Liquor Production Research Articles

Distillers’ grains carbon for high-performance capacitive deionization

Because of its abundant supply and long-term availability, biomass-based activated carbon is one of the first porous carbon electrode materials recommended for capacitive deionization. This work describes the preparation of biomass distillers’ grains-based porous carbon materials with high capacity and quick desalination rates by a sequence of thermal carbonization, chemical activation, and de-ashing from waste distillers’ grains of Shanxi Fenjiu Liquor. Compared to other carbon materials, the optimum material had a high salt adsorption capacity of 41.85 mg∙g−1 at 1.2 V with a starting concentration of 500 ppm NaCl. Following acidification during the ash removal process, the material’s surface became rich in oxygen-containing functional groups such as carboxyl, as well as a huge number of active sites exposed by the ultra-high specific surface area and profound pore structures. The material had a substantially higher average salt adsorption rate of 17.67 mg∙g−1∙min−1, compared with other carbon materials. After cycles, it maintained 75 % of its maximum capacity in cycle 25. These positive results highlight the potential of biomass distillers’ grains-based carbon materials in desalination. This work introduces new ways to treating waste distillers’ grains from the Fenjiu liquor production process.

Isolation and identification of epiphytic Pichia kudriavzevii from loquat peels and investigation of its fermentation characteristics for liquor production.

During the process of fruit wine production, yeast plays a crucial role in influencing the taste, flavor, and overall quality of the wine. This study aims to enhance the flavor and quality of loquat wine by isolating strains of Pichia kudriavzevii (P. kudriavzevii) with desirable winemaking characteristics from loquat fruit fermentation broth. A total of 12 strains of P. kudriavzevii were isolated and subjected to morphological and molecular biological identification. Their fermentation performance, ethanol production, ester production, hydrogen sulfide production, killer activity, and tolerance were evaluated. The results revealed that strains Q-2, Q-9, Q-10, Q-12, Q-20, and Q-42 exhibited robust growth and strong tolerance under conditions of 40°C temperature, 12% ethanol concentration, 350g/L glucose concentration, and pH 2.8. Strain Q-42 demonstrated the strongest gas production capacity, killer activity, and good ester and ethanol production. As a highly active fermentation strain with excellent wine making characteristics, P. kudriavzevii Q-42 provides a valuable yeast resource for the industrial production of loquat wine and offers technical support for improving the overall quality of loquat wine.

Dietary supplementation of distiller's grains yeast cultures improves performance and immunity by altering the intestinal flora of broilers.

Distiller's grains are a by-product of liquor production with a higher yield than liquor. Developing and utilizing distiller's grains well could alleviate the problem of scarce feed resources. Our present experiment was conducted with 6000 yellow-feathered broilers to study the effects of adding distiller's grains yeast cultures (DGYC) to the diet on growth performance and immunity of broilers. The broilers were divided into five groups, receiving different DGYC concentrations during two stages. Growth performance, intestinal microorganisms and immune organ development were measured. The results showed that groups B and D, supplemented with medium and high concentrations of DGYC, respectively, had significantly improved growth performance compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Group D also showed higher immune organ index (P < 0.01), increased serum total protein, high-density lipoprotein and immunoglobulin levels (P < 0.05) and lower levels of low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, interleukin 1β and tumor necrosis factor α (P < 0.05). Hematoxylin and eosin staining confirmed improved immune organ development in group D (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in high-concentration group D, levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA; acetic, propionic and butyric acids) in cecal chyme were significantly increased (P < 0.05). The richness (Chao1) and diversity (Faith-pd) index of cecal microbiota were significantly higher in group D compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The microbial composition in group D differed from the control and medium-concentration group B. Seven bacteria (Clostridia-UCG-014, UCG-009, DTU089, UCG-010, Campylobacter, Harryflintia, Shuttleworthia) showed significant differences (P < 0.05). After DGYC feeding, DTU089 decreased, while other SCFA-producing bacteria increased (P < 0.05). Subsequently, KEGG function and corresponding signal pathway predictions were performed on bacteria with significant differences. Group D exhibited a higher enrichment of immune function pathways (P < 0.01) and showed significant changes in four immune signaling pathways according to the signal pathway heatmap. Our data suggest that high concentrations of DGYC can be applied as a feed additive for broilers that promotes growth, improves intestinal health and enhances certain immunity. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Analysis of Metabolite Differences in Different Tea Liquors Based on Broadly Targeted Metabolomics.

