Effect of mixed fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus on physicochemical and flavor characteristics of pumpkin juice

作者：Ren-qin Tan, Chunli Zhou, Manjun Zhang, Wei Su, Shao-fang Liu, Leyi Yao, Wenhui Pan, Wen Li · 发表于：Scientific Reports · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1038/s41598-025-26842-z · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：Probiotics and Fermented Foods、GABA and Rice Research、Advances in Cucurbitaceae Research

Probiotic fermentation with a defined consortium ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Lactobacillus helveticus , and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ) successfully transformed pumpkin juice into a functional beverage with enhanced bioactivity and appealing aroma. The fermented product achieved a high viable count of 7.37 log CFU mL −1 , along with significant increases in vitamin C, total phenolics, flavonoids, and carotenoids compared to unfermented juice. Fermentation also imparted a distinct volatile profile enriched with esters and alcohols—such as phenylethyl alcohol, phenethyl acetate, and ethyl caprylate—which contributed intense fruity and floral notes, as confirmed by OPLS-DA and sensory evaluation. The resulting juice retained its original color (ΔE < 2) and developed desirable rheological behavior. Thus, accordingly the pumpkin juice fermented with the composite probiotics received the highest sensory evaluation. This study demonstrates that composite-culture fermentation effectively enhances the nutritional value, aroma, and sensory quality of pumpkin juice, highlighting its potential as a novel probiotic beverage.