Analysis of Microorganisms, Volatile and Non-Volatile Metabolites During the Fermentation Process of Gastrodia Elata Sweet Rice Wine Based on Multi-Omics Technology

Gastrodia elata is an herbal species valued for both its medicinal and edible properties. This study employed multi-omics technology to examine quality changes during the fermentation of Gastrodia elata sweet rice wine (GSRW). The results showed that the physicochemical indicators changed significantly over time during fermentation. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) identified Pediococcus, Weissella, and Enterococcus as dominant bacterial genera, while Wickerhamomyces, Saccharomyces, and Clavispora were dominant fungal genera. The bacterial community exhibited closer inter-specific relationships than the fungal community, while abiotic environmental conditions had a greater impact on the fungal community than on the bacterial community. HS-SPME-GC-MS identified 52 volatile compounds. Combined with ROAV, it was found that p-cresol, ethyl laurate, isoamyl acetate, 4-vinylguaiacol, and 3-methyl-2-butanol contribute uniquely to the flavor of GSRW compared to rice wine. LC-MS/MS identified 3758 non-volatile compounds. OPLS-DA combined with time-series expression revealed that Gastrodia elata had a significant effect on 344 non-volatile compounds (e.g., organic acids and lipids) throughout GSRW fermentation. The correlation analysis indicated that Wickerhamomyces, Saccharomyces, Hyphopichia, Pediococcus, and Weissella are closely related to physicochemical indicators and metabolites. This study provides data support and a theoretical basis for the development of functional SRW.