Higher alcohols, macromolecular ketones, and pyrazines showed migration patterns similar to those of higher fatty acid ethyl esters, while acids exhibited relatively weak distillation transferability. The distinct migration behaviors of various flavor fractions contributed to remarkable sensory discrepancies among distillate fractions, with the front distillate of yellow Daqu showing the highest sensory score. The migration of esters and aldehydes contributed to positive correlations of the front distillate with floral and grassy aromas, while the tail distillate, characterized by the migration of higher alcohols and pyrazines, was associated with sauce and grain aroma attributes. The findings of this study provided theoretical references and fundamental data for illustrating the contribution mechanism of high-temperature Daqu to flavor formation of Baijiu.

To investigate the influences of wheat physicochemical properties on volatile compound profiles and key physicochemical indicators of high-temperature Daqu, nine wheat varieties (M1-M9) were used as raw materials. Their physicochemical indices were determined, and the dynamic variations of volatile flavor compounds in different wheat varieties and during Daqu-making fermentation were analyzed. The results showed that moisture and bulk density of the nine wheat varieties had minor differences and all met national standards, while protein and amylopectin contents exhibited the most remarkable variations with coefficients of variation of 9.47% and 8.24%, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis successfully distinguished wheat samples of different varieties. Isoamyl alcohol, isovaleric acid, and nonanal were the key differential compounds discriminating various wheat varieties. During the fermentation, the total content of volatile compounds in high-temperature Daqu accumulated continuously, among which pyrazines showed a consistent upward trend. A total of 11 significantly different volatile flavor compounds were identified in Chucang Daqu prepared from different wheat varieties, including 6 pyrazines, 3 alcohols, and 2 aldehydes. The content of pyrazines was extremely significantly positively correlated with wheat protein content (P < 0.01), and Daqu saccharifying power also presented an extremely significant positive correlation with wheat amylopectin content (P < 0.01). In conclusion, wheat protein and amylopectin contents were the core factors determining pyrazine formation and fermentation performance of high-temperature Daqu. This study provided theoretical references for breeding wheat specially used for Daqu production and the fermentation manufacturing of high-quality high-temperature Daqu.

Pit muds sampled from fermentation pits with different quality grades was employed as experimental material to systematically characterize the physicochemical indices, microbial community structure, volatile flavor compound content and their mutual correlations via high-throughput sequencing, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Spearman correlation analysis, thereby elucidating the discriminative traits of pit muds with divergent quality grades for strong-flavor Baijiu production. The results showed that ammonia nitrogen content and pH value of low-quality pit mud were significantly higher than those of high-quality and medium-quality pit mud (P < 0.05). High-quality pit mud contained wider varieties and higher relative contents of flavor substances, including ethyl hexanoate, ethyl butyrate and hexanoic acid. A total of 33 phyla and 369 genera were detected across all samples, among which 6 dominant phyla and 20 dominant genera were identified. Environmental factors such as moisture and pH exerted significant influences on the microbial community structure of pit mud. Caproiciproducens exhibited significant positive correlations with multiple volatile compounds, including n-hexanoic acid, n-pentanoic acid, isovaleric acid and amyl hexanoate. These findings revealed the intrinsic linkage between pit mud microbial composition and flavor substances from a quality perspective, and provided theoretical support for improving pit mud quality and regulating the fermentation process of strong-flavor Baijiu.

This study investigated the synergistic succession of microbial communities and metabolites during the fermentation of Dehong Dai La-yancai, a traditional Dai-style fermented vegetable (Brassica juncea var. foliosa Bailey), using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-based untargeted metabolomics. The results indicated that Lactiplantibacillus and Weissella were the dominant genera; the relative abundance of Weissella gradually declined while that of Lactiplantibacillus rose continuously as fermentation time prolonged from 30 to 90 days, and Weissella and Lactiplantibacillus acted as characteristic biomarkers for samples fermented for 30 and 90 days, respectively. Metabolomic annotation identified a total of 1 252 metabolites, dominated by lipids and lipid-like molecules as well as organic acids and their derivatives. Differential metabolites were significantly enriched in pathways including lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and microbial metabolism. Correlation analysis demonstrated that Weissella was associated with several organic acids, amino acids and dipeptides, whereas Lactiplantibacillus was closely linked to the metabolism of fatty acids and their derivatives. Genera such as Brevundimonas and Comamonas exhibited strong positive correlations with most metabolites, indicating that these core microorganisms may modulate the above metabolic pathways and further regulate flavor generation and quality stability of La-yancai.

