biostudies-literatureUnknown15Dong WThis study investigated the microbial community in three-color sauce-flavor <i>Daqu</i> (black, yellow, and white) throughout their maturation processes, together with their physicochemical factors, culturable microbes, flavor components, and fermenting vitalities. Results from high-throughput sequencing revealed distinct microbial diversity, with more pronounced variations in bacterial community than in fungal community. Firmicutes and Ascomycota emerged as the most dominant bacterial and fungal phyla, respectively, during maturation. Genus-level analysis identified <i>Kroppenstedia</i>, <i>Virgibacillus</i>, and <i>Bacillus</i> as dominant bacteria in black <i>Daqu</i>, yellow <i>Daqu</i>, and white <i>Daqu</i>, severally, while <i>Thermoascus</i> was shared as the core dominant fungi foFrontiers in microbiology1345772https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10848165biostudies-literatureUnveiling the microbiota of sauce-flavor <i>Daqu</i> and its relationships with flavors and color during maturation.PMC10848165Dong WLiu JZhao SHu YZou MFeng YMa JYang QChen SYu XWang LfalseUnveiling the microbiota of sauce-flavor <i>Daqu</i> and its relationships with flavors and color during maturation.This study investigated the microbial community in three-color sauce-flavor <i>Daqu</i> (black, yellow, and white) throughout their maturation processes, together with their physicochemical factors, culturable microbes, flavor components, and fermenting vitalities. Results from high-throughput sequencing revealed distinct microbial diversity, with more pronounced variations in bacterial community than in fungal community. Firmicutes and Ascomycota emerged as the most dominant bacterial and fungal phyla, respectively, during maturation. Genus-level analysis identified <i>Kroppenstedia</i>, <i>Virgibacillus</i>, and <i>Bacillus</i> as dominant bacteria in black <i>Daqu</i>, yellow <i>Daqu</i>, and white <i>Daqu</i>, severally, while <i>Thermoascus</i> was shared as the core dominant fungi fo2024-01-01T00:00:00Z20242025-04-05T12:25:07.315Z2025-04-05T12:25:07.315ZS-EPMC108481653832843310.3389/fmicb.2024.1345772