Volatile compound dynamics in oats solid-state fermentation: A comparative study of Saccharomyces cerevisiae A3, Lactococcus lactis 4355, and Lactobacillus plantarum 2329 inoculations

Fermentation is a longstanding method that enhances food quality and finds extensive food processing and preservation applications. This study comprehensively studied the impact of oats fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae A3 and Lactococcus lactis 4355 (T1), Saccharomyces cerevisiae A3, and Lactobacillus plantarum 2329 (T2) on volatile-compounds using UHPLC-MS/MS. A total of 74 volatile compounds were found in control samples (YM), 81 in T1 samples, and 60 in T2 samples. T2 samples showed the highest hydrocarbons, esters, and phenols (25.7%, 2.26%, and 0.32%) compared with T1 (21.6%, 1.29%, and 0.19%) and YM samples (18.6%, 1.86%, and 0), respectively. Moreover, volcano, Z-score scatter plot distributions, and KEGG-path analysis indicated that different metabolic pathways in YM-T1 and YM-T2 models, where glycerophospholipid-metabolic pathways were the dominant in T1, while ABC transporters-pathways were the prominent in T2. These findings offer valuable insights for future advancements of novel oat products with enhanced functionality.