Influences of Fermentation Temperature on Volatile and Non-Volatile Compound Formation in Dark Tea: Mechanistic Insights Using Aspergillus niger as a Model Organism

Niaz, Rida; Li, Mingjin; Pu, Qian; Qu, Anlan; Shen, Tianci; Qi, Minghui; Wang, Chengtao; Chen, Lixia; Wu, Shuang; Huang, Youyi

doi:10.3390/foods15030441

Open AccessArticle

Influences of Fermentation Temperature on Volatile and Non-Volatile Compound Formation in Dark Tea: Mechanistic Insights Using Aspergillus niger as a Model Organism

by

Rida Niaz

^†,

Mingjin Li

^†,

Qian Pu

,

Anlan Qu

,

Tianci Shen

,

Minghui Qi

,

Chengtao Wang

,

Lixia Chen

,

Shuang Wu

and

Youyi Huang

^*

National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Tea Science Department of College of Horticulture and Forestry of Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Foods 2026, 15(3), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030441

Submission received: 8 December 2025 / Revised: 6 January 2026 / Accepted: 12 January 2026 / Published: 26 January 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flavor and Aroma Analysis as an Approach to Quality Control of Foods)

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Abstract

The mechanism of the quality formation of dark tea is not fully clear, particularly under variable fermentation temperatures. In this study, the tea fermented with Aspergillus niger (AN) at 25 (AN25) and 37 °C (AN37) exhibited the highest quality. Different fermentation temperatures primarily influenced the degradation of fatty acids and the hydrolysis of glycosides in the tea, with 37 °C being the most favorable for the release and accumulation of volatile compounds. Eighteen key volatiles were identified. Among these, benzaldehyde (a 120.9% increase compared to CK), α-ionone (957.8%), linalool (172.2%), and nonanal (22.8%) were present at high levels in AN37, and these compounds served as the main aroma contributors. Inoculation with AN and fermentation temperature primarily influences the levels of total polyphenols, organic acids and their derivatives, as well as amino acids and their metabolites in dark tea. Total polyphenols, flavonoids, and nucleotide and its metabolites were more rapidly consumed at 25–37 °C, contributing to the improved taste of the tea infusion. Additionally, EGC, GC, melezitose, and sucrose showed significant negative correlations with the taste quality of the tea infusion (p < 0.05). These results are conducive to further understanding of the quality formation of dark tea.

Keywords: dark tea; variable temperature fermentation; Aspergillus niger; characteristic compounds; metabolomics

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MDPI and ACS Style

Niaz, R.; Li, M.; Pu, Q.; Qu, A.; Shen, T.; Qi, M.; Wang, C.; Chen, L.; Wu, S.; Huang, Y. Influences of Fermentation Temperature on Volatile and Non-Volatile Compound Formation in Dark Tea: Mechanistic Insights Using Aspergillus niger as a Model Organism. Foods 2026, 15, 441. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030441

AMA Style

Niaz R, Li M, Pu Q, Qu A, Shen T, Qi M, Wang C, Chen L, Wu S, Huang Y. Influences of Fermentation Temperature on Volatile and Non-Volatile Compound Formation in Dark Tea: Mechanistic Insights Using Aspergillus niger as a Model Organism. Foods. 2026; 15(3):441. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030441

Chicago/Turabian Style

Niaz, Rida, Mingjin Li, Qian Pu, Anlan Qu, Tianci Shen, Minghui Qi, Chengtao Wang, Lixia Chen, Shuang Wu, and Youyi Huang. 2026. "Influences of Fermentation Temperature on Volatile and Non-Volatile Compound Formation in Dark Tea: Mechanistic Insights Using Aspergillus niger as a Model Organism" Foods 15, no. 3: 441. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030441

APA Style

Niaz, R., Li, M., Pu, Q., Qu, A., Shen, T., Qi, M., Wang, C., Chen, L., Wu, S., & Huang, Y. (2026). Influences of Fermentation Temperature on Volatile and Non-Volatile Compound Formation in Dark Tea: Mechanistic Insights Using Aspergillus niger as a Model Organism. Foods, 15(3), 441. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030441

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Influences of Fermentation Temperature on Volatile and Non-Volatile Compound Formation in Dark Tea: Mechanistic Insights Using Aspergillus niger as a Model Organism

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