Processing-Induced Metabolic Reprogramming of Litsea coreana Modulates Its Phytochemical Profile and Bioactivities

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Metabolomics
• Herbal Medicine

Background:

• Hawk tea (Litsea coreana) is a caffeine-free herbal beverage valued for health benefits.
• Understanding how processing affects its composition and bioactivity is crucial for functional food applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the chemical composition, metabolic profile, and in vitro bioactivity of green (GHT), yellow (YHT), and black (BHT) hawk teas.
• To elucidate the metabolic transformations during hawk tea processing.

Main Methods:

• Comparative chemical analysis of phenolic and flavonoid content.
• Non-targeted metabolomic profiling using mass spectrometry.
• Molecular network analysis to identify key metabolic pathways.
• In vitro assays for antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activity.

Main Results:

• Processing GHT to BHT significantly reduced phenolic and flavonoid content, altering color from yellow-green to orange-red.
• Metabolomic analysis revealed 2610 differential metabolic features, primarily in flavonoids, phenolic acids, amino acids, and sugars.
• Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and amino acid degradation pathways were remodeled, converting flavanols to polymeric pigments.
• GHT exhibited the strongest antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activities.

Conclusions:

• Hawk tea processing significantly alters its metabolic composition and bioactivity.
• Green hawk tea possesses superior antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory properties.
• This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing hawk tea processing for specific functional food applications.