Changes in flavour characteristics and bacterial diversity during the traditional fermentation of Chinese rice wines from Shaoxing region

• Analysis of bacterial communities and flavor compounds during fermentation.
• Bacterial communities during Chinese rice wine fermentation was studied by 16s rDNA-PCR.
• The bacterial communities change obviously throughout its fermentation.
• Lactobacillus might be related to the formation of the flavoring substances of Chinese rice wine.

As a traditional alcoholic beverage, Chinese rice wine is quite popular for its unique flavor and high nutritional value. In this study, we investigated the changes of flavor compounds in varying stages of fermentation by HS-SPME-GC-MS and HPLC. In addition, 16s rDNA-PCR was utilized to analyze the changes of bacterial communities during fermentation of Chinese rice wine from the Shaoxing region. It was noted that the content of flavor compounds including esters, higher alcohols, amino acids and organic acids was different in varying stages of fermentation. In general, the flavor compounds of Chinese rice wine were mainly produced after pre-fermentation. The results also showed that the bacterial community structures and diversity of Chinese rice wine varied significantly during different fermentation stages, and more than 10 genera of bacteria was detected in Chinese rice wine fermentation broth. Among these specific bacteria identified in the study, Lactobacillus (the predominant genus) and Bacillus might take an active part in flavor development in Chinese rice wine. This implied that these bacteria might play significant contributions on the flavor of Chinese rice wine.