Bacillus fermentation improves tobacco quality by increasing the formation of terpenoids: mechanisms revealed by multi-omics

HnB cigarette is a new tobacco product which better meets the global health awareness than the traditional cigarette, but requires high-class tobacco leaves with more aromatic odors. Microbial inoculation is known to enhance the formation of flavor substances during tobacco fermentation, while the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The addition of the C4 Bacillus strain in the fermentation process significantly enhanced the overall quality of sun-dried, raw cut, and Tenden tobacco. Among these, the most notable improvement was observed in the aroma of Tiandeng tobacco.