Aroma-sensory properties of Gouda cheeses based on young Chinese consumers' preferences.

The objective of this study was to examine the aroma profiles of 12 Gouda cheeses sold in China and to determine which aromas were preferred by young Chinese consumers (n = 110). The consumers selected 11 descriptors of the aromas of the Gouda cheeses in a check-all-that-apply questionnaire. These 11 descriptors were used by a panel of experts for sensory analysis to perform a quantitative descriptive analysis of the cheeses. A principal component analysis of the data from the quantitative descriptive analysis revealed that the characteristic aromas of young Gouda cheeses, medium-aged Gouda cheeses, and aged Gouda cheeses were "milky" and "whey"; "creamy" and "sour"; and "rancid" and "nutty," respectively. The results of a penalty analysis combined with the check-all-that-apply results and the preference scores showed that the 3 groups of young Chinese consumers (those who often ate cheese, occasionally ate cheese, and never ate cheese) preferred the Gouda cheeses with "milky" or "creamy" aromas and did not enjoy those with "sour" or "rancid" aromas. Occasional cheese eaters comprised the majority of the young Chinese consumers, and they were more tolerant of the Gouda cheeses with "whey" and "sulfury" aromas than those who often or never ate cheese. In addition, we identified a positive correlation between the consumers' preferences for the aromas of the Gouda cheeses and their willingness to pay for them. Overall, the results of this study should help promote the development of Gouda cheeses and associated products that meet the preferences of young Chinese consumers.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the flavor production mechanism in yogurt by traditional starter strains.

The synergistic fermentation of milk by Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus is one of the key factors that determines the quality of yogurt. In this study, the mechanism whereby yogurt flavor compounds are produced by a mixture of S. thermophilus SIT-20.S and L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus SIT-17.B were investigated by examining the flavor production, growth, and gene transcription of these strains. The results showed that yogurt produced by a 10:1 mixture of the aforementioned strains had the highest abundance of acetoin, whereas yogurt produced by a 1:1 mixture had the highest abundance of diacetyl and acetaldehyde. In addition, the growth of S. thermophilus SIT-20.S was enhanced in the 10:1 mixture. Transcriptomic analysis revealed differentially expressed genes in the flavor-compound-related pathways of S. thermophilus SIT-20.S and L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus SIT-17.B in yogurts produced by 10:1 and 1:1 mixtures compared with those produced by either strain alone. Mixed fermentations regulated the expression of genes related to glycolysis, resulting in an increase of pyruvate, which is an important precursor for diacetyl and acetoin synthesis. The gene encoding the acetoin reductase (SIT-20S_orf01454) was decreased in S. thermophilus SIT-20.S, which ensured the accumulation of acetoin. In addition, the gene encoding the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (SIT-20S_orf00949) was upregulated in S. thermophilus SIT-20.S, and the expression of alcohol dehydrogenase (SIT-20S_orf01479; SIT-17B_orf00943) was downregulated in both strains, maintaining the abundance of acetaldehyde. In addition, the gene encoding the NADH oxidase (SIT-17B_orf00860) in L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus SIT-17.B were upregulated, which promoted the accumulation of diacetyl and acetoin. Overall, we characterized the mechanism by which S. thermophilus and L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus synergistically generated yogurt flavor compounds during their production of yogurt and highlighted the importance of appropriate proportions of fermentation starters for improving the flavor of yogurts.

Investigation of the interaction between lactones and ketones in a Cheddar cheese matrix using Feller's additive model, σ-τ plots, U-models, and aroma addition experiments.

