Effects of indigenous Lactobacillus fermenters on beef jerky metabolites based on metabolomics analysis

To elucidate the effects of lactic acid bacteria fermentation on beef jerky metabolites, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and metabolomics techniques were employed to investigate free amino acids, key flavour compounds, and metabolic products in beef jerky fermented by lactic acid bacteria strains IMAUJBP3 and IMAUJBR3. Results indicated that lactic acid fermentation increased unsaturated fatty acid content and the proportion of key flavour substances in beef jerky. Metabolomics revealed lipids and lipoid molecules, organic acids and their derivatives as the primary differential metabolites between the two beef jerky groups. KEGG differential metabolic pathway topology analysis identified nucleotide metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, fructose and mannose metabolism was the key pathways influencing the quality formation of fermented beef jerky. The accumulation of key flavour compounds is highly correlated with changes in peptides, lipid molecules. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of lactic acid bacteria starter cultures in beef jerky production.