Characterization of fermentation parameters, volatile compounds and microbial community structure of fermented grains in the upper and lower layers during strong-flavor Baijiu fermentation

Abstract

Strong-flavor Baijiu (SFB) is produced using a solid-state fermentation system, but the impact of stratified fermented grains on fermentation remains unclear. Therefore, in a typical distillery plant, we evaluated the physical and chemical composition, volatile compound profile, and microbial community of fermented grains in SFB both above (FG-A) and below (FG-B) the Huangshui line. Significant differences in fermentation parameters between FG-A and FG-B were observed after 30 days of fermentation (P < 0.05). Additionally, the partial least squares projection to latent structure discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) revealed distinct differences in volatile compounds between FG-B and FG-A, identifying 26 discriminant markers. The diversity of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and their esters were higher in FG-B compared to FG-A. Furthermore, microbial diversity and abundance have differed significantly between the two layers of fermented grains (P < 0.05), included 17 differential genera. Correlation and pathway enrichment analyses indicated that the higher SCFA content in FG-B could be attributed to the greater abundance of acid-producing microorganisms compared to FG-A. This study highlights the differences between the two layers of fermented grains in SFB fermentation, offering new insights into solid-state fermentation and expanding the current understanding of the traditional SFB fermentation process.

Keywords

Baijiu / Solid-state fermentation / Microbial diversity / Volatile compounds

References

[1] BravoL, SiddhurajuP, Saura-CalixtoF. Effect of various processing methods on the in vitro starch digestibility and resistant starch content of Indian pulses. J Agric Food Chem, 1998, 46: 4667-4674.

[2] ChaiLJ, QianW, ZhongXZ, ZhangXJ, LuZM, ZhangSY, WangST, ShenCH, ShiJS, XuZH. Mining the factors driving the evolution of the pit mud Microbiome under the impact of Long-Term production of Strong-Flavor Baijiu. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2021, 8717e0088521.

[3] ChenL, ZhaoY, ChenX, ZhangY, LiH, ZhaoD, WangB, YeX, SunB, SunJ. Peanut pairing baijiu: to enhance retronasal aroma intensity while reducing Baijiu aftertaste. J Agric Food Chem, 2024, 72(26): 14851-14864.

[4] DengJ, ZhengJ, HuangD, HuangZ, YeG, LuoH. Characterization of physicochemical properties, volatile compounds and microbial community structure in four types of Daqu. Lwt, 2023, 184115064.

[5] DouglasGM, MaffeiVJ, ZaneveldJR, YurgelSN, BrownJR, TaylorCM, HuttenhowerC, LangilleM. PICRUSt2 for prediction of metagenome functions. Nat Biotechnol, 2020, 38: 685-688.

[6] DuR, WuQ, XuY. Chinese liquor fermentation: identification of key Flavor-Producing Lactobacillus spp. By quantitative profiling with Indigenous internal standards. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2020, 86(12): e00456-e00420.

[7] GaoW, FanW, XuY. Characterization of the key odorants in light aroma type Chinese liquor by gas chromatography-olfactometry, quantitative measurements, aroma recombination, and omission studies. J Agric Food Chem, 2014, 62(25): 5796-5804.

[8] GaoZ, WuZ, ZhangW. Effect of pit mud on bacterial community and aroma components in yellow water and their changes during the fermentation of Chinese Strong-Flavor liquor. Foods, 2020, 93372.

[9] HanW, HeP, ShaoL, LuF. Metabolic interactions of a chain elongation Microbiome. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2018, 84(22): e01614-01618.

[10] HongSun L-J, Chai G-Y, Fang Z-M, Lu (2022) Xiao-JuanZhang, Song-TaoWang, Cai-HongShen, Jin-Song Shi, & Xua., Z.-H. Metabolite-Based Mutualistic Interaction between Two Novel Clostridial Species fromPit Mud Enhances Butyrate and Caproate Production. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 6, e00484-00422

[11] HuangZ, ZengB, DengJ, RenZ, XieJ, WeiC. Succession of microbial community structure in fermented grains during the fermentation of strong-flavor Baijiu and its impact on the metabolism of acids, alcohols, and esters. Food Sci Biotechnol, 2024, 33(15): 3501-3513.

[12] Huilin Wang Y, Gu W, Zhou D, Zhao Z, Qiao J, Zheng J, Gao X, Chen C, Ren, Xu. Y (2021) Adaptability of a caproate-producing bacterium contributes to its dominance in an anaerobic fermentation system. Appl Environ Microbiol 87:e01203–01221

[13] LeeS, LeeS, SinghD, OhJY, JeonEJ, RyuHS, LeeDW, KimBS, LeeCH. Comparative evaluation of microbial diversity and metabolite profiles in doenjang, a fermented soybean paste, during the two different industrial manufacturing processes. Food Chem, 2017, 221: 1578-1586.

[14] LiJ, ZhengG, HeJ, ShengC, ZhiQ. Hydrogen-producing capability of anaerobic activated sludge in three types of fermentations in a continuous stirred-tank reactor. Biotechnol Adv, 2009, 27(5): 573-577.

[15] LiY, LiuS, ZhangS, LiuT, QinH, ShenC, LiuH, YangF, YangC, YinQ, MaoJ. Spatiotemporal distribution of environmental microbiota in spontaneous fermentation workshop: the case of Chinese Baijiu. Food Res Int, 2022, 156111126.

[16] LiuH, SunB. Effect of fermentation processing on the flavor of Baijiu. J Agric Food Chem, 2018, 66(22): 5425-5432.

