Abstract:In this study, the changes of volatile flavor substances (VFS) and succession of microbial community in the “turning, drying and dewing” process during industrially fermentation of pixian broad-bean paste (PXDB) were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) , and the correlation between the key VFS and the dominant microbial community was also analyzed. The results showed that the VFS underwent dynamic changes, especially the esters and alcohols imparting characteristic flavor were enriched and the total VFS content increased gradually then decreased, during the “turning, drying and dewing” process. Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Levilactobacillus, Tetragenococcus, Oceanobacillus, Enterobacter, Weissella, Aspergillus and multiple yeast genera were the dominant microorganisms during the “turning, drying and dewing” period. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the above dominant floras previously mentioned were correlated with 35 key aroma components (OAV>1). Among them, Bacillus was significantly and positively correlated with 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde (P<0.001). 2-Methoxyphenol was extremely significantly and positively correlated with Zygosaccharomyces (P<0.001) and significantly and positively correlated with Wickerhamiella (P<0.01). Starmerella was significantly and positively correlated with ethyl myristate (P<0.01). Weissella, Kazachstania, Vishniacozyma, Fusarium and Alternaria were significantly and positively correlated with 3-methylbutanenitrile (P<0.01). The “turning, drying and dewing” process was beneficial to the accumulation of the main VFS and the improvement of PXDB’s flavor. A significant and positive correlation was detected between the dominant floras and some key VFS in the fermented PXDB, indicating that product flavor could be affected by regulating the microbial community during a specific period. The results of this study are helpful to clarify the mechanism underlying the formation of the characteristic flavor of PXDB and the understanding of the “turning, drying and dewing” process of industrially fermented PXDB.
