The study examined the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum together with Saccharomyces cerevisiae on cider quality through simultaneous and sequential inoculation strategies to evoke malolactic fermentation. The antioxidant activities and flavor compound profiles of apple ciders fermented with mixed cultures of commercial wine yeast (S. cerevisia SY) and autochthonous bacteria (L. plantarum SCFF107 and L. plantarum SCFF200) were assessed. The antioxidant ability results indicated that apple ciders fermented with the simultaneous inoculation method had a higher DPPH radical scavenging rate and total antioxidant capacity, especially for SIL107 cider (simultaneous inoculation with S. cerevisiae SY and L. plantarum SCFF107), which exhibited the highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity (78.14% ± 0.78%) and the highest total antioxidant ability (255.92 ± 7.68 mmol/L). The results showed that ciders produced by mixed inoculation with L. plantarum improved flavor because of their higher contents of volatiles such as esters and higher alcohols and higher contents of non-volatile compounds like organic acids and polyphenols in comparison with the single culture of S. cerevisiae, especially for the simultaneous inoculation method. In addition, irrespective of the inoculation mode, compared to the single culture of cider, L-malic acid degraded dramatically in the presence of L. plantarum during alcoholic fermentation, accompanied by increases in lactic acid. What is more, sensory evaluation results demonstrated that ciders produced by mixed cultures gained higher scores than ciders fermented by the single culture of S. cerevisiae, especially in the simultaneous inoculation mode, in terms of the floral, fruity, and overall acceptability of the cider. Therefore, our results indicated that simultaneous inoculation with L. plantarum was found to compensate for some enological shortages of single S. cerevisiae fermented ciders, which could be a potential strategy to enhance the quality of cider products.

Lead (Pb²⁺) pollution is a serious food safety issue, rapid detection of Pb²⁺ residual in food is vital to guarantee food quality and safety. Here we proposed ratiometric aptamer probes, allowing robust Pb²⁺ supervision in food samples. Pb²⁺ specific aptamer can bolster a transition of G-quadruplex structural response to Pb²⁺; this process can be monitored by N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX (NMM), which is highly specific to G-quadruplex. Particularly, the utilization of G-quadruplex specific dye and terminal-labeled fluorophore allowed to endue ratiometric signal outputs towards Pb²⁺, dramatically increase the robustness for lead detection. The ratiometric G-quadruplex assay allowed a facile and one-pot Pb²⁺ detection at room temperature using a single-stranded DNA aptamer. We demonstrated its feasibility for detecting lead pollution in fresh eggs and tap water samples. The ratiometric G-quadruplex design is expected to be used for on-site Pb²⁺ testing associated with food safety.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of different strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on malolactic fermentation (MLF), antioxidant activity, and aroma of ciders. A commercial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and six indigenous L. plantarum strains were co-inoculated into apple juice to induce simultaneous alcoholic fermentation (AF) and MLF. The findings indicated that despite belonging to the same species, the different L. plantarum strains significantly differed (p < 0.05) in terms of antioxidant activity and aroma compounds in the ciders. MLF induced by L. plantarum resulted in the substantial consumption of malic acid and increased levels of lactic acid in the ciders, with strain-specific effects observed, particularly with L. plantarum SCFF284. In addition, ciders produced from mixed fermentations exhibited higher levels of antioxidant activity than those from pure S. cerevisiae fermentation (p < 0.05), especially for LAM284. Furthermore, ciders produced from mixed fermentations exhibited higher levels of aroma compounds, such as ethyl acetate and isoamyl alcohol, and also received higher sensory scores compared to ciders produced through pure S. cerevisiae fermentation (p < 0.05). These results highlight the effectiveness of MLF induced by L. plantarum in enhancing the antioxidant activity and aroma profile of ciders.

This study explored the effect of the combination of Saccharomyces yeast, non-Saccharomyces yeast (Pichia kudriavzevii), and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum during cider fermentation on physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, flavor and aroma compounds, as well as sensory qualities. Ciders fermented with the triple mixed-cultures of these three species showed lower acid and alcohol content than those fermented with the single-culture of S. cerevisiae. The antioxidant activities were enhanced by the triple mixed-culture fermentation, giving a higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging rate and total antioxidant capacity; specifically, the SPL5 cider showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging rate (77.28%), while the SPL2 gave the highest total antioxidant capacity (39.57 mmol/L). Additionally, the triple mixed-culture fermentation resulted in improved flavor and aroma with a lower acidity (L-malic acid) and higher aroma compounds (Esters), when compared with the single-culture fermented ciders (Saccharomyces cerevisiae); more specifically, the SPL4 cider resulted in the highest total flavor and aroma compounds. In addition, sensory evaluation demonstrated that ciders produced using the triple mixed-cultures gained higher scores than those fermented using the single-culture of S. cerevisiae, giving better floral aroma, fruity flavor, and overall acceptability. Therefore, our results indicated that the triple mixed-cultures (S. cerevisiae, P. kudriavzevii, and L. plantarum) were found to make up some enological shortages of the single S. cerevisiae fermented cider. This study is believed to provide a potential strategy to enhance cider quality and further give a reference for new industrial development protocols for cider fermentation that have better sensory qualities with higher antioxidant properties.

To evaluate ultrasound’s impact on braised rabbit legs, rabbit leg meat was treated at frequencies of 0 (control), 30, 60, 90, and 120 kHz during the low-temperature braising process. A multi-dimensional analytical approach—incorporating scanning electron microscopy (SEM), texture profile analysis (TPA), water-holding capacity (WHC) assessment, flavor compound profiling, and oxidation analysis—was employed to systematically investigate ultrasound’s effects on braised rabbit meat. SEM revealed ultrasound-induced muscle fiber contraction and structural disruption, which directly improved water-holding capacity and texture. Quantification of sodium chloride and amino acids in sample cores demonstrated enhanced mass transfer, particularly at higher frequencies (60–120 kHz). Lipid oxidation (TBARS) and fatty acid profiling (GC-MS) confirmed ultrasound-promoted oxidation, generating significantly increased flavor-active aldehydes. Concurrently, HPLC-MS/MS analysis showed elevated nucleotide levels, indicating accelerated hydrolysis of flavor precursors. Collectively, these results suggest that ultrasound may offer a viable approach to energy-efficient braising while improving texture and flavor profiles towards sustainable meat processing.