The Relationship Between Microbial Community Structure and Quality Formation During Food Fermentation Process

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2025) | Viewed by 3755

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
Interests: food microorganisms; food fermentation; food flavor
School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, China
Interests: food microbiology; fermented food; lactic acid bacteria; biogenic amines; phenols; volatile organic compounds; food authenticity analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food fermentation is a major process in food processing, and many food products can be obtained through this process. Fermentation not only changes the physical properties of the original food material, but it is also an important process for the formation of food qualities such as nutritional composition and flavor. All these qualities ultimately influence the consumers’ choice. The structure of the microbial community during fermentation is the soul of this process, as it determines the course of the fermentation and the quality of the final product. Meanwhile, it is the diversity of the microbial community that determines the diversity of the fermented foods. The interaction between the microflora and food substrates in the fermentation process directly determines the food qualities. On the one hand, this interaction takes place as the microorganisms utilize the food matrix for growth and reproduction and secrete related metabolites to change the quality of the food; on the other hand, the structure and modification of the food matrix have an impact on the microbial community structure, which in turn determines the quality of the fermented food.

The aim of this Special Issue of Foods is to investigate the relationship between the microbial community structure and the product quality following fermentation. Studies investigating the microbial community structure and its changes not only in different food fermentation processes but also in correlation with food substrates are of great interest. In particular, it focuses on scientific issues such as the following: the microbiota and food nutrition; the microbiota and flavor; and the interconnections between different omics studies. This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and reviews on studies that address the above scientific questions or research methodologies. Clear and concisely written manuscripts are highly desirable and appreciated.

Dr. Liang Dong
Dr. Chaofan Ji
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food microorganisms
  • food fermentation
  • substrate interactions with microorganisms
  • food quality
  • food nutrition
  • microbial community structure
  • food flavor
  • omics analysis
  • metabolite analysis

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 4406 KB  
Article
Fermented Plant-Based Milks Based on Chestnut and Soybean: Comprehensive Evaluation of Fermentation Characteristics and Aroma Profiles Using Four Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains
by Qingyang Sun, Xiaowen Shi, Yue Zhao, Ruiguo Cui, Yaya Yao, Xiaoyu Liu, Haoran Wang, Li Zhang and Lijun Song
Foods 2025, 14(14), 2511; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14142511 - 17 Jul 2025
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2387
Abstract
In this study, four lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, including Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CICC21790, Lacticaseibacillus casei CICC6117, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC7469, and Limosilactobacillus fermentum CICC22704, were used to ferment a plant-based milk composed of chestnut and soybean. The fermentative characteristics of the four LAB strains [...] Read more.
In this study, four lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, including Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CICC21790, Lacticaseibacillus casei CICC6117, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC7469, and Limosilactobacillus fermentum CICC22704, were used to ferment a plant-based milk composed of chestnut and soybean. The fermentative characteristics of the four LAB strains and the aroma characteristics of the resulting plant-based milks were systematically investigated. The results showed that all four LAB strains successfully fermented the plant-based milk. The viable cell counts ranged from 7.67 to 8.57 lg CFU mL−1, and pH values were between 3.80 and 4.10. Comprehensive analyses performed using E-nose and HS-GC-IMS revealed distinct aroma characteristics in plant-based milks fermented by different LAB strains. Specifically, LAB fermentation, particularly by the CICC22704, significantly reduced the concentrations of aldehydes (e.g., hexanal, heptanal), thereby diminishing Green aroma characteristics. The increased concentrations of alcohols (e.g., 1-pentanol), ketones (e.g., 2, 3-butanedione) and furan compounds (e.g., 2-pentylfuran) in fermented plant-based milks enhanced Pungent, Creamy, and Fruity aroma characteristics, respectively. Fermentation by CICC21790, ATCC7469, and CICC6117 may result in stronger intensities of these three aroma characteristics compared to fermentation by the CICC22704. For the Fatty aroma characteristic, it was enhanced by CICC21790 fermentation but diminished by ATCC7469, CICC6117, and CICC22704 fermentations. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 1230 KB  
Review
Analysis of Microbial Interactions During the Production of Chinese Ethnic Fermented Foods
by Xinyue Jiang, Xianghao Li, Panpan Song, Yao Dou, Jiayi Xue, Ze Wu, Shuaijun Ma, Wuxuan Wei, Wenjing Zheng, Shaohua Dou and Liang Dong
Foods 2026, 15(3), 489; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030489 - 1 Feb 2026
Viewed by 701
Abstract
Food fermentation is an ancient bioprocess characterized by complex biochemical transformations driven primarily by microbial communities. Across the diverse regions of China, various ethnic groups have developed a rich array of traditional fermented foods through long-term practical experience. These foods are integral to [...] Read more.
Food fermentation is an ancient bioprocess characterized by complex biochemical transformations driven primarily by microbial communities. Across the diverse regions of China, various ethnic groups have developed a rich array of traditional fermented foods through long-term practical experience. These foods are integral to local culinary heritage and provide valuable systems for studying microbial ecology and function. From the perspective of microbial interactions, this review summarizes key concepts and major interaction types—including mutualism, commensalism, and competition—and describes how bacteria, yeasts, and molds interact via metabolic division of labor to drive substrate conversion, flavor formation, preservation, and biosynthesis of functional compounds. Focusing on four representative ethnic fermented foods—Dong fermented fish, Mongoslian milk curd, Miao sour soup, and Manchurian kombucha—we analyze how microbial interactions contribute to product quality, safety, and sensory attributes. Given current challenges in industrializing traditional fermented foods, such as poor standardization and variable quality, we propose future research directions centered on modern microbiome tools, designed microbial consortia, and process optimization. This work aims to provide a scientific foundation and practical strategies for modernization and quality improvement of traditional fermented foods. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop