biostudies-literatureChen YYuanliang Hu1324https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12561397biostudies-literatureUnknown14(10)Sauce-flavor Daqu is the solid-state fermentation starter for sauce-flavor Baijiu. Its microbial community influences flavor formation, yet links between community change, process conditions, and flavor development during high-temperature fermentation remain unclear. We investigated Daqu fermentation by integrating high-throughput sequencing, monitoring of physicochemical parameters, and analysis of volatile compounds. Fermentation temperature showed three phases: rapid rise, fluctuating plateau, and gradual decline. High temperatures were associated with increased thermophilic microbes such as <i>Bacillus</i> and <i>Thermoascus</i> and with higher levels of reducing sugars and amino acid nitrogen; amylase, protease, and other hydrolase activities were detected. Bacterial composition varieBiologyMicrobial, Physicochemical, and Flavor Interactions in High-Temperature Sauce-Flavor &lt;i&gt;Daqu&lt;/i&gt;.PMC125613972024BSB020T20220282022BCE006Dong WLiu JZou LHu YZhang YFeng YChen YChen SYu XWang LfalseMicrobial, Physicochemical, and Flavor Interactions in High-Temperature Sauce-Flavor &lt;i&gt;Daqu&lt;/i&gt;.Sauce-flavor Daqu is the solid-state fermentation starter for sauce-flavor Baijiu. Its microbial community influences flavor formation, yet links between community change, process conditions, and flavor development during high-temperature fermentation remain unclear. We investigated Daqu fermentation by integrating high-throughput sequencing, monitoring of physicochemical parameters, and analysis of volatile compounds. Fermentation temperature showed three phases: rapid rise, fluctuating plateau, and gradual decline. High temperatures were associated with increased thermophilic microbes such as <i>Bacillus</i> and <i>Thermoascus</i> and with higher levels of reducing sugars and amino acid nitrogen; amylase, protease, and other hydrolase activities were detected. Bacterial composition varie2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Sep2026-05-15T03:19:19.952Z2026-05-15T03:12:37.642ZS-EPMC125613974115472710.3390/biology14101324