Rhizopus stolonifer strain isolated from microbial fermented tea and its uses

Microbially fermented small-leaf tea with enhanced anti-obesity properties via inoculation with the zygomycete Rhizopus stolonifer RS201

This technology involves the Rhizopus stolonifer 201 strain (KACC 93134P), isolated from Boseong small-leaf microbial fermented tea, and a method for producing fermented tea by inoculating tea leaves or raw tea with this strain. Tea fermented with this Mucorales-type strain exhibits greater anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, and fatty liver inhibitory effects than the raw tea leaves.

As the supply of tea has increased, farmers have faced declining incomes due to the accumulation of 3rd to 4th grade autumn tea and green tea, which are characterized by weak aroma and strong bitterness. Furthermore, existing microbial fermented teas rely on large-leaf tea varieties and bulk pile-fermentation, making temperature and humidity control difficult, while there has been a lack of fermentation microorganisms and functional enhancement technologies suited for domestic small-leaf tea.

This technology involves isolating microorganisms from fermented tea samples through serial dilution and selecting the 201 strain for its superior functional improvement. The strain, its culture, and its concentrate are used as biocatalyst compositions for producing fermented tea. The fermented tea extract can be used in food compositions and beverages for metabolic diseases and fatty liver improvement. It can be applied to weight-management tea bags, diet-functional tea beverages, and health supplements for fatty liver prevention, allowing for the uniform, small-scale production of differentiated fermented tea products with emphasized anti-obesity benefits.

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Key Features:

• Rhizopus stolonifer 201 strain (KACC 93134P), isolated from microbial fermented tea, which increases anti-diabetic and anti-obesity activity and fatty liver inhibition during tea leaf fermentation
• Composition for producing microbial fermented tea comprising at least one selected from the Rhizopus stolonifer 201 strain, its culture, and its concentrate
• Food composition for preventing or improving metabolic diseases, provided in the form of a tea beverage and containing extract of fermented microbial tea as an active ingredient
• Food composition for preventing or improving fatty liver, containing extract of fermented microbial tea as an active ingredient

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for the development of manufacturing technology for Korean microbially fermented tea.

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