Study on the Effects of Seasons on the Microbial Community Structure and Flavor Compounds of Different Grades of Strong- flavor Baijiu Fermentation Mash

Feng Gao; Junnan Liu; Zhengjie Zhang; Bo Deng; Junjie Jia; Yue Wen; Rongtao Luo; Xi Kang; Yabin Zhou

doi:10.54097/gngjxy31

Authors

Feng Gao
Junnan Liu
Zhengjie Zhang
Bo Deng
Junjie Jia
Yue Wen
Rongtao Luo
Xi Kang
Yabin Zhou

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/gngjxy31

Keywords:

Luzhou-flavor Liquor, Jiu Pei, Season, The Level of Space, Microbial Community, Volatile Flavor Substances

Abstract

During the brewing process of Luzhou-flavor liquor, the microbial community and flavor substances of Jiu Pei are significantly affected by space-time factors, but how season and space jointly regulate their succession is not clear. The purpose of this study was to systematically explore the differences and correlations between microbial community structure and volatile flavor substances in Jiu Pei in different seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter ) and different levels ( Jiu Pei, upper layer of yellow water line and lower layer of yellow water line). High-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the composition of microbial communities, and headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine volatile flavor substances. Spearman correlation analysis was further used to reveal the potential correlation between microorganisms and flavor substances. The results showed that the fungal community showed a succession pattern of ' spring-winter type ' ( mainly Pichia ) and ' summer-autumn type ' ( mainly Aspergillus and Rasamsonia ). Lactobacillus was the absolute dominant bacteria in the bacterial community, and its abundance was the highest in summer ( > 92 % ). A total of 153 volatile flavor substances were detected, and esters accounted for more than 47 %. In autumn, esters accounted for more than 71 % in the upper and lower Jiu Pei of yellow water. LEfSe analysis identified differential microbial markers in different seasons : spring ( Melghirimyces ), summer ( Aspergillus, Lactobacillus), autumn (Rasamsonia) and winter ( Maudiozyma, Pichia ). Correlation analysis showed that Aspergillus and Rasamsonia were significantly positively correlated with key esters such as ethyl caproate and ethyl valerate (p < 0.001), Pichia and Maudiozyma were significantly positively correlated with alcohol content ( p < 0.01 ). This study revealed the structural differences of microbial communities in Jiu Pei in different seasons and levels and their potential contributions to the formation of flavor substances, which provided a theoretical basis for the precise regulation and quality improvement of Luzhou-flavor liquor fermentation process.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] Fang, G. Y., Chai, L. J., Zhong, X. Z., Lu, Z. M., Zhang, X. J., Wu, L. H., Wang, S. T., Shen, C. H., Shi, J. S., & Xu, Z. H. (2022). Comparative genomics unveils the habitat adaptation and metabolic profiles of Clostridium in an artificial ecosystem for liquor production. mSystems, 7(3), e00297-22. https:// doi. org/ 10.1128/msystems.00297-22.

[2] Dong, W. (2020). The studies of the key odorants causing Jiao-aroma and their formation pathways in the strong-aroma types of Baijiu [Master’s thesis]. South China University of Technology.

[3] Li, L. S., Fan, M., Xu, Y., et al. (2023). Comparative analysis of volatile flavor compounds in strongly flavored Baijiu under two different pit cap sealing processes. Foods, 12(13), 2579. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12132579.

[4] Gao, J., Ren, C., Liu, G. Y., & Ge, X. Y., et al. (2019). Dynamic changes of flavor compounds and microbial community in Jiu Pei of Chinese strong aroma-type Baijiu during fermentation. Food and Fermentation Industries, 45(20), 1–6.

[5] Li, Q., Ma, F., Zhang, M., et al. (2024). Changes of Flavor Substances in Jiu Pei and Different Distillates During the Distillation of Hetao Luzhou Flavor Baiji. LIQUOR MAKING, 51(3), 100–103.

[6] Gao, Z., Wu, Z., & Zhang, W. (2020). Effect of Pit Mud on Bacterial Community and Aroma Components in Yellow Water and Their Changes during the Fermentation of Chinese Strong-Flavor Liquor. Foods, 9(3), 372. https://doi.org/10. 3390/ foods9030372.

[7] Wen, Z., Yu, X., Zhang, Y., et al. (2022). Study on the Effect of Key Genes ME2 and adhE during Luzhou-Flavor Baijiu Brewing. Foods, 11(5), 700. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/ foods 11050700.

[8] Zhang, J. Y. (2023). Study on microbial community structure and flavor characteristics in the fermentation of Jiangsu strong-flavor Baijiu in different seasons [Master’s thesis]. Jiangnan University.

[9] Wan, M. J., Guo, Z. X., Wen, Z., et al. (2025). Changes of volatile flavor substances in different layers of Jiu Pei in the mechanized production of strong-flavor Baijiu. China Brewing, 44(3), 114–120.

[10] Wang, L., Wei, G., Guo, Y. Z., et al. (2024). Changes of physicochemical indexes and flavor substances of Jiu Pei at different spatial levels during Northern strong-flavor Baijiu fermentation. China Brewing, 43(3), 63–71.

