Changes in sensory characteristics, chemical composition and microbial succession during fermentation of ancient plants Pu-erh tea
Teng Wang, Ruoyu Li, Kunyi Liu, Qiuyue Chen, Nianguo Bo, Qi Wang, Yanqin Xiao, Gen Sha, Si-qin Chen, Xin Jian Lei, Yi Lu, Yan Ma, Ming Zhao
Abstract
“Ancient tea plants” are defined as tea trees > 100 years old, or with a trunk diameter > 25 cm; their leaves are manufactured to high - quality, valuable Ancient Plants Pu-erh tea (APPT). In this study, a fermentation of APPT were developed, and outstanding sweetness of APPT infusion was observed. During fermentation, the content of soluble sugars, theabrownins (p < 0.05), as well as 41 metabolites were increased [Variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1.0; p < 0.05 and Fold-change (FC) FC > 2]; While relative levels of 72 metabolites were decreased (VIP > 1.0, p < 0.05 and FC < 0.5. Staphylococcus, Achromobacter, Sphingomonas, Thermomyces, Rasamsonia, Blastobotrys, Aspergillus and Cladosporium were identified as dominant genera, and their relative levels were correlated with contents of characteristic components (p < 0.05). Together, changes in sensory characteristics, chemical composition and microbial succession during APPT fermetnation were investigated, and advanced the formation mechanism of its unique quality.