A preparation method of jackfruit pomace vinegar

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar, which includes the following steps: selecting 80% ripe fresh jackfruit, peeling and core-removing it, cutting it into pieces, and mixing it with a specific proportion of artificially bred black spiny ants and / or yellow weevils to gnaw on it for 25-30 minutes; freeze-drying and pulverizing the ants and fruit pulp, adding acetic acid bacteria solution and sterile deionized water, and then fermenting until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours, indicating fermentation is complete; the jackfruit vinegar stock solution is then post-matured at 20-25℃ in the dark for 7-10 days, vacuum filtered, pasteurized, and the pH value adjusted to 4.0±0.2 before bottling and sealing. This invention, through pre-treatment of raw materials by ant biting, combined with a specific fermentation process, solves the problems of long fermentation cycle, monotonous flavor, and limited nutrition in traditional jackfruit vinegar. The resulting product has a mellow and harmonious flavor, diverse nutrition, and good application prospects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food fermentation technology, and specifically relates to a method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar. Background Technology

[0002] Jackfruit, a tropical fruit, is rich in sugars, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. It boasts a rich aroma and contains various bioactive components, possessing both high nutritional value and significant potential for further processing. Currently, processed jackfruit products are mainly limited to primary processing categories such as dried fruit, juice, and jam. Technologies for its application in vinegar fermentation are relatively scarce, and related processing pathways have not yet been effectively expanded.

[0003] In existing technologies, jackfruit vinegar is typically prepared by juicing the fruit pulp, adding fermentation liquid for fermentation, followed by filtration, sterilization, and packaging to obtain pure jackfruit fermented vinegar. However, this method has several technical drawbacks: First, jackfruit pulp has high viscosity and a high natural sugar content, making it difficult for large molecules to be broken down and utilized by microorganisms when used as a fermentation substrate, directly resulting in a long fermentation cycle and affecting production efficiency. Second, direct fermentation of a single jackfruit raw material results in a product with a limited flavor profile, highlighting only the fruity aroma of jackfruit itself and lacking the rich and mellow taste that fermented vinegar should have, leading to poor flavor harmony. Third, using only jackfruit as a fermentation raw material limits the nutritional components of the product, failing to achieve diversified nutritional enhancement and making it difficult to meet modern consumers' demand for fermented condiments that are "uniquely flavorful and rich in nutrients." Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention:

[0006] This invention provides a method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar, comprising the following steps:

[0007] S1. Use fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe. Peel and remove the core. Cut the jackfruit flesh into 2-3cm pieces. Rinse the surface with sterile deionized water to remove impurities and drain the surface water. Mix in artificially raised black spiny ants and / or yellow weevils. When putting the ants into the flesh, first spread the flesh flat and then shake the ants evenly onto the flesh. If ants are found to gather, use a brush to sweep and drive them away. Try to make the ants gnaw on the flesh evenly. Let them gnaw on the flesh for 25-30 minutes. Before putting the ants in to gnaw, stop feeding the ants for more than 6 hours.

[0008] Fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe ensures that the sugar and flavor content of the pulp meets the standards. Peeling, core removal, and removal of impurities and inedible parts are necessary. Cutting it into 2-3cm pieces makes it easier for ants to bite and ensures sufficient contact between the substrate and microorganisms during subsequent fermentation. Rinsing and draining with sterile deionized water reduces contamination by other microorganisms. Sterile, light-proof containers prevent light from affecting the quality of the raw materials and the activity of the ants. Withholding food for more than 6 hours before ants bite enhances their activity and improves the pretreatment effect. Ant biting breaks down the dense structure of the pulp, and the biological enzymes they secrete are largely retained in the jackfruit. It also helps to degrade large-molecule sugars and proteins, reducing the difficulty of subsequent fermentation.

[0009] When using black spiny ants to bite the jackfruit, the amount of ants released should be 7% to 8% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces.

[0010] When using yellow weevils to bite the jackfruit, the amount of ants should be 4% to 5% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces.

[0011] When both types of ants are biting at the same time, the amount of ants released should be 6% to 7% of the weight of the jackfruit piece, and the weight ratio of black spiny ant to yellow weaver ant should be 1:1 to 2:1.

[0012] The ratio of ants to jackfruit and the type of ants will affect the taste after fermentation. The type and number of ants will affect the secretions retained in the jackfruit, which in turn will affect the degradation of macromolecular sugars and proteins. Therefore, when using different types of ants, it is necessary to reasonably optimize their quantity so as to achieve a balance between the taste and efficiency after fermentation.

