Effect of bioaugmentation of Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus acetotolerans on the flavor of liquid fermented vinegar
In this study,Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus acetotolerans were sequentially inoculated during the fermentation process of liquid fermented vinegar to enhance product quality.The content of organic acids and volatile compounds in liquid fermented vinegar was analyzed and sensory evaluation was carried out,using techniques such as HPLC,headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and electronic tongue.The results indicated that bioaugmentation using L.helveticus L-6 and L.acetotol-erans L-9 could significantly improve the flavor quality of liquid fermented vinegar.The total acidity of liquid fermented vinegar reached 5.15 g/100 mL.The residual amount of reducing sugar was 3.41 g/L.The contents of lactic acid and pyruvate significantly increased,with the highest increase in lactic acid content reaching 12.8 g/L.Inoculation of two Lactobacillus species could significantly increase the content of volatile compounds such as ethyl acetate,ethyl lactate,and phenylacetic acid,which have floral,fruity,milky,and sweet aro-ma.Sensory evaluation indicated that the liquid fermented vinegar co-fermented by L.helveticus L-6 and L.acetotolerans L-9 exhibited sweetness and freshness while significantly reducing acidity,resulting in a significant improvement in flavor quality.This study confirmed that the application of L.helveticus L-6 and L.acetotolerans L-9 in vinegar fermentation could enhance the content of non-volatile acid and flavor of the vinegar,improving organic acids composition of vinegar,providing a reference for fermentation process optimization and flavor quality improvement of liquid fermented vinegar.