The objective of this study was to examine the sensory interactions between lactones and ketones in a Cheddar simulation matrix through perceptual interaction analysis. The olfactory thresholds of 6 key lactones had values ranging from 8.32 to 58.88 µg/kg, whereas those of the 4 key ketones ranged from 6.61 to 660.69 µg/kg. Both Feller's additive model and σ-τ plots demonstrated complex interactions in 24 binary mixtures composed of the 6 lactones and 4 ketones, including synergy, addition, and masking effects. Specifically, we found that 6 binary mixtures exhibited aroma synergistic effects using both methods. Moreover, the σ-τ plot showed a synergistic effect of aroma in 3 ternary mixtures. The U-model further confirmed the synergistic effects of the 6 groups of binary systems and 3 groups of ternary systems on aroma at actual cheese concentrations. In an aroma addition experiment, the combination of δ-octalactone and diacetyl in binary mixtures had the most pronounced effect on enhancing milk flavor. In ternary mixtures, 2 combinations, namely δ-octalactone/δ-dodecalactone/diacetyl and γ-dodecalactone/δ-dodecalactone/acetoin, significantly enhanced the milky and sweet aroma properties of cheese, while also enhancing the overall acceptability of the cheese aroma.

Regulation of the pleiotropic transcriptional regulator CodY on the conversion of branched-chain amino acids into branched-chain aldehydes in Lactococcus lactis.

IMPORTANCE: Branched-chain aldehydes are the primary compounds that contribute to the nutty flavor in cheddar cheese. Lactococcus lactis, which is often applied as primary starter culture, is a significant contributor to the nutty flavor of cheddar cheese due to its ability of conversion of BCAAs into branched-chain aldehydes. In the present study, we found that the regulatory role of CodY is crucial for the conversion. CodY acts as a pleiotropic transcriptional regulator via binding to various regulatory regions of key genes. The results presented valuable knowledge into the role of CodY on the regulation and biosynthetic pathway of branched-chain amino acids and the related aldehydes. Furthermore, it provided new insight for increasing the nutty flavor produced during the manufacture and ripening of cheese.

Dynamics of microbial communities associated with flavor formation during sour juice fermentation and the milk fan drying process.

Milk fan is an acid-curd cheese with strong national characteristics (a traditional dairy product of the Bai nationality with a shape like a piece of paper) and a long history in Yunnan province, China. In our previous study, we characterized the microbial community diversity of milk fan, but the succession of microorganisms associated with flavor formation in milk fan is still unknown. Therefore, we examined the predominant microorganisms and their correlations with the formation of flavor in the fermentation of sour juice and drying of milk fan by gas chromatography mass spectrometry, high-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing, intergenic spacer sequencing and metatranscriptome analysis. We found that the relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Issatchenkia initially decreased and then increased with time during the fermentation of sour juice. However, the relative abundances of Acetobacter, Leuconostoc, Lactococcus, Geotrichum, and Dipodascus initially increased and then decreased. During the drying step, the relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Issatchenkia continuously increased and became the dominant microorganisms in the milk fan. The metatranscriptomes generated from the milk fan showed that "carbohydrate metabolism," "translation," and "signal transduction" were the main metabolic functions of the microbial communities. Rhodotorula and Yarrowia contained more differentially expressed genes than other genera, which indicated they may be associated with the production of the characteristic flavor. Furthermore, a Pearson correlation analysis showed that Lactococcus, Rhodotorula, Candida, Cutaneotrichosporon, and Yarrowia were significantly positively correlated with more aroma-active compounds, mainly ethyl acetate, 2-heptanone, isovaleraldehyde, butyric acid, nonanal, and hexanal. In conclusion, these findings contribute to a better understanding of the flavor production mechanism during the production of milk fan.

Simultaneous detection for adulterations of maltodextrin, sodium carbonate, and whey in raw milk using Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics.