[0013] The ants are artificially hatched and raised for 20-25 days. They are fed a compound feed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. The compound feed consists of 15-25 parts jackfruit pulp powder, 10-20 parts glutinous rice flour, 3-8 parts honey, 1-1.5 parts ginger powder, 1-1.5 parts dried tangerine peel powder, and 20-30 parts water, which are mixed evenly.

[0014] Black-striped ant and yellow weaver ant are traditional edible ant species in my country. Artificial hatching and rearing can control ant quality and avoid wild ants carrying pathogens, heavy metals and other pollutants. A 20-25 day rearing cycle allows the ants to grow to maturity, reaching peak enzyme secretion capacity, accumulation of nutrients in the body and biting ability. They are fed compound feed every morning and evening to ensure sufficient nutrition. Jackfruit pulp powder in the compound feed improves the compatibility between ants and substrate, and is more attractive to ants to eat jackfruit. Ginger powder and dried tangerine peel powder can regulate ant metabolism, increase their enzyme activity, and remove the fishy smell of ants, avoiding the fishy smell of lees and vinegar, which helps to improve their taste.

[0015] When feeding black ants, the amount of feed should be 7% to 8% of the total weight of the ants each time. The compound feed should contain 1.3 to 1.5 parts ginger powder and 1.3 to 1.5 parts dried tangerine peel powder by weight.

[0016] When feeding yellow weevils, the amount of feed should be 5% to 6% of the total weight of the ants each time. The compound feed should contain 1 to 1.2 parts ginger powder and 1 to 1.2 parts dried tangerine peel powder by weight.

[0017] The feeding amounts for the two ant species were optimized and adjusted according to their habits and appetites to ensure their individual development. Because the black ant (Polyrhachis nigra) has a strong fishy smell, the amount of ginger powder and dried tangerine peel powder was increased to enhance its odor-reducing effect.

[0018] S2. After freeze-drying the ants and fruit pulp, pulverize them to 50-100 mesh, maintain a temperature ≤-35℃ and a vacuum degree of 20Pa for 6 hours to obtain a jackfruit-ant mixed powder. Add acetic acid bacteria solution, with an inoculation amount of acetic acid bacteria solution of 3%-6% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder, and a concentration of acetic acid bacteria solution ≥1×10⁻⁶. 8 Add 40%–60% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder to sterile deionized water at CFU / mL, stir well, and ferment until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours. It should be noted that the pH value fluctuation of the bottom, middle and top layers of the fermentation material should be monitored simultaneously. The fermentation temperature should be controlled at 28±2℃. A pH meter (accuracy ±0.01) should be used for monitoring. Samples should be collected from the bottom layer (1 / 3 of the height from the bottom of the container), the middle layer (middle of the container), and the top layer (1 / 3 of the height from the liquid surface) of the fermentation system. When the pH value fluctuation of the three locations is ≤±0.1, the fermentation is considered complete.

[0019] Freeze-drying at ≤-35℃, vacuum degree 20Pa, and time 6h can rapidly freeze raw materials, maximizing the preservation of nutrients and enzyme activity while avoiding component damage caused by high temperatures; pulverizing to 50-100 mesh increases the specific surface area of ​​the substrate, facilitating contact and metabolism by acetic acid bacteria; acetic acid bacteria inoculum of 3%-6% and ≥1×10 8 A CFU / mL concentration ensures sufficient cell count in the fermentation system, improving fermentation efficiency; a 40%–60% sterile deionized water ratio creates a suitable fermentation broth concentration, guaranteeing a suitable metabolic environment for the cells while avoiding excessive water dilution of the substrate or insufficient water affecting cell activity; thorough mixing ensures full contact between the substrate and acetic acid bacteria, reducing fermentation dead zones; a pH fluctuation of ≤±0.1 within 2 hours indicates that acetic acid production has reached its peak, the fermentable substrate has been fully converted, and the fermentation endpoint can be accurately determined.

[0020] S3. Place the acetic acid fermented material in a light-proof environment at 20-25℃ for 7-10 days for post-maturation. Use a 300-400 mesh filter cloth for vacuum filtration and pasteurize at 65-70℃ for 15-20 minutes. Adjust the pH value to 4.0±0.2.