[11] Anhui Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision. (2014). DB34/T 2264-2014 Analysis method for solid-state fermented mash residue [Local standard].

[12] Liu, J. N., Yang, Y., Wei, Y., et al. (2025). Effect of spatial locations in Qu room on bacterial community dynamics during high-temperature Daqu fermentation. Food and Fermentation Industries, 51(24), 276–283.

[13] Wang, Y. W., Tian, Y. Y., Zhang, K. F., et al. (2025). Comparison and Correlation Analysis of Microbial Community Diversity and Flavor Compounds in Different Layers of Pit Mud for Luzhou-Flavor Baijiu in Different Seasons. Food Science, 46(4), 100–109.

[14] Chang, Y. Y., Fang, J. J., Ma, W. Z., et al. (2026). Analysis of physicochemical indexes and microbial community structure differences between new and old pits Jiu Pei of Nongxiangxing Baijiu. Food and Fermentation Industries.

[15] Chen, Y., Li, K., Liu, T., Li, R., Fu, G., Wan, Y., & Zheng, F. (2021). Analysis of difference in microbial community and physicochemical indices between surface and central parts of Chinese special-flavor Baijiu Daqu. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 592421. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.592421.

[16] Yi, Z., Jin, Y., Xiao, Y., Chen, L., Tan, L., Du, A., He, K., Liu, D., Luo, H., Fang, Y., & Zhao, H. (2019). Unraveling the contribution of high temperature stage to Jiang-Flavor Daqu, a liquor starter for production of Chinese Jiang-Flavor Baijiu, with special reference to metatranscriptomics. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, 472. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fmicb.2019. 00472.

[17] Yan, K., Abbas, M., Meng, L., Cai, H., Peng, Z., Li, Q., El-Sappah, A. H., Yan, L., & Zhao, X. (2021). Analysis of the fungal diversity and community structure in Sichuan dark tea during pile-fermentation. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 706714. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.706714.

[18] Pang, K. L., Chiang, M. W., Guo, S. Y., Shih, C. Y., Dahms, H. U., Hwang, J. S., & Cha, H. J. (2020). Growth study under combined effects of temperature, pH and salinity and transcriptome analysis revealed adaptations of Aspergillus terreus NTOU4989 to the extreme conditions at Kueishan Island Hydrothermal Vent Field, Taiwan. PLOS ONE, 15(5), e0233621. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233621.

[19] Liu, J. N., Shen, X., Chen, Z. Y., et al. (2026). Investigating Microbial Succession and Function in Jiupei of Nongxiangxing Baijiu Using Metagenomics. Food Science.

[20] Zhou, H., Xu, B., Xu, S., Jiang, S., Mu, D., Wu, X., & Li, X. (2023). Bacterial communities found in pit-wall mud and factors driving their evolution. Foods, 12(7), 1419. https://doi. org/ 10. 3390/foods12071419.

[21] Wang, Y., Zhang, Y., Cui, Q., Feng, Y., & Xuan, J. (2024). Composition of lignocellulose hydrolysate in different biorefinery strategies: nutrients and inhibitors. Molecules, 29(10), 2275. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29102275.

[22] Yang, F., Wang, H., Chen, L. Q., Zhou, N., Lu, J. J., Pu, X. X., Wan, B., Wang, L., & Liu, S. J. (2024). Clostridium lapidicellarium sp. nov. and Clostridium moutaii sp. nov., two species isolated from fermentation cellar-producing sauce-flavour Chinese Baijiu. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 74(11), 006580. https://doi. org/ 10. 1099/ijsem.0.006580.

[23] Zhang, X., Wang, Z. K., Zheng, J., et al. (2021). Change Rules of Physicochemical Indexes of Jiu Pei in the Production Process of Nongxiang Baijiu. LIQUOR-MAKING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, (10), 53–56.

[24] Zeng, B., Rao, J. Q., Zhou, Y. F., et al. (2024). Structural Succession of Microbial Communities in Jiu Pei for Nongxiangxing Baijiu during the Fermentation Process and Its Correlation with Physicochemical Indicators. Food Science, 45(7), 111–118.

[25] Fan, J., Qu, G., Wang, D., Chen, J., Du, G., & Fang, F. (2023). Synergistic fermentation with functional microorganisms improves safety and quality of traditional Chinese fermented foods. Foods, 12(15), 2892. https://doi.org/10. 3390/ foods 12152892.

[26] Ma, S., Li, Y., Chen, C., Dong, Y., Huang, P., Tu, R., Liu, X., Zhou, R., & Wu, C. (2025). Metabolic interactions drive microbial community succession and functional expression of Nongxiangxing (Strong-flavor) daqu. Journal of Advanced Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2025.09.020.

[27] Huang, Y. G., & Xu, Y. (2015). Isolation of Aspergillus from Jiangxiang Liquor Fermentation Environment and Enzyme Secretion Stress Conditions of Aspergillus hennebergii. Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology, 34(8), 814–821.