Using wampee juice as raw material, wampee fruit wine was produced with six commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (BV818, SY, RW, DV10, EC1118 and F15). Physicochemical parameters, clarity, color and functional active components were determined, combined with antioxidant activity evaluation to screen yeast strains suitable for wampee fruit wine brewing. The results showed that wampee fruit wine fermented by commercial strain EC1118 possessed a high ethanol content of 10.11%, low soluble solids of 7.17 °Brix, pH of 3.82, total acid of 10.66 g/L, total sugar of 8.25 g/L and total ester of 123.23 mg/L. It achieved the optimal performance in color parameters (L* = 88.05, saturation = 91.47), clarity (transmittance = 86.6%), total polyphenols (803.45 mg/L) and total flavonoids (261.42 mg/L). Meanwhile, the wine fermented by EC1118 exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity, with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) cation radical, and hydroxyl radical scavenging rates of 82.16%, 69.88%, and 50.25%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of other treatments (P < 0.05). In conclusion, commercial S. cerevisiae EC1118 was the optimal strain for wampee fruit wine brewing.

Yeast strains were isolated, purified and screened from Cabernet Sauvignon fruits, soil and leaves collected from four major wine-producing regions in Xinjiang. Morphological observation, fermentation characteristic analysis and molecular biological identification were carried out on isolated strains. Strains were inoculated and cultured on 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride ethanol-producing differential medium, bromocresol purple ester-producing differential medium and bromocresol green acid-producing differential medium, respectively. Qualitative analysis of ethanol-, ester- and acid-producing capacities of strains was performed according to color reactions. The results showed that a total of 32 strains with typical yeast cell morphological characteristics were obtained, which were molecularly identified as 11 genera of non-Saccharomyces yeasts, including Hannaella luteola, Filobasidium magnum, Naganishia uzbekistanensis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Pichia kudriavzevii, Naganishia globosa, Vishniacozyma carnescens, Vishniacozyma tephrensis, Rhodotorula kratochvilovae, Naganishia diffluens and Candida tropicalis. Analysis of fermentation characteristics indicated that all strains possessed fermentation initiation capacity by utilizing various carbon sources. Culture medium coloration results revealed that 30 yeast strains exhibited ethanol-producing capacity, 10 strains showed ester-producing capacity, and 4 strains had acid-producing capacity. The 32 non-Saccharomyces yeasts obtained in this study possessed certain fermentation potential, which can provide excellent yeast germplasm resources for further excavation of functional strains.

To explore the microbial community structure and functional microorganisms of medium-high temperature Daqu collected from Huai’an production area, the microbial community composition and functional profiles were characterized, and culturable bacteria of Daqu were isolated and identified with metagenomic sequencing and pure culture technology. The results showed that Ascomycota and Firmicutes dominated at the phylum level, with relative abundances of 37.23% and 34.34%, respectively. At the genus level, Aspergillus, Pichia and Pantoea exhibited high relative abundances of 17.72%, 10.67% and 10.13%. At the species level, Aspergillus chevalieri and Pichia kudriavzevii were the dominant species, accounting for 11.08% and 10.75%. Functional annotation revealed that metabolic pathways, including aerobic respiration I (cytochrome c), superpathway of adenosine nucleotides de novo biosynthesis I, and anaerobic biosynthesis of 11-eicosenoic acid, possessed high abundance. After removing unclassified taxa, Leuconostoc citreum and Pantoea agglomerans were identified as the primary strains contributing to core biological functions. Pure culture results indicated that among 73 isolated culturable bacterial strains, Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecium were the predominant species, accounting for 56.16% and 23.29%, respectively. This study deepened the understanding of community structure and functional traits of medium-high temperature Daqu, and provided strain resources for the production of fortified Daqu.

The physicochemical indicators and microbial communities of the medium-high temperature Daqu prepared from 12 different wheat varieties were determined through conventional analytical methods and high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that Daqu M7 possessed the highest saccharifying power (421.46 U), acid protease activity (28.25 U/g) and neutral protease activity (29.20 U/g); Daqu M5 exhibited the maximum liquefying power (0.85 U); Daqu M6 had the highest esterifying power (237.86 U); Daqu M9 showed the strongest fermenting power (0.64 U); Daqu M4 contained the highest moisture content (13.95%); Daqu M12 had the highest acidity (0.71 mmol/10 g), reducing sugar content (2.01%) and starch content (63.71%). High-throughput sequencing results revealed that Daqu M4, M6 and M8 harbored relatively high bacterial and fungal richness and diversity. The dominant shared bacterial and fungal phyla were Firmicutes and Ascomycota, respectively. Lactobacillus and Pichia were identified as the core dominant bacterial and fungal genera, respectively. Certain correlations existed between dominant microbial genera and physicochemical properties. Leuconostoc, Caldibacillus and Pichia were significantly negatively correlated with liquefying power; Torulaspora showed a significant negative correlation with acid protease activity; Talaromyces was significantly negatively correlated with acidity but significantly positively correlated with moisture content. This study provided a theoretical reference for screening wheat varieties suitable for the production of medium-high temperature Daqu.

