Work

Comparative multi-omics analysis of microbial succession, metabolite profiles, and antioxidant properties in fermented black and yellow highland barley

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Colored highland barley is rich in bioactive compounds, but fermentation-associated links among microbes, metabolites, and antioxidant properties remain unclear. Black (BHB) and yellow highland barley (YHB) were comparatively fermented using microbial profiling, non-volatile metabolomics, and antioxidant assays. Both cultivars showed reduced microbial diversity, lactic acid bacterial enrichment, fungal dominance by Saccharomycopsis , increased phenolics and anthocyanins, and decreased flavonoids. BHB retained higher flavonoid and anthocyanin contents and stronger radical-scavenging activities, whereas YHB showed greater increases in total phenolics and antioxidant capacity. Both were dominated by late-stage Pediococcus , but YHB had a denser positive bacterial network, whereas BHB showed greater modularity and enrichment of flavonoid- and phenolic acid-related metabolites. YHB was relatively associated with amino acid- and peptide-related metabolites. Lactiplantibacillus and Levilactobacillus were positively associated with selected phenolic metabolites. These findings identify common and cultivar-specific associations among microbial succession, metabolite variation, and antioxidant characteristics during colored highland barley fermentation.

Source: Food Chemistry X

DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104424