Changes in Microbial Community of Artificial Pit Mud During Strong-Flavor Baijiu Production
This study utilized ultra-high-throughput sequencing-based metagenomics to explore the microbial community structure of artificial pit mud and its temporal changes during the production of strong-flavor Baijiu.Results indicated that the higher moisture,humic substances,and nitrogen content in the bottom layer of the pit mud created a more suitable environment for microbial growth,leading to slightly higher microbial diversity compared to the middle layer.Enzymes such as glycoside hydrolases(GH)and carbohydrate-binding modules(CBM)were more abundant in the bottom layer.During Baijiu production,an increase in bacterial diversity and a decrease in fungal species were observed.Lactobacillus,Thermoascus,and Aspergillus showed significant increases in abundance,while Caproiciproducens decreased,impacting the production of ethyl caproate,a key flavor component of strong-flavor Baijiu.The findings suggest the importance of appropriate maintenance of pit pools to enhance the quality of strong-flavor Baijiu.