Randomized trial investigates bacterial community fluctuations affecting flavor compounds in fermented Baijiu, suggesting optimization techniques.
Key Points
This research aims to explore the relationship between bacterial community diversity and flavor compounds during the fermentation of Hengshui Laobaigan Baijiu.
Characterized bacterial community structure via high-throughput sequencing (HTS).
Profiled volatile flavor compounds using headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME–GC–MS).
Utilized partial least squares regression (PLSR) to analyze the correlation between bacterial communities and flavor compounds.
Identified 45 volatile compounds, with major ester production occurring during the D-2 to D-3 stages and further key formation in E-5 to E-6 stages.
Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas correlated strongly with flavor compounds, with Sphingomonas linked to nine compounds and Pseudomonas to six esters.
Delftia, Pantoea, and Lactobacillus also contributed significantly to the formation of volatile flavors.