Correlation between Microorganisms and Volatile Flavor Compounds Stage of Chopped Pepper with Ginger Shreds during Post-Ripening

The microbial community structure and volatile flavor compounds in chopped pepper with ginger shreds at the post-ripening stage were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing and headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), respectively, and the relationship between them was analyzed multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were identified as the dominant bacterial phyla, and Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes as the dominant fungal phyla. At the genus level, nine core bacterial genera and 11 core fungal genera were identified. The major bacterial genera identified were Ralstonia, Acinetobacter and Enterobacter, and the major fungal genera identified were Colletotrichum, Penicillium and Fusarium. A total of 87 volatile compounds were identified, including 15 hydrocarbons, 10 acids, 28 alcohols, 3 aldehydes, 11 esters, 5 ketones, 5 phenols, 3 ethers, 2 terpenes and 5 other compounds. Based on Pearson’s correlation coefficient, the correlation between 36 differential volatile flavor substances (P < 0.05, variable importance in the projection (VIP) value greater than 1) and dominant microorganisms was analyzed. It was found that the changes of many flavor substances were significantly correlated with the genera Debaryomyces, Enterobacter and Erwinia. This study will provide data support for improving the quality of chopped pepper with shredded ginger.