In this study, we established a new pattern for differentiating and comprehensively evaluating the quality of fermented Cordyceps sinensis based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint analysis combined with similar analysis (SA), principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and the quantitative analysis of multicomponents by single marker (QAMS). These methods indicated that fermented Cordyceps sinensis samples could be categorized into one class by PCA and HCA. The fingerprints of fermented Cordyceps sinensis were established, and four HPLC peaks were identified as ergosterol, daucosterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol in Jinshuibao capsules and tablets (two products of fermented Cordyceps sinensis). Ergosterol was chosen as the internal reference substance, and the relative correction factors (RCFs) between ergosterol and the other three sterols were calculated using the QAMS method. Moreover, the accuracy of the QAMS method was confirmed by comparing the relative error between the results of the method used with those of an external standard method (ESM). No significant difference between the two methods was observed. The total sterols content in Jinshuibao products were calculated by the QAMS method, and the total sterols content of the two products were similar. This study showed that the method established herein was efficient and successful in the identification fermented Cordyceps sinensis and may further act to facilitate systematic quality control of fermented Cordyceps sinensis products.

Product quality control is a prerequisite for ensuring safety, effectiveness, and stability. However, because of the different strain species and fermentation processes, there was a significant difference in quality. As a result, they should be clearly distinguished in clinical use. Among them, the fermentation process is critical to achieving consistent product quality. This study aims to introduce near-infrared spectroscopy analysis technology into the production process of fermented Cordyceps powder, including strain culture, strain passage, strain fermentation, strain filtration, strain drying, strain pulverizing, and strain mixing. First, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure the total nucleosides content in the production process of 30 batches of fermented Cordyceps powder, including uracil, uridine, adenine, guanosine, adenosine, and the process stability and interbatch consistency were analyzed with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) fingerprinting, followed by the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with partial least squares regression (PLSR) to establish a quantitative analysis model of total nucleosides for online process monitoring of fermented Cordyceps powder preparation products. The model parameters indicate that the established model with good robustness and high measurement precision. It further clarifies that the model can be used for online process monitoring of fermented Cordyceps powder preparation products.