Arabinoxylan (AX) is a polysaccharide composed of arabinose, xylose, and a small number of other carbohydrates. AX comes from a wide range of sources, and its physicochemical properties and physiological functions are closely related to its molecular characterization, such as branched chains, relative molecular masses, and substituents. In addition, AX also has antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antitumor, and proliferative abilities for intestinal probiotic flora, among other biological activities. AXs of various origins have different molecular characterizations in terms of molecular weight, degree of branching, and structure, with varying structures leading to diverse effects of the biological activity of AX. Therefore, this report describes the physical properties, biological activities, and applications of AX in diverse plants, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for future research on AX as well as provide more options for crop breeding.

Steaming and spray-drying are widely used to convert sweet corn into convenient beverage powders, providing advantages in terms of shelf stability and consumer convenience. However, these processes can change the aroma of beverages, potentially affecting consumer acceptance. In this study, HS-SPME-GC–MS and HS-GC-IMS were used to analyze the volatile components of sweet corn beverages to determine the effect of steaming and spray-drying on the aroma. A total of 21 key volatile components were identified. (E, E)-2,4-Decadienal and 2,3-Butanedione dominate the aroma of all samples and are major contributors to the characteristic aroma of beverages. Steaming enhances the fatty and soapy aroma of beverages, but reduces the esters that give the fruity aroma. Spray-drying reduced esters but enhanced the strength of aldehydes and ketones, enhancing the malt and butter aroma of beverages. This study provides a reference for flavor adjustment and process optimization in the production process of sweet corn beverages.

Drying is a widely utilized method for extending the shelf life of food products. This study applied four drying techniques—natural air drying (NAD), hot air drying (HAD), microwave drying (MD), and vacuum freeze drying (VFD)—to dehydrate water bamboo shoots (WBS), and investigated their effects on the quality and volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles of the dried WBS. The results showed that MD achieved the fastest drying rate, whereas NAD exhibited the slowest. Both MD and VFD samples possessed porous structures. However, the VFD-treated samples retained the highest levels of Vitamin C (VC) and total phenols, and showed the least color deviation compared to the fresh samples, which was closely associated with its low-temperature and vacuum processing conditions. A total of 52 VOCs were identified in this study. Among them, 3-methyl-butanal and 5-methyl-2-furfural were the most abundant VOCs in the treated samples. 3-methybutanal, pentanal, butanal, and 5-methyl-2-furfural were identified as the characteristic VOC markers for the HAD, NAD, VFD, and MD groups, respectively. In conclusion, this study determined that VFD effectively maintained the drying quality of WBS, with butanal identified as its characteristic VOC organic compound. These findings provide valuable insights for the practical production of high-quality dried WBS.