Abstract
Latilactobacillus sakei (L. sakei) and Staphylococcus carnosus (S. carnosus) are common starters for fermented sausages. However, the mechanism underlying the effects of these two microorganisms on co-cultivation in sausages remains unclear. This study compared the changes in metabolomics following fermentation by L. sakei and S. carnosus individually and in combination. After two days of fermentation, the pH values of the LS (Latilactobacillus Single), SC (Staphylococcus Single), and LSSC (Latilactobacillus-Staphylococcus Combined) groups were 4.59, 5.19, and 4.86. By comparing the common differential metabolites among the three groups, it was found that the content of N2-acetyl-L-ornithine decreased after single fermentation with L. sakei, while the content of N2-acetyl-L-ornithine increased after single fermentation with S. carnosus and combined fermentation with L. sakei. Additionally, KEGG pathway analysis identified eight key metabolic pathways, including purine metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism. In addition, it was found that L. sakei produced D-Galactose during fermentation, which could be utilized by S. carnosus. The co-fermentation of L. sakei and S. carnosus promoted the production of D-sorbitol. Our results suggest that the metabolic interactions between L. sakei and S. carnosus increase the number of functional metabolites in co-fermented sausages. These findings provide valuable insights and new research directions for the study of LAB and CNS interactions, as well as for the development of fermentation agents.