ABSTRACT
The market value of vanilla beans (Vanilla planifolia) is constantly increasing due to their natural aroma and flavor properties that improve after a curing process, where bacteria colonization plays a critical role. However, a few publications suggest that bacteria play a role in the curing process. Hence, this study aimed to isolate Bacillus sp. that could be used for fermenting V. planifolia while analyzing their role in the curing process. Bacillus velezensis ZN-S10 identified with 16S rRNA sequencing was isolated from conventionally cured V. planifolia beans. A bacteria culture solution of B. velezensis ZN-S10 (1 mL of 1 × 107 CFU mL-1) was then coated on 1 kg of non-cured vanilla pods that was found to ferment and colonize vanilla. PCA results revealed distinguished bacterial communities of fermented vanilla and the control group, suggesting colonization of vanilla. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ZN-S10 was the dominant Bacillus genus member and narrowly correlated to B. velezensis EM-1 and B. velezensis PMC206-1, with 78% and 73% similarity, respectively. The bacterial taxonomic profiling of cured V. planifolia had a significant relative abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Bacteroidetes phyla according to the predominance. Firmicutes accounted for 55% of the total bacterial sequences, suggesting their colonization and effective fermentation roles in curing vanilla.
