Characterization of Microbial Community during the Fermentation of Chinese Homemade paocai, a Traditional Fermented Vegetable Food

The microbial community in the fermentation process of Chinese homemade paocai (CHP), which was a traditional fermented vegetable food in China, was analyzed firstly by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). In bacterial DGGE profile, a total of 15 bands were identified, which fell into two phyla including Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, and Weissella, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Bacillus, Citrobacter, Pantoea, Pseudomomas and unclassified Pseudomonadales were detected. Weissella, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus are dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) during the CHP fermentation. The number of Weissella, which was detected as the dominant bacteria during the whole fermentation, was quantitated and its quantity was shown to exist at 10(7)-10(8) cells/mL during the fermentation. The results of fungal DGGE analysis demonstrated two genera, Pichia and Geotrichum, were detected and Pichia was the main yeast during the whole CHP fermentation process. There are microbial successions occurred in the CHP fermentation process.