Development of Fermented Peach-Apricot Mixed Juice and Study of Its Storage Stability.

To address the challenge of postharvest spoilage in flat peaches and white apricots, we developed fermented peach-apricot mixed juice (PAMJ) using these fruits as raw materials through multi-strain synergistic fermentation. Its fermentation processes were optimised through uniform design and single-factor experiments. The flavour characteristics of PAMJ were analysed using an electronic nose, an electronic tongue, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and sensory evaluation indices. PAMJ demonstrated optimal performance in terms of peach-apricot flavour profile, sweetness-sourness balance, and overall acceptability, achieving the highest sensory scores. Additionally, GC-MS analysis identified 116 volatile organic compounds, with PAMJ exhibiting the highest contents of terpenes and ketones. PAMJ was identified as the optimal fermentation matrix. Subsequently, response surface methodology was used to optimise its fermentation parameters. PAMJ represented a post-mixing fermentation system wherein peaches and apricots were initially mixed and subsequently fermented with a bacterial consortium comprising