Novel Sealing Method Enhances Microbial Diversity and Flavor Metabolites during the Fermentation of Luzhou-Flavor Liquor

This
study explores the microbial succession and metabolite changes
during solid-state fermentation of Luzhou-flavor liquor in two types
of pits: a traditional sealing pit (TSP) and a novel sealing pit (NSP)
equipped with a stainless-steel cover, real-time monitoring, and an
annular liquid-filled sealing trough. The results revealed that NSP
enhanced microbial diversity and facilitated the production of a higher
concentration and variety of flavor compounds compared to TSP. The
microbial communities in NSP exhibited greater complexity and stronger
correlations with flavor compounds. Although TSP contained a greater
number of core microbial genera (28) than NSP (17), fewer of these
genera were strongly correlated with flavor compounds. This difference
may explain the higher fermentation efficiency and the development
of more distinctive flavor profiles in NSP. Our findings suggest that
the novel sealing method improves fermentation quality by fostering
a favorable microbial environment, thus enhancing the overall flavor
and aroma characteristics of the liquor.