Dynamics of microbial communities, flavor, and physicochemical properties of kombucha-fermented Sargassum fusiforme beverage during fermentation

• Published in: Food science & technology 2024-01, Vol.192, p.115729, Article 115729
• Main Authors: Tu, Chuanhai, Yu, Tingfu, Feng, Shaobiao, Xu, Ning, Massawe, Aneth, Shui, Shanshan, Zhang, Bin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidant activity; High-throughput sequencing; Kombucha; Sargassum fusiforme; Volatile flavor compound
• ISSN: 0023-6438; 1096-1127
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2024.115729

In this study, a novel kombucha-fermented Sargassum fusiforme beverage was prepared, and physicochemical properties, volatile flavor compounds, and microbial communities during the beverage fermentation were investigated. The results indicated that after fermentation, the pH decreased to 2.77 ± 0.05, titratable acid content increased to 4.42 ± 0.20 mg/mL, organic acids content increased and acetic acid became the main organic acid, values for total sugar content decreased and the reducing sugar content increased during fermentation. The clearance rates of DPPH radicals, hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anion radicals, and ABTS radicals increased after fermentation. In addition, the results of high-throughput sequencing showed that Zygosaccharomyces was the main fungi, and Komagataeibacter and Acetobacter were the main genera of bacteria in kombucha-fermented S. fusiforme beverage. Gas chromatography-ion migration spectrometry results showed that ethanol, acetic acid, acetone, and ethyl acetate were the main volatile flavor compounds. The correlation results between the dominant microbial community and the major volatile flavor compounds indicated that Pichia, Aspergillus, Zygosaccharomyces, Acetobacter, and Ralstonia had a positive effect on the flavor formation of beverages, which provided the direction for the later development and accurate screening of flavorous functional microorganisms. •Kombucha-fermented S. fusiforme was potential to become functional beverage.•The microbiome composition of Kombucha-fermented S. fusiforme beverage was identified through metagenomic analysis.•The fermentation of S. fusiforme increases antioxidant activity in kombucha.•A total of 69 volatile flavor compounds were detected in beverage.•Correlation between volatile flavor compounds and microbiota was evaluated by heatmap analysis.