Effect of compound probiotics on chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and microbiota community structure in Co-fermentation of Zanthoxylum bungeanum maxim leaves and Distille's grains

• First-time co-fermentation of ZML and DG for waste resource valorization. • Co-SSF and compound probiotics enhance antioxidant retention significantly. • Co-SSF degrades anti-nutritional factors in ZML and DG efficiently. • Lactobacillus shows different correlations in solo SSF vs. co-SSF of ZML and DG. • Compound probiotics and Co-SSF inhibit undesirable microorganisms effectively.