Abstract: There existed the bottleneck of traditional microbial inoculation fermentation technology in sour meat production, where product safety enhancement is often accompanied by compromised flavor quality. We aimed to screen yeast strains with dual properties of aroma production and safety assurance. Strains were directionally isolated from traditional Miao sour meat using microbial culture techniques, followed by systematic screening through odor sensory evaluation, safety validation of meat fermentation starters, minced meat fermentation modeling, and headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). DNA molecular identification was employed for species confirmation. A total of 198 strains were isolated, with 11 exhibiting significant aroma-producing characteristics. Comprehensive evaluation identified three superior strains (Y6, Y7 and Y8). HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis of the Y8 inoculation group detected 23 volatile substances across seven compound classes, including the key flavor compounds such as isoamyl alcohol, 1-octen-3-ol, isoamyl formate, isophorone, and acetoin. Quantitative analysis revealed that esters and acids in the Y8 group accounted for 13% and 21.7% of relative abundance, respectively. Sensory evaluation highlighted its pronounced sour taste and rich flavor profile. Odor activity value (OAV) analysis further demonstrated that 1-octen-3-ol, isoamyl formate, and acetoin in Y8 group exhibited significantly higher OAVs than those in Y6 and Y7 groups, confirming its aroma-producing superiority. Strain Y8 was identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae with 100% similarity to NRRL Y-12632. This work provides a high-quality fermentation starter resource for industrial sour meat production, integrating safety and flavor enhancement.