Dynamics of microbial communities of fresh broad bean pods and screening of biological preservatives

This study aimed to determine the dynamics of the microbiome of fresh broad bean pods stored at 10 °C and select targeted and efficient biological preservatives. Culture-dependent 16S rRNA and ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) sequencing combined with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) were used to analyze the microbial diversity. The biological preservatives were chosen by antimicrobial analysis and their effects on maintaining freshness. The bacterial and fungal community richness decreased with prolonged storage. The microbial diversity of samples collected on day 0 was clearly distinct from that of samples collected on day 30. The dominant spoilage bacteria were Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Stenotrophomonas and Flavobacterium and the dominant spoilage fungi Pseudogymnoascus, Cladosporium, and Beauveria. Clove essential oil (0.5%) and β-glucan from naked barley (1%) were selected as targeted and efficient biological preservatives for fresh broad bean pods. The results provide a basis for developing technology to prolong the shelf-life of fresh broad bean pods.