To achieve rapid on-site identification of raw milk adulteration and simultaneously quantify the levels of various adulterants, we combined Raman spectroscopy with chemometrics to detect 3 of the most common adulterants. Raw milk was artificially adulterated with maltodextrin (0.5-15.0%; wt/wt), sodium carbonate (10-100 mg/kg), or whey (1.0-20.0%; wt/wt). Partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) classification and a partial least square (PLS) regression model were established using Raman spectra of 144 samples, among which 108 samples were used for training and 36 were used for validation. A model with excellent performance was obtained by spectral preprocessing with first derivative, and variable selection optimization with variable importance in the projection. The classification accuracy of the PLS-DA model was 95.83% for maltodextrin, 100% for sodium carbonate, 95.84% for whey, and 92.25% for pure raw milk. The PLS model had a detection limit of 1.46% for maltodextrin, 4.38 mg/kg for sodium carbonate, and 2.64% for whey. These results suggested that Raman spectroscopy combined with PLS-DA and PLS model can rapidly and efficiently detect adulterants of maltodextrin, sodium carbonate, and whey in raw milk.

Effect of alsD deletion and overexpression of nox and alsS on diacetyl and acetoin production by Lacticaseibacillus casei during milk fermentation.

Diacetyl and acetoin are key aroma components of fermented milk but are produced in low concentrations by starter cultures. In this study, we expressed NADH oxidase, acetolactate synthase, and inactivated acetolactate decarboxylase in Lacticaseibacillus casei TCS to generate recombinant L. casei strains, and investigated the effects of the genes encoding these enzymes on diacetyl and acetoin production during milk fermentation. In the single-gene recombinant strains tested, diacetyl concentrations were highest in milk fermented by L. casei TCSI-nox (nox gene overexpressed, 3.68 mg/kg), whereas acetoin concentrations were highest in milk fermented by L. casei TCS-ΔalsD (alsD gene deleted, 32.94 mg/kg). Moreover, diacetyl and acetoin concentrations were higher in the inducible strains than in the corresponding constitutive strains (e.g., TCSI-nox vs. TCSC-nox, and TCSI-ΔalsD-nox vs. TCSC-ΔalsD-nox). This phenomenon was also reflected in the protein expression levels and enzyme activities. In the double-gene recombinant strains tested, the highest concentrations of diacetyl and acetoin were produced by L. casei TCSI-ΔalsD-nox (nox overexpressed and alsD deleted, 4.66 mg/kg, 69.62 mg/kg, respectively). The triple-gene recombinant L. casei TCS-ΔalsD-nox-alsS produced the highest concentrations of diacetyl and acetoin, which were 2.38 and 11.19 times, respectively, the concentrations produced by the original strain. These results show that the nox, alsS, and alsD genes make key contributions to the biosynthesis of diacetyl and acetoin by L. casei. The modification of multiple genes had a synergistic effect, leading to greatly increased synthesis of diacetyl and acetoin by L. casei during its fermentation of milk.

Characterization of metabolic pathways for biosynthesis of the flavor compound 3-methylbutanal by Lactococcus lactis.

3-Methylbutanal is a key volatile compound that imparts a nutty flavor to Cheddar cheese. Lactococcus lactis has been successfully applied as a starter to increase the level of 3-methylbutanal produced during the ripening of cheese. However, the mechanism of action and genetic diversity of this bacterium for 3-methylbutanal biosynthesis remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the association between the L. lactis genotype and phenotype in the biosynthesis of 3-methylbutanal via both direct and indirect pathways. Fourteen strains of L. lactis were screened for the capacity to produce 3-methylbutanal, and strain 408 (>140 µM) produced the highest among all tested strains, which exhibited both α-keto acid decarboxylase and α-ketoacid dehydrogenase activities. Furthermore, the results of a sodium meta-arsenite inhibition experiment showed that the 3-methylbutanal-producing capacities of each strain declined to various degrees. The kdcA gene, which encodes the direct pathway component α-ketoacid decarboxylase, was detected in 4 of the 14 strains, of which only strain 408 contained the full-length gene. We then characterized the genes associated with the indirect pathway by detecting the expression levels of the pdh gene cluster, ack, and pta, which were expressed at relatively higher levels in a high-yield strain than in a low-yield strain. As a result, these L. lactis strains were divided into 3 categories according to gene diversity, gene expression, and 3-methylbutanal production. The results of this study refine our knowledge of the genetic determinants of 3-methylbutanal biosynthesis in L. lactis and explain the effect of both synthesis pathways on 3-methylbutanal production.

