Changes in sensory characteristics, chemical composition and microbial succession during fermentation of ancient plants Pu-erh tea

Teng Wang; Ruo-Yu Li; Kun-Yi Liu; Qiu-Yue Chen; Nian-Guo Bo; Qi Wang; Yan-Qin Xiao; Gen Sha; Si-Qin Chen; Xin Lei; Yi Lu; Yan Ma; Ming Zhao

doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2023.101003

Changes in sensory characteristics, chemical composition and microbial succession during fermentation of ancient plants Pu-erh tea

Food Chem X. 2023 Nov 23:20:101003. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2023.101003. eCollection 2023 Dec 30.

Authors

Teng Wang^{1

2

3}, Ruo-Yu Li^{1

2

3}, Kun-Yi Liu⁴, Qiu-Yue Chen^{1

2

3}, Nian-Guo Bo^{1

2

3}, Qi Wang^{1

2

3}, Yan-Qin Xiao^{1

2

3}, Gen Sha^{1

2

3}, Si-Qin Chen^{1

2

3}, Xin Lei^{1

2

3}, Yi Lu⁵, Yan Ma¹, Ming Zhao^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ College of Tea Science & College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
³ The Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biology of Yunnan Province, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwestern China, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
⁴ College of Wuliangye Technology and Food Engineering & College of Modern Agriculture, Yibin Vocational and Technical College, Yibin 644003, China.
⁵ Menghai Dazhuo Tea Co., Ltd., Xishuangbanna, Yunnan 666100, China.

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 fermentation were investigated, and advanced the formation mechanism of its unique quality.

Keywords: Ancient plants Pu-erh tea; Chemical composition; Microbial succession; Pile-fermentation; Sensory characteristics.