Microbial succession and metabolite dynamics during white tea storage revealed by multi-omics analysis

This study investigated microbial succession and metabolite differences in two white tea grades, Shoumei (SM) and Baihaoyinzhen (BHYZ), with different storage durations(1, 3, and 7 years). High-throughput amplicon sequencing and LC–MS-based non-targeted metabolomics revealed distinct shifts in microbial communities and metabolite profiles. Bacteria exhibit higher richness of observed taxonomic units, with Sphingomonas and Pedobacter dominant in SM and BHYZ, respectively. Fungal genera such as Ascomycota_unclassified and Pleosporales_unclassified increased significantly after 7 years. Metabolomic clustering revealed clear separation of long-stored samples, with flavonoids as the most altered class. Purines I–IV gallate marked storage duration, while other key metabolites differentiated tea grades. Spearman correlation networks highlighted Baicalein and 5-Deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine as central compounds in both tea grades. These findings from systematic multi-omics profiling across tea grades and storage durations depict the microbe–metabolite profiles associated with white tea aging and provide a theoretical basis for flavor improvement and storage optimization. • Microbial communities and metabolites were profiled in aged white tea. • The taxonomic composition of bacterial communities is more complex than fungal communities. • Flavonoids showed the most significant metabolic changes after aging. • Purines I–IV gallate was identified as a marker for storage duration. • Spearman networks revealed shared and cultivar-specific core metabolites.