[0021] After ripening at 20-25℃ in the dark for 7-10 days, it can promote the integration and transformation of flavor substances, and enhance the mellowness and harmony of the product; vacuum filtration through a 300-400 mesh filter cloth removes fermentation residues and ensures product clarity; pasteurization at 65-70℃ for 15-20 minutes kills harmful bacteria while preserving the product's flavor and nutrients to the maximum extent; adjusting the pH value to 4.0±0.2 stabilizes the product's acidity, which not only meets the requirements for taste but also inhibits the growth of miscellaneous bacteria and improves the product's storage stability.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0023] 1. Shortened Fermentation Cycle and Improved Production Efficiency: This invention efficiently solves the problem through an innovative process of "ant-biting pretreatment + ant-fruit pulp co-fermentation." When ants bite, they not only break down the dense structure of the fruit pulp, but also, as they ingest the jackfruit, they undergo pre-digestion and semi-digestion, stimulating the secretion of large amounts of bio-enzymes. These enzymes remain in the system, forming a complementary enzyme system with subsequent acetic acid bacteria, accelerating the degradation of macromolecular sugars and proteins. Furthermore, pre-digestion or semi-digestion enhances the flavor of the fermented jackfruit. Simultaneously, the optimized release of artificially bred ants, matched with the jackfruit, along with a suitable inoculation amount of acetic acid bacteria, ensures full contact between the substrate, microorganisms, and enzymes, significantly shortening the fermentation cycle and greatly improving production efficiency, thus solving the pain point of low efficiency in traditional processes.

[0024] 2. Enriching Flavor Layers and Optimizing Taste Harmony: Addressing the shortcomings of single-origin jackfruit fermented vinegar, which often suffers from a monotonous flavor and insufficient richness, this invention achieves flavor enhancement through a synergistic process involving both animals and fruit. On one hand, the ants are fed a compound feed and artificially flavored, improving their compatibility with the substrate and removing their own fishy odor with ginger powder and dried tangerine peel powder, preventing off-flavors. On the other hand, during fermentation with the jackfruit pulp, the ants' own flavor and accumulated flavor compounds simultaneously transform and deeply integrate with the natural aroma of the jackfruit. The small molecule peptides and amino acids produced during this joint degradation add a rich flavor to the product. Combined with a post-ripening process, this results in a more harmonious and layered flavor, superior to traditional single-origin fermented products.

[0025] 3. Achieving nutritional diversity to meet high-end consumer demands: Addressing the limitations of existing jackfruit vinegar in terms of nutritional composition, this invention constructs a dual-nutrition system of "jackfruit + artificially raised ants." Ants are rich in high-quality protein, amino acids, and minerals, complementing the vitamin C and dietary fiber in jackfruit. Through freeze-drying at ≤-35℃, the heat-sensitive nutrients of both ingredients are preserved to the maximum extent. Then, through synergistic fermentation, they are transformed into easily absorbed small molecular forms, significantly increasing the product's nutritional density and meeting the modern consumer's high-end demand for "unique flavor and rich nutrition," breaking through the nutritional limitations of traditional single-ingredient fermentation.

[0026] 4. Enhanced process adaptation to ensure product stability: The raw materials are artificially hatched and raised ants, avoiding the risk of contamination from wild ants carrying pathogens, heavy metals, etc. The production process effectively controls bacterial contamination through sterile light-proof containers and pasteurization. The finished product is adjusted to a pH of 4.0±0.2, which not only meets the taste requirements but also inhibits the growth of bacteria, allowing the product to maintain its excellent quality even after 12 months of sealed storage. Its storage stability is significantly better than that of products made with traditional processes.

[0027] 5. Simplified production process and reduced industrialization costs: This invention eliminates the need for an additional process of separating ants from fruit pulp. After pre-treatment by ants biting, the ants are directly freeze-dried, crushed, and fermented together with the fruit pulp, simplifying the production process and reducing raw material loss and labor consumption. At the same time, the biological enzymes of ants replace some artificial additives. The natural components in the compound feed not only ensure the activity of the ants but also enhance the flavor of the product. There is no need to add additional flavor enhancers or nutritional supplements, which improves product quality while reducing production costs, making it more suitable for large-scale industrial production. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To better understand the technical content of this invention, specific embodiments are provided below to further illustrate the invention.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] A method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar includes the following steps:

[0031] S1. Use fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe. Peel and remove the core. Cut the jackfruit flesh into 2cm pieces. Rinse the surface with sterile deionized water to remove impurities and drain the surface water. Mix in artificially bred black spiny ants and let them gnaw on the flesh for 25 minutes. Before releasing the ants, stop feeding them for 6 hours. The amount of ants released is 7% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces.

