Effects of different varieties of roses on quality characteristics and antioxidant activity of Yinhong plum compound fruit wine

Co-fermentation of Yinhong plum with seven rose cultivars was systematically studied. • Edible roses reshaped the fermentation microenvironment and enhanced ethanol yield. • Double Roses significantly enriched total volatile esters and phenylethyl alcohol. • Crimson Glory rose enhanced both mineral concentration and antioxidant activity. • PCA models identified Double Roses and Crimson Glory as optimal for compound wine. To investigate the effects of different rose varieties on the quality and functional characteristics of Yinhong plum compound fruit wine, seven varieties, namely Hetian (Ht.), Crimson Glory (Cg.), Double Roses (Dr.), Bitter Water (Bt.), Damascena (Dms.), Pingyin (Py.), and Chiba Roses (Cb.), were co-fermented, with a single plum wine as the blank control (Bl.). Physicochemical analysis, headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS)-based flavoromics, and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed. Results showed that roses reshaped the fermentation microenvironment. Ht. and Cg. promoted sugar metabolism, increasing alcohol to 15.3% and 15.1% (v/v). Aroma analysis revealed enriched esters (ethyl caprylate, ethyl decanoate) and phenylethyl alcohol. Total esters in Dr. reached 1884.58 μg/kg, imparting complexity. Cg. elevated total minerals (1168.37 mg/L) and K, Mg. Despite increased total phenolic content (TPC) in Cg. (910.14 μg/mL) and Dr. (897.97 μg/mL), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging did not increase proportionally. This decoupling suggests antioxidant capacity depends on phenolic profiles and bioavailability, not just quantity. PCA-based evaluation (explaining 96.478% of the total variance) ranked the varieties as follows: Dr. > Cg. > Bl. > Bt. > Dms. > Py. > Ht. > Cb. In conclusion, Dr. and Cg. performed best, providing a basis for brewing premium rose-characterized fruit wines.