To expand the development of characteristic extension products of Yunnan tea and improve the utilization rate of Yunnan tea resources, in this study, we compared the metabolite composition among raw Pu-erh tea, ripe Pu-erh tea prepared with glutinous rice (according to tea to glutinous rice ratio of 1:3), and ripe Pu-erh tea prepared with a mixture of sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, wheat, and corn as raw materials (according to a tea to glutinous rice ratio of 1:3). Rice flavor liquor prepared with 100% glutinous rice served as a control. The raw Pu-erh tea liquor (RAWJ), ripe Pu-erh tea liquor (RIPEJ), ripe Pu-erh tea mixed grain liquor (HHLSJ), and rice-flavor liquor (MJ) were all brewed by semi-solid fermentation. The non-volatile components of the liquor samples were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as a broadly targeted metabolomics technique. A total of 691 metabolites were identified from the four samples. Among them, 674, 671, 633, and 667 species were detected in RAWJ, RIPEJ, HHLSJ, and MJ samples, respectively. Venn diagram analysis demonstrated 19, 21, and 14 unique metabolites in RAWJ, RIPEJ, and HHLSJ, respectively, compared with the metabolite composition of MJ. Flavonoids are the most important differential metabolite between tea liquor and rice-flavor liquor. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of tea liquor products and offers insight into the difference in non-volatile components between tea liquor and rice-flavor liquor.

Research on raw material inventory management of liquor production enterprises based on EOQ model

With the recovery of the economy, China's liquor industry has shown strong recovery force, the scale of the liquor industry has been rising since 2018, but the output and sales volume have declined, and the competition in the liquor industry has become increasingly fierce, which has put forward higher operating requirements for various liquor companies. This paper analyzes the raw material (wheat) demand and inventory cost data of "Hengkang" liquor enterprises in the past three years, and uses the EOQ model to calculate its economic order quantity. Compared with the fixed order quantity method currently adopted by "Hengkang", it is found that the order quantity obtained by the EOQ model can reduce the inventory management cost of the enterprise. On this basis, some suggestions for inventory management of liquor enterprises are proposed.

A rapid classification method for sorghum seed varieties based on HSI and PCA-SICNN algorithm

Accurate classification of sorghum varieties is crucial to the production and processing of liquor with sorghum as raw materials. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has the potential to achieve this goal quickly and nondestructively. This study proposes a novel algorithm, an improved Principal Component Analysis combined with Spectrum-Image-Convolutional Neural Network (PCA-SICNN), which can combine spectral features and image features of HSI data, to enhance the accuracy of variety identification of sorghum seeds. To verify the effect of this algorithm, hyperspectral imaging data (939–1700 nm) of 13,200 sorghum seeds from 6 varieties were collected. The principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to select 20-dimension images from the origin hyperspectral imaging data. Spectrum-Image-Convolutional Neural Network (SICNN) extracts the spectral and image features of sorghum in the network and then fuses the features. By fully learning the HSI data features of sorghum, it achieves the classification of sorghum varieties. The results demonstrate that PCA-SICNN achieves an accuracy on the training set and on the test set reaches 98.67 % and 98.64 %, respectively. Compared with other control methods, the prediction accuracy of the PCA-SICNN model increased by at least 1.10 %. These results suggest the potential for the method to be widely applied in the production and processing of sorghum.

Changes in Polyphenols and Antioxidant Activity in Fermentation Substrate during Maotai-Flavored Liquor Processing.