[17] MaS, LuoH, ZhaoD, QiaoZ, ZhengJ, AnM, HuangD. Environmental factors and interactions among microorganisms drive microbial community succession during fermentation of Nongxiangxing Daqu. Bioresour Technol, 2022, 345126549.

[18] Miller. Use of Dinitrosalicylic acid reagent for determination of reducing sugar. Anal Biochem, 1959, 31(3): 426-428

[19] NiuY, ZhuQ, XiaoZ. Characterization of perceptual interactions among ester aroma compounds found in Chinese moutai Baijiu by gas chromatography-olfactometry, odor intensity, olfactory threshold and odor activity value. Food Res Int, 2020, 131108986.

[20] QianW, LuZM, ChaiLJ, ZhangXJ, LiQ, WangST, ShenCH, ShiJS, XuZH. Cooperation within the microbial consortia of fermented grains and pit mud drives organic acid synthesis in strong-flavor Baijiu production. Food Res Int, 2021, 147110449.

[21] RenZ, ChenQ, TangT, HuangZ. Unraveling the water source and formation process of Huangshui in solid-state fermentation. Food Sci Biotechnol, 2024, 34(3): 665-675.

[22] RenZ, LiuL, TangT, HuangK, HuangZ. Effectively increase the L(+)-Isomer proportion of Ethyl lactate in Baijiu by isolating and applying L(+)-Lactic Acid-Producing bacteria. Preprints. Food Bioscience, 2024, 631105615

[23] RenZ, XieJ, TangT, HuangZ. Short-chain carboxylates facilitate the counting of yeasts in Sub-high temperature Daqu. Pol J Microbiol, 2024, 73(2): 167-176.

[24] SaitoR, SmootME, OnoK, RuscheinskiJ, WangPL, LotiaS, PicoAR, BaderGD, IdekerT. A travel guide to cytoscape plugins. Nat Methods, 2012, 9(11): 1069-1076.

[25] SongW-S, ParkH-G, KimS-M, JoS-H, KimB-G, ThebergeAB, KimY-G. Chemical derivatization-based LC–MS/MS method for quantitation of gut microbial short-chain fatty acids. J Ind Eng Chem, 2020, 83: 297-302.

[26] TanY, ZhongH, ZhaoD, DuH, XuY. Succession rate of microbial community causes flavor difference in strong-aroma Baijiu making process. Int J Food Microbiol, 2019, 311108350.

[27] WangH, LiX, WangY, TaoY, LuS, ZhuX, LiD. Improvement of n-caproic acid production with Ruminococcaceae bacterium CPB6: selection of electron acceptors and carbon sources and optimization of the culture medium. Microb Cell Fact, 2018, 17199.

[28] WangQ, ZhangP, BaoS, LiangJ, WuY, ChenN, WangS, CaiY. Chain elongation performances with anaerobic fermentation liquid from sewage sludge with high total solid as electron acceptor. Bioresour Technol, 2020, 306123188.

[29] WangXJ, ZhuHM, RenZQ, HuangZG, DengJ. Characterization of microbial diversity and community structure in fermentation pit mud of different ages for production of Strong-Aroma Baijiu. Pol J Microbiol, 2020, 69(2): 151-164.

[30] XuD, YinY, AliB, ZhangY, GuoL, XuX. Isolation of yeast strains from Chinese liquor Daqu and its use in the wheat sourdough bread making. Food Bioscience, 2019, 31100443.

[31] XuY, WangX, LiuX, LiX, ZhangC, LiW, SunX, WangW, SunB. Discovery and development of a novel short-chain fatty acid ester synthetic biocatalyst under aqueous phase from Monascus purpureus isolated from Baijiu. Food Chem, 2021, 338128025.

[32] YaguchiA, RobinsonA, MihealsickE, BlennerM. Metabolism of aromatics by trichosporon oleaginosus while remaining oleaginous. Microb Cell Fact, 2017, 161206.

[33] YanS, TongQ, GuangJ. Yeast dynamics and changes in volatile compounds during the fermentation of the traditional Chinese strong-flavor Daqu. Lwt, 2019, 106: 57-63.

[34] YangS-B, FuJ-J, HeJ-H, ZhangX-J, ChaiL-J, ShiJ-S, WangS-T, ZhangS-Y, ShenC-H, LuZ-M, XuZ-H. Decoding the Qu-aroma of medium-temperature Daqu starter by volatilomics, aroma recombination, omission studies and sensory analysis. Food Chem, 2024, 457140186.

[35] YuM, LiT, WanS, SongH, ZhangY, RazaA, WangC, WangH, WangH. Sensory-directed establishment of sensory wheel and characterization of key aroma-active compounds for spicy tallow hot pot seasoning. Food Chem, 2023, 405134904.

[36] ZhengX-W, HanB-Z. Baijiu (白酒), Chinese liquor: history, classification and manufacture. J Ethnic Foods, 2016, 3(1): 19-25.

[37] ZhuM, ZhengJ, XieJ, ZhaoD, QiaoZW, HuangD, LuoHB. Effects of environmental factors on the microbial community changes during medium-high temperature Daqu manufacturing. Food Res Int, 2022, 153110955.

[38] ZhuQ, ChenL, PengZ, ZhangQ, HuangW, YangF, DuG, ZhangJ, WangL. Analysis of environmental driving factors on core functional community during Daqu fermentation. Food Res Int, 2022, 157111286.

Funding

Sichuan Province Science and Technology Support Program(2024ZYD0252)

Key Laboratory of Engineering Dielectrics and Its Application (Harbin University of Science and Technology), Ministry of Education(NJ2022-07)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s)