Combined application of high-throughput sequencing and LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics to evaluate the formation of Zn-protoporphyrin in Nuodeng ham

[Display omitted] •The associations of bacterial communities and small molecule metabolites with ZnPP formation during Nuodeng ham processing were studied.•Five bacterial genera were identified as significantly positively correlated with ZnPP content.•Seventeen differential metabolites and ZnPP content were significantly and positively correlated.•The three bacterial genera and these seventeen differential metabolites had a strongly positive correlation. In order to deepen the understanding of the formation mechanism of Zn-protoporphyrin (ZnPP), Nuodeng ham was used as the research object, and the effects of bacterial communities and small molecule metabolites on the formation of ZnPP during the processing of Nuodeng ham were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing and LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics. With the prolongation of processing time, the ZnPP content increased significantly, while the heme content decreased significantly. Compound curing agent significantly inhibited the formation of ZnPP and significantly decreased the heme content. The bacterial communities changed dynamically and the five bacterial genera were significantly positively correlated with ZnPP content. Forty-seven differential metabolites were obtained through screening, of which seventeen differential metabolites were significantly positively correlated with ZnPP content. Correlation analysis showed a strongly positive correlation between Staphylococcus, Delftia, Acinetobacter and these seventeen differential metabolites. These findings can provide a theoretical basis for further establishing the color control measures of Nuodeng ham.