Beverages

This study aimed to develop a high-value plant-based probiotic beverage via the co-fermentation of Lactobacillus plantarum (P8) and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (V9) with almond hull homogenate as the fermentation substrate. Single-factor experiments combined with Box–Behnken response surface methodology were adopted to optimize the key fermentation parameters (compound bacteria ratio, inoculation amount, temperature, and fermentation time), with the probiotic proliferation multiple set as the response value. Furthermore, the physicochemical properties, active component contents, and antioxidant-related indicators of the fermented product were systematically determined and analyzed. The results showed that the optimal fermentation conditions were as follows: a P8:V9 ratio of 1:1, an inoculation amount of 0.1%, a fermentation temperature of 28 °C, and a fermentation time of 66 h. Under these optimal conditions, the viable probiotic count increased by 320-fold relative to the initial viable count, and the fermentation effectively induced the transformation of the bound bioactive components in the almond hull, with the free-flavonoid content increasing by 20.40% and the total polyphenol content decreasing by 6.16% in the fermented product, which reflected the dynamic conversion of nutrient components during the fermentation process. Meanwhile, the antioxidant capacity of the almond hull fermented product was significantly improved compared with the unfermented control. This study confirms the feasibility of almond hull as a suitable matrix for probiotic fermentation, and the findings provide a scientific basis for the development of plant-based synbiotic products and the high-value resource utilization of almond hull as an agricultural by-product.

We aimed to develop kombucha-vinegar beverages inspired by switchel (a beverage that combines apple cider vinegar and ginger extract), using pecan shell aqueous extract (PSE) and green tea infusion (GTI) in the preparation of kombucha vinegar, and to assess its effects on physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant activity, and sensory acceptance. Combinations of PSE and GTI (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) were tested as substrates to produce kombucha vinegar with an initial sugar concentration of 80 g/L. After, the initial sucrose concentration was tested (80 to 60 g/L) using two of the previous formulations (50% of PSE and 50% of GTI; 25% of PSE and 75% of GTI), that showed better results in antioxidant capacity and sensory characteristics, particularly bitterness, which was attributed to the addition of higher amounts of pecan nutshell extract (100 and 75%). The formulation with 60 g/L of sucrose and higher pecan shell extract (50%) was chosen, allowing a beverage with less sugar at the end of kombucha fermentation. An increase in antioxidant potential was observed during the fermentations, with this being a highlight of this study. Kombucha vinegar beverages inspired by switchel were developed (50% PSE and 50% GTI, 60 g/L of sucrose), with the use of ginger extract or juice fruits (apple, pineapple, or white grape), in order to make the beverage palatable to consumers. The samples without ginger showed the highest antioxidant capacity values. In the sensory evaluation using acceptability and the check all that apply method (CATA), the beverages without ginger showed acceptability ranging from 74.4% (addition of white grape juice) to 84.0% (addition of pineapple juice), being described as refreshing, healthy, and energizing.

To protect wine authenticity and quality, two Sardinian red wines, Carignano del Sulcis and Cannonau di Sardegna, were characterized using an FT-IR and untargeted GC–MS integrated approach. FT-IR-derived oenological parameters, together with GC–MS profiles of polar low-molecular-weight metabolites, were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis. Compared with Cannonau, Carignano exhibited higher color intensity, greater density, and higher contents of glucose, lactic acid, and malic acid. Discriminant analysis of GC-MS data revealed that Carignano was characterized by uronic acids and arabitol, suggesting possible exposure to Botrytis. In contrast, Cannonau was characterized by 2,3 butanediol and ethyl-tartrate, indicating more pronounced yeast fermentative activity, consistent with the lower residual glucose content measured by FT-IR. Classification analysis demonstrated that the different wineries exert significant influence on the final characteristics of the wine. Overall, the findings demonstrated the effectiveness of this integrated analytical approach as a promising tool for wine authentication.