Multi-omics analysis provides mechanistic insights into tanninase-assisted flavor evolution in Phyllanthus emblica L....

Winemaking from Phyllanthus emblica L. is limited by astringency and tannin-associated instability. This study evaluated tanninase pretreatment followed by Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation for improving tannin-rich P. emblica L. wine. Metagenomics, LC-MS, and HS-SPME-GC-MS were used to characterize microbial succession and metabolite profiles. A total of 231 non-volatile metabolite features and 183 volatile flavor compounds were putatively annotated. Tanninase pretreatment reduced tannin content from 0.23% to 0.15% before inoculation and was associated with increased ellagic acid, suggesting partial hydrolysis of hydrolysable tannins. The NF group showed higher S. cerevisiae abundance, reaching 77.64%, and altered phenolic, organic acid, fatty acid, amino acid-related, and aroma-related metabolite profiles. Microbial-metabolite analysis suggested that aromatic amino acid metabolism may contribute to floral and fruity ester formation through the Ehrlich pathway. Sensory evaluation showed reduced bitterness/astringency, clearer appearance, and improved overall quality in NF wine.