Isolation, identification and sensory evaluation of kokumi peptides from by-products of enzyme-modified butter.

BACKGROUND: Enzyme-modified butter is used as a common raw material to obtain a natural milk flavor. Butter protein is a by-product in butter processing that can be used as substrate to produce taste-active peptides, which can create additional value and new application opportunities, making the method more environmentally friendly. RESULTS: Putative kokumi peptides from hydrolysates of protein by-products were isolated by gel filtration chromatography and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The isolated peptide fraction with the most pronounced kokumi taste was screened by sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis. Eleven peptides were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Six peptides were synthesized to verify their taste characteristics. Five synthetic peptides (FTKK, CKEVVRNANE, EELNVPG, VPNSAEER and YPVEPFTER) showed different intensity levels of kokumi taste. Of these peptides, the decapeptide CKEVVRNANE had the highest kokumi intensity. CONCLUSION: The newly identified kokumi peptides increased the kokumi taste intensity and showed some synergistic effect with umami taste. Both termini of the peptides seem to play an important role in taste characteristic. Glu residue at both termini can increase the kokumi taste intensity. This work indicated that it was feasible to produce kokumi peptides by enzymatic hydrolysis of the protein by-products of butter. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of CcpA against salt stress in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as assessed by comparative transcriptional analysis.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is frequently exposed to salt stress during industrial applications. Catabolite control protein (CcpA) controls the transcription of many genes, but its role in the response to salt stress remains unclear. In this study, we used transcriptome analyses to investigate differences in the logarithmic growth phases of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ST-III and its ccpA-knockout mutant when grown with or without salt and glycine betaine (GB). The deletion of ccpA significantly affected bacterial growth under different conditions. Among the comparisons, the highest proportion of differentially expressed genes (64%) was observed in the comparison between the wild-type and ccpA mutant grown with NaCl, whereas the lowest proportion (6%) was observed in the comparison between the ccpA mutant strain cultures grown with NaCl alone or with GB together. Transcriptomic analyses showed that CcpA could regulate GB uptake, activate iron uptake, produce acetyl-CoA, and affect fatty acid composition to maintain membrane lipid homeostasis in the adaptation of high-salinity conditions. Conclusively, these results demonstrate the importance of CcpA as a master regulator of these processes in response to salt stress, and provide new insights into the complex regulatory network of lactic acid bacteria. KEY POINTS: • The absence of CcpA significantly affected growth of L. plantarum and its response to salt stress. • CcpA regulates compatible solutes absorption and ions transport to resist salt stress. • CcpA alters fatty acids composition to maintain membrane lipid homeostasis towards salt stress.

The diversity of microbial communities in Chinese milk fan and their effects on volatile organic compound profiles.

Milk fan is a cheese-like fermented milk product produced in Yunnan Province, China. In this study, we characterized the microbial communities of milk fan from 6 distinct geographical origins and investigated their generation of volatile organic compounds (VOC). The microbial communities found in all milk fan samples were dominated by Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, and Raoultella bacteria and Rhodotorula, Torulaspora, and Candida fungi. Samples from the Kunming and Weishan regions had greater bacterial richness, and samples from Xizhou had greater fungal community richness. Sixty prominent VOC (i.e., those having odor activity values ≥1), including esters, acids, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and aromatic compounds, were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of milk fan samples. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that Lactobacillus, Rhodotorula, Lodderomyces, and Debaryomyces had significant correlations with various VOC, revealing a total of 13 compounds that are characteristic of the odor of milk fan. These bacteria and fungi are therefore identified as functional microorganisms that collectively create the complex VOC profile of milk fan. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the microbial community of milk fan and demonstrates its contribution to the unique aroma profile of this fermented milk product.

