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Metabolic complementarity in LAB-yeast co-fermentation associates with enhanced ester aroma in cream cheese
Beibei Duan1, Yueyue Zhou1, Siyu Wang1
1College of Food Science and Biology, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050018, China.
Abstract:
To address the limited flavor complexity of traditional cream cheese, this study systematically investigated the synergistic effects of LAB-yeast co-culture systems on its ester flavor profile. HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis revealed that among six LAB-yeast strain combinations, the K. marxianus and K. lactis co-culture was optimal, achieving total ester and alcohol contents of 71.45 μg/kg and 26.3 μg/kg, respectively; with results consistent with trends observed by E-nose and sensory evaluation. Further optimization determined 4% as the optimal total yeast inoculation level and a 1:4 (K. marxianus: K. lactis) culture broth ratio as optimal, yielding 75.6 μg/kg relative ester content and balanced flavor with acceptable texture and physiochemical properties. Fermentation dynamics revealed temporal metabolic complementarity: K. marxianus dominated ethanol synthesis, while the co-culture promoted early-phase organic acid accumulation and a late-phase shift potentially redirecting carbon flux toward ester biosynthesis. Metabolomics and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that K. lactis expanded the acetyl-CoA pool while K. marxianus generated higher alcohols, indicating a cross-feeding network potentially redirecting carbon flux from acid pathways toward acetyl-CoA synthesis and fruity ester formation. Based on metabolic complementarity, this study provides a metabolic framework for targeted ester enhancement and a clean-label technological pathway for flavor-oriented development in fermented dairy systems.
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