Correlation Analysis of Microbial Community Changes and Physicochemical Characteristics in Aged Vinegar Brewing

This study aimed to explore key physicochemical characteristics and evolutionary patterns of microbial community structure during the fermentation of aged vinegar. The correlation between microorganisms and physicochemical characteristics during fermentation was examined. The results revealed significant differences in genera at different stages of fermentation. The dominant bacteria in R1 were Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Aspergillus, and Issatchenkia. During the R2 fermentation stage, Lactobacillus, Acetobacter, and Saccharomyces exhibited an upward trend and finally became the dominant bacteria. Aspergillus was the main bacterial genus at the end of overall fermentation. The correlation analysis showed that the bacterial genera significantly positively and negatively correlated with reducing sugars and amino acid nitrogen were the same in Cuqu. Similarly, the bacterial genera significantly positively and negatively correlated with pH and saccharification power were the same. pH, reducing sugar, and saccharification ability were mainly positively correlated with bacterial genera during fermentation. Further, studies found that the overall correlation between fungal communities and physicochemical characteristics was weaker than the correlation with bacteria during fermentation.