Formation mechanism and solution of Pu-erh tea cream based on non-targeted metabonomics

Abstract

Revealing the relationship between metabolites in tea extract and cream production is challenging. This study aims to investigate the production of tea cream in the shelf life of Pu-erh tea and Oolong tea. Compared with Oolong tea, the production of Pu-erh tea cream is higher after deep fermentation. Metabonomics analysis results indicate that the compound diversity and composition structure of Pu-erh tea and Oolong tea were different, and the complexity of the compound network in Pu-erh tea extract was higher than that in Oolong tea. After screening, we identified six compounds that may be related to the formation of tea cream, including caffeine. After verification, we found that the production rate of Pu-erh tea cream decreased significantly after the caffeine content in the tea was removed by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction technology. Therefore, this study suggests that the six core compounds in the extract of Pu-erh tea are the key factors that affect the tea cream and that the production of tea cream during the shelf life of the extract can be prevented by directional removal of these core compounds. This study provides a theoretical basis for promoting the industrialization of Pu-erh tea and solving the production of tea cream.