To investigate the changes in phenols and antioxidant capacity in fermented grains during different stages of the fermentation process (Xiasha, Zaosha, and single-round stages) of Maotai-flavored liquor, the total phenolic contents of 61 samples, collected in different stages, were analyzed via the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the phenolic compounds were then identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Subsequently, the antioxidant activities were determined using the DPPH free radical scavenging rate and ABTS and FRAP antioxidant capacities. The correlations among the total phenolic contents, individual phenolics, and three antioxidant activities of the samples were analyzed. The results show that the total phenolic contents of the fermented samples did not change significantly in the Xiasha and Zaosha stages but showed an upward trend in the single-round stage. A total of 12 phenol acids were identified in the fermented grains, including 5 phenolic acids (e.g., ferulic acid and caffeic acid), 4 flavonoids (e.g., luteolin and apigenin), and 3 proanthocyanidins (e.g., apigeninidin), for which the DPPH free radical scavenging rates and ABTS and FRAP antioxidant capacities of all of the fermented grain samples ranged from 78.91 ± 4.09 to 98.57 ± 1.52%, 3.23 ± 0.72 to 13.69 ± 1.40 mM Trolox, and 5.06 ± 0.36 to 14.10 ± 0.69 mM FeSO4, respectively. The total phenolic contents of the fermented grain samples were significantly and positively correlated with the ABTS and FRAP (p ≤ 0.05), while no significant correlations were found between total phenolic content and DPPH. In general, the total phenolic content, phenolic substances, and antioxidant capacity of the fermented grains exhibited changes during the fermentation process in liquor production, and the phenolic components contributed more to the antioxidant properties of the fermented grains. The present study provides a theoretical reference for analyzing the dynamic changes and antioxidant properties of functional phenolic components in fermented grains.

Feedstock/pretreatment screening for bioconversion of sugar and lignin streams via deacetylated disc-refining

Recent publications have shown the benefits of deacetylation disc-refining (DDR) as a pretreatment process to deconstruct biomass into sugars and lignin residues. Major advantages of DDR pretreatment over steam and dilute acid pretreatment are the removal of acetyl and lignin during deacetylation. DDR does not generate hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural which are commonly produced from steam and dilute acid pretreatments. Acetate, lignin, HMF, and furfural are known inhibitors during enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Another advantage of deacetylation is the production of lignin-rich black liquor, which can be upgraded to other bioproducts. Furthermore, due to the lack of sugar degradation during deacetylation, DDR has significantly less sugar loss than other pretreatment methods. Previous studies for DDR have primarily focused on corn stover, but lacked the investigative studies of other feedstocks. This study was designed to screen various DDR process conditions at pilot scale using three different feedstocks, including corn stover, poplar, and switchgrass. The impact of the pretreatment conditions was evaluated by testing hydrolysates for bioconversion to 2,3-butanediol. Pretreatment of biomass by DDR showed high-conversion-yields and 2,3-BDO fermentation production yields. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) of the pretreatment for biomass to sugar was also developed based on NREL’s Aspen Model. This study shows that the cellulose and hemicellulose in poplar was more recalcitrant than herbaceous feedstocks which ultimately drove up the sugar cost. Switchgrass was also more recalcitrant than corn stover but less than poplar.

Development of a targeted and non-targeted direct-injection analysis of plastic-related contaminants in liquor products

