Characterization of microbial community and yeast functional traits in Apocynum venetum honey from Xinjiang

<i>Apocynum venetum</i> honey, a nutrient-rich product of natural fermentation, exhibits antimicrobial properties due to its low water activity and high sugar content. This study utilized four groups of Xinjiang <i>A. venetum</i> honey, with three biological replicates per group for amplicon sequencing and three technical replicates via gradient dilution for yeast isolation to isolate yeasts using various culture-dependent methods and to analyze microbial diversity and composition through culture-independent techniques. Yeast strains were identified using 26S rDNA sequencing, and their characteristics such as growth, production of ester, ethanol, and H₂S, as well as tolerance levels (ethanol, pH, glucose, SO₂), were compared to the commercial brewer's yeast <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> EC-1118. The culture-independent analysis revealed significant variations in bacterial richness and fungal diversity among different habitats. No bacterial or fungal species were found to be shared across the habitats with distinct group-specific compositions observed at phylum, class, and genus levels. The culture-dependent methods led to the isolation of 337 strains, of which 33 were yeasts belonging to four main species, representing 22.85% of the total isolates. Among these, EC-1118 demonstrated superior ethanol production and tolerance, while specific strains exhibited notable ester, H₂S and sugar fermentation capabilities. This integrated approach provides valuable insights into yeast characteristics and microbial community structure in <i>A. venetum</i> honey, offering a basis for targeted strain selection, fermentation optimization, and efficient utilization of microbial resource in the food industry.