Journal of Cereal Science最新文献

{"title":"Integrated biochemical, proteomic, and structural characterization of amylase trypsin inhibitor proteins from wheat (Triticum aestivum) variety HD 3086","authors":"Sapna Chaudhary ,&nbsp;Ramwant Gupta ,&nbsp;R.K. Gaur ,&nbsp;Renu Deswal","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104333","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104333","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global food security is increasingly threatened by rising population growth and post-harvest losses due to insect infestations. As a natural defense strategy, plants produce amylase and protease inhibitors that disrupt the digestive enzymes of pests, thereby impairing their ability to survive. In this study, we isolated and identified an Amylase Trypsin Inhibitor (ATI) from wheat seeds of genotype HD 3086 using gel filtration chromatography (Sephadex G-50) and LC-MS/MS. Proteomic analysis revealed five ATI isoforms: Alpha-amylase inhibitor 0.28, Alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitor CM16, Alpha-amylase inhibitor 0.19 and 0.53, Trypsin/α-amylase inhibitors CMX2, and CMX1/CMX3 and Subtilisin–chymotrypsin inhibitor WSCI with molecular weights ranging from 9 to 17 kDa. The purified inhibitor showed strong α-amylase (90.6 ± 0.72 %) and moderate trypsin (62.9 ± 0.8 %) inhibition, with a specific activity of 0.18 ± 0.02 U/mg. <em>In silico</em> analysis revealed the physicochemical properties and multiple sequence alignment highlighted the conserved motif of the identified ATI proteins. A beta sheet rich in 230 nm and a low α-helical structure, with minima at 208 and 222 nm, was determined using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. UV-Near Infrared (UV-NIR) spectroscopy further distinguished healthy and infested grains of wheat variety HD-3086, showing decreased reflectance and increased absorbance in infested samples, particularly near 970, 1450 and 1940 nm, consistent with moisture and protein degradation reported in prior studies. These results confirmed the bioactivity and structural integrity of ATI from HD 3086, providing insights into their potential use as a natural defense system and supporting their relevance in pest-resistant wheat improvement and quality assessment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"127 ","pages":"Article 104333"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145705450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Starch retrogradation, colloidal dynamics, and digestibility mechanisms in nixtamalized maize tortillas","authors":"Julian de la Rosa-Millan","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104332","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104332","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study provides a mechanistic understanding of how refrigerated storage affects the starch structure, colloidal dynamics, and digestibility of tortillas prepared from nine commercial nixtamalized maize flours that differ in pigmentation and processing history. Multiscale analyses, including thermal and crystalline transitions (DSC/XRD), molecular architecture (HPSEC-MALLS, HPAEC-PAD), colloidal behavior (zeta potential, particle size), texture, and <em>in vitro</em> digestion were integrated to elucidate structure-function relationships during 0–168 h of storage at 4 °C. Cold storage progressively increased gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH + 2–3 J g⁻¹) and relative crystallinity (+3–5 %), driven by amylopectin. These structural reorganizations shifted starch fractions toward higher resistant starch (RS + 8–12 %) and slightly reduced the predicted glycemic index (−3 to −7 units). Blue maize tortillas, enriched in polyphenols, exhibited weaker crystallinity and slower retrogradation yet achieved lower initial RDS and pGI, consistent with starch-polyphenol interactions that hinder enzymatic access. Particle size and zeta potential kinetics revealed that retrogradation generates steric and electrostatic barriers to α-amylase hydrolysis, providing a mechanistic link between molecular order and digestibility. A multivariate ranking that integrates starch structure, textural integrity, and digestibility identified flour-storage combinations that optimize a low glycemic response without compromising pliability. These findings reveal the molecular and colloidal mechanisms governing cold-induced starch reorganization in tortillas, offering practical strategies to design maize-based foods with improved metabolic functionality and controlled staling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"127 ","pages":"Article 104332"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of resistant dextrin on the properties of wheat flour and the quality of steamed buns","authors":"Die He ,&nbsp;Jie Cai ,&nbsp;Lipeng Wang ,&nbsp;Shengxin Ji ,&nbsp;Zhilu Ai ,&nbsp;Zhili Pan ,&nbsp;Zhen Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104327","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104327","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study systematically assessed the impact of resistant dextrin (RD) incorporation at levels ranging from 0 % to 15 % on dough properties and steamed bun quality. Results indicated that RD significantly reduced peak viscosity, breakdown, and setback of wheat flour, effectively suppressing starch retrogradation, thereby extending shelf life. Microstructural analysis revealed that 15 % RD notably disrupted the gluten network, decreasing protein area, junctions, and total chain length, while increasing lacunarity by 2.4 % (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). These structural alterations negatively affected alveograph properties (P, L, W). Notably, an optimal RD