Abstract: The purpose of this study was to select starter cultures for the production of Shanxi aged vinegar. We isolated 3 ester-producing yeast strains from fermented grains used in the traditional fermentation process of Shanxi aged vinegar. Two of them were identified as Candida ethanolica, while the remaining one as Pichia manshurica (named as Y14) by morphological characterization and sequence analysis of the 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain. These yeast strains were used in the production of Shanxi aged vinegar, and the resultant vinegar products was subjected to ester composition analysis using headspace-solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and sensory evaluation. The results showed that the concentrations of total ester and ethyl acetate in the vinegar fermented by a mixture of P. manshurica Y14 and Daqu (a Chinese traditional fermentation starter used in vinegar production) were increased by 40.5% and 1.3 times compared with the control group. The vinegar was richer esters and flavor components. P. manshurica Y14 shows promise for use as a new starter culture for Shanxi aged vinegar.

Key words: Shanxi aged vinegar, ester-producing yeast, aroma production, screening, fermentation