Alcoholic beverages and liquor products are susceptible to contamination throughout the production process by potentially harmful substances, among which plastic related compounds are of particular concern due to the lack of knowledge regarding their occurrence and effects on human health. The present study aimed to survey several liquor products collected in Canada for the presence of common bisphenols, phthalates, and other plastic related compounds, and to develop and apply a direct-injection non-targeted HPLC-QToF MS method for investigating suspected and unanticipated chemical constituents in a variety of high-proof alcohol products in various types of packaging. Overall, the targeted analysis detected no bisphenols in any of the liquor products (n = 37), while DEHP and DEHA were frequently detected, at levels up to nearly 300 and 95 ng/mL, respectively. For the first time, DPP was detected in vodka, BBzP detected brandy, and DEHA in vodka, rum, whiskey, whisky, gin, and brandy. The non-targeted workflow was validated for the targeted compound list and the identity of 3 additional compounds outside the original scope, liquiritigenin, ethylparaben, and ethylvanillin, was confirmed. Overall, the type of packaging type did not have a significant impact on the chemical contaminant profile of the liquors, however, the product type and production process seemed to play a role in the contaminant profile. The methodology developed provides for a fast and simple way of analyzing liquor products for purposes of contaminant surveillance, comparison, as well as for characterization. To our knowledge, this is the first report for applying LC-MS on the non-targeted analysis of plastic-related contaminants in high-proof alcoholic beverages.

Exploring the contribution of temperature-adapted microbiota to enzyme profile of saccharification in Daqu using metagenomics and metaproteomics

Temperature is a critical factor that influences the microbiota in Daqu, which provides essential enzymes for the saccharification process in Baijiu (Chinese liquor) production. However, the relationship between temperature-adapted microbiota and saccharification properties of Daqu remains unclear. In this study, a profile of 23 major saccharifying enzymes and 40 responsible genera was obtained from the metagenomic data of medium- and high-temperature Daqu (MT- and HT-Daqu). The high-temperature pattern (65 °C) primarily affected the saccharification potential of Daqu by promoting Bacillales (fold-change: 0.25–0.75), whereas inhibiting Lactobacillales (fold-change: 3.80–5.60) and Mucorales (fold-change: 5.65–7.09). Eurotiales only exhibited a slight increase (fold-change: 1.01–1.24) to low-temperature pattern (56 °C). Metaproteomic analysis further revealed a notable contribution of Eurotiales in facilitating saccharification. Amylolytic enzymes were primarily derived from Eurotiales species (Byssochlamys spectabilis, Monascus purpureus, Rasamsonia emersonii, and Thermomyces lanuginosus) and one Mucorales species, Lichtheimia romasa. Cellulolytic enzymes were produced by Thermoascus aurantiacus and Paecilomyces sp. Among them, L. romasa was the principal contributor under the low-temperature pattern. Whereas, in HT-Daqu, B. spectabilis, M. purpureus, and T. lanuginosus were the major contributors, as L. romasa is susceptible to higher temperatures. This study offers valuable guidance for targeted optimization of industrial production.

Metal-Based Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Synthesis of Valuable Chemical Blends via Hydrodeoxygenation of Lignin-Derived Fractions

Currently, many research projects are focused on the conversion of renewable raw materials into chemicals and fuels. Lignocellulosic biomass is a raw material used for the production of bio-oils and black liquors. These biomass-derived fractions offer promising paths for the production of valuable chemical products. Various catalytic methods have been investigated for upgrading the biomass-derived fractions. Researchers are interested in the hydrodeoxygenation process (HDO); in this process, the oxygen groups are eliminated by breaking the C-O bonds and water as a product. Incorporating heterogeneous catalysts (i.e., noble metals, transition metals, and metal sulfides) improves this process. Most HDO review articles describe catalytic results for model phenolic compounds. However, there is also a need to investigate the catalytic activity of real biomass-derived fractions. This paper explains research results regarding the upgrading of lignin-derived fractions (i.e., black liquors) by HDO. The paper has been organized according to the type of heterogeneous catalyst and shows compelling results based on different experimental conditions. The final sections present an analysis of the documented results and outline perspectives about integrating lignin into the biorefinery framework.

