A comparison of the microbial diversity in Korean and Chinese post-fermented teas = 한국과 중국 미생물 발효차의 미생물 군집분석 및 비교

Abstract

Tea is the most popular beverage in the world. The three main types are green, black, and post-fermented. Post-fermented teas are produced by the microbial fermentation of sun-dried green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis). In this study, the composition of the bacterial communities involved in the production of traditional oriental post-fermented teas (Korean algacha, dancha, and Chinese pu-erh) were investigated using 16S rRNA gene analysis. The dominant microorganisms present in the post-fermented teas included the α-proteobacteria Rhodobacteraceae and Sphingomonas, and the γ-proteobacteria Pantoea. Cluster analysis confirmed that the microbial populations present in both Korean and Chinese post-fermented teas grouped into the same class. Interestingly, the dominant microorganism present in the Korean post-fermented teas was a bacterium, while for the Chinese post-fermented tea, it was a fungus. ⓒ 2017, The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology.