Abstract
Cereal beverages are gaining recognition as substitutes for dairy beverages due to their associated health benefits. This study investigated the effect of bi-culture fermentation with Lactiplantibacillus strains, Acetobacter pasteurianus, and Torulaspora delbrueckii D1-3 on the phytochemical content and quality of sea buckthorn-based cereal beverage. S-APTD (sample containing A. pasterianus and T. delbrueckii D1-3) recorded the highest total polyphenol content 202.00 ± 0.23 mgGAE/100 g FW and total flavonoid content 200.03 ± 0.20 mgRE/100 g FW. In contrast, S-APLP (sample containing A. pasterianus and L. plantarum) exhibited the highest total flavonol content and total anthocyanin content. Bi-culture fermented samples exhibited higher antioxidant properties. The total phenolic compounds, as profiled by HPLC, were higher in the bi-culture samples compared to the control. FTIR spectroscopy revealed the presence of C ═ O stretching in only the bi-culture fermented samples. Overall, fruit-based cereal beverages with enhanced phytochemical content and quality could be obtained through bi-culture fermentation. These findings suggest that bi-culture fermentation could be utilized to improve the nutritional and functional properties of cereal beverages, supporting their potential as health-promoting options for consumers. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-025-06226-x.