Non-Targeted Metabolomics Analysis Reveals Metabolite Profiles Change During Whey Fermentation with <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i>

<b>Background:</b> Whey fermentation could produce bioactive substances with immunomodulatory effects, metabolic syndrome modulation, and antioxidant properties, thereby imparting functional characteristics to products and facilitating the development of novel foods with health-promoting...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yansong Gao, Lei Gao, You Kang, Ge Yang, Zijian Zhao, Yujuan Zhao, Shengyu Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Metabolites
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/12/694
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:<b>Background:</b> Whey fermentation could produce bioactive substances with immunomodulatory effects, metabolic syndrome modulation, and antioxidant properties, thereby imparting functional characteristics to products and facilitating the development of novel foods with health-promoting potential. <b>Methods:</b> A non-targeted metabolomics approach using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was employed to investigate changes in the metabolite profiles of whey fermented by <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i> strain KM812 over varying fermentation durations. <b>Results:</b> The findings demonstrated a progressive enrichment of metabolites over time. A total of 151 differential metabolites were identified and categorized primarily into amino acids, peptides, and analogues, fatty acids and conjugates, and carbohydrates and conjugates, as well as benzoic acids and derivatives. The highest relative content of whey metabolites was observed at 48 h of fermentation, with a cumulative increase of 1.45-fold, 1.49-fold, 3.39-fold, and 1.24-fold for peptides and amino acids, peptides, and analogues, fatty acids and conjugates, and carbohydrates and conjugates, respectively. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed associations with 23 specific metabolites and delineated 9 metabolic pathways, predominantly involved in amino acid and lipid metabolism. <b>Conclusions:</b> Based on the above, KM812 could effectively degrade macromolecular substances in whey into small molecules such as L-isoleucine, ornithine, betaine, α-linolenic acid, and palmitoleic acid, thereby influencing the nutritional and functional properties of whey. In-depth analysis of the metabolic products in KM812-fermented whey could provide a theoretical basis for the development of functional foods derived from small molecules in the future.
ISSN:2218-1989