A high-yield red pigment-producing bacterial strain was isolated from soil samples. The strain was identified via 16S rDNA sequencing, and its optimal growth and pigment synthesis conditions were optimized. The physiological, biochemical and metabolic characteristics of the strain were investigated, and the solubility, thermal stability, and light stability of the red pigment were preliminarily evaluated. The results showed that the isolated strain was identified as Serratia marcescens LZ-1. The red pigment produced by this strain exhibited a maximum absorption peak at 535 nm, and the dominant fragment ion peak was detected at m/z 324.2 [M + H]⁺, which was comprehensively confirmed as prodigiosin. The optimal growth conditions for S. marcescens LZ-1 were determined as temperature of 32 ℃ and pH 8, under which the cellular protein concentration reached 1.67 mg/L and the reducing sugar content was 17.54 mg/L. The optimal conditions for prodigiosin biosynthesis were temperature of 27 ℃ and pH 3-4, and the prodigiosin yield reached 91.50 mg/L after 24 h of cultivation. The prodigiosin showed the highest solubility in acetic acid, with excellent thermal stability but poor light stability. This study provided a theoretical foundation for further research on S. marcescens and its metabolite prodigiosin.

Using thinned unripe grape (TUG) of ‘Kyoho’ grape as a raw material, widely targeted metabolomics analysis of the grape’s polyphenol compositions was conducted via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Organic solvent extraction combined with microwave-assisted extraction was adopted to extract crude polyphenols from TUG, and extraction parameters were optimized. The caffeoyltartaric acid and (+)-catechin in the extracts was applied by macroporous resin adsorption. The results showed that caffeoyltartaric acid and (+)-catechin were identified as the monomeric phenols with the highest contents in TUG. The optimal extraction parameters for crude polyphenols were ultrasonic time of 15 min, extraction temperature of 37 ℃, extraction duration of 4 h, and ethanol volume fraction of 70%. High-purity caffeoyltartaric acid could be separated in the 200-350 mL elution fraction with 15% ethanol as the eluent, while (+)-catechin could be efficiently eluted by 30% ethanol. A stepwise purification strategy was established in this study: crude purification with X-5 resin, gradient elution purification of caffeoyltartaric acid using X-5 resin, and gradient elution purification of (+)-catechin with polyamide resin. This strategy can provide technical support for resource utilization of grape cultivation by-products with both ecological and economic benefits.

To screen specialized functional yeast strains suitable for mulberry wine fermentation, yeast strains were isolated and purified from naturally fermented mulberry wine. Primary screening was performed based on gas production capacity, followed by secondary screening using ethanol production capacity and anthocyanin accumulation ability. Morphological observation and molecular biological identification of the screened strains were subsequently carried out. Comparative fermentation trials of mulberry wine were conducted with commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae SC9 as the control group, and major physicochemical indices were determined together with sensory evaluation. The results revealed that one strain with strong ethanol-producing capacity and excellent anthocyanin accumulation ability was isolated and identified as Candida tropicalis LJ34-1. Mulberry wine fermented by LJ34-1 exhibited an ethanol content of 11.7%, an anthocyanin concentration of 43.82 mg/L, and a total acid content of 3.86 g/L. Taking unfermented mulberry juice as the reference standard, the relative contents of anthocyanins, total flavonoids and total phenols in mulberry wine fermented by strain LJ34-1 were 191.1%, 52.6%, and 60.2%, respectively, all higher than those of the group SC9 (110.7%, 36.1%, and 47.2%, correspondingly). Mulberry wine fermented by the strain LJ34-1 presented more prominent fruity and floral aromas, weaker pungent odor, and fresh, balanced overall flavor. In conclusion, the strain LJ34-1 can effectively increase ethanol yield, reduce total acid content, elevate the relative content of anthocyanins, total phenols, and total flavonoids, and improve the color stability and aroma quality of mulberry wine, which served as an excellent microbial resource for developing mulberry wine-specific yeast strains and producing high-quality mulberry wine.

To investigate the effect of crop load regulation on fruit quality, seven-year-old Marselan grapevines were used as experimental materials. A gradient of crop loads of 10, 15, and 20 shoots per meter of canopy trellis was set, with 25 shoots per meter as the control. The effects of different crop loads on fruit appearance traits, basic physicochemical indices, polyphenols, organic acids and volatile aroma compounds were systematically evaluated. The results showed that crop load exerted no significant effects on the longitudinal and transverse diameters of berries or organic acid contents, but significantly regulated cluster structure and intrinsic quality. Treatment F1 (10 shoots per meter) exhibited the optimal comprehensive performance. Compared with the control group, cluster weight, cluster length and cluster width increased by 11.8%, 10.2% and 13.9%, respectively; the contents of reducing sugar and total acid increased by 21.3 and 2.52 g/kg, with the growth rates of 10.3% and 64.8%, respectively, which remarkably improved sugar-acid balance. The contents of flavanols, other flavonoids and total polyphenols increased by 53%, 135% and 43%, respectively. Meanwhile, F1 facilitated the biosynthesis of volatile aroma substances and stabilized aroma composition, while the contents of ethyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol and other compounds decreased significantly. In conclusion, the crop load treatment of 10 shoots per meter achieved the best performance in promoting polyphenol accumulation, optimizing cluster structure and improving flavor stability.

