Abstract: High-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the microbial community of fermented grains for Fuhexiangxing baijiu during mechanized and traditional stack fermentation. The results showed that microbial exchange, succession and enrichment occurred during the fermentation process. In both fermented grains, the microbial communities were composed of four major bacterial genera including Bacillus, Weissella, Acetobacter and Ralstonia, and six major fungal genera including Aspergillus, Lichtheimia, Candida, Pichia, Wickerhamomyces and Saccharomyces. The diversity of bacteria was significantly higher in mechanized than traditional stack fermentation, while the diversity of fungi was significantly lower in traditional than mechanized stack fermentation. Moreover, bacterial diversity was lower on the surface than in the interior of fermented grains, whereas fungal diversity was higher on the surface than in the interior of fermented grains. These results provide a basis for continuous optimization of the mechanized brewing process of Fuhexiangxing baijiu and for improving the quality of base baijiu.

Key words: fermented grains; stack fermentation; high-throughput sequencing; diversity; mechanization