Alternaria gaisen is one of the main fungi that cause fruit postharvest diseases due to its wide contamination and toxin production. The application of lactic acid bacteria shows great industrial application as a natural food preserver due to the advantages of being safe and non-toxic. In order to obtain a natural preservative against this fungus, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cell- free supernatants (CFS) produced by Lactobacillus pentosus 86 as antimicrobials in vitro against A. gaisen. Results indicated that CFS displayed excellent thermostability and enzymatic stabilities with an antifungal activity over 85%. Under thermal (40–100 °C) treatments, different protease solution and acidic conditions (pH 2–4), the antifungal activity of CFS maintained up 80%. However, when the pH reached 6, its antifungal ability completely disappeared. CFS inhibited mycelial growth of A. gaisen by destroying the hyphae membrane, leading to the leakage of nucleic acids and proteins, and hyphae collapsed and shriveled. CFS also changed the spore’s morphology, resulting in cell membrane damage, intracellular leakage, and organelles aggregation. The increase of cell membrane permeability of spores caused a 30% mortality rate. Therefore, the CFS of L. pentosus 86 has the potential for controlling fruit diseases caused by A. gaisen.

Tamarix ramosissima has been widely used as barbecue skewers for the good taste and unique flavor it gives to the meat, but the effects of T. ramosissima on heterocyclic amine (HA) formation in roast lamb are unknown. The influence of T. ramosissima extract (TRE) on HA formation, precursors’ consumption, and free radicals’ generation in roast lamb patties were elucidated by UPLC-MS, HPLC, and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis, respectively. Six HAs were identified and compared with the control group; the total and polar HAs decreased by 30.51% and 56.92% with TRE addition at 0.30 g/kg. The highest inhibitory effect was found against 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-f]pyridine (PhIP) formation (70.83%) at 0.45 g/kg. The addition of TRE retarded the consumption of HA precursors, resulting in fewer HAs formed. The typical signal intensity of free radicals in roast lamb patties significantly decreased with TRE addition versus the control group (p < 0.05), and the higher the levels of the TRE, the greater the decrease in signal intensity. We propose that the inhibitory effects of TRE on HA formation, especially on polar HAs, were probably achieved by retarding the consumption of precursors and preventing free radicals from being generated in roast lamb patties. These findings provide valuable information concerning TRE’s effectiveness in preventing HA formation through both the precursor consumption and free radical scavenging mechanisms.

Apocynum venetum honey, a characteristic Chinese herbal honey, is a key agricultural product in Xinjiang. To better understand its unique flavor and geographical authenticity, this study analyzed the volatile components of honey samples from three production regions via headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Overall, 160 volatile compounds were identified, with 34 exhibiting aroma activity values of >1. Notably, chemometric analysis revealed 24 key differential compounds, including phenylethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, 2-furanmethanol, 5-ethenyltetrahydro-α,α,5-trimethyl-, cis-, cedrol, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, decanal, and nonanal, which significantly contributed to both geographical discrimination and unique flavor profiles. Cluster heatmap analysis demonstrated that these markers could be used to effectively differentiate the samples by origin. The research results provide a theoretical basis for the further development and utilization of this honey as well as support for expanding honey resources for use in traditional Chinese medicine.

Flavored teas have gained popularity because they combine sensory appeal with potential health benefits. Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is a promising functional beverage ingredient owing to its high medicinal value. However, its strong fungal off-flavor and bland taste limit consumer acceptance. Yellow tea (YT), characterized by a mild-sweet aroma and mellow mouthfeel developed during sealed yellowing, provides a suitable matrix for moderating the sensory defects of GL. This study designed a blend-brewing strategy, optimizing the YT to GL ratio (2:3, w/w) and comparing covered (CB), standard (SB), and open-topped brewing (OB) methods. SB achieved the most balanced sensory profile. In contrast, CB intensified bitterness and astringency, which were associated with higher concentrations of EGCG, gallic acid, and theobromine, whereas OB produced a relatively flat taste because of insufficient extraction. Brewing also reshaped self-assembled nanoparticles, with CB inducing pronounced aggregation and SB yielding a broader size distribution, smoother surfaces, and more balanced colloidal proteins, catechins, and caffeine. Removing nanoparticles substantially decreased infusion mellowness, supporting a contribution of the NP-enriched fraction to mouthfeel. These findings demonstrate that Ganoderma lucidum yellow tea (GY) blending and brewing method modulate sensory quality through chemical extraction and colloidal nanoparticle organization, providing a practical strategy to improve Ganoderma lucidum palatability and develop functional tea beverages.

Apricot powder functionality after drying, grinding and sieving remains insufficiently understood. This study prepared powders from diluted Diaoganxing apricot pulp using hot-air drying (HAD), infrared drying (IRD), vacuum-pulsed drying (VPD) and vacuum freeze drying (VFD), followed by identical grinding and 60-mesh sieving. Moisture status, density, calculated porosity, particle characteristics, reconstitution, flowability, color, selected phytochemical indicators, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and supplementary electronic-nose fingerprints were evaluated. The drying route markedly affected powder properties: moisture content and water activity ranged from 7.23 ± 0.38% to 9.85 ± 0.02% and 0.218 ± 0.002 to 0.370 ± 0.007, respectively. VFD gave the highest calculated porosity (59.09 ± 0.84%), shortest wettability time (46.05 ± 1.71 s), highest water-holding capacity (3.63 ± 0.07 g/g), smallest color difference (ΔE = 1.12 ± 0.47), and highest TPC, TCC, AAC and FRAP values. VPD showed the best handling indices, with the lowest angle of repose (28.44 ± 0.34°), Hausner ratio (1.07 ± 0.01) and Carr index (6.33 ± 0.66%). Correlation/PCA indicated treatment-level co-variation, not causality. Under the tested processing conditions, VFD may be preferable for rapid reconstitution and the measured quality indicators, whereas VPD may be more suitable for powder handling.