To investigate the influences of exogenous Zn²⁺ with different addition dosages on the color stability of Cabernet Sauvignon dry red wine during aging, Cabernet Sauvignon dry red wines supplemented with exogenous Zn²⁺ at contents of 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 20.0 mg/L, respectively, originating from two producing regions, Yili (YL) and Heshuo (HS) in Xinjiang, China, were selected as research materials. All samples were aged at 20 ℃ in the dark for 9 months, and variations in basic physicochemical indexes, total phenols, total anthocyanins and color parameters were determined periodically. The results showed that the physicochemical indicators of wine samples from both regions complied with relevant national standards. With prolonged aging, the contents of total phenols and total anthocyanins declined in all treatment groups, accompanied by decreases in color intensity and a* value, as well as rises in colour shade, L* value, b* value, C*_ab value and h_ab value. At Zn²⁺ content of 20.0 mg/L, total phenol contents of YL and HS wine samples aged for 9 months decreased by 957.21 and 910.12 mg/L, total anthocyanin contents dropped by 188.51 and 172.30 mg/L, color intensity reduced by 6.62 and 6.49, a* value declined by 0.81 and 0.88; meanwhile, b* value increased by 6.38 and 6.30, C*_ab value rose by 4.65 and 4.51, and h_ab value elevated by 1.13° and 0.97°, respectively, compared with the samples aged for 1 month. The declines in color intensity and L* value indicated a paler, less bright appearance, while elevated C*_ab value reflected the accumulation of yellowish-brown substances. These changes reflect typical color aging phenomena: a reduction in red hue and enhancement of yellow hue, degradation of anthocyanins into yellowish-brown polymers, and a shift in wine color from purplish-red to brick-red/brownish-yellow. In conclusion, exogenous Zn²⁺ accelerated the color aging process of Cabernet Sauvignon dry red wine within a certain addition concentration range.

To investigate the effect of mixed inoculation of non-Saccharomyces yeast and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the quality of mulberry wine, strains isolated from mulberry fruits were identified and then co-cultivated with S. cerevisiae as fermentation starters for mulberry wine brewing. Four fermentation treatments were established, namely simultaneous inoculation (SV), pre-inoculation of non-Saccharomyces yeast followed by S. cerevisiae (NS + SC), sequential inoculation of S. cerevisiae prior to non-Saccharomyces yeast (SC + NS), and single inoculation of S. cerevisiae (SC), and the quality of mulberry wine was analyzed. The results showed that a non-Saccharomyces yeast (NS-32), identified as Wickerhamomyces anomalus, could effectively enhance floral, fruity, and herbal aroma profiles of mulberry wine. Mixed fermentation increased total ester content by 10% while lowering alcohol content to reduce alcohol irritation, and elevated the contents of lactic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, and acetic acid. Volatile flavor compound analysis revealed that isoamyl acetate, phenylethyl alcohol, and isoamyl alcohol constitute the basic flavor skeleton of mulberry wine, while 12 volatile substances, including limonene, phenylacetaldehyde, and rose oxide, served as key differential volatile markers discriminating different fermentation groups. The mulberry wine fermented with SC + NS scored higher in fruity, herbal, and woody aromas, with moderate scores in floral and sour notes, showing overall better quality. Correlation analysis further indicated that isoamyl acetate, ethyl benzoate, phenylethyl alcohol, and 2,3-butanediol were extremely significantly positively correlated with sensory scores (P < 0.01), while octanol and isoamyl alcohol showed extremely significant negative correlations with sensory scores (P < 0.01). In conclusion, sequential inoculation of S. cerevisiae followed by non-Saccharomyces yeast was an efficient strategy to improve the comprehensive quality of mulberry wine.

Traditional wine quality evaluation faced issues of high subjectivity and low efficiency, while existing machine learning models struggle with generalization bottlenecks when handling highly heterogeneous and non-linear physicochemical indicators. To address these limitations, this study proposed a wine quality prediction model named TabPFN_FR-KAN that fused tabular prior-data fitted networks (TabPFN) and Fourier Kolmogorov-Arnold networks (FR-KAN). TabPFN was utilized as a feature extractor to capture complex dependencies between samples and features through a bidirectional attention mechanism. Simultaneously, FR-KAN, based on the Fourier series, was introduced as a decoder to replace the traditional multi-layer perceptron, thereby enhancing the model’s capability to fit non-linear relationships. The experiments were conducted using the UCI Vinho Verde dataset, processed with SMOTE-Tomek for class balancing. The results indicated that the TabPFN_FR-KAN model significantly outperformed 10 mainstream models, including random forest, gradient boosting decision tree, and support vector machine, across all evaluation metrics, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.907 9 and an accuracy of 0.862 2. Ablation studies further confirmed that the introduction of Fourier features effectively resolved the boundary defects of B-spline basis functions in standard KAN, significantly improving the prediction accuracy and robustness of the model on small-sample tabular datasets.

