Analysis of Sourdough's Microbial Community and Flavor Components in Traditional Chinese Steamed Bread

Ziyu Xue; Wei Han; Xuhui Zhuang; Haijiang Miao; Hongjuan Chen; Xiaohong Luo; Xiaomin Li

doi:10.62762/ASFP.2025.520767

Article Information

Published in Agricultural Science and Food Processing

Volume/Issue Volume 2, Issue 2, 2025

Pages 106-115

Cited by 1 (Crossref) 1 (Scopus)

Abstract

This study aims to figure out the structure of the microbial community in traditional sourdough and the different flavor components of Chinese steamed bread(CSB) made with it. The sourdough samples were selected from Shanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces. The microbial community composition of the sourdoughs was analyzed by a culture-dependent method and high-throughput sequencing, and the flavor compounds of the steamed breads were determined by the solid-phase micro extraction (SPME) method coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The results showed that: in the 28 samples collected, the pH ranged from 3.50 to 4.91, and the total titratable acid (TTA) values ranged from 2.50 to 7.80 mL of NaOH (1 M), while the total number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) colonies ranged from 10^4 to 10^7 CFU/mL. Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, and Weissella were the dominant genera, as determined by pyrosequencing. A total of 180 LAB strains were isolated and identified using the 16S rRNA gene; the results indicate that Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Weissella confusa were isolated with a relatively high frequency. By GC/MS, a total of 24 volatile compounds were detected, including hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, acids, etc. Benzeneethanol and benzaldehyde were abundant in all five samples detected, while benzene-propoxyethyl was not detected in the control group.The flavor compounds contained in sourdough fermented CSBs, both in terms of quantity and concentration, are higher than those in yeast-fermented CSBs. This study provides a useful base for further exploring the deep connections between microbial communities and food flavors.

Graphical Abstract

Analysis of Sourdough's Microbial Community and Flavor Components in Traditional Chinese Steamed Bread

Keywords

sourdough Chinese steamed bread microbiota lactic acid bacteria flavor component

Data Availability Statement

Data will be made available on request.

Funding

This work was supported by the Academy of National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration of China under Grant ZX1509 and Grant ZX2454.

Conflicts of Interest

Xiaomin Li is an employee of COFCO Nutrition and Health Institute, Beijing 102209, China.

Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate

Not applicable.

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Xue, Z., Han, W., Zhuang, X., Miao, H., Chen, H., Luo, X., & Li, X. (2025). Analysis of Sourdough’s Microbial Community and Flavor Components in Traditional Chinese Steamed Bread. Agricultural Science and Food Processing, 2(2), 106–115. https://doi.org/10.62762/ASFP.2025.520767

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TY  - JOUR
AU  - Xue, Ziyu
AU  - Han, Wei
AU  - Zhuang, Xuhui
AU  - Miao, Haijiang
AU  - Chen, Hongjuan
AU  - Luo, Xiaohong
AU  - Li, Xiaomin
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/06/30
TI  - Analysis of Sourdough's Microbial Community and Flavor Components in Traditional Chinese Steamed Bread
JO  - Agricultural Science and Food Processing
T2  - Agricultural Science and Food Processing
JF  - Agricultural Science and Food Processing
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
SP  - 106
EP  - 115
DO  - 10.62762/ASFP.2025.520767
UR  - https://www.icck.org/article/abs/ASFP.2025.520767
KW  - sourdough
KW  - Chinese steamed bread
KW  - microbiota
KW  - lactic acid bacteria
KW  - flavor component
AB  - This study aims to figure out the structure of the microbial community in traditional sourdough and the different flavor components of Chinese steamed bread(CSB) made with it. The sourdough samples were selected from Shanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces. The microbial community composition of the sourdoughs was analyzed by a culture-dependent method and high-throughput sequencing, and the flavor compounds of the steamed breads were determined by the solid-phase micro extraction (SPME) method coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The results showed that: in the 28 samples collected, the pH ranged from 3.50 to 4.91, and the total titratable acid (TTA) values ranged from 2.50 to 7.80 mL of NaOH (1 M), while the total number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) colonies ranged from 10^4 to 10^7 CFU/mL. Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, and Weissella were the dominant genera, as determined by pyrosequencing. A total of 180 LAB strains were isolated and identified using the 16S rRNA gene; the results indicate that Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Weissella confusa were isolated with a relatively high frequency. By GC/MS, a total of 24 volatile compounds were detected, including hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, acids, etc. Benzeneethanol and benzaldehyde were abundant in all five samples detected, while benzene-propoxyethyl was not detected in the control group.The flavor compounds contained in sourdough fermented CSBs, both in terms of quantity and concentration, are higher than those in yeast-fermented CSBs. This study provides a useful base for further exploring the deep connections between microbial communities and food flavors.
SN  - 3066-1579
PB  - Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge
LA  - English
ER  -

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@article{Xue2025Analysis,
  author = {Ziyu Xue and Wei Han and Xuhui Zhuang and Haijiang Miao and Hongjuan Chen and Xiaohong Luo and Xiaomin Li},
  title = {Analysis of Sourdough's Microbial Community and Flavor Components in Traditional Chinese Steamed Bread},
  journal = {Agricultural Science and Food Processing},
  year = {2025},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {106-115},
  doi = {10.62762/ASFP.2025.520767},
  url = {https://www.icck.org/article/abs/ASFP.2025.520767},
  abstract = {This study aims to figure out the structure of the microbial community in traditional sourdough and the different flavor components of Chinese steamed bread(CSB) made with it. The sourdough samples were selected from Shanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces. The microbial community composition of the sourdoughs was analyzed by a culture-dependent method and high-throughput sequencing, and the flavor compounds of the steamed breads were determined by the solid-phase micro extraction (SPME) method coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The results showed that: in the 28 samples collected, the pH ranged from 3.50 to 4.91, and the total titratable acid (TTA) values ranged from 2.50 to 7.80 mL of NaOH (1 M), while the total number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) colonies ranged from 10^4 to 10^7 CFU/mL. Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, and Weissella were the dominant genera, as determined by pyrosequencing. A total of 180 LAB strains were isolated and identified using the 16S rRNA gene; the results indicate that Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Weissella confusa were isolated with a relatively high frequency. By GC/MS, a total of 24 volatile compounds were detected, including hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, acids, etc. Benzeneethanol and benzaldehyde were abundant in all five samples detected, while benzene-propoxyethyl was not detected in the control group.The flavor compounds contained in sourdough fermented CSBs, both in terms of quantity and concentration, are higher than those in yeast-fermented CSBs. This study provides a useful base for further exploring the deep connections between microbial communities and food flavors.},
  keywords = {sourdough, Chinese steamed bread, microbiota, lactic acid bacteria, flavor component},
  issn = {3066-1579},
  publisher = {Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge}
}

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