The local transcriptional regulators SacR1 and SacR2 act as repressors of fructooligosaccharides metabolism in Lactobacillus plantarum.

BACKGROUND: In Lactobacillus plantarum, fructooligosaccharides (FOS) metabolism is controlled by both global and local regulatory mechanisms. Although catabolite control protein A has been identified as a global regulator of FOS metabolism, the functions of local regulators remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the roles of two local regulators, SacR1 and SacR2, in the regulation of FOS metabolism in L. plantarum both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: The inactivation of sacR1 and sacR2 affected the growth and production of metabolites for strains grown on FOS or glucose, respectively. A reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis of one wild-type and two mutant strains (ΔsacR1 and ΔsacR2) of L. plantarum identified SacR1 and SacR2 as repressors of genes relevant to FOS metabolism in the absence of FOS, and these genes could be induced or derepressed by the addition of FOS. The analysis predicted four potential transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) in the putative promoter regions of two FOS-related clusters. The binding of SacR1 and SacR2 to these TFBSs both in vitro and in vivo was verified using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation, respectively. A consensus sequence of WNNNNNAACGNNTTNNNNNW was deduced for the TFBSs of SacR1 and SacR2. CONCLUSION: Our results identified SacR1 and SacR2 as local repressors for FOS metabolism in L. plantarum. The regulation is achieved by the binding of SacR1 and SacR2 to TFBSs in the promoter regions of FOS-related clusters. The results provide new insights into the complex network regulating oligosaccharide metabolism by lactic acid bacteria.

Metagenomic analysis reveals the impact of JIUYAO microbial diversity on fermentation and the volatile profile of Shaoxing-jiu.

This study focused on the microbial communities found in JIUYAO, the fermentation starter traditionally used in Shaoxing-jiu, and elucidated their relationship with the fermentation activities and volatile compounds involved in winemaking. The microbial communities found in all JIUYAO samples tested were dominated by Pediococcus and Weissella bacteria and Saccharomycopsis and Rhizopus fungi. Saccharifying power showed significant positive correlations with the presence of Pedioccoccus, Saccharomycopsis, and Rhizopus, whereas acid production capacity was strongly associated with Pedioccoccus, Weissella, and Rhizopus. Alcohol production capacity positively correlated with the presence of Pedioccoccus and Rhizopus. Fifteen important volatile compounds (odor-activity values ≥ 1) including esters, alcohols, acids, and aldehydes were identified in Huangjiu samples fermented with JIUYAO. Positive correlations were found between Saccharomycopsis and phenylethanol/ethyl butyrate, Rhizopus and ethyl propionate/ethyl laurate/ethyl butyrate, Pedioccoccus and ethyl laurate/acetic acid, and Weissella and decanoic acid/isopentanol. These results imply that these microorganisms significantly contribute to the fermentation activities and flavor of Shaoxing-jiu. Finally, the results showed that a combination of five core microbes with Saccharomyces cerevisiae could be used as a starter in winemaking. To conclude, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the core microbes found in JIUYAO and strategies for the selection of beneficial microorganisms to improve the quality and flavor of Shaoxing-jiu.

Evaluation of the synergistic olfactory effects of diacetyl, acetaldehyde, and acetoin in a yogurt matrix using odor threshold, aroma intensity, and electronic nose analyses.

