Bacterial community structure of rice wine from China's Xiaogan and Dazhou regions: Correlation with taste characteristics

To investigate the bacterial profiles and taste characteristics of rice wine from the Xiaogan and Dazhou regions, this study employed a combination of High-throughput sequencing, traditional pure culture techniques, and bionics equipment. The findings revealed a significant difference (P < 0.05) in bacterial diversity and community structure between the rice wine from Xiaogan and Dazhou. In particular, Leuconostoc, Lactococcus, Lacticaseibacillus, Exiguobacterium, Gluconobacter, Streptococcus, and Pantoea were significantly enriched in Xiaogan rice wine, Limosilactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Lactobacillus were significantly enriched in Dazhou rice wine. Notably, the most dominant group of bacteria in rice wine was lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and the main culturable isolates were Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Pediococcus pentosaceus. Additionally, the dominant bacterial genera showed a significant correlation with the taste characteristics of rice wine. Limosilactobacillus, Pediococcus, Lactobacillus, and Pseudomonas were positively correlated with the lactic acid, citric acid, pH value, Ala, Ile, and Leu of rice wine. Meanwhile, Exiguobacterium, Lacticaseibacillus, and Streptococcus were positively correlated with the richness of rice wine. This study provides insights into the bacterial diversity and taste characteristics of rice wine from different regions of the Yangtze River Basin and highlights the potential of traditional fermented foods as resources for LAB.