This study investigates the impact of using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, either individually or in co-culture, on the fermentation of rose beverage. We comprehensively analyzed the resulting changes in quality characteristics and volatile compound profiles. Fermentation significantly altered the physicochemical properties, appearance, color, and free amino acid/organic acid content. Both microbial strains significantly increased total polyphenols and flavonoid content, with co-fermentation exhibiting a more pronounced effect compared to single-strain fermentations. Furthermore, the volatile compounds in rose beverages fermented with different microorganisms were characterized by an electronic nose (E-nose) and headspace–solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS). E-nose analysis demonstrated distinct volatile profiles distinguishing the four fermentation samples. HS-SPME/GC-MS identified a total of 245 volatile compounds, among which alcohols constituted the most abundant class. Integrating GC-MS data with odor activity value (OAV ≥ 1) analysis pinpointed 34 key aroma compounds. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) based on variable importance in projection (VIP) identified eight key volatile markers: eugenol, phenylethyl alcohol, (E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienoic acid, methyleugenol, ethyl octanoate, citronellol, D-citronellol, and 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)phenol. These findings provide valuable insights into the microbial influence on rose beverage quality and offer a theoretical basis for optimizing industrial fermentation processes.

This study investigated the effects of three different single-strain probiotics Lactiplantibacillus plantarum XD117, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei LC-37, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LGG, on the quality of hempseed fermented milk. The main findings were that adding probiotics increased the inhibition rate of α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase in hempseed fermented milk significantly. Non-targeted metabolomic correlation analysis results confirmed that 14 substances, including three flavonoids, six amino acids and their derivatives, and five short peptides, were positively correlated with the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of hempseed fermented milk. Furthermore, a total of 59 volatile flavor compounds were identified, including aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, acids, and esters, and the role mapping of different probiotic communities was provided. These results can guide the development of hempseed fermented milk with unique flavor, rich probiotic content, and significant functional characteristics.

Ultrasound-assisted fermentation (UAF) was evaluated as a calorimetrically calibrated strategy for biotransforming Astragalus membranaceus isoflavones using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Water-based calorimetry yielded power-density estimates of 46.51 ± 4.03 and 86.05 ± 4.03 W/L for the fermentation vessel configuration. High-dose UAF accelerated the conversion of isoflavone glucosides into calycosin and formononetin, reaching 99.7 ± 2.4% of the conventional 24 h aglycone level by 18 h with a 50% higher mean formation rate over 10–18 h. No aglycone formation was detected in the sterile ultrasound control under the tested conditions. At the 18 h time-matched sampling point, high-dose UAF yielded higher in vitro antioxidant capacities, stronger DPP-IV and pancreatic lipase inhibition, and greater measured intestinal-phase calycosin recovery (374.80 vs. 314.31 μg/g) than conventional fermentation. At 16 h, extracellular β-glucosidase activity increased dose-dependently from 3.52 ± 0.82 to 11.19 ± 0.45 U/mL (conventional vs. high-dose UAF), whereas intracellular activity remained comparable across treatments. Combined with qualitative SEM and CLSM observations, these findings are consistent with enhanced extracellular enzyme availability and plant matrix disruption, without establishing de novo enzyme synthesis or a specific permeabilisation mechanism.

Vicia mingyueshanensis, a new species from the Mingyue Mountain Region of western Jiangxi, China, is described and illustrated. It is a perennial climbing liana that always links to riparian woods. A morphological comparison indicated that the new species is closely similar to Vicia taipaica K. T. Fu and Vicia dichroantha Diels; however, it differs from the other two species by several salient characters, such as plant indumentum, stipule shape, corolla colour, bractlet shape and calyx shape. Photographs, a preliminary conservation assessment, table of morphological characters and distribution map comparing this new species to two morphologically-similar species are also provided.