Mechanisms of Flavor Substance Formation in Pengqi Sauce Based On an Integrated Analysis of Absolute Microbial Quantification and Volatomics

ABSTRACT Pengqi sauce is a traditional Chinese naturally fermented aquatic product, and its unique flavor formation mechanism is closely related to microbial function. In this study, we combined metabolomics and microbiomics techniques to analyze the flavor evolution and the rules and mechanisms of...

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Main Authors: Xiaojie Hou, Hongmei Yin, Xiaodie Qin, Jingjing Zhang, Yangyang Wang, Weiming Su, Hui Cao, Hui Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-07-01
Series:Food Frontiers
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70031
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author Xiaojie Hou
Hongmei Yin
Xiaodie Qin
Jingjing Zhang
Yangyang Wang
Weiming Su
Hui Cao
Hui Wang
author_facet Xiaojie Hou
Hongmei Yin
Xiaodie Qin
Jingjing Zhang
Yangyang Wang
Weiming Su
Hui Cao
Hui Wang
author_sort Xiaojie Hou
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Pengqi sauce is a traditional Chinese naturally fermented aquatic product, and its unique flavor formation mechanism is closely related to microbial function. In this study, we combined metabolomics and microbiomics techniques to analyze the flavor evolution and the rules and mechanisms of bacterial flora action during the natural fermentation process of Wedelia sauce. On the basis of electronic nose, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and GC–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS) techniques, nine core flavor components, including 2‐methylpyrazine, 1‐heptanol, tetrahydrothiophene, and isoamyl isobutyrate, which confer baking, fruity, and creamy aromas, were identified as key volatile components during the fermentation process. Meanwhile, the 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used for the first time to clarify the flavor profile of the Pengqi sauce fermentation system. The actual abundance changes of microorganisms in the Pengqi sauce fermentation system: Paracoccus, Nocardioides, and Marinilactibacillus, the absolute abundance of which reached 12,129, 9411, and 9113 copies/g, respectively, on Day 56, and still maintained a high level on Day 84. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA) and Spearman correlation analyses indicated that the above genera showed very strong positive correlations (ρ > 0.9, p < 0.05) with key flavor substances such as 1‐hexanol and 2‐methylpyrazine, and their functional predictions indicated that they drove flavor formation through protein degradation, lipid oxidation, and glucose metabolism pathways. This study demonstrated that the absolute microbial quantification strategy can reveal the contribution of bacterial flora to fermentation flavor more accurately and provide a theoretical basis for process optimization and standardized production of traditional fermented foods.
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spelling doaj-art-0348324ece26436eaf8f3e04e9f180b32025-08-20T03:50:49ZengWileyFood Frontiers2643-84292025-07-01641789180610.1002/fft2.70031Mechanisms of Flavor Substance Formation in Pengqi Sauce Based On an Integrated Analysis of Absolute Microbial Quantification and VolatomicsXiaojie Hou0Hongmei Yin1Xiaodie Qin2Jingjing Zhang3Yangyang Wang4Weiming Su5Hui Cao6Hui Wang7College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Prefabricated Seafood Processing and Quality Control Guangdong Ocean University Zhanjiang ChinaSchool of Health Jiangxi Normal University Nanchang Jiangxi ChinaCollege of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Prefabricated Seafood Processing and Quality Control Guangdong Ocean University Zhanjiang ChinaNutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)—CITEXVI Universidade de Vigo Vigo SpainCollege of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Prefabricated Seafood Processing and Quality Control Guangdong Ocean University Zhanjiang ChinaCollege of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Prefabricated Seafood Processing and Quality Control Guangdong Ocean University Zhanjiang ChinaCollege of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Prefabricated Seafood Processing and Quality Control Guangdong Ocean University Zhanjiang ChinaCollege of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Prefabricated Seafood Processing and Quality Control Guangdong Ocean University Zhanjiang ChinaABSTRACT Pengqi sauce is a traditional Chinese naturally fermented aquatic product, and its unique flavor formation mechanism is closely related to microbial function. In this study, we combined metabolomics and microbiomics techniques to analyze the flavor evolution and the rules and mechanisms of bacterial flora action during the natural fermentation process of Wedelia sauce. On the basis of electronic nose, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and GC–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS) techniques, nine core flavor components, including 2‐methylpyrazine, 1‐heptanol, tetrahydrothiophene, and isoamyl isobutyrate, which confer baking, fruity, and creamy aromas, were identified as key volatile components during the fermentation process. Meanwhile, the 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used for the first time to clarify the flavor profile of the Pengqi sauce fermentation system. The actual abundance changes of microorganisms in the Pengqi sauce fermentation system: Paracoccus, Nocardioides, and Marinilactibacillus, the absolute abundance of which reached 12,129, 9411, and 9113 copies/g, respectively, on Day 56, and still maintained a high level on Day 84. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA) and Spearman correlation analyses indicated that the above genera showed very strong positive correlations (ρ > 0.9, p < 0.05) with key flavor substances such as 1‐hexanol and 2‐methylpyrazine, and their functional predictions indicated that they drove flavor formation through protein degradation, lipid oxidation, and glucose metabolism pathways. This study demonstrated that the absolute microbial quantification strategy can reveal the contribution of bacterial flora to fermentation flavor more accurately and provide a theoretical basis for process optimization and standardized production of traditional fermented foods.https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70031absolute quantificationmicrofloranatural fermentationPengqi saucevolatile flavor substances
spellingShingle Xiaojie Hou
Hongmei Yin
Xiaodie Qin
Jingjing Zhang
Yangyang Wang
Weiming Su
Hui Cao
Hui Wang
Mechanisms of Flavor Substance Formation in Pengqi Sauce Based On an Integrated Analysis of Absolute Microbial Quantification and Volatomics
Food Frontiers
absolute quantification
microflora
natural fermentation
Pengqi sauce
volatile flavor substances
title Mechanisms of Flavor Substance Formation in Pengqi Sauce Based On an Integrated Analysis of Absolute Microbial Quantification and Volatomics
title_full Mechanisms of Flavor Substance Formation in Pengqi Sauce Based On an Integrated Analysis of Absolute Microbial Quantification and Volatomics
title_fullStr Mechanisms of Flavor Substance Formation in Pengqi Sauce Based On an Integrated Analysis of Absolute Microbial Quantification and Volatomics
title_full_unstemmed Mechanisms of Flavor Substance Formation in Pengqi Sauce Based On an Integrated Analysis of Absolute Microbial Quantification and Volatomics
title_short Mechanisms of Flavor Substance Formation in Pengqi Sauce Based On an Integrated Analysis of Absolute Microbial Quantification and Volatomics
title_sort mechanisms of flavor substance formation in pengqi sauce based on an integrated analysis of absolute microbial quantification and volatomics
topic absolute quantification
microflora
natural fermentation
Pengqi sauce
volatile flavor substances
url https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70031
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