To enhance the yield of 2-phenylethanol (2-PE), a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae JQ-5 was isolated and screened from Daqu. The optimal fermentation conditions for 2-PE production by the strain were optimized and determined through single-factor experiments and response surface experiments, and the effect of aqueous/organic solvent biphasic system on 2-PE yield of this strain was investigated using in-situ product removal (ISPR) technology. The results revealed that strain JQ-5 was capable of growing in medium supplemented with 4 g/L 2-PE, exhibiting high tolerance to 2-PE. The optimal fermentation conditions were determined as follows: glucose 80 g/L, yeast extract powder 3 g/L, L-phenylalanine 5.7 g/L, MgSO₄ 0.5 g/L, KH₂PO₄ 1 g/L, fermentation temperature 28.5 ℃, liquid loading volume 29 mL/250 mL, and inoculation volume 10% (V/V). After 48 h of cultivation under the above conditions, the 2-PE bioconversion yield reached 3.674 g/L. In the aqueous/oleic acid biphasic system (1:1, V/V), the 2-PE yield increased to 4.518 g/L, which was 22.97% higher than that in single aqueous phase and 84.41% higher compared with the initial yield. The combined strategy of fermentation parameter optimization and ISPR significantly elevated the production of 2-PE.

To obtain yeast strains with ethyl carbamate (EC)-degrading capacity, using EC as the sole nitrogen source and carbon source, respectively, EC-degrading yeasts were screened from grapes and Jiuqu. Strains with excellent degrading performance and biosafety were selected via tolerance tests and hemolysis assays, followed by identification through morphological observation, physiological and biochemical tests and molecular biological methods. The enzyme-producing conditions of the target strain were optimized using single-factor and orthogonal tests. The results showed that a strain P1 was screened, which could tolerate 12% (V/V) ethanol, pH 3.0 and 45 g/100 mL glucose without hemolytic activity. The strain was identified as Pichia kudriavzevii. The optimal enzyme-producing conditions were determined as follows: maltose (5 g/L) as carbon source, tryptone (20 g/L) as nitrogen source, and supplemented with 8 mmol/L MgSO₄. Under the condition, the protease activity reached 53.16 U/mL, approximately twice the enzyme activity before the optimization. This study provided a scientific basis for utilizing microorganisms to reduce EC content in fermented foods.

To investigate the effects of intermittent shifting and pile-breaking shifting on pile fermentation of fermented grains during the 3^rd to the 5^th rounds of pile fermentation of sauce-flavor (Jiangxiangxing) Baijiu. The differences in physicochemical indexes, microbial colony counts, dynamic temperature variations of saccharification piles, volatile flavor compounds, as well as yield and quality of base liquors from fermented grains with different shifting treatments were compared by microbial culture, gas chromatography and sensory evaluation. The results indicated that the different shifting methods had no significant effect on the physicochemical indexes of fermented grains. The colony counts of yeasts and bacteria in fermented grains with intermittent shifting were overall higher than those with pile-breaking shifting. For intermittent shifting in the 3^rd to the 5^th fermentation rounds, the yeast and bacterial average colony counts of fermented grains were 2.00 × 10⁶-9.56 × 10⁶ and 5.83 × 10⁵-2.29 × 10⁶ CFU/g, respectively, while those of pile-breaking shifting were 1.54 × 10⁶-8.03 × 10⁶ and 5.62 × 10⁵-2.79 × 10⁶ CFU/g, respectively. Intermittent shifting enabled a gentler temperature rise of fermented grains, with the average temperature for top, middle, and bottom layers of fermented grains increasing from 26.64 to 34.25 ℃ during the first 4 days of pile fermentation. By contrast, the temperature of fermented grains with pile-breaking shifting rose from 30.12 to 38.64 ℃, indicating that intermittent shifting could effectively improve the temperature uniformity of fermentation piles. A total of 47 volatile flavor compounds were detected in base liquor samples. The total content of flavor compounds in the intermittent shifting group was higher than that in the pile-breaking shifting group, while the contents of undesirable flavor substances such as methanol and n-propanol were lower, along with better yield and quality of base liquors. In conclusion, intermittent shifting can improve the yield and quality of sauce-flavor Baijiu, which provided an effective practical scheme for the standardization and precision upgrading of Baijiu pile fermentation technology.

