The effects of 5 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation on the pasting properties of glutinous rice flour were compared, and suitable fermentation strains were selected based on the changes of viscosity, setback value, and breakdown value to prepare LAB compound starter cultures. The results revealed that Latilactobacillus sakei HSD004 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HSD005 had apparent advantages in increasing the viscosity and reducing the setback and breakdown values of glutinous rice flour. In particular, the compound starter created using the two abovementioned LAB in the ratio of 3:1 had better performance than that using a single LAB in improving the pasting properties and increasing the water and oil absorption capacity of glutinous rice flour. Moreover, the gelatinization enthalpy of the fermented samples increased significantly. For frozen glutinous rice dough stored for 28 days, the viscoelasticity of frozen dough prepared by compound starter was better than that of control dough, and the freezable water content was lower than that of control dough. These results indicate that compound LAB fermentation is a promising technology in the glutinous rice-based food processing industry, which has significance for its application.

Sodium salt is critical for determining the quality of fermented vegetables, with particular influence on their physicochemical properties, textural characteristics, and food safety. However, the relatively high salt levels in traditional fermented products do not align with the growing consumer preference for low-salt, health-oriented foods. Simply reducing salt levels compromises the storage stability, edibility, and processability of fermented vegetables. Therefore, lowering salt content while maintaining product quality poses a significant challenge for the fermented vegetable industry. Effective quality control in low-salt fermented vegetable production requires a comprehensive understanding of the role salt plays in product quality. In this review, we outline the functions of salt in fermented vegetables and detail the current applications and technological developments in salt-reduction strategies; we focus on sodium substitutes, biological salt-reduction approaches, and emerging non-thermal technologies. The current challenges in low-salt fermentation processes are also discussed, providing valuable theoretical and practical guidance for the high-quality processing of low-salt fermented vegetable products.

In a previous study, rice bread was prepared using a combination of rice–wheat mixed flour. To investigate the impact of the partial adoption of extruded rice flour (ERF) on mixed flour (MF) and mixed dough (MD), the effects of adding ERF on the pasting, mixing characteristics, texture, and water retention of the MF and MD were examined by a rapid visco analyzer (RVA), Mixolab, texture profile analysis (TPA), and a low-field nuclear magnetic resonance analyzer (LF-NMR). The PV, TV, BD, FV, and SV of the MF declined as the incorporated amount of ERF increased. There was no significant difference in the PT at the 5–15% addition level (p < 0.05), but it showed an increasing trend at the 20–30% level (p < 0.05). The incorporation of ERF led to a significant increase in the water absorption (WA) of the MD, while the DT, ST, C2, C3, C4, and C5 exhibited a declining trend. The texture analysis revealed a significant decrease in the dough hardness with the addition of ERF, with a 55% reduction in the hardness of the 30% improved mixed dough (IMD), and the cohesiveness increased significantly (p < 0.05). The IMD was mainly composed of weakly bound water. The content of weakly bound water increased with the ERF amount.