A novel fermented tea FOFT for obesity resistance and gut health restoration via modulation of the gut-fat-liver axis in HFD-induced obese mice

Fermented oxidation fresh tea (FOFT) is a unique dark tea produced by a single strain of Eurotium cristatum , and its impact on obesity has not been extensively studied. Here, we investigated the anti-obesity and metabolic benefits of FOFT using a HFD-induced obesity mouse model. The HFD-fed mice or ND-fed mice were orally administered with FOFT for 12 weeks. The results showed that FOFT invention significantly suppressed body weight gain, ameliorated liver and adipocyte morphology, and improved glucolipid metabolism and intestinal homeostasis imbalance in HFD-fed mice. Notably, FOFT administration caused no adverse effects in ND mice, indicating its safety at tested doses. Moreover, FOFT restored intestinal microbiome dysbiosis and elevated the short-chain fatty acid levels. This gut microbiome shift was associated with reduced systemic inflammation and attenuated hepatic lipid accumulation. These findings suggest that FOFT, as a novel functional food, holds great promise for resistance to obesity and its comorbidities.