Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine,　one　of　the　most　popular　traditional　rice　wines　in　China,　is　brewed　from　glutinous　rice　with　the　addition　of　two　traditional　fermentation　starters　-　Hong　Qu　(hóng　qū)　and　Yao　Qu　(yào　qū).　In　this　study,　the　microbial　compositions　of　fungi　and　bacteria　associated　with　these　two　fermentation　starters　were　investigated　by　nested　PCR-denaturing　gradient　gel　electrophoresis　(DGGE).The　bacterial　DGGE　profile　targeting　the　V3　region　of　the　16S　rRNA　gene　indicated　that　the　bacterial　composition　of　starters　was　highly　variable　in　species　composition　and　dominated　by　Bacillus　species,　including　Bacillus　ginsengihumi,　Bacillus　megaterium　or　Bacillus　aryabhattai,　Bacillus　subtilis,　Bacillus　methylotrophicus　and　Bacillus　amyloliquefaciens.　Lactic　acid　bacteria　(LAB)　including　Weissella　paramesenteroides,　Pediococcus　pentosaceus　and　Pediococcus　acidilactici　were　also　detected　in　some　fermentation　starters.　In　analysis　of　fungi,　PCR-DGGE　fingerprints　revealed　that　Rhizopus　oryzae,　Rhizopus　microsporus　and　Aspergillus　sp.　were　the　most　frequent　species　in　Yao　Qu,　while　Monascus　sp.　dominated　in　Hong　Qu.　Three　non-　Saccharomyces　yeasts　(Saccharomycopsis　fibuligera,　Pichia　guilliermondii　and　Pichia　farinose)　were　also　detected　in　some　starter　samples.　Multivariate　comparisons　of　DGGE　fingerprints　showed　the　complex　bacterial　and　fungal　communities　were　different　between　Hong　Qu　and　Yao　Qu.　The　Shannon-Weaver　diversity　index　(H＇)　and　Simpson　dominance　index　(D),　calculated　from　the　DGGE　profiles　also　showed　considerable　qualitative　differences　in　the　community　structure　between　Hong　Qu　and　Yao　Qu.　PCR-DGGE　was　found　to　be　useful　for　evaluating　the　quality　and　the　type　of　traditional　wine　starters.　The　prevalence　of　potential　spoilage　microorganism　highlights　the　need　for　more　attention　when　evaluating　the　microbiological　safety　of　naturally　fermented,　traditional　food　products.　Moreover,　the　above　results　are　relevant　for　the　development　of　starter　cultures　and　predictability　of　fermentation　process　for　traditional　Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine,　and　to　aid　their　intermediate　and　large　scale　production.　©　2012　Elsevier　Ltd.