Improving the Quality and Safety of Pu-erh Tea by Inoculation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum

Abstract

The sensory quality and health benefits of Pu-erh tea are mainly determined by microbial fermentation processing. The directed exogenous inoculation of specific microorganisms is an effective method to improve the quality and flavor of Pu-erh tea. In this study, Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were introduced into the fermentation processes of Pu-erh tea, as they are the main contributors to enzyme secretion, to change the tea’s functional components. The raw tea materials, spontaneous fermentation tea and microbiological fermentation tea were analyzed by microbiomics and metabolomics. A total of 248 metabolites were characterized, 71 of which were identified as essential metabolites involved in the metabolic changes. These essential metabolites were produced by specific dominant microbial species with multivariate analysis methods. Metabolites essential to the sensory quality and health benefits of Pu-erh tea, such as flavonoids and free amino acids, were increased in tea samples inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae following fermentation. Fungal diversity decreased after fermentation, and both the diversity and richness of bacteria were significantly decreased. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the advantages of Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in forming the unique sensory characteristics of Pu-erh tea, and they indicate that the microbial composition is a key factor in altering the tea’s metabolic profile. Our work establishes a theoretical foundation for the promotion of the safety and quality of Pu-erh tea through exogenous inoculation with Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.