Effects of the flowering process on the metabolite profiles and bioactivities of Shaanxi Fu brick tea

This study investigated the impact of “flowering” process ( Aspergillus cristatus -mediated fermentation) on the quality of Shaanxi Fu brick tea. Metabolic profiles of twenty samples, collected before (BF) and after (AF) fermentation were analysed. Moreover, in vitro assessments of their antioxidant and hypolipidaemic activities were also evaluated. Results indicated a significant decrease ( p  < 0.05) in tea polyphenols (13.09%) and free amino acids (38.24%), while caffeine and flavonoids showed no significant changes after flowering process. Integrated gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) found that 15 volatiles ( e.g. diallyl sulfide) and 47 non-volatile compounds ( e.g. fuzhuanin A) were significantly increased. Correlation analysis revealed that antioxidant capacity was closely associated with echinulin and 6-gingerol, whilst hypolipidaemic effect was correlated with fuzhuanin A, teadenol A, and betaine ( p  < 0.05). These findings underscore the pivotal role of flowering process in shaping the functional metabolite profile and bioactivity of Fu brick tea.