Application of Starch-Degradation Bacteria in Cigar Tobacco Leaf Fermentation

[El Presidente]

That cleared it up for me. PM, Ken with any questions.  

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1632731/abstract

 

Application of Starch-Degradation Bacteria in Cigar Tobacco Leaf Fermentation: Effects on Starch degradation, Microbial Communities and Metabolic Pathways

【Objective】This study aims to explore the effects of inoculating starchdegrading strains on the starch content and microbial metabolic pathways of cigar tobacco leaves.【Method】By isolating and screening starch-degradation bacteria from the surface of Dominican tobacco leaves at the end of fermentation and applying them to the fermentation process of "Yunxue NO. 39" cigar tobacco leaves. The study systematically analyzed the starch content, microbial diversity and community structure, starch metabolic enzyme profiles and key metabolic pathway changes in tobacco leaves fermented for 18 and 35 days, integrating physicochemical composition, non-targeted metabolomics and metagenomics.【Result】The results indicated that both strains B. pumilus and B. velezensis (DX and BLS) exhibited strong starch degradation capabilities. Inoculation with starch-degradation bacteria significantly enhanced the diversity of the microbial community, enriched functional microbial community (such as Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus and Aspergillus), markedly influenced the composition of tobacco leaf metabolites and optimized the micro-environment of tobacco leaf fermentation. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the dynamic changes of starch metabolic enzymes (such as α-amylase, β-amylase and glucoamylase) during the fermentation process were closely related to the succession of the microbial community, with Bacillus and Aspergillus promoting starch degradation through synergistic interactions. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that starch metabolism is primarily accomplished through four core pathways: starch and sucrose metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and mycolic acid biosynthesis. This study provides a theoretical basis for the quality improvement of cigar tobacco leaves and confirms the potential application value of starch-degradation bacteria in tobacco fermentation.

[westg]

You and Ken could be Starchy and Hutch 🌴😎

[garbandz]

Gluconeogenesis...just love this word, could be so many ways to use it.

[LizardGizmo]

Interesting but by the second sentence my brain started wandering. I asked ChatGPT to summarize the summary:

What they did:

1. They collected bacteria from fermented Dominican tobacco leaves that are really good at breaking down starch.

2. They then added these bacteria to another type of cigar tobacco leaf called Yunxue No. 39 during its fermentation process.

3. They studied how this affected:

   • The amount of starch left in the leaves,

   • The types and behavior of microbes present,

   • The activity of enzymes that break down starch,

   • And the overall chemical makeup of the leaves — at two points in time: after 18 days and again after 35 days.

---

What they found:

• Two types of bacteria — Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus velezensis — were especially good at breaking down starch.

• When these bacteria were added:

  • The variety of microbes increased.

  • Useful microbes like Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus, and Aspergillus became more active.

  • The chemical profile of the tobacco changed — in a good way.

  • The environment where fermentation happens became more favorable for improving the quality of the tobacco.

They also noticed that the starch-degrading enzymes (like α-amylase and glucoamylase) became more active over time, and this was closely linked to how the microbial community evolved.

---

Big picture takeaway:

Breaking down starch in cigar tobacco leaves using these specific bacteria can improve fermentation, lead to better-quality tobacco, and help control the chemical development of the leaf. The researchers believe these bacteria could be used on purpose in the future to improve how cigar tobacco is processed and aged.

[Chibearsv]

8 hours ago, garbandz said:

Gluconeogenesis...just love this word, could be so many ways to use it.

I think my wife drives one of those 

[El Niño]

5 hours ago, LizardGizmo said:

Interesting but by the second sentence my brain started wandering. I asked ChatGPT to summarize the summary:

Giz for the WIN 🏆

[ha_banos]

How do the cigars smell, taste and feel...both physically and spiritually? End of.

Theoretical, my a££.

[Fugu]

8 hours ago, ha_banos said:

How do the cigars smell, taste and feel...both physically and spiritually? End of.

Theoretical, my a££.

Well, Frontiers… 

[yuppie]

So, who's sourcing the finest organic Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus velezensis? We're all going to want to sprinkle this stuff in our humidors.