Multi-omics analysis uncovers an integrated network that reshapes flavor compound profile of goji bud tea by...

Goji bud tea is well known for numerous health benefits such as aiding sleep, as well as its distinctive bitter-grassy flavor which is expected to be improved via fermentation. Herein, we conducted this highly anticipated work and studied the role of microbiota in flavor reshaping during 12-day pile-fermentation by employing an integrated multi-omics approach. The results demonstrated that pile-fermentation significantly reduced bitterness and astringency, while concurrently enriching volatile flavor compounds such as α-terpineol, dodecanal, and acetophenone. Filobasidium, Sphingomonas, and Pseudomonas were identified as keystone active microorganisms, whose abundances exhibited highly significant positive correlations with the fresh-sweet floral index and were also highly represented at the transcript level. A significant upregulation was observed for various fatty acids and terpenoids, including dodecanedioic acid and Jolkinolide B. Furthermore, the integrated analysis of 2508 differentially expressed genes and 549 differential metabolites revealed that the TCA cycle, propanoate metabolism, and glutathione metabolism are the core pathways in goji bud tea fermentation, with enzymes derived from genera such as Bacillus and Pseudomonas serving as key catalytic nodes for flavor generation. This study presents the first "microbe-gene-metabolite" interaction map of pile fermentation, providing a theoretical framework for the targeted modulation of sensory and nutritional quality in functional plant-based fermented foods.