Food and Fermentation Industries >

2026 , Vol. 52 >Issue 1: 95 - 102

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13995/j.cnki.11-1802/ts.044210

Analysis of response mechanism of Weissella confusa to salt stress based on non-targeted metabolomics

  • WANG Ali ,
  • LI Xiaomin ,
  • CUI Yimin ,
  • DU Qinqin ,
  • LUO Jiahua ,
  • PENG Chong ,
  • WANG Boyuan ,
  • ZHONG Xianfeng ,
  • HUANG Guidong
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  • 1(School of Food Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528231, China)
    2(Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Traditional Fermented Food, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Safety Control of Food Circulation, Foshan Engineering Research Center for Brewing Technology, Foshan Engineering Research Center for Agricultural Biomanufacturing, Foshan 528231, China)
    3(School of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528231, China)

Received date: 2025-08-12

  Revised date: 2025-09-03

  Online published: 2026-01-22

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Abstract

Weissella confusa is a dominant lactic acid bacterium in salt-fermented foods such as soy sauce.However, high salt environments affect its growth and fermentation efficiency.This study aimed to analyze the metabolic response mechanism of W.confusa under the salt concentration commonly used in soy sauce fermentation (180 g/L NaCl) by using non-targeted metabolomics.The growth characteristics and intracellular metabolites of the strain under both salt-free and salt-stressed conditions were compared.Results demonstrated that high salt concentration significantly inhibited growth, causing cell shrinkage and deformation, and leading to increased extracellular protein levels and significant changes in 545 intracellular metabolites.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis revealed that several metabolic pathways, including heterolactic fermentation, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, galactose metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism and purine metabolism, were significantly affected by salt stress.It is speculated that the strain survives and adapts to the high salt environment through metabolic strategies such as enhanced antioxidant defense, optimized cellular stability, and increased energy supply.These findings elucidate the response mechanism of W.confusa to salt stress through the coordinated regulation of multiple metabolic pathways, providing a theoretical basis for the development of microbial resources in salt fermentation systems.

Key words： Weissella confusa; salt stress; non-targeted metabolomics; response mechanism

Cite this article

WANG Ali , LI Xiaomin , CUI Yimin , DU Qinqin , LUO Jiahua , PENG Chong , WANG Boyuan , ZHONG Xianfeng , HUANG Guidong . Analysis of response mechanism of Weissella confusa to salt stress based on non-targeted metabolomics[J]. Food and Fermentation Industries, 2026 , 52(1) : 95 -102 . DOI: 10.13995/j.cnki.11-1802/ts.044210

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