Effects of aging years on taste attributes of Huangjiu and their correlation with non-volatile compounds: A study based on E-tongue, UPLC-MS untargeted metabolomics, and WGCNA

Aging plays a crucial role in enhancing the flavor of Huangjiu. This study aims to elucidate the changes in taste attributes of aged Huangjiu and explore the correlation between non-volatile compounds. It showed that aging made the sourness, bitterness, and astringency more pronounced. The content of organic acids and amino acids exhibited specific patterns with aging years. The total taste activity value of organic acids showed an increasing trend, peaking at 54.40 in Huangjiu aged 15 years, which served as a key indicator of sourness intensity. A total of 22 potential contributors to umami and 18 to bitterness were screened based on weighted gene coexpression network analysis. The total content of potential umami contributors was significantly higher in fresh Huangjiu and aging stage I, but declined in later periods, while bitterness contributors increased gradually throughout the aging process. This study provided theoretical support for the taste characteristics of aged Huangjiu.