Three fermentation modes were performed using Xuxiang kiwifruit puree as raw material: single fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC), sequential fermentation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and S. cerevisiae at a ratio of 1:1 (LP + SC), and sequential fermentation with Metschnikowia pulcherrima and S. cerevisiae at a ratio of 1:1 (NS + SC). The effects of different fermentation modes on the physicochemical properties, color, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, volatile aroma components and sensory quality of kiwifruit wine were systematically investigated. The results revealed that the three fermentation modes exerted no significant effects on the soluble solids and reducing sugar contents of the fruit wines (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, both sequential fermentation modes significantly enhanced the titratable acidity and vitamin C retention rate of the fruit wine (P < 0.05). Among all groups, the NS + SC group possessed the highest total phenolic content (1 203.37 mg/L) and the strongest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity. Color analysis indicated that single fermentation retained higher yellow saturation, while sequential fermentation reduced color saturation and yielded milder greenish-yellow fruit wine. In terms of aroma components, the NS + SC group was rich in esters and aromatic compounds, with prominent contents of key aroma-active substances such as β-damascenone, phenethyl acetate and ethyl octanoate, endowing the fruit wine with intense floral and fruity notes. The LP + SC group exhibited increased contents of ethyl lactate and organic acids, which contributed to a mellow and harmonious taste profile of the fruit wine. Sensory evaluation demonstrated that the NS + SC group achieved the highest overall score, characterized by bright color, complex and well-balanced aroma, and outstanding typicality; meanwhile, the LP + SC group showed the optimal taste balance. In conclusion, the NS + SC sequential fermentation improved the layered richness of fruity aroma, while the LP + SC sequential fermentation showed superior advantages in color performance and sweet-sour balance. The findings of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the process optimization of high-quality kiwifruit wine.

To investigate the effects of fermentation parameters on Huangjiu fermented with artificial composite microbial starters, an artificial composite microbial starter was constructed using Saccharomyces cerevisiae YL-1, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera P5-1, Wickerhamomyces anomalus LL-7 and Rhizopus arrhizus. Taking the addition amount of composite microbial starter, material-to-water ratio, post-fermentation water supplementation time and post-fermentation temperature as independent variables and sensory score as the response value, the Huangjiu fermentation process was optimized through one-factor-at-a-time methodology combined with response surface methodology. The results showed that the optimal fermentation conditions were as follows: addition amount of artificial composite microbial starter 0.5%, raw material-to-water ratio 1:1.35 (g/mL), water supplementation on the 19^th day of post-fermentation, and post-fermentation temperature 20 °C. Under these conditions, the produced Huangjiu exhibited an alcohol content of 12.82% (increased by 9.48%), a reducing sugar content of 121.16 g/L (decreased by 43.68%), a total acid content of 7.32 g/L (decreased by 25.46%), and a sensory score of 88.45 (increased by 2.14%). All physicochemical indicators complied with the criteria for traditional sweet Huangjiu specified in GB/T 13662-2018 Huangjiu. The optimized Huangjiu fermented with artificial composite microbial starter contained 31 volatile flavor compounds, more than the 30 compounds found in Huangjiu fermented with traditional Xiaoqu starter. Its total ester concentration reached 292 069.36 μg/L, approximately 6.6 times that of the traditional Xiaoqu-fermented sample (43 999.43 μg/L). In addition, the optimized sample possessed 26 volatile flavor compounds with odor activity values greater than 1, which outnumbered those in the traditional Xiaoqu group. In conclusion, fermentation with the optimized artificial composite microbial starter exhibits the potential to elevate the overall quality and improve the flavor profile of Huangjiu.

Freshly distilled strong-flavor (Nongxiangxing) Baijiu was subjected to ultra-high pressure (UHP) treatment (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 MPa). Electronic tongue and electronic nose datasets of Baijiu samples under different treatment conditions were collected, chromaticity parameters and volatile flavor compounds were determined. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied to investigate the influences of UHP treatment on the sensory quality and dominant flavor compounds of Baijiu. The results revealed that sensor response values, including richness, W5S, and W5C, as well as lightness (L* value), served as core discriminatory indicators, and all the above sensory indices were significantly altered by varying UHP pressures. The sample treated at 600 MPa exhibited similar sensory profiles to naturally aged Baijiu stored for one year. Unlike natural aging, UHP treatments exerted no significant effect on total acid contents of Baijiu (P > 0.05). Except for the 400 MPa group, total ester contents decreased remarkably under all other pressure conditions (P < 0.05). A total of 28 volatile flavor compounds were quantified in all liquor samples, among which nine key odor-active compounds were screened out with variable importance in projection values greater than 1. The content of acetaldehyde increased during aging, while n-butanol and ethyl lactate generally declined; acetic acid presented an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease, reflecting the dynamic balance between ethanol oxidation and esterification reactions. Overall, treatment at 600 MPa can simulate the flavor evolution of natural aging within a short period by facilitating intermolecular interactions and partial chemical reactions, thereby rapidly improving Baijiu quality, yet its aging-accelerating efficacy remained limited.

