Integrated metabolomic characterization of refrigerated storage stability and aroma development in a Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP-315–fermented milk beverage

Metabolic changes associated with quality stability and flavor evolution in refrigerated live-culture fermented milk beverages remain poorly characterized. In this study, a live-culture fermented milk beverage produced using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP-315 (LP-315) was evaluated during fermentation and 21 days of storage at 4 °C using physicochemical, sensory, and metabolomic analyses. It showed limited post-acidification, retained viable counts above 10 7 CFU/mL on day 21, and maintained favorable sensory quality throughout storage. Temporally varying non-volatile metabolites predominantly comprised amino acids, carbohydrates, and organic acids, mapping mainly to arginine and proline metabolism, galactose metabolism, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Among 52 temporally varying volatile metabolites, ethyl nonanoate, acetylfuran, and furanones increased transiently during early storage. Integrated analyses associated carbohydrate utilization, amino acid conversion, organic acid metabolism, and lipid-derived compound transformations with flavor and quality trajectories. These findings support LP-315 as a candidate starter for live-culture fermented milk beverages with favorable stability during refrigeration.