Abstract:In order to promote the high-value utilization of low-quality Gougunao green tea, this study was conducted to prepare a new type of Gougunao fermented tea using the solid-state fermentation process of edible fungi, with summer Gougunao green tea as the raw material. The sensory quality, physicochemical composition, and in vitro biological activity of the fermented tea were analyzed. Based on the enzyme production and polysaccharide production during the fermentation process, the most suitable strain for fermenting Gougunao green tea was selected as Grifola frondosa, and the fermented tea was produced using the solid-state fermentation method.The results showed that compared with the Gougunao green tea, the water leachate, free amino acids, total soluble sugars, and theaflavin content of the fermented tea significantly increased, while the protein and total phenol content decreased significantly. Among these, the total soluble sugars increased the most, reaching 92.23%, followed by water leachate, which increased by 39.54%, and the theaflavin content increased from 0.201% to 0.242%. Meanwhile, the total tea polyphenols decreased from 108.64 mg·g-1 to 94.53 mg·g-1.Sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis revealed that the astringency of the fermented tea was reduced, and the freshness was enhanced, resulting in a more mellow and refreshing overall taste. In terms of in vitro antioxidant activity, the fermented tea exhibited slightly lower antioxidant capacity compared to the green tea, but it showed significantly enhanced inhibition of α-glucosidase (IC50 = 0.236 mg·mL-1) and pancreatic lipase (IC50 = 0.524 mg·mL-1), as well as a moderate promotion of Lactobacillus growth.The findings of this study provide valuable insights and references for the deep processing and technological innovation of low-value Gougunao green tea and other low-value tea products.