An underivatized ion-pair high performance liquid chromatography method was established for rapid simultaneous determination of L-carnitine and its precursor γ-butyrobetaine. The sample pretreatment and chromatographic conditions were optimized, followed by comprehensive methodological validation. The results showed that L-carnitine and γ-butyrobetaine were successfully separated within 11 min using an Amethyst C₁₈-H reversed-phase chromatographic column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of phosphate buffer containing 2 mmol/L sodium octanesulfonate (pH 3.0) and acetonitrile (92:8, V/V), and the column temperature was maintained at 35 °C. The retention times of L-carnitine and γ-butyrobetaine were 8.8 and 10.7 min, respectively. Methodological verification demonstrated excellent linear relationships for the two target analytes in the range of 0.2-1.2 mg/mL, with coefficients of determination no less than 0.998. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.133 and 0.445 mg/mL for L-carnitine, and 0.229 and 0.766 mg/mL for γ-butyrobetaine, respectively. The spike recoveries ranged from 89.87% to 103.65% for L-carnitine and from 89.23% to 97.95% for γ-butyrobetaine. The relative standard deviations of precision tests were all lower than 5%, indicating favorable accuracy and precision of the proposed method. This simple, rapid and underivatized method enabled simultaneous quantification of L-carnitine and γ-butyrobetaine, and provided a reliable technical tool for metabolic research and process optimization of L-carnitine fermentation.

Volatile compounds in Nong-Jiang Jianxiangxing Baijiu of four different quality grades (Samples 1-4) were determined via headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS). Combined with sensory evaluation results, the differences in volatile flavor profiles and quality among Baijiu samples of different quality grades were systematically investigated. The results showed that 1 265, 1 074, 1 010 and 977 volatile compounds were identified in Samples 1 to 4, respectively, with esters and alcohols being the main compound categories. A total of 76 key aroma compounds were screened out with odor activity value (OAV) ≥ 1. A total of 26 differential aroma compounds were further selected by partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) based on variable importance in projection (VIP) ≥ 1, including 13 esters, 6 aldehydes, 3 alcohols, as well as 1 acid, 1 sulfur-containing compound, 1 phenol and 1 furan compound, which acted as characteristic aroma substances distinguishing Nong-Jiang Jianxiangxing Baijiu of different quality grades. Sensory evaluation demonstrated that Sample 1 exhibited prominent sensory attributes, including sauce aroma, pit mud aroma, floral and fruity aroma, and grain aroma; ethyl hexanoate, ethyl isovalerate, ethyl butyrate, methyl benzoate and hexyl hexanoate were the pivotal characteristic aroma compounds contributing to its sensory profile. Sample 2 possessed outstanding pit mud and ester aromas, whose sensory properties were mainly governed by ethyl phenylacetate and phenethyl acetate. Samples 3 and 4 presented similar sensory performances, and ethyl octanoate, trans,trans-2,4-decadienal and (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal were their core characteristic aroma compounds. Sensory attributes covering taste and style indexes such as softness, fullness, harmony and mellow sweetness showed significantly positive correlations with product quality grades.

Two kinds of blended liquors were prepared using light-flavor (Qingxiangxing) tartary buckwheat Baijiu (KQJ) as base liquor: one supplemented with Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Polygonati Rhizoma, and Poria (KQPA), and the other further supplemented with Astragali Radix and Lycii Frucus (KQPB). The differences in sensory quality, basic physicochemical parameters and volatile flavor components of the three liquor samples were analyzed by sensory evaluation, physical and chemical index detection and headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry. The results showed that the color of liquor samples gradually changed from clear and transparent to slightly yellow and yellowish-red with the increase of medicinal herb types. Compared with KQJ, the blended liquors (KQPA, KQPB) exhibited significantly improved performance in medicinal, aged, floral aromas, as well as mellow taste, softness and coordination, among which KQPB had the highest comprehensive sensory acceptability. KQPB contained the highest contents of flavonoids and total sugars, reaching 17.13 mg/L and 1.24 g/L, respectively. A total of 56 volatile flavor compounds were detected in the three liquor samples, among which 42 compounds were identified, including 22 esters, 7 alcohols, 8 aldehydes, 3 ketones, 1 acid and 1 other compound. Compared with KQJ, the relative contents of n-butanol and ethyl lactate increased in KQPA, while p-cymene, (Z)-2-pentenal, 2-heptanone, and ethyl heptanoate were more abundant in KQPB, endowing the liquor with multiple flavor characteristics such as pine spicy, herbal medicinal, fruity and roasted aromas. This study provides a scientific basis for the flavor quality evaluation and product development of tartary buckwheat herbal-blended liquors.

