Unraveling the flavor formation mechanism of fermented Ciba pepper driven by Lactiplantibacillus inoculation: A multi-omics approach

To address the excessive pungency and limited flavor complexity of Ciba pepper, this work combined several omics techniques to evaluate the impact of inoculated fermentation (IF). Compared with unfermented (UF) and naturally fermented (NF) samples, inoculated fermentation markedly accelerated acidification and reshaped the microbial community by promoting the rapid dominance of Lactiplantibacillus, thereby improving process controllability. At the metabolic level, IF developed a typical fermentation aroma profile, enriched in ethyl lactate and acetoin, imparting mellow fruity and creamy notes. Non-volatile profiling revealed a clear substrate-to-product conversion, with IF characterized by the accumulation of lactate, acetoin, and bioactive GABA alongside reduced sugars and branched-chain amino acids. Integrated network analysis further elucidated that the inoculated Lactiplantibacillus may remodel central carbon metabolism to support acidification and aroma biosynthesis while coupling amino acid turnover to ester formation. Overall, this inoculation strategy could enhance microbial stability and gives rise to a gentler and complex flavor profile.