Improvement of the quality and flavor profiles of persimmon vinegar by bioaugmented inoculation with Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Wickerhamomyces anomalus

Natural fermentation of persimmon vinegar often results in limited flavor profiles. To address this, a bioaugmentation strategy was employed by co-inoculating two strains of lactic acid bacteria and one aroma-producing yeast. This approach led to progressive increases in the contents of total acid, vitamin C, polypeptide, and polyphenols. Compared to the traditionally fermented control group (TF), the bioaugmented group (BF) exhibited a significant increase of 11.54% in lactic acid content. Additionally, levels of total free amino acids and umami amino acids rose by 18.71% and 27.85%, respectively. HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis showed that the total concentrations of aroma compounds and ester compounds in the BF group increased by 25.19% and 24.42%, respectively. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) identified seven key compounds responsible for flavor differentiation. Sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis further confirmed that bioaugmentation significantly enhanced umami taste, richness, and overall acceptability of the vinegar.