Innovative Systems Biology in Baijiu Fermentation: Unveiling Omics Landscapes and Microbial Synergy

The production of Chinese Baijiu relies on the synergistic metabolism of multi-species microbial communities in an open environment. Its intricate microbial succession and flavor formation mechanisms have long been considered complex systems that are difficult to fully deconstruct. Traditional culture-dependent techniques inherently fail to comprehensively capture the actual functional roles and dynamic regulation of "viable but non-culturable" (VBNC) microorganisms within this complex system. In recent years, the rapid advancement of multi-omics technologies has offered a novel perspective for elucidating the underlying fermentation mechanisms of Baijiu. This paper systematically reviews the recent progress in the application of metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics, and metabolomics in Baijiu research. Specific focus is placed on the unique contributions of these tools to resolving microbial community structural diversity, mining key functional genes and enzymes, uncovering microbial stress response mechanisms under environmental fluctuations, identifying phages and spoilage microorganisms, and tracing the metabolic pathways of flavor substances. Furthermore, the pivotal role of multi-omics integration strategies in constructing "microbe-metabolite" regulatory networks is highlighted. Finally, current challenges regarding standardization and data integration are discussed, with an outlook on leveraging omics big data to promote digital monitoring and intelligent brewing in the Baijiu industry.