Effects of total microbiota-containing backslop from 450-day-fermented kimchi on microbe and metabolite dynamics

This study examines the impact of the complex microbiota from long-term fermented kimchi, used as a backslop, on fermentation dynamics. The fermentation was conducted with autoclaved (group A) and non-autoclaved (NA) starter cultures. Bacterial and fungal communities were analyzed with 16S rRNA gene V4 and ITS2 region, respectively, and metabolites were profiled using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In the group NA, Levilactobacillus dominated at 64.3 % by day 5, while Pediococcus reached 57.4 % by day 50. Principal coordinate analysis showed that bacterial communities in both the starter culture and samples of the group NA became similar by the end of the fermentation (day 100); however, no significant differences were found in fungal community. Principal component analysis revealed distinct metabolite profiles, explaining 68.7 % of variability on PC1, with each group clustered separately by day 100. These results suggest that inoculating with microbiota from long-term fermentation can rapidly produce foods with desirable characteristics.