Kinetic and hydrogen production analysis in the sequential valorization of a Populus clone by cold alkaline extraction and pyrolysis

This work employed a two-step biorefining process, consisting of a hemicellulose-rich liquor production through ultrasound-assisted cold alkaline extraction (CAE), followed by thermochemical treatment of the resultant solid phase. The post-CAE solid phase’s pyrolytic potential was assessed by application of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Friedman’s isoconversional method, and also from hydrogen production. The solid phases remaining after the CAE treatment were more reactive than the untreated raw material. Notably, the alkali concentration employed in the first step was the individual variable most pronounced influence on their activation energy (Ea). Thus, at a degree of conversion α = 0.50, Ea ranged from 109.7 to 254.3 kJ/mol for the solid phases, compared to 177 kJ/mol for the raw material; this value decreased with rising glucan content. At maximal degradation, the post-CAE solid phases produced up to 15.57% v/v more hydrogen than did the untreated raw material.

Studying the influence of vibration on the process of obtaining semi-finished products for distillery production

Liquor products are represented by a wide range of drinks. Despite this diversity, they are all united by the use of semi-finished products (alcoholic juices, pestilences and infusions) during blending. Extraction of components of plant raw materials is one of the key processes for obtaining semi-finished alcoholic beverages. The quality indicators of the finished liquor product directly depend on their composition and quality. The purpose of the research is to study the vibration effect as a physical method of intensifying the process of extracting flavoring and aromatic compounds of fruit and berry raw materials when obtaining semi-finished products for distillery production (infusions and juices). To study the effect of vibration exposure on the content of substances responsible for taste, such technical factors as frequency (f), amplitude (A) and duration (τ) of exposure have been taken into account. The mass concentration of phenolic and coloring substances has been taken as controlled indicators. The processing was carried out on the installation developed at the Department of Winemaking and Fermentation Technology named after Professor A.A. Merzhanyan of FSBEI HE «KubSTU». The research was conducted on semi-finished products obtained from raspberries and cherries in the process of obtaining alcoholized components of a blend of liqueurs. In this case, the ratio of components was equal to 1:1. A comparison of the indicators was carried out with a sample obtained by stationary infusion. The positive influence of vibration during the extraction process with aqueous-alcohol solutions on the quality indicators of semi-finished products was established. Optimal processing parameters were also determined to reduce the duration of the process. The data obtained allow us to judge the feasibility of using vibration in the alcoholic beverage industry as a technique that accelerates infusion and improves the quality of semi-finished products.

Determination and Characterization of Gold Nanoparticles in Liquor Using Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation Hyphenated with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry.

The EU has approved the usage of gold as a food additive (E175) and it has been applied in numerous foods for coloring and decoration purposes. Different from the general assumption that edible gold is mainly present in the form of flakes or external coating in foods, this work demonstrated that gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) can be released from gold flakes and extracted under optimized conditions. To support future risk assessment associated with the exposure of Au NPs to human health, an effective approach was established in this study for both size characterization and mass determination of Au NPs released in a commercial gold-containing liquor using Asymmetric Flow Field-flow Fractionation (AF4) hyphenated with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our results showed that no Au NPs were detected in the original liquor product and only after ultrasonication for several minutes did Au NPs occur in the ultrasound-treated liquor. Particularly, Au NPs released in the liquor can be well extracted after 100-fold enrichment of gold flakes and the subsequent ultrasonication for 25 min. Size characterization of Au NPs was conducted by AF4-ICP-MS under calibration with Au NP standards. The gold particle sizes detected ranged from 8.3-398.0 nm and the dominant size of the released Au NPs was around 123.7 nm in the processed liquor. The mass concentration of gold particles determined in the liquor sample with gold flakes concentrated and subsequently sonicated was 48.1 μg L-1 by pre-channel calibration and the overall detection recoveries ranged over 82-95%. For the comparison control samples without ultrasonication, there was no detection of Au NPs. The established method was demonstrated to be useful for monitoring Au NPs in liquor and is possibly applied to other similar foodstuffs.

