Microbial community dynamics during spontaneous fermentation of northeast sauerkraut

Sauerkraut, one of the most popular traditional fermented vegetable foods in northern China, has been widely consumed for thousands of years. However, up to now, sauerkraut is usually homemade in northeast China and relies on spontaneous fermentation, making it difficult to the production of uniform and high-quality products. During spontaneous fermentation, the microbial community will be altered by various factors, such as the kinds of raw material, the parameters of fermentation process, and the conditions of geographical and climatic. Therefore, it is essential to investigate microbial community characteristics to identify the primary and core functional microorganisms for improving fermentation management and exploring microbial resources as starter cultures to improve the safety and quality of sauerkraut.

酸菜（Sauerkraut）是中国北方最受欢迎的传统发酵蔬菜食品之一，拥有数千年的广泛食用历史。然而截至目前，中国东北地区的酸菜通常仍以家庭自制为主，依靠自然发酵工艺，这使得难以实现产品的标准化与高品质化生产。在自然发酵过程中，微生物群落会因多种因素发生改变，例如原料种类、发酵工艺参数以及地理与气候条件。因此，为优化发酵管理、挖掘可作为发酵剂菌株的微生物资源，进而提升酸菜的安全性与产品品质，研究微生物群落特征以明确其主要核心功能菌种具有重要意义。