Metagenomic and metabolomic profiling reveals the correlation between the microbiota and flavor compounds and nutrients in fermented sausages

•Diverse Staphylococci are beneficial to the flavor of fermented sausages.•THM-17 and SBM-52 are beneficial to the production amino acids and fatty acids.•P. pentosaceus and S. xylosus are associated with l-anserine, and l-carnosine levels.•P. acidilactici and S. carnosus are associated with indolelactic acid levels.