[0032] The ants were artificially hatched and raised for 20 days. They were fed a compound feed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, with each feeding amount being 7% of the total weight of the ants. The compound feed consisted of 15 parts jackfruit pulp powder, 10 parts glutinous rice flour, 3 parts honey, 1.3 parts ginger powder, 1.3 parts dried tangerine peel powder, and 20 parts water, which were mixed evenly.

[0033] S2. After freeze-drying the ants and fruit pulp, pulverize them to 50 mesh, heat at -35℃, vacuum at 20Pa, for 6 hours to obtain a jackfruit-ant mixed powder. Add acetic acid bacteria solution, with an inoculation amount of 3% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder and a concentration of 1.5×10⁻⁶. 8 Add CFU / mL of sterile deionized water equal to 40% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder, stir well, and ferment until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours, at which point fermentation is complete.

[0034] S3. After fermentation with acetic acid, the material is placed in a light-proof environment at 20℃ for 10 days for post-maturation. It is then vacuum filtered using a 300-mesh filter cloth and pasteurized at 65℃ for 20 minutes. The pH value is adjusted to 4.0±0.2 before filling and sealing.

[0035] Example 2

[0036] S1. Use fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe. Peel and remove the core. Cut the jackfruit flesh into 3cm pieces. Rinse the surface with sterile deionized water to remove impurities and drain the surface water. Mix in artificially bred black spiny ants and let them gnaw on the flesh for 30 minutes. Before releasing the ants, stop feeding them for 7 hours. The amount of ants released is 8% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces.

[0037] The ants were artificially hatched and raised for 25 days. They were fed a compound feed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, with each feeding amount being 8% of the total weight of the ants. The compound feed consisted of 25 parts jackfruit pulp powder, 20 parts glutinous rice flour, 8 parts honey, 1.5 parts ginger powder, 1.5 parts dried tangerine peel powder, and 30 parts water, which were mixed evenly.

[0038] S2. After freeze-drying the ants and fruit pulp, pulverize them to 100 mesh, freeze at -35℃, under a vacuum of 20Pa for 6 hours to obtain a jackfruit-ant mixed powder. Add acetic acid bacteria solution, with an inoculation amount of 6% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder and a concentration of 1×10⁻⁶. 8 Add CFU / mL of sterile deionized water equal to 60% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder, stir well, and ferment until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours, at which point fermentation is complete.

[0039] S3. After fermentation with acetic acid, the material is placed in a light-proof environment at 25℃ for 7 days for post-maturation. It is then vacuum filtered using a 400-mesh filter cloth and pasteurized at 70℃ for 15 minutes. The pH value is adjusted to 4.0±0.2 before filling and sealing.

[0040] Example 3

[0041] S1. Use fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe. Peel and remove the core. Cut the jackfruit flesh into 2cm pieces. Rinse the surface with sterile deionized water to remove impurities and drain the surface water. Mix in artificially raised yellow weevils and let them gnaw on the flesh for 25 minutes. Before releasing the ants, stop feeding them for 6 hours. The amount of ants released should be 4% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces.

[0042] The ants were artificially hatched and raised for 20 days. They were fed a compound feed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Each feeding amount was 5% of the total weight of the ants. The compound feed consisted of 15 parts jackfruit pulp powder, 10 parts glutinous rice flour, 3 parts honey, 1 part ginger powder, 1 part dried tangerine peel powder and 20 parts water, which were mixed evenly.

[0043] S2. After freeze-drying the ants and fruit pulp, pulverize them to 50 mesh, heat at -35℃, vacuum at 20Pa, for 6 hours to obtain a jackfruit-ant mixed powder. Add acetic acid bacteria solution, with an inoculation amount of 3% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder and a concentration of 1.5×10⁻⁶. 8 Add CFU / mL of sterile deionized water equal to 40% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder, stir well, and ferment until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours, at which point fermentation is complete.

[0044] S3. After fermentation with acetic acid, the material is placed in a light-proof environment at 20℃ for 10 days for post-maturation. It is then vacuum filtered using a 300-mesh filter cloth and pasteurized at 65℃ for 20 minutes. The pH value is adjusted to 4.0±0.2 before filling and sealing.

[0045] Example 4

[0046] S1. Use fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe. Peel and remove the core. Cut the jackfruit flesh into 3cm pieces. Rinse the surface with sterile deionized water to remove impurities and drain the surface water. Mix in artificially raised yellow weevils and let them gnaw on the flesh for 30 minutes. Before releasing the ants, stop feeding them for 6 hours. The amount of ants released should be 5% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces.

