Effects of Different Pretreatments on the Nutrition, Flavor and Sensory Evaluation of Lactobacilli-Fermented Peach Beverages

This study aimed to investigate the behavior and fermentation performance of <i>Lactobacillus</i> in peach purees and juice prepared using different pretreatments, and characterized the nutrition and flavor profiles of various fermented peach samples by using HPLC, HS-SPME-GC/MS and sensory evaluation. The findings showed that fermented peach products made from different raw material methods displayed distinct nutritional and sensory properties. The fermented CWP (crushing into puree with peel) had the highest total phenol content (145.20 μg/mL) and antioxidant activity (96.19 μg VC/mL), and fermented COP (crushing into puree without peel) was rich in carotenoids (1575.33 μg/100 mL), with β-carotene (1134.89 μg/100 mL) being the characteristic bioactive compound in this group. Moreover, fermented CWP and COP purees were also notable for their elevated aroma compounds, with total volatile organic compounds increasing 2.35 and 3.29 times after fermentation, respectively. However, fermented SWP juice (squeezing juice with peel) was primarily distinguished by polyphenol biotransformation, and had a similar polyphenol composition to the CWP group. These findings evidenced the advantages and characteristics of different peach matrices as raw materials for plant-based fermentation beverages, and offer strategies for developing functional probiotic fermented drinks.