## 3 Results and Discussion
### Correlation Analysis between Fungal Microbiota and Texture  
To further research the relationship between the dominant microbial community and the volatile flavor, the relative content of the dominant bacterial community at the genus level and the 10 types of volatile flavor were analyzed by a Spearman correlation, and a heat map was drawn (Figure 8a). The figure shows that there are 10 types of dominant fungal flora that are associated with 10 major classes of volatile flavor substances (\(p<0.05\)). Among these, the microorganisms that significantly correlated with esters are the most, including _Monascus_, _Candida_, _Echria_, _Botryotrichum_, and others. The microorganisms that are associated with benzene are _Malassezia_, the associated with alcohol-flavored substances are _Trichosporon_, the aldehyde-related microorganisms are _Apiotrichum_, the olefin-related microorganisms are _Aspergillus_, the acid-related microorganisms are _Trichosporon_, and the amine-related microorganisms are _Fusarium_.  
We created the heat maps by using the results of the Spearman correlation analysis on the volatile taste components with the reduced flavor of surimi following fermentation with fungal flora (Figure 8b). A total of 16 fungal microorganisms were significantly associated with the reduced volatile flavor of surimi, among which _Monascus_ and _Echria_ were significantly related to the volatile flavor substances of p-xylene, methoxy-phenyl-oxime, and phenyl. P-xylene was reported as the \"fresh meat taste\" and fishy smell of aquatic raw fish [64]. In addition, the microorganisms that were significantly associated with hexanol reduction were _Trichosporon_ and _Apiotrichum_; those associated with paraxylene reduction were _Monascus_ and _Echria_, that associated with the reduction of 1-pentene-3 alcohols was _Aspergillus_; and those associated with 1-octene-3 alcohol reduction were _Apiotrichum_ and _Malassezia_. Hexanal has a fishy smell, grassy smell and other flavors, which may be produced by n-6 fatty acid oxidation. Studies suggest that hexanal is the main substance that causes fishy smell, and its content was high. It is often mixed with volatile substances of C8 and C9 to contribute to the flavor of fish [65].  
Heat maps were created using the results of the [PERSON] correlational study on the volatile taste components with the increased flavor of surimi following fermentation with fungal flora (Figure 8c). _Monascus_, _Haglerozyma_, _Trichosporon_, _Cryptococcus_, _Cutaneoustichosporon_, _Apiotrichum_, _Candida_, and _Malassezia_ spp. were the eight fungal microorganisms that were significantly related to the volatile flavor substances added after fermentation, and all of them were significantly associated with nonanal. Nonanal originates from the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, and it is the product of the microbial enzyme [66]. Trichosporon is highly related to amine volatile substances, indicating that it is mainly responsible for the production of amines in surimi. Trichosporon can synthesize lipase, protease, and other enzymes. Amino acids produced by hydrolyzing proteins, especially arginine, can be converted into ornithine or agmatine, which are indirect precursors of putrescine [66].  
Figure 8: Correlation between the relative abundance of fungal genera and the volatile flavor of the MFHS gel. ((**a**) Correlation between the types of volatile flavor substances and the fungal genera; (**b**) correlation between the reduced volatile flavor substances and the fungal genera; (**c**) correlation between the increased volatile flavor substances and the fungal genera. * = significant at \(p<0.05\). ** = significant at \(p<0.01\). *** = significant at \(p<0.001\).