ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Food Microbiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1664794
This article is part of the Research TopicDiversity, Function, and Application of Microbes in the Fermentation or Production of Traditional FoodView all 18 articles
Synthetic Microbial Consortium Enhances Acetoin Production and Functional Quality of Citrus Vinegar via Metabolic and Process Optimization
Provisionally accepted
Yerui Ouyang
Shaoqing ZouPanpan LiuLinfeng XieYiwen XiaoYa WangGuangjie Wu
Jiantao Liu*Bin LiuBoliang GaoDu Zhu- Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, China
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Acetoin (3-hydroxy-2-butanone) is a key flavor compound that enhances the sensory profile of fruit vinegar. In this study, we developed a high-yield acetoin fermentation process using a synthetic microbial combination composed of Lactobacillus plantarum NF2 and Acetobacter pasteurianus NF171 for citrus vinegar production. By screening compatible strains and optimizing fermentation parameters, the co-culture system significantly improved acetoin synthesis compared to single-strain fermentations. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the consortium facilitated acetoin production by downregulating NADH metabolic flux and upregulating transcription of the α-acetyllactate synthase gene. Under optimized conditions-including 3% inoculum size, 120 rpm agitation, 33 °C temperature, and 20 g/L sugar supplementation-the acetoin concentration reached 4,033.72 ± 64.48 mg/L, representing an eight-fold increase over monoculture conditions. In addition to flavor enhancement, the process also enriched the vinegar with functional components, including acetic acid (57.91 ± 0.82 g/L), phenolic acids (such as chlorogenic and ferulic acids), and flavonoids (such as rutinarin and nobiletin). These compounds contribute to both product stability and potential health benefits. This study provides a practical and scalable strategy for enhancing acetoin biosynthesis and improving the quality of functional fruit vinegar through rational design of microbial consortia and process engineering.
Keywords: Acetoin biosynthesis, Microbial combination, Lactobacillus plantarum, Acetobacter pasteurianus, transcriptome analysis, Fruit vinegar, Co-culture fermentation, Functional metabolites
Received: 12 Jul 2025; Accepted: 30 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ouyang, Zou, Liu, Xie, Xiao, Wang, Wu, Liu, Liu, Gao and Zhu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jiantao Liu, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, China
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