Rapid and simultaneous quantitative and discriminative analyses of liquor quality parameters with machine learning-assisted batch Raman spectroscopy: Synergistic instrumental upgrade and chemometric optimization

This study investigates the rapid and simultaneous assessments of two key liquor quality parameters – alcohol content and overall sensory quality – utilizing a batch Raman spectroscopic system and chemometrics, with a commercial baijiu (Chinese liquor) as the subject. An in-house designed motorized 12-cuvette tray facilitated stable and efficient spectral acquisition from 34 production batches of standard baijiu, supplemented by alcohol content-adjusted and overall sensory-disqualified samples, to form two separate datasets for the optimization and evaluation of chemometric approaches based on multivariate analysis and machine learning. The combination of dimension reduction with principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector regression (SVR) with a nonlinear kernel showed superior performances for predicting alcohol content and identifying sensory-disqualified samples. Expanding the alcohol content range of the training set enhanced the quantification capacity of the PCA-SVR model and yielded a relatively accurate alcohol content prediction (±0.15 % v/v) for the tested standard baijiu. The PCA-SVR model built for sensory quality grading achieved an average precision of 93% for identifying disqualified baijiu samples that compositionally resemble standard ones. Based on the synergistic instrumental and chemometric optimization, the proposed machine learning-assisted batch Raman spectroscopic system offers a rapid, reliable, and integrated quality control tool for liquor production.

Valorization of Defatted Cherry Seed Residues from Liquor Processing by Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion Extraction: A Sustainable Strategy for Production of Phenolic-Rich Extracts with Antioxidant Potential.

The integrated valorization of food chain waste is one of the most promising alternatives in the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. Thus, an efficient solid-phase matrix dispersion extraction method, using experimental factorial design and response surface methodology, has been developed and optimized for the recovery of polyphenols from defatted cherry seeds obtained after cherry liquor manufacture and subsequent fatty acid extraction, evaluating the effect of each processing step on the composition and phenolic content of sweet cherry residues. The phenolic extracts before fermentation showed the highest content of total polyphenols (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) (3 ± 1 mg QE·g-1 and 1.37 ± 0.08 mg GAE·g-1, respectively), while the highest antioxidant capacity was obtained in the defatted seed extracts after both fermentation and distillation. In addition, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) was used to determine the phenolic profile. Dihydroxybenzoic acid, neochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and quercetin were the main phenolics found, showing differences in concentration between the stages of liquor production. The results underline the prospective of cherry by-products for obtaining phenol-rich bioactive extracts for possible use in different industrial sectors, offering a feasible solution for the cascade valorization of cherry agri-food waste.

Effect of Fortified Inoculation with Indigenous Lactobacillus brevis on Solid-State Fermentation of Light-Flavor Baijiu.

Baijiu, one of the world's oldest distilled liquors, is widely consumed globally and has gained increasing popularity in East Asia. However, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying principles behind this traditional liquor product remains elusive. Currently, Baijiu is facing the industrial challenge of modernization and standardization, particularly in terms of food quality, safety, and sustainability. The current study selected a Lactobacillus brevis strain based on experiments conducted to assess its environmental tolerance, enzyme activity, and fermentation performance, and highlight its exceptional fermentation characteristics. The subsequent analysis focused on examining the effects of fortifying the fermentation process of L.brevis on key microbiotas, physicochemical parameters, and volatile profiles. The qPCR results revealed that the inoculated L. brevis strategically influenced the the composition of the dominant microbial communities by promoting mutual exclusion, ultimately leading to improved controllability of the fermentation process. Moreover, the metabolism of the inoculated L. brevis provided more compounds for the formation of flavor profiles during fermentation (the content of ethyl acetate was increased to 57.76 mg/kg), leading to a reduction in fermentation time (from 28 d to 21 d). These findings indicate promising potential for the application of the indigenous strain in Baijiu production.

Demography and fitness of Sesamia inferens Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on three important gramineous crops

BackgroundPink stem borer, Sesamia inferens (Walker), a major rice pest, has rarely been reported to cause serious damage to sorghum in China. During a survey of insect pests in glutinous sorghum for Chinese liquor production areas in Guizhou Province, it was found that S. inferens has caused serious damage to local sorghum in recent years.MethodsIn this context, we assessed the adaptation of S. inferens to three gramineous crop host plants (maize, rice and sorghum) based on age-stage, two-sex life table theory.ResultsSesamia inferens had the highest development time, survival rate and total longevity on rice, followed by on sorghum and maize. There was no significant difference in intrinsic rate of increase and finite rate of increase among maize (r = 0.0702 day−1, λ = 1.0727 day−1), sorghum (r = 0.0681 day−1, λ = 1.0705 day−1) and rice (r = 0.0645 day−1, λ = 1.0666 day−1), but the mean generation period (T) was significantly higher for populations reared on rice (53.84 days) than on sorghum (49.53 days) and maize (47.31 days).ConclusionsThe results of our study indicate that S. inferens was able to complete the full developmental cycle on all three host plants. This study further supports that glutinous sorghum is an adaptable host plant for S. inferens.

Difference Analysis of the Composition of Iron (Hydr)Oxides and Dissolved Organic Matter in Pit Mud of Different Pit Ages in Luzhou Laojiao and Its Implications for the Ripening Process of Pit Mud.

Long-term production practice proves that good liquor comes out of the old cellar, and the aged pit mud is very important to the quality of Luzhou-flavor liquor. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy were used to investigate the composition characteristics of iron-bearing minerals and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in 2-year, 40-year, and 100-year pit mud and yellow soil (raw materials for making pit mud) of Luzhou Laojiao distillery. The results showed that the contents of total iron and crystalline iron minerals decreased significantly, while the ratio of Fe(II)/Fe(III) and the content of amorphous iron (hydr)oxides increased significantly with increasing cellar age. DOM richness, unsaturation, and aromaticity, as well as lignin/phenolics, polyphenols, and polycyclic aromatics ratios, were enhanced in pit mud. The results of the principal component analysis indicate that changes in the morphology and content of iron-bearing minerals in pit mud were significantly correlated with the changes in DOM molecular components, which is mainly attributed to the different affinities of amorphous iron (hydr)oxides and crystalline iron minerals for the DOM components. The study is important for understanding the evolution pattern of iron-bearing minerals and DOM and their interactions during the aging of pit mud and provides a new way to further understand the influence of aged pit mud on Luzhou-flavor liquor production.

The Breeding of Waxy Sorghum Using Traditional Three-Line Method and Marker-Assisted Selection

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) exhibits drought resistance and environmental adaptability, making it a crucial cereal crop for semi-arid regions. It has a wide range of uses, including as food, feed, brooms, alcohol production, and bioethanol. In particular, Taiwan imports nearly 50,000 tons of sorghum annually, primarily for the production of sorghum liquor. However, the ideal raw material for high-quality sorghum liquor is waxy sorghum, and not all sorghum varieties imported or promoted in Taiwan are of this waxy type. Consequently, there is a shortage of sufficient waxy sorghum raw materials to meet the demands of the Taiwan market. The occurrence of waxy sorghum (wx) is caused by the mutation of granule-bound starch synthase I (GBBS I), and there are currently several known types of mutants, carrying different wxa, wxb, and wxc waxy alleles. Among them, wxc is a novel mutation type, and in native sorghum in Taiwan, individuals with the waxy allele wxc have been found. The three-line method is a commonly used breeding strategy, which simplifies the process of emasculation to obtain hybrid F1 offspring. In this study, imported sorghum variety Liangnuo No.1 (with male sterility), native glutinous sorghum variety SB6 from Taiwan (carrying the wxc waxy allele), and sorghum reference genome variety BTx623 were used as research materials. The goal was to use the three-line method to produce waxy sorghums, including the male sterile line (A-line), male sterile maintenance line (B-line), and fertility-restoring line (R-line). The breeding results showed that by using backcross breeding, molecular-assisted selection, and traditional field selection methods, high-quality three-line materials (A-, B-, R-lines, named CNA1, CNB1 CNR1, respectively) and F1 hybrid (CNH1) with favorable agronomic traits and yield quality were successfully obtained.