Dynamic modulation of nutritional and flavor profiles in Aronia melanocarpa juice during fermentation with Lactobacillus casei 139

Abstract

The dynamic regulatory mechanisms by which Lactobacillus casei 139 fermentation modulates the nutritional components and flavor characteristics of Aronia melanocarpa (Michx) Elliott juice were investigated through a systematic evaluation of temporal changes in nutritional and flavor profiles during fermentation. The results indicated that the viable cell density peaked at 6.01 log CFU/mL within 24 h. During fermentation, the pH of A. melanocarpa juice initially increased slightly within 48 h before gradually decreasing, while titratable acidity consistently decreased, reflecting the metabolic activity of Lactobacillus casei 139. Concurrently, total sugar content exhibited a decline followed by a leveling off to a steady state. It was found that the contents of total phenolic and flavonoid contents decreased initially, while the color difference a* first decreased, then increased. Combined electronic nose and sensory analyses revealed that fermentation enhanced aroma complexity, and mitigated astringency by promoting aromatic compound accumulation. The research confirms that fermentation with strain L. casei 139 can effectively improve both the sensory quality and nutritional value of fermented A. melanocarpa beverages.

Keywords

Aronia melanocarpa / Lactobacillus casei 139 / Probiotic fermentation / Bioactive modulation / Sensory quality / Flavor profile

Ethical statements

This study was conducted in strict accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and involved human subjects in its sensory evaluation phase. The experimental protocol was reviewed and approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of South China Agricultural University (Approval No.: SCAU2025c072). Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their involvement in the study. Each participant provided written consent via a signed consent form. Before consent was obtained, the investigators provided all prospective participants with a clear, thorough, and sufficient explanation of the study to ensure they were fully informed before deciding whether to participate.

Author contributions

The authors confirm their contributions to the paper as follows: investigation: Liao J, Liu M; data curation: Liu M, Chen R; validation: Hao F, Liu X, Fang X; software: Hao F, Liu X; methodology: Fang Y; formal analysis: Fang Y, Chen R; conceptualization: Yang X, Fang X; resources: Yang X; funding acquisition: Fang X; writing - review & editing, Visualization: Dong S; writing - original draft: Liao J. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Data availability

All data generated or analyzed in this study are included within this manuscript and its supplementary information.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Guangdong Provincial Seed Industry Revitalization Special Program (2024-WPY-00-008) and Guangzhou Science and Technology Program (2024B03J1354).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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