Cordyceps militaris fermentation changes the flavor and chemical profiles of Lu’an GuaPian green tea with fat-lowering and anti-aging activities

Microbial tea products are widely welcomed for their unique quality and characteristics. In this study, Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris), a medicinal and edible fungus, was used to ferment Lu'an GuaPian tea (LGPT) by solid-state fermentation (SSF) and thus developed a new deeply processed tea product (SSF-LGPT) with less bitterness and a distinct herbal aroma. SSF-LGPT (100 μg/mL) showed α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and significantly lowered fat content (34 % inhibition rate) in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). SSF-LGPT also exhibited antioxidant activity in vitro, prolonged the lifespan, delayed the age-related decline of phenotype, and enhanced stress resistance to heat, oxidative stress, and UV irradiation in C. elegans. Together, C. militaris fermentation of LGPT improves the flavor, hypoglycemic and fat-lowering activities. This study provides a new alternative approach to comprehensively utilize resourceful green tea via C. militaris fermentation.