Esterase is a hydrolase that can hydrolyze some water-soluble esters, but it can also catalyze the synthesis of esters under certain conditions. Furthermore, in other research, microbial esterase was found to play an important role in the synthesis of ester compounds in fermented foods [10; 11; 12]. In recent years, lactic acid bacteria, as GRAS strains (Generally Recognized as Safe), have attracted much attention. The addition of lactic acid bacteria containing esterase as a starter culture can enhance the flavor of the product by producing more esters at a faster fermentation rate. In milk Swiss-type cheeses [13], _Lactobacillus paracasei_ Lc45 and _Lactobacillus rhamnas_ Lr46 promoted the formation of esters, such as ethyl octanoate and ethyl acetate. In wine [14], esterase in a group inoculated with _Lactobacillus hilgardii_ Lac34 have the potential to reduce short-chain ethyl esters such as ethyl acetate. [PERSON] et al. also found that the content of esters, especially ethyl lactate, ethyl acetate, and isoamyl acetate, increased significantly when sauerkraut was inoculated with _L. plantarum_[15]. _Suanzhayu_ is a popular fermented fish from southwestern China that has a distinct sour flavor and a long shelf life. _Suanzhayu_ is a dish made with freshly caught grass carp. The carp were de-headed, de-tailed, and gutted, then cut into pieces and mixed with rice flour, salt, and spices (methods vary by region) and layered into a filled jar for fermentation [2; 16; 17; 18]. Natural fermentation, on the other hand, is now primarily used, which has a long fermentation cycle, inconsistent quality between batches, and insufficient flavor production. _[PERSON]_'s current research focuses on the relationships between physico-chemical property changes, microbial structure evolution, and volatile flavor compounds during fermentation [17; 19; 20; 21]. _Suanzhayu_ starter cultures, particularly those that promote the synthesis of ester compounds, are still uncommon. [PERSON] et al. investigated the ester synthesis ability of fermenters (_Lactobacillus plantarum_ 120, _Staphylococcus xylosus_ 135, and _Saccharomyces cerevisiae_ 31) for the first time in the study of _Suanyu_'s starter culture [22]. The ability of various strains to synthesize esters was primarily investigated using buffer systems containing acyl donors (acetic acid/glycerol triacetate/acetyl-CoA) and aliphatic alcohols (C2-C6). More research is needed, however, because the buffer system differs from that of fish, and the effect of ester synthesis under the influence of other microorganisms has not been taken into account. The goal of this study was to find ester-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with good fermentation abilities. To begin, we tested 708 LAB strains isolated from fermented foods for acetate esterase activity, salt tolerance, acid tolerance, and high-temperature tolerance in our laboratory. Three _L. plantarum_ strains, namely MB1, M22, and 3-14-LJ, were chosen for their excellent fermentation properties. The effect of the three stains on the quality and flavor formation of _Suanzhayu_ was investigated using a model and a real-world system to develop a superior starter culture for future _Suanzhayu_ production.