Fungal community associated with fermentation and storage of Fuzhuan brick-tea

Chinese Fuzhuan brick-tea is a unique microbial fermented tea characterized by a period of fungal growth during its manufacturing process. The aim of the present study was to characterize, both physicochemically and microbiologically, traditional industrial production processes of Fuzhuan brick-tea. Fermenting tea samples were collected from the largest manufacturer. Physicochemical analyses showed that the low water content in the tea substrates provided optimal growth conditions for xerophilic fungi. The fungal communities existing in tea materials, fermenting tea, and stored teas were monitored by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) targeting the D1 region of the 26S rRNA genes, followed by sequencing of the amplicons. Results revealed that the microorganisms were from, or closely related to, the genera Eurotium, Debaryomyces, Aspergillus, Verticillium, Pichia, Pestalotiopsis, Rhizomucor and Beauveria. This is the first report of Debaryomyces participating in the processing of Fuzhuan brick-tea. We concluded that the dominant genera Eurotium, Debaryomyces and Aspergillus are beneficial fungi associated with the fermentation of Fuzhuan brick-tea. The genus Beauveria was present in the stored Fuzhuan brick-tea, which may help protect tea products from insect spoilage. The remaining four genera were of minor importance in the manufacturing of Fuzhuan brick-tea. The predominant Eurotium species, a strain named Eurotium sp. FZ, was phenotypically and genotypically identified as Eurotium cristatum. High performance thin layer chromatography analysis of anthraquinones showed that emodin existed in all the dark tea samples, but physcion was only detectable in the tea fermented by E. cristatum. The PCR-DGGE approach was an effective and convenient means for profiling the fungal communities in Fuzhuan brick-tea. These results may help promote the use of microbial consortia as starter cultures to stabilize and improve the quality of Fuzhuan brick-tea products.