# Sugar-induced modulation of biogenic amines formation and metabolic profiles during Bacillus subtilis fermentation

## TL;DR

This study shows how different sugars affect the production of biogenic amines and other metabolites during Bacillus subtilis fermentation, impacting food safety and quality.

## Contribution

The study reveals how specific sugars modulate biogenic amine formation and metabolic pathways in Bacillus subtilis fermentation.

## Key findings

- Sugar addition significantly reduced total biogenic amines, especially spermidine.
- Glucose increased acetoin production, indicating carbon overflow metabolism.
- Fructose led to methylthioadenosine accumulation, suggesting methionine salvage pathway modulation.

## Abstract

Sugars influence biogenic amines (BAs) formation during microbial fermentation, because microorganisms have distinct preferences and metabolic pathways depending on a sugar type. This study investigated the effects of sugar (glucose, fructose, or sucrose) supplementation on the formation of BAs, and volatile and non-volatile metabolic profiles in Bacillus subtilis fermentation. Sugar addition significantly reduced total BAs, particularly, spermidine. Glucose added sample increased acetoin production (∼9-fold), indicating activation of carbon overflow metabolism. Fructose added sample showed the accumulation of methylthioadenosine, suggesting modulation of methionine salvage. Multivariate analyses (PCA, PLS-DA, and HCA) confirmed clear group separations depending on sugar type. Metabolic pathway analysis demonstrated that a sugar type significantly affected nitrogen metabolism as well as carbon overflow pathway. These results highlighted that targeted sugar can effectively regulate BA formation as well as some volatile metabolite, such as acetoin, pyrazines, and esters, improving both safety and quality of fermented foods.

•The formations of biogenic amines and other metabolites by Bacillus subtilis can be critically affected by the type of sugars added.•Sugar addition reduced spermidine and increased certain volatile metabolites.•Carbon overflow reduced TCA intermediates and raised neutral metabolites.•Sugar metabolism affected nitrogen-related pathways, including methionine, and influenced biogenic amines and pyrazines levels.

The formations of biogenic amines and other metabolites by Bacillus subtilis can be critically affected by the type of sugars added.

Sugar addition reduced spermidine and increased certain volatile metabolites.

Carbon overflow reduced TCA intermediates and raised neutral metabolites.

Sugar metabolism affected nitrogen-related pathways, including methionine, and influenced biogenic amines and pyrazines levels.