[0047] The ants were artificially hatched and raised for 25 days. They were fed a compound feed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, with each feeding amount being 6% of the total weight of the ants. The compound feed consisted of 25 parts jackfruit pulp powder, 20 parts glutinous rice flour, 8 parts honey, 1.2 parts ginger powder, 1.2 parts dried tangerine peel powder, and 30 parts water, which were mixed evenly.

[0048] S2. After freeze-drying the ants and fruit pulp, pulverize them to 100 mesh, freeze at -35℃, under a vacuum of 20Pa for 6 hours to obtain a jackfruit-ant mixed powder. Add acetic acid bacteria solution, with an inoculation amount of 6% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder and a concentration of 1×10⁻⁶. 8 Add CFU / mL of sterile deionized water equal to 60% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder, stir well, and ferment until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours, at which point fermentation is complete.

[0049] S3. After fermentation with acetic acid, the material is placed in a light-proof environment at 25℃ for 7 days for post-maturation. It is then vacuum filtered using a 400-mesh filter cloth and pasteurized at 70℃ for 15 minutes. The pH value is adjusted to 4.0±0.2 before filling and sealing.

[0050] Example 5

[0051] S1. Use fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe. Peel and remove the core. Cut the jackfruit flesh into 2cm pieces. Rinse the surface with sterile deionized water to remove impurities and drain the surface water. Mix in artificially raised black spiny ants and yellow weevils. Let them gnaw on the flesh for 25 minutes. Before releasing the ants, stop feeding them for 6 hours. The amount of ants released is 6% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces. The weight ratio of black spiny ants to yellow weevils is 1:1.

[0052] The rearing method for *Polyrhachis nigra* is as described in Example 1, and the rearing method for *Muntia spp.* is as described in Example 3.

[0053] S2. After freeze-drying the ants and fruit pulp, pulverize them to 50 mesh, freeze at -35℃, under a vacuum of 20Pa for 6 hours to obtain a jackfruit-ant mixed powder. Add acetic acid bacteria solution, with an inoculation amount of 6% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder and a concentration of 1×10⁻⁶. 8 Add CFU / mL of sterile deionized water equal to 40% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder, stir well, and ferment until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours, at which point fermentation is complete.

[0054] S3. After fermentation with acetic acid, the material is placed in a light-proof environment at 20℃ for 10 days for post-maturation. It is then vacuum filtered using a 300-mesh filter cloth and pasteurized at 70℃ for 15 minutes. The pH value is adjusted to 4.0±0.2 before filling and sealing.

[0055] Example 6

[0056] S1. Use fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe. Peel and remove the core. Cut the jackfruit flesh into 3cm pieces. Rinse the surface with sterile deionized water to remove impurities and drain the surface water. Mix in artificially raised black spiny ants and yellow weevils. Let them gnaw on the flesh for 30 minutes. Before releasing the ants, stop feeding them for 6 hours. The amount of ants released is 7% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces. The weight ratio of black spiny ants to yellow weevils is 2:1.

[0057] The rearing method for *Polyrhachis nigra* is as described in Example 2, and the rearing method for *Muntia spp.* is as described in Example 4.

[0058] S2. After freeze-drying the ants and fruit pulp, pulverize them to 100 mesh, and then freeze-dry them at -35℃ and under a vacuum of 20 Pa for 6 hours to obtain a jackfruit-ant mixed powder. Add acetic acid bacteria solution, with an inoculation amount of 3% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder and a concentration of 1.5 × 10⁻⁶. 8 Add CFU / mL of sterile deionized water equal to 60% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder, stir well, and ferment until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours, at which point fermentation is complete.

[0059] S3. After fermentation with acetic acid, the material is placed in a light-proof environment at 25℃ for 7 days for post-maturation. It is then vacuum filtered using a 400-mesh filter cloth and pasteurized at 60℃ for 20 minutes. The pH value is adjusted to 4.0±0.2 before filling and sealing.

[0060] Comparative Example 1

[0061] The difference from Example 6 is: the use of black-spined ants and yellow weaver ants for gnawing is removed, specifically:

[0062] S1. Use fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe, peel and remove the core, cut the jackfruit flesh into 3cm pieces, rinse the surface impurities with sterile deionized water and drain the surface water.

