Changes in Sensory Characteristics, Chemical Composition and Microbial Succession During Fermentation of Ancient Plants Pu-erh Tea

“Ancient tea plants” are defined as tea trees > 100 years old, or with a trunk diameter > 25 cm; their leaves are manufactured to high - quality, valuable ancient plants pu-erh tea (APPT). In this study, a fermentation of APPT were developed, and outstanding sweetness of APPT infusion was observed. During fermentation, the content of soluble sugars, theabrownins (p < 0.05), as well as 41 metabolites were increased [Variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1.0; p < 0.05 and Fold-change (FC) FC > 2]; While relative levels of 72 metabolites were decreased (VIP > 1.0, p < 0.05 and FC < 0.5. Staphylococcus, Achromobacter, Sphingomonas, Thermomyces, Rasamsonia, Blastobotrys, Aspergillus and Cladosporium were identified as dominant genera, and their relative levels were correlated with contents of characteristic components (p < 0.05). Together, changes in sensory characteristics, chemical composition and microbial succession during APPT fermentation were investigated, and advanced the formation mechanism of its unique quality.