range of 3 %–6 % improved bun softness while preserving fermentation capacity, mitigating the typical texture loss associated with fiber enrichment. In contrast, RD levels ≥9 % led to structural collapse due to gluten weakening. By correlating macro-properties with microstructural changes, this study offers a theoretical foundation for targeted gluten modification in high-fiber steamed buns, facilitating fiber fortification without compromising quality and addressing consumer demand for nutritious, appealing staple foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"126 ","pages":"Article 104327"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring rancidity in pearl millet flour: A lipidomic and biochemical approach","authors":"Rasika Rajendra Aher ,&nbsp;Rupam Kumar Bhunia ,&nbsp;Simranjit Kaur ,&nbsp;Hemalatha Sanivarapu ,&nbsp;Sudhakar Reddy Palakolanu ,&nbsp;Victor Taleon ,&nbsp;Kiran Kumar Sharma ,&nbsp;S.K. Gupta ,&nbsp;Govindaraj Mahalingam ,&nbsp;Saikat Datta Mazumdar ,&nbsp;Pooja Bhatnagar-Mathur","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104320","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104320","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pearl millet is a nutritious and climate-resilient cereal extensively grown in the arid and semi-arid regions of South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its exceptional nutritional qualities, pearl millet suffers from limited acceptance, partly due to the short shelf life of its milled flour. The stored flour quickly becomes rancid after 7–10 days due to the rancidity of fatty acids and oils caused by various factors, including enzymes and metal ions. In this study, we examined high iron (biofortified [ICMH-1202 (BF5) and Dhanashakti (BF6)] and regular [PA-9285 (NBF2) and MP-7872 (NBF4)] millet grain-based stored flour. Hydrolysis of triacylglycerols led to the accumulation of free fatty acids. Data on acid value, peroxide value, and enzymatic activities showed that high iron lines exhibit a higher rate of lipid oxidation and peroxidation after 45 days of storage. The biochemical profiling of these lines indicated that the high-iron and low-iron lines are comparable regarding rancidity-linked traits until 14 days after grinding for most surrogate traits. These findings suggest that iron-rich flour is likely more susceptible to rancidity than low-iron lines after 45 days of storage. The results indicate that high-iron varieties would not affect the general Indian practices of using flour within 14 days, but they may require post-harvest stabilization to enhance shelf life beyond two weeks. However, it is crucial to emphasize that iron-rich varieties are vital in addressing hunger and malnutrition. These exploratory results suggest that heat treatment could help improve the shelf life of iron-rich pearl millet grains on a smaller scale, but a better solution is still needed for large-scale commercialization and to monitor this key trait in released varieties without compromising their nutritional content.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"126 ","pages":"Article 104320"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cultivar-specific nitrogen thresholds securing both high yield and taste quality in rice","authors":"Lina Li ,&nbsp;Shijie Shi ,&nbsp;Qi Fan ,&nbsp;Baijun Ouyang ,&nbsp;Yi Hu ,&nbsp;Chengfang Li ,&nbsp;Cougui Cao ,&nbsp;Yang Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104302","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104302","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Excessive nitrogen (N) application in rice production often compromises grain quality. To unravel tradeoffs between yield and taste quality, a two-year field trial evaluated 9 rice varieties at 11 N levels (0–350 kg ha⁻¹). Yield, protein, amylose, starch viscosity, and taste were analyzed. Quadratic polynomial regression and mixed-effects models quantified interaction between variety and N level, while response surface methodology identified optimal N rates under 10 yield-taste weighting scenarios (10–100 % yield priority). Indica-japonica hybrids outperformed conventional rice in baseline yield (3.99 vs. 3.79 t ha⁻¹) and taste value (83.03 vs. 79.20), with attenuated yield decline at high N (quadratic coefficient: −0.8 × 10⁻⁴ vs. −0.9 × 10⁻⁴). Protein content in hybrids was more predictably modulated by N fertilization (R² = 0.503 vs. 0.400 for conventional rice). Yield correlated negatively with taste (P &lt; 0.001) and positively with protein (P &lt; 0.001). Variety × N interactions revealed divergent optimization pathways. With a high palatability goal (≤30 % yield-weight), all varieties require no nitrogen application. A 60 % yield-weight maintained ≥90 % maximum yield and taste &gt;70 across most varieties. Taste scores declined linearly by 0.1–1.2 points per 10 % yield-weight increment after surpassing 50 % yield-weight, while protein content increased proportionally (0.10–0.30 % per 10 % yield-weight). Indica-japonica hybrids exhibited excellent ability to maintain high yield and quality. This work advances genotype-driven N strategies to reconcile yield and taste quality in sustainable rice cultivation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"126 ","pages":"Article 104302"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145416287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing maize grain nutritional quality through combined application of Zn-enriched compost and rhizobacteria under natural arid conditions","authors":"Zafar Iqbal ,&nbsp;Azhar Hussain ,&nbsp;Maqshoof Ahmad ,&nbsp;Abubakar Dar ,&nbsp;Moazzam Jamil ,&nbsp;Usman Zulfiqar ,&nbsp;Hossam S. El-Beltagi ,&nbsp;Muneera A. Saleh ,&nbsp;P.V. Vara Prasad ,&nbsp;Ivica