A simultaneous detection method for 11 sildenafil analogues and 15 alkaloids in health wine was established based on high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Samples were extracted with methanol and separated on an Agilent Poroshell 120 EC-C₁₈ column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 2.7 μm). Water and methanol, both containing 0.1% formic acid and 2 mmol/L ammonium, were used as mobile phases for gradient elution, and detection was performed under multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with external standard method for quantification. The results showed that the 26 target compounds exhibited good linear relationships within the range of 0.1-10 μg/mL, with all determination coefficients higher than 0.995. The limit of quantification of the method was 3 μg/kg. The average recoveries at three spiked levels ranged from 88.4% to 109.2%, and the relative standard deviations were between 1.3% and 9.4%. This method featured high sensitivity, favorable accuracy and simple operation. It is suitable for high-throughput screening of various illegally added drugs and natural toxins in health wine, and can provide reliable technical support for quality safety supervision and risk assessment of health wine.

To reveal the flavor characteristics of strong-aroma (Nongxiangxing) Baijiu from the Mianzhu producing area in Sichuan Province, the original liquors were selected from five representative enterprises in this region as the research objects. The volatile flavor components were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), variable importance in projection (VIP) values and P values from analysis of variance (ANOVA) were combined to screen differential flavor compounds, and aroma activity values (OAVs) were adopted to identify key odor-active components. The results showed that a total of 73 components were detected in the five original liquors, including 24 esters, 16 alcohols, 9 acids, 7 ketones, 5 aldehydes, 6 heterocyclic compounds, and 6 others, among which 57 compounds were shared by all samples. Multivariate statistical screening yielded 11 significant differential aroma compounds (VIP > 1, P < 0.05), including ethyl hexanoate, ethyl butyrate, and acetal, nine of them were significant differential key aroma compounds (OAV > 10, VIP > 1, and P < 0.05), namely ethyl hexanoate, ethyl butyrate, acetal, hexanoic acid, n-butanol, n-hexanol, ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and n-propanol. Ethyl hexanoate and acetal showed significant differences among the samples, which could be used as key differential aroma compounds to distinguish the strong-aroma Baijiu within the Mianzhu producing area.

In the context of the digital economy, China’s Baijiu industry was undergoing a profound shift from traditional manufacturing to an intelligent and service-oriented transformation. Using panel data from 16 A-share listed Baijiu enterprises during 2011-2023, this study constructed a framework of “intellectual property protection-human capital-digital transformation” and incorporates market competition intensity as a moderating variable. Empirical results indicated that intellectual property protection significantly promoted digital transformation; human capital played a partial mediating role, and market competition intensity positively moderated the relationship between intellectual property protection and digital transformation. Heterogeneity analysis based on enterprise life cycle showed that enterprises in the growth stage presented the most significant response. The research results enriched the institutional interpretation of digital transformation in traditional industries, and provided policy implications for governments to improve intellectual property systems, industry associations to promote collaborative innovation, and Baijiu enterprises to formulate differentiated transformation strategies.

Against the backdrop of intensifying global market competition, the digital-intelligent transformation of Baijiu enterprises exerted a critical promoting effect on their international development. From the dual perspectives of dynamic capability theory and complex adaptive system theory, this paper constructed a chain mediation model of “digital-intelligent capability-supply chain resilience-international performance”. Based on data collected from 301 survey questionnaires, we systematically elucidated the internal logic of digital-intelligent transformation in driving international development. The results showed that digital-intelligent capability positively affected corporate international performance and supply chain resilience; corporate supply chain resilience exerted a positive impact on international performance; market turbulence positively moderated the relationship between digital-intelligent capability and international performance; supply chain resilience played a mediating role between digital-intelligent capability and international performance. This study innovatively established a theoretical framework of “technological empowerment-system adaptation-value leap” to explain how digital-intelligent transformation empowers the internationalization of traditional industries. Practically, it provided actionable paths for Baijiu enterprises to optimize the allocation of domestic and overseas resources via digital-intelligent technologies, accurately captured dynamic demands of foreign markets, and fostered new competitive advantages under the dual circulation development pattern.

Industrial chain resilience acts as a core guarantee for the stable operation and high-quality development of Xinjiang’s wine industry, and provides crucial support for constructing a modern industrial system of Xinjiang wine. Nevertheless, approaches to strengthening the resilience of the Xinjiang wine industrial chain remained insufficiently clarified. In this study, interviews were conducted with practitioners and relevant personnel in Xinjiang wine-producing regions, and grounded theory was adopted to analyze the current status and influencing factors of Xinjiang wine industrial chain resilience. The results showed that the core factors affecting the resilience of Xinjiang wine industrial chain covered fundamental industrial conditions, strategic and developmental drivers, operation and supply chain management, evolution of innovation ecosystems, as well as organizational and institutional support. The study argued that the digital economy can enhance the resilience of the wine industry chain by empowering its key elements, solidifying the foundation of resilient supply, strengthening the roots of resilience development, improving the level of resilience governance, reinforcing resilience development capabilities, and refining the resilience support system. This, in turn, promoted the goals of complementing, stabilizing, strengthening, consolidating, upgrading, and revitalizing Xinjiang’s wine industry chain, thereby achieving high-quality development of the entire wine industry chain in Xinjiang during the “15^th Five-Year Plan” period.