Next-generation sequencing reveals predominant bacterial communities during fermentation of Thai fish sauce in large manufacturing plants

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Bacterial communities in fish sauce, at different fermentation phases, from two large manufacturing plants (Factories MC and SQ) in Thailand, were studied. The bacterial microbiota in a fish sauce mash of >12 months were examined by 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing. We revealed the presence of 7 phyla, 14 classes, 21 orders, 31 families, and 45 genera of bacteria in the fish sauce. Bacterial communities in the sauces differed across the two factories. In Factory MC, Halanaerobium sp. was the initial dominant genus, which gradually decreased while Lentibacillus sp., Halomonas sp., and Tetragenococcus sp. began to appear in the middle phase. Diversity was the highest in the late fermentation phase. On the contrary, in Factory SQ, high diversity was observed right from the early phase till the late fermentation phase. The bacterial communities varied at different stages of fermentation as well. The most common genera were Peptostreptococcus sp., Peptoniphilus sp., Gallicola sp., Fusobacterium sp., Halanaerobium sp., and Vagococcus sp.. Alpha and beta diversity within the bacterial communities in fish sauce from the factories was also calculated. This is the first report revealing bacterial communities during industrial fermentation of Thai fish sauce. The source of raw materials and bacterial microbiota in the fermentation tank influenced the type of bacteria present throughout the process, and consequently affected the unique product characteristics.