Djalovic","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104309","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104309","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zinc deficiency in cereal grains reduces their nutritional quality and dietary value. This study evaluated the impact of zinc-enriched compost and zinc-solubilizing rhizobacteria (ZSB), applied individually and in combination, on maize growth, yield, and grain composition under both pot and field conditions. Ten treatments were tested, including compost, ZSB, zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄), and their combinations. The integrated treatment (T10: compost enriched with 2 % ZnO plus ZSB) performed best, significantly improving root length (15 %), plant height (18 %), root dry biomass (19 %), shoot dry biomass (13 %), and grain yield (10–15 %) compared with the control. Nutrient uptake of N (11 %), P (13 %), K (10 %), Fe (12 %), and Zn (10 %) also increased under T10. Compost with ZSB (T9) moderately enhanced plant performance, while individual applications of ZnO or ZSB showed limited effects. Field trials confirmed T10 as superior, showing 23 % higher shoot biomass, 7 % higher 1000-grain weight, and 15 % greater microbial populations. Principal Component Analysis and correlation analyses supported the synergistic interaction among ZSB, ZnO, and compost. The integrated use of ZSB and Zn-enriched compost effectively improved maize productivity, grain quality, and soil microbial activity, providing an eco-friendly, low-cost strategy for sustainable agriculture. Broader field validation is recommended for wider adoption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"126 ","pages":"Article 104309"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145462614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drought stress at different growth stages and intensities alters lipid metabolism and eating quality in rice","authors":"Mingming Hu ,&nbsp;Qiuqiu Zhang ,&nbsp;Guangyi Chen ,&nbsp;Xingmei He ,&nbsp;Congmei Li ,&nbsp;Hong Yang ,&nbsp;Yao Zhang ,&nbsp;Ziyu Li ,&nbsp;Tian Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104317","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104317","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study clarifies the effects of drought stress at different growth stages and intensities on rice lipid metabolism and eating quality. Three levels of drought stress—light (LD), moderate (MD), and severe (SD)—were imposed at booting, flowering, and filling stages, respectively. Conventional flooding throughout the growth period served as the control (CK). Measurements included lipid content, fatty acid composition, key lipid synthesis enzyme activities, taste value, RVA profile and yield. Results showed that drought stress at booting and flowering stages reduced lipid accumulation, increased free fatty acid (FFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents, and deteriorated eating quality and yield. In contrast, light drought stress at filling stage activated key lipid synthesis enzymes, leading to an increases in lipid content, unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), linoleic acid and yield by 5.24 %, 0.85 %, 5.64 %, and 9.73 %, respectively, while decreasing FFA and SFA contents by 13.52 % and 2.72 %. Additionally, light drought stress enhanced peak viscosity and breakdown values while reducing setback values. Higher lipid and UFA contents, along with enhanced lipid synthesis enzyme activity, contributed to better eating quality. These results indicate that light drought stress at filling stage can optimize lipid synthesis and fatty acid composition, thereby improving rice eating quality and yield.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"126 ","pages":"Article 104317"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145516559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphological, productivity and grain quality characteristics and evolutionary trends of wheat cultivars in different ecological regions of China in the past decades","authors":"Rui Nan ,&nbsp;Jiawei Zhang ,&nbsp;Shuaijie Han ,&nbsp;Shaoqi Wu ,&nbsp;Gaijuan Tang ,&nbsp;Xiaofeng Zhao ,&nbsp;Baolin Wu ,&nbsp;Xiaohong Chen ,&nbsp;Fengli Sun ,&nbsp;Yajun Xi ,&nbsp;Chao Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104301","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104301","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Against the backdrop of intensifying global climate change threatening wheat production, deciphering the patterns of trait evolution in wheat varieties across multiple ecological regions and formulating adaptive breeding strategies are of paramount importance for safeguarding food security. This study utilized approval data for 1209 nationally registered wheat varieties from 11 ecologicalregions in China (1990–2023), along with one-year field trial data for 80 major cultivated cultivars (1947–2020) in the Huang-Huai Wheat Region. Among the 11 ecological regions (80°59′E − 127°19′E, 24°40′N – 50°21′N), seven were previously classified as irrigated and dryland types. By comparing the trait characteristics and improvement trends among these regions across different latitudes as well as between irrigated and dryland types at similar latitudes, we summarized the effects of latitude and water regimes on wheat breeding. The findings revealed a linear relationship of latitude with both growth period (R² = 0.99) and water absorption rate (R² = 0.71), while its relationship with grain protein (R² = 0.61) and wet gluten content (R² = 0.70) was best described by a quadratic curve. As latitude increases, the correlation between the growth period and yield of these varieties strengthens. Genetic gain, calculated as the slope