From mud pits to steel tanks: Microbial succession and targeted Management of Synthetic Microbiota in baijiu brewing.

Abstract

Chinese Baijiu, a globally renowned distilled spirit, is transitioning from traditional spontaneous fermentation to mechanized production. This review examines microbial community succession, flavor science challenges, and Synthetic Microbial Consortia (SMC) applications during this transformation. Traditional brewing occurs in open environments, yielding diverse microbiota and distinctive flavors, but suffers from inefficiency and inconsistent quality. Mechanized production improves efficiency and standardization, yet alters fermentation equipment and environmental conditions, restructuring the microbial ecosystem. These changes impact core microbial communities and disrupt synthesis pathways of key volatiles (e.g., esters, alcohols, acids) and health-related metabolites like phenolics. Complex microbial interactions underpinning traditional flavors are often simplified in mechanized systems. SMC-based precision fermentation has emerged to address this, using defined microbial combinations to enable targeted flavor regulation and beneficial metabolite enrichment. However, SMC still struggles to fully replicate traditional flavor complexity and precisely control microbial succession. Future research should integrate multi-omics with AI and real-time monitoring to develop intelligent facilities enabling precise microenvironment control. This review provides a scientific framework for the modernizational upgrade of the Baijiu industry, while offering valuable references and methodological insights that may support the scientific advancement of other traditional fermented food systems.