Effects of different fermentation temperatures on taste quality and microbial flora of zha-chili

WANG Yurong; WANG Xin; SHENG Qunhang; ZHANG Haibo; HOU Qiangchuan; GUO Zhuang

doi:10.12187/2026.01.002

Abstract：[Objective]This study aimed to reveal the effects of different fermentation temperatures on the taste quality and microbial flora of zha-chili.[Methods]The taste quality of zha-chili fermented at different temperatures(20℃,25℃,30℃,and 35℃)was evaluated using an electronic tongue technique,while its microbial community structure was analyzed via MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology.Finally,the correlation between the microbial flora and taste quality was determined based on procrustes analysis.[Results]Significant differences were observed in both the taste quality and microbial flora structure of zha-chili under different fermentation temperatures(P<0.05).The dominant bacterial genera were Lactobacillus and Bacillus,while the major fungal genera included Hyphopichia,Aspergillus,Cladosporium,Gibberella,Kodamaea,and Meyerozyma.Among these,zha-chili fermented at 20℃exhibited a more prominent sour taste and a more favorable microbial composition:Lactobacillus was the dominant bacterial genus,and Hyphopichia was the major dominant fungal genus.Additionally,Acinetobacter,Rosenbergiella,and Cladosporium were identified as the key bacterial genera distinguishing its microbial community structure from the other three temperature groups.A significant correlation was found between the microbial flora and taste indexes of zha-chili fermented at different temperatures(P<0.05),and the interactions among dominant microorganisms collectively shaped the taste characteristics of zha-chili.[Conclusion]Zha-chili fermented at 20℃exhibits both higher microbial flora richness and better taste quality.