Unraveling microbial synergy in blended Daqu: A multi-omics approach to decoding the unique flavor profile of Jiuliangxiang baijiu

This study deciphers the microbial-ecological basis of Jiuliangxiang Baijiu's (JLX) unique flavor through blended Daqu multi-omics. GC–MS comparative analysis of five market-representative Baijiu types identified 25 aroma-active compounds (OAV ≥ 1) in JLX, with ethyl palmitate (OAV = 2) established as a potential characteristic marker. Subsequent investigation of its blended Daqu revealed how microbial consortia govern flavor formation. Physicochemical and microbial analyses demonstrated that Daqu blending elevated enzymatic capacities, including saccharification (+227.5 % vs single Daqu ), esterification (+27.4 %), and liquefaction (+15.4 %), while enhancing microbial diversity. Metabolomic profiling identified glycerophospholipid Gpgro (14:0/16:0) as the ethyl palmitate precursor. Metagenomic tracking revealed that the core ester-producing taxa—primarily Bacillus licheniformis (from high-temperature Daqu ) and Kroppenstedtia eburnea (from bacterial Daqu )—harbor complementary genetic potential for both esterase and acyltransferase pathways. The results provide a microbial-ecological framework for rational Daqu blending, offering actionable strategies to engineer microbial consortia for flavor-directed liquor innovation.