Research Progress on Microorganisms and Flavor Compounds in Sour Soup and Their Interrelationships

Abstract:

Sour soup is a distinctive food in Guizhou Province, which is fermented mainly with tomatoes, chili peppers or rice as the primary raw materials. Sour soup possesses the functions of flavor adjustment, aroma enhancement and food texture improvement, and is frequently utilized as a condiment or the base material for hot pot. The production of sour soup is dominated by natural fermentation, where the microorganisms mainly originate from those carried on the surface of the raw materials. During the fermentation process, variations in oxygen, pH and nutrients will influence the dominant microbial flora. The growth and metabolic activities of the dominant microbial flora transform or synthesize the flavor substances of sour soup. The author has reviewed the current relevant research on the microorganisms in sour soup and their connection with flavor substances, elucidating the changes of microorganisms during the sour soup fermentation process and their impact on flavor, with the aim of providing references for the research and application of microorganisms and flavors in sour soup.