Abstract: Changes in the bacterial community structure during the fermentation of naturally fermented vegetables in Shanxi were studied by Illumina HiSeq sequencing. Bacterial DNAs were extracted from samples collected at different fermentation stages and were sequenced. These samples were analyzed for their aerobic plate counts, lactic acid bacterial counts, and physicochemical indicators. The results showed that the bacterial diversity of the fermented vegetables was rich in the early stage of fermentation. The bacterial community structure became stable with the prolongation of fermentation time. The main genus in both the middle and late fermentation stages was Lactobacillus. During the fermentation period, pH increased and total acid content decreased. The aerobic plate count and lactic acid bacterial count in the finished fermented vegetables were 1.2 × 107 and 2.5 × 106 CFU/g, respectively. The nitrite content was 0.15 mg/kg, the pH was 3.22, and the total acid content was 1.98 g/kg. The number of Lactobacillus and nitrite showed an opposite trend. This study will hopefully provide a theoretical basis for the commercial production of fermented vegetables.

Key words: naturally fermented vegetables, high-throughput sequencing, bacterial diversity, Lactobacillus