Work

Microbial community evolution and flavor formation during sour meat fermentation: Integrated quantitative microbiome profiling, HS-SPME-GC–MS, and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Understanding the relationship between fermentative microorganisms and sour meat flavor is essential for designing synthetic microbial consortia as artificial starters. In this study, quantitative microbiome profiling tracked microbial succession, while HS-GC-IMS, HS-SPME-GC-MS, and UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS characterized flavor development. Fermentation was divided into two distinct stages: the early phase (0-28 days) and the maturation phase (28-70 days). During the early phase, Staphylococcus and Candida exhibited rapid proliferation, corresponding with precursor synthesis. During the maturation phase, Staphylococcus, Weissella, and Candida constitute the absolute dominant microbiota. Despite reduced microbial growth rates, flavor-associated metabolites, particularly ethyl esters and taste-active peptides, keep accumulating continuously. Spearman correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between these genera and potential flavor-active compounds. Overall, this study highlights absolute quantification's utility for elucidating microbial functions and offers valuable insights for precision engineering of starter cultures toward desirable sensory characteristics.

Source: Food Chemistry X

DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104625