Background: Rosy vinegar is a well-known traditional Chinese product whose flavour is affected by its lactic acid content. In this study, Lactobacillus bacteria were employed to increase the content of lactic acid during the ethanol fermentation stage.
Results: The optimised fermentation parameters were determined as an inoculation amount of 3% (v/v), a temperature of 30 degrees C and an initial pH value of 4.0. Fermentation under these optimal conditions resulted in an alcohol degree of 6.2% (v/v), a total acidity of 49.5 g L(-1) and a lactic acid content of 4.14 g L(-1). The content of lactic acid (4.14 g L(-1)), which approached the level achieved by solid state fermentation, was 3.56-fold higher than that in vinegar fermented without lactic acid bacteria (1.16 g L(-1)).
Conclusion: The results indicate that mixed fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains greatly increases the lactic acid content and improves the flavour of rosy vinegar.
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