Metabolomics and transcriptomics reveal the quality formation mechanism during the processing of black tea

Mingjin Li; Hao Xu; Hongyu Chen; Fengjiao Ding; Qinji Li; Ziqiong Liu; Feiquan Wang; Xiaoli Jia; Yang Wu; Yun Sun; Shan Jin

doi:10.1038/s41538-025-00488-7

Metabolomics and transcriptomics reveal the quality formation mechanism during the processing of black tea

NPJ Sci Food. 2025 Jul 9;9(1):131. doi: 10.1038/s41538-025-00488-7.

Authors

Mingjin Li^#^{1

2

3}, Hao Xu^#^{1

2

4}, Hongyu Chen^{1

2}, Fengjiao Ding^{1

2}, Qinji Li^{1

2}, Ziqiong Liu^{1

2}, Feiquan Wang⁴, Xiaoli Jia⁴, Yang Wu^{5

6}, Yun Sun^{7

8}, Shan Jin^{9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Ministry of education for genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, China.
² Key Laboratory of Tea Science in Universities of Fujian Province, College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, China.
³ National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Tea Science Department of College of Horticulture and Forestry of Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, China.
⁴ College of Tea and Food, Wuyi University, 354300, Wuyishan, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Ministry of education for genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, China. wy_forward@fafu.edu.cn.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Tea Science in Universities of Fujian Province, College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, China. wy_forward@fafu.edu.cn.
⁷ Key Laboratory of Ministry of education for genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, China. sunyun1125@126.com.
⁸ Key Laboratory of Tea Science in Universities of Fujian Province, College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, China. sunyun1125@126.com.
⁹ Key Laboratory of Ministry of education for genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, China. jinshan0313@163.com.
¹⁰ Key Laboratory of Tea Science in Universities of Fujian Province, College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, China. jinshan0313@163.com.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

The dynamic changes of metabolites and their regulatory mechanisms during black tea processing are not yet fully clear. In this study, flavonoid glycosides, tea pigments, VTs, and FADVs were primarily influenced. The content of these components continuously increased during processing, reaching their maximum after fermentation, and then decreased after drying. Withering upregulated AM and GT genes, promoting the glycosylation of flavonoids; the upregulation of ANR and PPO genes facilitated the oxidative polymerization of catechins; and the upregulation of TPS, LOX, and HPL genes promoted terpenoid synthesis and fatty acid degradation. This led to an increase in the content of these components in withered leaves. The accumulation of these components during fermentation was mainly due to the disruption of cells during rolling, allowing enzymes and substrates to fully integrate and react during the prolonged fermentation process. The decline in compound during the drying was primarily attributed to thermal degradation.

Abstract

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