[0063] S2. After freeze-drying the fruit pulp, pulverize it to 100 mesh, maintain a temperature of -35℃ and a vacuum of 20Pa for 6 hours, then add acetic acid bacteria solution. The inoculation amount of acetic acid bacteria solution is 3% of the weight of the jackfruit powder, and the concentration of the acetic acid bacteria solution is 1.5×10⁻⁶. 8 Add CFU / mL of sterile deionized water equal to 60% of the weight of jackfruit powder, stir well, and ferment until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours, at which point fermentation is complete.

[0064] S3. After fermentation with acetic acid, the material is placed in a light-proof environment at 25℃ for 7 days for post-maturation. It is then vacuum filtered using a 400-mesh filter cloth and pasteurized at 60℃ for 20 minutes. The pH value is adjusted to 4.0±0.2 before filling and sealing.

[0065] Comparative Example 2

[0066] The difference from Example 6 is that the jackfruit is fermented after all the ants have been removed from the jackfruit.

[0067] Test results

[0068] I. Fermentation efficiency

[0069] The methods for preparing vinegar from fermented grains in Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Example 1 were followed, with 3 parallel samples in each group. The average value was taken, and the results are shown in the table below:

[0070] Fermentation stage Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Acetic acid fermentation time (d) 5.1 5.2 5.6 5.2 Fermentation stage Example 5 Example 6 Comparative Example 1 Comparative Example 2 Acetic acid fermentation time (d) 4.8 4.6 9.1 7.1

[0071] The acetic acid fermentation time in Examples 1 to 6 was 4.6 to 5.6 days, which was more than 3.4 days shorter than the 9.0 days in Comparative Example 1. In Comparative Example 2, the fermentation was carried out solely by ant biting without ants participating in the fermentation. Although the fermentation cycle was shorter than that in Comparative Example 1, it was significantly longer than that in Examples 1. This indicates that the participation of ants in the fermentation process can improve the fermentation efficiency. It is evident that the preparation method using the technical solution of this application significantly improves the fermentation efficiency. Furthermore, Example 6 had the shortest fermentation time and the highest fermentation efficiency, indicating that the combination of two ant biting methods with a specific treatment process can improve the fermentation effect to a certain extent.

[0072] II. Taste Evaluation

[0073] 1. Subjective evaluation method

[0074] An evaluation panel consisting of 8 food fermentation professionals and 15 enthusiasts of fermented vinegar was formed. A blind tasting method was used to score the samples based on four dimensions: color, aroma, taste, and appearance (total score 100 points). Each sample was evaluated three times in parallel, and the average score was taken. The evaluation criteria are as follows:

[0075] Evaluation Dimensions Scoring criteria (total score 100 points) Color (20 points) 16-20 points: Uniform brownish-yellow / amber color with luster; 11-15 points: Relatively uniform color, slightly darker or lighter; ≤10 points: Uneven color, with impurities and dullness. Aroma (30 points) 24-30 points: The aroma of jackfruit is well-integrated with the aroma of sourness and esters, and the fragrance is rich; 18-23 points: There is a distinct aroma of fruit and sourness, but the harmony is average; ≤17 points: The aroma is singular / mixed and has an off-odor. Taste (40 points) 32-40 points: Pleasantly sweet and sour, with a mellow and rich sour taste, free from any raw or fishy flavor; 24-31 points: Moderately sour, with a certain fruity aroma, but slightly lacking in richness; ≤23 points: Sour taste is harsh / bland, with an off-flavor or raw taste. Posture (10 points) 8-10 points: Uniform suspension, no obvious sediment; 5-7 points: Slightly turbid, with a small amount of sediment; ≤4 points: Severely turbid, with a large amount of precipitate clumping.

[0076] 2. Taste Evaluation Results Table

[0077] Sample number Color (20 points) Aroma (30 points) Taste (40 points) Posture (10 points) Total score (100 points) Example 1 18.9 27.3 36.1 8.9 91.2 Example 2 18.7 27.1 35.6 9.1 90.5 Example 3 18.5 26.4 37.2 9.0 91.1 Example 4 18.3 25.9 36.7 9.3 90.2 Example 5 17.8 28.3 38.3 9.4 93.8 Example 6 17.9 28.6 38.7 9.5 94.7 Comparative Example 1 13.4 18.5 24.5 5.2 61.6 Comparative Example 2 14.7 21.3 28.6 5.8 70.4

[0078] The total score of the Example Group was 90.2-94.7, significantly higher than that of Comparative Example 1 (61.6). Comparative Example 2, which utilized ant biting alone, improved the overall flavor to some extent compared to Comparative Example 1. This also indicates that the vinegar prepared by Examples 1 to 6 is far superior to the traditional fermentation of Comparative Example 1 in terms of color, aroma, taste, and overall appearance. Among them, Examples 5 and 6, which utilized a combination of two ant species, Polyrhachis nigra and Viola yezoensis, showed better results in multiple unidirectional evaluations and overall evaluations than other examples (using a single ant species).

