Abstract: In this study, we investigated the microbial variations during the processing of traditional salted fish and lactic acid-fermented fish, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the new processing technology. Illumina MiSeq sequencing was applied to analyze the microbial community diversity in dried-salted fish during different processing stages. The results indicated that the processing system contained highly diverse bacteria, which could be mainly divided into three categories: Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Enterbacteriaceae, Enterococcactae, Pseudomonadacea and Shewanellaceae were dominant microorganisms in brown-striped mackerel scad (Decapterus maruadsi) during the initial stages of processing while Aeromonadaceae, Bacillaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Comamonadaceae, Enterbacteriaceae, Enterococcaceae, Moraganellaceae and Streptococcaceae were dominant microorganisms in sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus). The microbial community was homogeneous during the traditional curing process, and the dominant microorganisms identified were Vibrionaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Pseudomonadaceae and Planococcaceae. After inoculation of lactic acid bacteria, the microbial diversity during the fermentation process showed an increasing trend, and lactic acid bacteria became dominant and promoted the growth of the dominant bacteria Exiguobacteracea and Staphylococcaceae; Aeromonadaceae and Lactobacillaceae, which did not appear during the traditional processing, were detected. Microbial community diversity in sea bass during the curing process was significantly higher than that in brown-striped mackerel scad. Microbial community diversity was also increased markedly during the processing of lactic acid-fermented fish.

Key words: dried-salted fish, Illumina MiSeq sequencing, microbial community diversity, dominant bacteria