Dissecting flavor formation and microbial succession during traditional fermentation help to promote standardized and large-scale production in the sour shoot industry. The principal objective of the present research is to elucidate the interplay between the physicochemical attributes, flavor, and microbial compositions of sour bamboo shoots in the process of fermentation. The findings obtained from the principal component analysis (PCA) indicated notable fluctuations in both the physicochemical parameters and flavor components throughout the 28 day fermentation process. At least 13 volatile compounds (OAV > 1) have been detected as characteristic aroma compounds in sour bamboo shoots. Among these, 2,4-dimethyl Benzaldehyde exhibits the highest OAV (129.73~668.84) and is likely the primary contributor to the sour odor of the bamboo shoots. The analysis of the microbial community in sour bamboo shoots revealed that the most abundant phyla were Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, while the most prevalent genera were Enterococcus, Lactococcus, and Serratia. The results of the correlation analysis revealed that Firmicutes exhibited a positive correlation with various chemical compounds, including 3,6-nonylidene-1-ol, 2,4-dimethyl benzaldehyde, silanediol, dimethyl-, nonanal, and 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentylenediol diisobutyrate. Similarly, Lactococcus was found to be positively correlated with several chemical compounds, such as dimethyl-silanediol, 1-heptanol, 3,6-nonylidene-1-ol, nonanal, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate, dibutyl phthalate, and TA. This study provides a theoretical basis for the standardization of traditional natural fermented sour bamboo production technology, which will help to further improve the flavor and quality of sour bamboo.
Keywords: correlation analysis; microbial compositions; sour bamboo shoot; traditional fermentation; volatile flavor compounds.