Discovering the effect of co-fermentation involving Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe on the sensory quality improvement of mandarin wine based on metabolites and transcriptomic profiles.

BACKGROUND: Mandarin wine has high added value which can effectively extend the industry chain of mandarin and bring excellent economic performance. However, innovative fermentation methods are urgently needed to improve the typical taste and flavor characteristics of mandarin wine. In this study, the effect and underlying mechanism of co-fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe on the characteristics of mandarin wine was investigated based on an integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses.

RESULTS: Compared to fermentation with only S. cerevisiae, the mandarin wine of co-fermentation with S. cerevisiae and Sc. pombe had a higher pH value, lower content of malic acid, and more abundant free amino acids, resulting in better sensory evaluation scores. The introduction of Sc. pombe extended the stage of alcoholic fermentation and enhanced the richness and diversity of volatile compounds, especially the floral and fruity aroma compounds, including ethyl hexanoate, ethyl caprylate, ethyl enanthate, 1-heptanol, and phenylethyl alcohol. Moreover, the significantly differential metabolites and varying genes were mainly found in pathways of glycolysis, pyruvate metabolism, citrate cycle, and amino acids metabolism.

CONCLUSION: Co-fermentation with S. cerevisiae and Sc. pombe showed more advantages in producing distinctive taste and flavor of mandarin wine compared to fermentation with only S. cerevisiae. This study can spark new strategies of co-fermentation to improve the sensory quality of mandarin wine. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.