[0079] III. Nutrient Testing

[0080] 1. The vinegar prepared from the lees in the Example Group and Comparative Example 1 were tested according to the following standards.

[0081] Total amino acids GB 5009.124-2016 National Food Safety Standard - Determination of Amino Acids in Food Vitamin C GB 5009.86-2025 National Food Safety Standard - Determination of Ascorbic Acid in Food (Method I - Liquid Chromatography) Dietary fiber GB 5009.88-2023 National Food Safety Standard - Determination of Dietary Fiber in Food protein GB 5009.5-2016 National Food Safety Standard - Determination of Protein in Food Minerals (calcium, iron, zinc) GB / T 5009.92-2016 National Food Safety Standard - Determination of Calcium in Food; GB / T 5009.90-2016 National Food Safety Standard - Determination of Iron and Zinc in Food

[0082] 2. Test results (unit: per 100mL sample)

[0083] Sample number Total amino acids (g) Vitamin C (mg) Dietary fiber (g) Protein (g) Calcium (mg) Iron (mg) Zinc (mg) Example 1 1.65 28.5 1.3 2.5 68.6 2.1 1.3 Example 2 1.98 32.6 1.6 2.9 78.4 2.5 1.5 Example 3 1.58 26.3 1.2 2.3 64.2 1.9 1.2 Example 4 1.79 30.1 1.4 2.6 72.8 2.2 1.4 Example 5 2.15 35.8 1.8 3.2 85.7 2.8 1.7 Example 6 2.23 37.2 1.9 3.4 89.3 3 1.8 Comparative Example 1 1.05 22.7 0.8 1.3 45.2 1.3 0.7 Comparative Example 2 1.18 23.1 0.9 1.4 46.2 1.5 0.8

[0084] The lees vinegar prepared by Comparative Example 1 (traditional fermentation method) showed a lower overall nutritional content. In contrast, Examples 1 to 6, due to the addition of ant-biting treatment, involved the ants' own secretions remaining on the jackfruit and their participation in decomposition and fermentation. This allowed the ants to not only provide nutrients to the lees vinegar but also promote further decomposition of the jackfruit, resulting in a higher overall nutritional content compared to Comparative Example 1. Comparative Example 2, relying solely on ant biting without ant participation in fermentation, failed to fully extract the nutritional components of the jackfruit and lacked sufficient ant-derived nutrients, resulting in a higher overall nutritional content than Comparative Example 1 but lower than the Examples 6.

[0085] IV. Detection of harmful bacteria and other harmful substances

[0086] 1. Testing methods and standards

[0087] In accordance with national food safety standards, a comprehensive test was conducted on the samples for harmful bacteria and harmful substances. Harmful bacteria were tested after the samples were sealed and stored for 12 and 18 months to ensure product safety during the storage period. The specific methods are as follows:

[0088] Testing items Detection methods Limited Edition Standard Total bacterial count GB 4789.2-2022 National Food Safety Standard - Microbiological Examination of Food: Determination of Total Colony Count ≤100 CFU / mL mold and yeast GB 4789.15-2016 National Food Safety Standard: Microbiological Examination of Food - Mold and Yeast Count ≤20 CFU / mL Pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus) GB 4789.4-2016, GB 4789.10-2016 Not detectable Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, mercury) GB 5009.12-2017, GB 5009.11-2014, GB 5009.17-2014 Lead ≤0.5 mg / kg, Arsenic ≤0.2 mg / kg, Mercury ≤0.01 mg / kg <![CDATA[Aflatoxin B1]]> GB 5009.22-2016 National Food Safety Standard: Determination of Aflatoxin B and G Groups in Food ≤5 μg / kg

