Raw Material Regulates Flavor Formation via Driving Microbiota in Chinese Liquor Fermentation

Abstract

Raw material is important for flavors in fermented foods. Here, the effect of hulless barley on the microbiota in Chinese liquor was studied using two main cultivars (<i>heilaoya</i> and <i>dulihuang</i>). Six genera (<i>Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces, Komagataella, Aspergillus, Pichia</i>, and <i>Weissella</i>) were identified as flavor producers. <i>Komagataella</i>, mainly correlated with esters, dominated in <i>heilaoya</i>, and <i>Pichia</i>, mainly correlated with carbonyls, dominated in <i>dulihuang</i>. The Mantel test indicated reducing sugar drove the succession of microbiota (<i>heilaoya</i>: <i>P</i> = 0.001; <i>dulihuang</i>: <i>P</i> = 0.006). Especially, glucose (<i>P</i> = 0.0226) and fructose (<i>P</i> = 0.0168) presented the most significant correlations with <i>Pichia</i> and <i>Komagataella</i>, respectively. The simulative fermentation confirmed <i>Komagataella phaffii</i> QK2 grew better in <i>heilaoya</i> with more fructose, whereas <i>Pichia fermentans</i> PF grew better in <i>dulihuang</i> with more glucose. This work highlighted the effect of raw material on microbiota, which would be beneficial for regulating the quality of fermented foods.