A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Impact of sequential fermentation with probiotics on the physicochemical and bioactive properties of blueberry juice
Authors: He, Yuling; Wang, Yuanyuan; Li, Bin; Meng, Xianjun; Huo, Junwei; Yang, Baoru; Zhou, Ying; Wang, Yuehua
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization
ISSN: 2193-4126
eISSN: 2193-4134
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-026-04328-4
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: No Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-026-04328-4
This study systematically explored the effects of the sequential inoculation strategy of probiotic strains (Lactobacillus plantarum JYLP-326, Lactococcus lactis JYLL-60, and Bifidobacterium lactis JYBR-190) on the physicochemical properties and bioactive components of fermented blueberry juice (FBJ). The multi-stage fermentation experiments indicated that the inoculation sequence of the strains significantly affected the key physicochemical indicators, including color properties, pH value, and titratable acidity, and differentially regulated the retention of bioactive substances. Metabolomics analysis based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) identified a total of 868 polyphenol metabolites, mainly flavonoids (47.0%) and phenolic acids (33.4%). Sequential fermentation differentially enhances the antioxidant capacity of fruit juice by specifically regulating the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) through strains. Among them, the CAB inoculation sequence (Bifidobacterium lactis JYBR-190 - Lactobacillus plantarum JYLP-326 - Lactococcus lactis JYLL-60) showed the best anthocyanin retention effect. These findings highlight the crucial role of inoculation sequence in metabolite regulation and establish CAB sequential fermentation as the highly favorable strategy for enhancing the nutritional value of blueberry juice, such as optimizing the phenolic profile and strengthening antioxidant activity. This research provides a new theoretical basis and technical support for the development of functional fermented blueberry beverages driven by the probiotic sequence.
Funding information in the publication:
This research was funded by the Opening Project of the National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Development and Utilization of Small Fruits in Cold Regions (2024GCXZ008) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2024M760337).
