HS-SPME-GC x GC/MS combined with multivariate statistics analysis to investigate the flavor formation mechanism of tank-fermented broad bean paste

With the advancement of industrialization, tank fermentation technology is promising for Pixian broad bean paste. This study identified and analyzed the general physicochemical factors and volatile metabolites of fer-mented broad beans in a thermostatic fermenter. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME)-two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC x GC-MS) was applied to detect the volatile com-pounds in fermented broad beans, while metabolomics was used to explore their physicochemical characteristics and analyze the possible metabolic mechanism. A total of 184 different metabolites were detected, including 36 alcohols, 29 aldehydes, 26 esters, 21 ketones, 14 acids, 14 aromatic compounds, ten heterocycles, nine phenols, nine organonitrogen compounds, seven hydrocarbons, two ethers, and seven other types, which were annotated to various branch metabolic pathways of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. This study provides refer-ences for subsequent functional microorganism mining to improve the quality of the tank-fermented broad beans and upgrade the Pixian broad bean paste industry.

Automated summary

With the use of a thermostatic fermenter, this study identified and analyzed the physicochemical factors and volatile metabolites of fermented broad beans. Through the application of HS-SPME-GC x GC-MS, the volatile compounds in fermented broad beans were detected, and metabolomics was used to explore the physicochemical characteristics and analyze possible metabolic mechanisms. A total of 184 different metabolites were detected, and they were annotated to various metabolic pathways of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. This study provides references for improving the quality of tank-fermented broad beans and upgrading the Pixian broad bean paste industry.