Despite intensive analyses of yogurt flavor, the synergistic effects of the key aroma compounds on sensory responses and their optimum concentration ranges remain less well-documented. This study investigated the odor thresholds, optimum concentration ranges, and perceptual actions of diacetyl, acetaldehyde, and acetoin in a yogurt matrix. Our results show that the odor thresholds of diacetyl, acetaldehyde, and acetoin in the yogurt matrix were 5.43, 15.4, and 29.0 mg/L, respectively, which were significantly higher than the corresponding values in water. The optimum diacetyl, acetaldehyde, and acetoin concentration ranges were found to be 6.65 to 9.12, 25.9 to 35.5, and 37.3 to 49.9 mg/L, respectively. In Feller's additive model, the addition of each compound led to a significant reduction in their odor threshold in the yogurt matrix, thus demonstrating the synergistic effects of the compounds. In the σ-τ plot, various concentrations of compounds were associated with various degrees of additive behavior with respect to the aroma intensity of the yogurt matrix, thus demonstrating the synergism among these compounds in increasing the overall aroma intensity. The optimal simultaneous concentration ratio of diacetyl:acetaldehyde:acetoin was determined to be 4.00:16.0:32.0 mg/L. The specific synergistic effects were also confirmed by an electronic nose analysis and aroma profile comparison. In summary, these 3 aroma compounds exhibited synergistic effects in a yogurt matrix, thus providing a theoretical basis for the enhancement of flavors in dairy products.

Evaluation of the perceptual interaction among key aroma compounds in milk fan by gas chromatography-olfactometry, odor threshold, and sensory analyses.

To evaluate the perceptual interactions among key aroma compounds found in milk fan, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, octanoic acid, octanal, nonanal, 2-nonanone, and ethyl hexanoate were analyzed by threshold values, aroma addition experiments (subthreshold), Feller's additive model (threshold), and σ-τ diagrams (threshold and superthreshold) at various concentrations. Aroma addition experiments highlighted that 7 key aroma compounds had significant effects on the aroma intensity of the sensory attributes of milk fan at the concentrations measured in a milk fan sample, and they might have synergistic effects with other compounds. The components of the 7 aroma compounds in binary mixtures showed synergistic effects from 21 binary mixtures by Feller's additive model. The components of 9 mixtures showed synergistic effects in the superadditive region (σ > 1.05), and 3 mixtures showed additive effects in the additive region (0.95 < σ < 1.05) of the σ-τ diagrams for all 168 binary mixtures. The results showed that perceptual interactions among the key aroma compounds in milk fan vary with different concentrations and threshold ratios. These results are helpful for further understanding the aroma of milk fan and improving the quality of its aroma.

Evaluation of the Perceptual Interactions among Aldehydes in a Cheddar Cheese Matrix According to Odor Threshold and Aroma Intensity.

To evaluate the contributions of 3-methylbutanal, 2-methylbutanal, 2-methylpropanal, and benzaldehyde in cheddar cheese models, the threshold values, optimal concentration ranges, and perceptual actions of these compounds were determined at various concentrations. The thresholds for 3-methylbutanal, 2-methylbutanal, 2-methylpropanal, and benzaldehyde in the cheese matrix were 150.31, 175.39, 150.66, and 500.21 µg/kg, respectively, which were significantly higher than the corresponding values in water. The optimal concentration ranges of these aldehydes were determined as 150-300, 175-325, 150-350, and 500-1500 µg/kg, respectively. Based on the results of the threshold method and Feller's model, five binary mixtures were found to have synergistic effects, and only the pair of 2-methylpropanal and benzaldehyde was determined to have a masking effect. In addition, the synergistic olfactory effects between the four ternary mixtures and the quaternary mixture of these aldehydes were also assesSsed using Feller's model. In a σ-τ plot analysis, synergism was usually observed when these odor pairs were at their threshold levels. In summary, the results suggested that perceptual interactions among these aldehydes exist in a cheese model variably with different concentrations and threshold ratios. This study will be helpful to a further understanding of the nutty aroma and improving the aroma quality of cheddar cheese.

Flavoromics approach to identifying the key aroma compounds in traditional Chinese milk fan.

