Nitrate and nitrite pathways and dynamic changes in bacterial communities during beet sugar processing

Background Bacterial community successions were surveyed during the processing stages of sugar production using high‐throughput sequencing methods. Furthermore, the correlation between bacterial community and nitrate/nitrite content in beet sugar processing were investigated. Results In an analysis of the V3–V4 region of the 16S rDNA gene, 254 122 effective sequences were obtained from samples, which included sugar beet, cossettes, diffusion juice, second‐phase diffusion juice, light juice and thick juice. The results showed that dominant genera included Pantoea, Pseudomonas, Leuconostoc and Burkholderia. Moreover, significant changes in bacterial communities were observed in samples. Regarding the relevant nitrogen metabolic potential, this study revealed communities with the ability for nitrate and nitrite metabolism. Furthermore, a shaking experiment involving diffusion juice and second‐phase diffusion juice was performed, and results showed that the nitrate level declined 73% and 98% in 36 h, respectively. These results suggested that the bacterial communities contribute to nitrate and nitrite transformation. Conclusion This study illustrated that the bacterial communities and their specific effects on the formation of nitrate and nitrite during beet sugar processing. The results presented the basic concept involving the nitrate‐ and nitrite‐forming pathways directly related to the mechanism of bacterial community growth. This study could facilitate an understanding of the correlation between nitrite content and microorganisms to guide beet sugar manufacturers regarding the control of nitrite and nitrate content. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.