[0089] 2. Test Results

[0090] Sample number Total bacterial count (CFU / mL) Mold (CFU / mL) Yeast (CFU / mL) Pathogenic bacteria Lead (mg / kg) Arsenic (mg / kg) Mercury (mg / kg) <![CDATA[Aflatoxin B1 (μg / kg)]]> Example 1 29 Not detected Not detected Not detected 0.07 0.03 0.001 Not detected Example 2 24 Not detected Not detected Not detected 0.06 0.02 0.001 Not detected Example 3 31 Not detected Not detected Not detected 0.08 0.03 0.002 Not detected Example 4 26 Not detected Not detected Not detected 0.07 0.02 0.001 Not detected Example 5 20 Not detected Not detected Not detected 0.05 0.02 0.001 Not detected Example 6 18 Not detected Not detected Not detected 0.04 0.01 0.001 Not detected Comparative Example 1 89 2 3 Not detected 0.07 0.03 0.001 Not detected Comparative Example 2 36 1 1 Not detected 0.06 0.02 0.01 Not detected

[0091] The test results show that all indicators of Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Example 1 meet the national food safety standards. However, the total bacterial count of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 is significantly higher than that of Examples 1 to 6, and a small amount of mold and yeast were detected, while no mold or yeast was detected in the Example group. This indicates that the present invention effectively improves the microbial stability of the product through the pretreatment of artificially fed ants and co-fermentation, therefore the shelf life of the prepared vinegar is likely to be longer than that of Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, ant feeding alone can improve the microbial stability of the product to a certain extent.

[0092] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Cut the jackfruit flesh into 2-3cm pieces and mix them with artificially bred black spiny ants and / or yellow weevils to gnaw on for 25-30 minutes. The amount of ants should be 4%-8% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces. S2. After freeze-drying the ants and fruit pulp, pulverize them to 50-100 mesh to obtain jackfruit-ant mixed powder. Add acetic acid bacteria solution, with an inoculation amount of acetic acid bacteria solution of 3%-6% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder, and a concentration of acetic acid bacteria solution ≥1×10⁻⁶. 8 Add 40%–60% of the weight of the jackfruit-ant mixed powder to sterile deionized water at CFU / mL, stir well and ferment until the pH value of the fermentation system fluctuates within ≤±0.1 within 2 hours, then fermentation is complete. S3. Place the acetic acid fermented material in a light-proof environment at 20-25℃ for 7-10 days for post-fermentation. After vacuum filtration using a 300-400 mesh filter cloth, pasteurize the material, adjust the pH value to 4.0±0.2, and then fill and seal it.

2. The method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar according to claim 1, characterized in that, The jackfruit mentioned in step S1 is a fresh jackfruit that is 80% ripe. The fruit pulp is processed by peeling, removing the core and cutting into pieces, rinsing the surface with sterile deionized water to remove impurities and then draining the surface moisture.

3. The method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ants are artificially hatched and raised for 20-25 days. They are fed a compound feed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. The compound feed consists of 15-25 parts jackfruit pulp powder, 10-20 parts glutinous rice flour, 3-8 parts honey, 1-1.5 parts ginger powder, 1-1.5 parts dried tangerine peel powder, and 20-30 parts water, which are mixed evenly.

4. The method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar according to claim 3, characterized in that, When feeding black ants, the amount of feed should be 7% to 8% of the total weight of the ants each time. The compound feed should contain 1.3 to 1.5 parts ginger powder and 1.3 to 1.5 parts dried tangerine peel powder by weight.

5. The method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar according to claim 3, characterized in that, When feeding yellow weevils, the amount of feed should be 5% to 6% of the total weight of the ants each time. The compound feed should contain 1 to 1.2 parts ginger powder and 1 to 1.2 parts dried tangerine peel powder by weight.

6. The method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before feeding the ants in step S1, you should stop feeding them for at least 6 hours before releasing them to bite.

7. The method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar according to claim 1, characterized in that, When using black spiny ants to bite the jackfruit, the amount of ants should be 7% to 8% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces.

8. The method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar according to claim 1, characterized in that, When using yellow weevils to bite, the amount of ants should be 4% to 5% of the weight of the jackfruit pieces.

9. The method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar according to claim 1, characterized in that, When both species of ants were feeding on the jackfruit, the total amount of ants released was 6% to 7% of the weight of the jackfruit chunks, and the weight ratio of *Polyrhachis nigra* to *Muntia spp.* was 1:1 to 2:

1.

10. The method for preparing jackfruit pulp vinegar according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, the freeze-drying temperature is ≤-35℃, the vacuum degree is 20Pa, and the time is 6h; the pasteurization process parameters in step S3 are: sterilization temperature 65~70℃, sterilization time 15~20min.