Metabolomics-Based Characterization of Flavor and Nutritional Value of Jujube Wine

The fermentation metabolites closely determine the quality of jujube wine, however, little is known about the dynamics of these metabolites during the fermentation process. In this study, a total of 107 volatile and 1758 non-volatile compounds were identified based on flavor-directed research strategy and non-targeted metabolomics. The partial least squares analysis revealed that the major cut-off points for high changes were the 4th and 12th day for the volatile compounds and the 2nd and 10th day for the non-volatile metabolites. After the 10th day of fermentation, the concentration of most volatile compounds decreased by 96%, and the aroma of jujube wine changed from a grass, mushroom, and clay flavor to a floral and fruity flavor. Furthermore, pathway analysis identified four key metabolic pathways and two key metabolic substrates, pyruvate and L-aspartate. This study provides a theoretical reference for optimizing the fermentation process and enhancing the quality of jujube wine.