of regression, revealed that although yield significantly increased across all ecological regions, the gain rates varied substantially, with an absolute range of 0.05–0.11 t/ha/year and a relative range of 0.83 %–1.68 % per year. Hwever, drought has limited the improvement of yield, protein, and wet gluten content, but has conversely promoted an increase in grains per spike. The rise in thousand-kernel weight (mainly due to grain width) is primarily attributed to an accelerated grain filling rate. Currently, increasing the number of grains per spike, the number of spikes per hectare and hectolitre weight are effective strategies for enhancing wheat field yield in most environments. In the Huang-Huai wheat region, broadening flag leaf width and reducing the number of effective spikes per plant are also effective methods for improving wheat field yield. In contrast, the previous strategy of yield improvement through dwarf breeding has now reached a bottleneck. This study summarizes and identifies the evolutionary patterns of cultivated wheat varieties in China, providing an important reference for wheat cultivation planning and variety breeding both domestically and globally.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"126 ","pages":"Article 104301"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145416283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protein enrichment of oat flour by fine milling and air classification","authors":"Danny Tagle-Freire ,&nbsp;Markus Stieger ,&nbsp;Ciarán G. Forde ,&nbsp;Maarten A.I. Schutyser","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104315","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104315","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dry fractionation is a sustainable and mild alternative to wet extraction for producing protein-enriched ingredients. This study evaluated the dry fractionation potential of two oat cultivars through fine milling and air classification. Preliminary trials showed that conditions optimized for starch-rich pulses were not directly applicable to oats, partly due to their smaller starch granules. Therefore, in this study, we systematically varied the classifier wheel speed during milling (5000–8000 rpm) and air classification (12,000–18,000 rpm), with specific combinations applied to each cultivar, to identify optimal parameters for protein enrichment. Pre-milling and hexane-based defatting were necessary to enable fine milling. Increased classifier wheel speed during milling improved starch disentanglement and enhanced protein concentration in the fine fraction after air classification. Classifier wheel speeds of 8000 rpm for milling and 14,000 rpm for air classification produced oat protein concentrates with up to three times higher protein content (36.5–40.0 g/100 g dry matter) than the initial groats, a mass yield of 1.4–3.0 %, and protein recovery of 7.9–10.4 % across cultivars. Compositional analysis showed distinct macronutrient distributions between the fine and coarse fractions, and relative to two commercial oat protein concentrates, suggesting they could be targeted for different food applications. Although promising, dry fractionation of oats still requires a defatting step, which limits its overall sustainability. Future work should prioritize developing more sustainable defatting strategies and evaluating the techno-functional properties and protein digestibility of the resulting oat ingredients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"126 ","pages":"Article 104315"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145516555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling Qingke Daqu: Key aroma-active compounds and physicochemical properties drive quality enhancement","authors":"Hui Zhang ,&nbsp;Jing Wang ,&nbsp;Yan Gao ,&nbsp;Chunhui Huang ,&nbsp;Shengbao Feng ,&nbsp;Ding Liang ,&nbsp;Ning Zhang ,&nbsp;Baoguo Sun ,&nbsp;Haitao Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104321","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104321","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Qingke (Highland barley) baijiu is a characteristic alcoholic beverage in plateau regions. It has garnered significant attention owing to its unique brewing technology, distinctive flavor profile and potential health benefits. Qingke Daqu is not only a saccharifying agent and fermenting agent for Qingke baijiu, but also an important raw material and microbial source. Additionally, it serves as a key source of flavor substances and their precursor substances. In this work, a total of 38 aroma-active compounds were identified in Qingke Daqu by gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). Among these aroma-active compounds, 2,3-butanedione, vanillin and isovaleric acid exhibited the highest FD values. After quantification, 15 aroma-active compounds had odor activity values (OAVs) &gt; 1 in Qingke Daqu. Among them, 2,3-butanedione, hexanal and ethyl caproate were identified as the critical aroma-active compounds in Qingke Daqu. In addition, the physicochemical indicators of Qingke Daqu were determined. Among these, the content of starch was the highest, while content of fatty acid was the lowest. Correlation analysis further reveals that, starch has the strongest association with key aroma-active compounds in Qingke Daqu, with the largest number of compounds exhibiting a positive correlation. This work can provide data support for the scientific expression of Qingke Daqu.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15285,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cereal Science","volume":"126 ","pages":"Article 104321"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145568522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}