Deciphering the underlying core microorganisms and the marker compounds of Liupao tea during the pile-fermentation process.

Background: Pile fermentation is one of the key steps in developing the Liupao tea (LBT) quality and unique characteristics. The complex biochemical profile of LBT results from microorganisms present during the pile-fermentation process. However, the critical underlying microorganisms and the marker compounds still need to be determined.