To determine the key aroma compounds in Chinese milk fan cheese, samples from 6 of the most popular handmade milk fan workshops in Yunnan province of China were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O), sensory evaluation, aroma recombination and omission experiments. Seventy-one aroma compounds were identified by GC-MS, and 31 odor-active compounds were detected by GC-O. The relationships between the 31 odor-active compounds and 10 sensory evaluation properties were explored by partial least squares discriminant analysis. The results identified 23 initial key aroma compounds, which were used to simulate the aroma profile of milk fan in aroma recombination experiments. Aroma omission experiments identified propanoic acid, butanoic acid, octanoic acid, octanal, nonanal, 2-nonanone, and ethyl hexanoate as the key aroma compounds. Propanoic acid and butanoic acid contributed to cheese and rancid aromas, octanal and nonanal to the fat aroma, octanoic acid and 2-nonanone to the cheese aroma, and ethyl hexanoate to the fruity aroma of milk fan.

Characterization of the volatile profile of Chinese rice wine by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Chinese rice wine (CRW) is a kind of traditional fermentation wine in China. Aged CRW is more popular among consumers owing to its harmonious and pleasant flavor. The volatile profile of CRW has been extensively studied using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). However, flavor components in CRW are far richer than those detected by GC/MS. To obtain more information about the volatile profile of fresh (5-year) and aged (10-year) CRW, a method based on comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC×GC/qMS) was developed. The major volatile compounds contributing to the characteristic aroma of fresh and aged CRW were identified by surrogate odor activity value (OAV). RESULTS: Ninety-eight volatile compounds were detected in the 5-year CRW samples and 107 in the 10-year samples by GC×GC/qMS. The numbers of compounds detected by GC×GC/qMS for the 5-year and 10-year samples were 71.4 and 65.4% higher than those detected by GC/MS. The aged wine had a more complex volatile profile than the fresh wine, with an increase in esters and aldehydes and a decrease in alcohols and organic acids. There were 22 volatile compounds with surrogate OAV > 1. Nine were the potent key aroma compounds in CRW: ethyl isovalerate (OAV 500-33 500), ethyl butyrate (OAV 84-334), ethyl isobutyrate (OAV 49-170), 2-nonenal (OAV 20-100), ethyl heptanoate (OAV 1-74), ethyl hexanoate (OAV 60-77), phenylethyl alcohol (OAV 2-18), benzaldehyde (OAV 28-30) and hexanal (OAV 4-11). CONCLUSION: GC×GC/qMS showed better separation than GC/MS. The presented GC×GC/qMS method was suitable for characterization of the volatile profile of CRW. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Functional analysis of the role of CcpA in Lactobacillus plantarum grown on fructooligosaccharides or glucose: a transcriptomic perspective.

BACKGROUND: The catabolite control protein A (CcpA) is a master regulator of many important cellular processes in Gram-positive bacteria. In Lactobacillus plantarum, CcpA directly or indirectly controls the transcription of a large number of genes that are involved in carbohydrate metabolism, aerobic and anaerobic growth, stress response and metabolite production, but its role in response to different carbon sources remains unclear. RESULTS: Here a combined transcriptomic and physiological approach was used to survey the global alterations that occurred during the logarithmic growth phase of wild-type and ccpA mutant strains of L. plantarum ST-III using fructooligosaccharides (FOS) or glucose as the sole carbon source. The inactivation of ccpA significantly affected the growth and production of metabolites under both carbon sources. About 15% of the total genes were significantly altered between wild-type and ccpA strains grown on glucose and the value is deceased to 12% when these two strains were compared on FOS, while only 7% were obviously changed due to the loss of CcpA when comparing strains grown on glucose and FOS. Although most of the differentially expressed genes mediated by CcpA are glucose dependent, FOS can also induce carbon catabolite repression (CCR) through the CcpA pathway. Moreover, the inactivation of ccpA led to a transformation from homolactic fermentation to mixed fermentation under aerobic conditions. CcpA can control genes directly by binding in the regulatory region of the target genes (mixed fermentation), indirectly through local regulators (fatty acid biosynthesis), or have a double effect via direct and indirect regulation (FOS metabolism). CONCLUSION: Overall, our results show that CcpA plays a central role in response to carbon source and availability of L. plantarum and provide new insights into the complex and extended regulatory network of lactic acid bacteria.