Moderate fermentation contributes to favorable flavor and quality: Insights from full-length 16S rRNA sequencing analysis of different brands of Chouguiyu

Fermented fish products are gaining popularity in Chinese cuisine, with Chouguiyu emerging as a prominent example due to its distinctive flavor and economic value. Despite its growing appeal, the species-level microbial contributions to its quality and flavor remain underexplored. This study analyzed three different brands of Chouguiyu samples (S1, S2, S3), employing species-level microbial profiling to investigate their relationship with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), free amino acids, and other quality indicators. Key findings identified Leuconostoc citreum (S1), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Levilactobacillus brevis (S2), and Hafnia alvei (S3) as dominant strains, each correlating significantly with 17 major flavor compounds, 8 core free amino acids, and differential lipids. Notably, Leuconostoc citreum was associated with the production of Glutamic acid, Alanine, and various alcohols and aldehydes, enhancing product quality. Concurrently, it was observed that excessive fermentation reduced the flavor and quality of the product. These findings offer valuable insights into optimizing fermentation processes to improve the quality of Chouguiyu .