Foods, Vol. 14, Pages 3548: Enhancing the Anti-Aging Potential of Green Tea Extracts Through Liquid-State Fermentation with Aspergillus niger RAF106

Foods doi: 10.3390/foods14203548

Authors:
Yuju Liu
Xiao Zhang
Xingbing Liu
Ruixuan Li
Ximiao Yang
Zhenlin Liao
Xiang Fang
Jie Wang

Microbial fermentation diversely modulates the bioactivity of green tea extracts (GTE), but its effects on anti-aging potential remain under-explored. This study investigated the effects of liquid-state fermentation by Aspergillus niger RAF106 on the anti-aging properties of GTE from Biluochun and identified its longevity-promoting metabolites. The unfermented GTE used herein showed no or limited effects, but the four-day fermented tea extracts (GTE-A4) significantly extended the mean lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans, enhanced motility and stress resistance, and improved mitochondrial function and antioxidant properties, while reducing lipid accumulation and oxidative damage. The pro-longevity effect depended on insulin/IGF-1, MAPK, and p53 pathways and required transcription factors DAF-16 and HSF-1. Fermentation periods shorter or longer than 4 days led to reduced efficacy. Fermentation with RAF106 dynamically altered chemical composition and induced the enrichment of various longevity-promoting metabolites in GTE-A4, including proanthocyanidin A2, aromadendrin, and dalbergioidin—all newly identified as anti-aging agents. These findings demonstrate that RAF106 fermentation improves the anti-aging potential of green tea and provides a scientific basis for using precision fermentation to develop advanced anti-aging functional ingredients from tea extracts.

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Yuju Liu www.mdpi.com