Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41867401›Full record

ArticleFood chemistry: X2026

Decoding long-term aging of ripened Pu-erh tea: sensory equilibrium, metabolic pathways, and chemical markers.

Xuexue Zheng, Silei Bai, Dong Chen, Shuai Wen, Longhao Wang, Huimin An, Haiqian Liang, Hengbin Yao, Yuan Chen, Hongyu Chen and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Food chemistry: X, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. The Chemistry of Time: Flavor Evolution and Functional Health Benefits in Aged Tea.Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Xuexue ZhengKey Laboratory of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Silei BaiKey Laboratory of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Dong ChenGuangzhou Ruifeng Tea Culture Museum, China.
Shuai WenNational Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha 410128, China.
Longhao WangYuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China.
Huimin AnNational Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha 410128, China.
Haiqian LiangDongguan Tea Culture Promotion Association, China.
Hengbin YaoYuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China.
Yuan ChenKey Laboratory of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Hongyu ChenYuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China.
Jing ZhangKey Laboratory of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Yajie XueKey Laboratory of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Jianan HuangKey Laboratory of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
Zhonghua LiuKey Laboratory of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Natural storage promotes Ripened Pu-erh tea (RPET) aging along with chemical conversion and flavor evolution. Analysis of teas aged 2-40+ years via sensory evaluation, E-tongue, and untargeted metabolomics showed a rise-fall-stabilization pattern in sensory profiles and metabolites. The 15-year sample reached sensory equilibrium with mild bitterness and enhanced sweetness and mellowness. A total of 313 non-volatile metabolites were identified: early accumulation of amino acids, nucleosides, and catechins; mid-stage depletion via oxidation and hydrolysis; and late-stage stabilization of lipids, phenolic acids, and antioxidants. Lipid oxidation products mitigated bitterness, while amino acids, nucleotides, and phenolic derivatives enhanced sweetness, kokumi, and flavor complexity. Fourteen age-dependent metabolites, including

Indexed as

Age-dependent markersLong-term storageMetabolomicsRipened Pu-erh teaSensory evaluation

Identifiers

PMID41867401
PMCPMC13000720

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.