A novel perspective on the aging of raw Pu-erh tea: a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of different storage containers on flavor quality.

Storage conditions, especially container materials, play a decisive role in determining the quality of raw Pu-erh tea (RAPT). To investigate the flavor differences under different storage methods, we analyzed three-year-aged RAPT using a combination of sensory evaluation and flavoromics approaches, including original packaging storage without a container (RO), pottery jar, iron can, carton, and wooden box. The flavor divergence among different storage methods is primarily attributed to the microclimatic conditions within the containers. Carton-storage achieved coordinated modulation of taste and aroma attributes, characterized by a reduction in bitterness and astringent compounds alongside enhanced richer aroma. Correlation analysis further demonstrated significant associations between environmental factors and lipid compounds, such as diurnal temperature range (|r| = 0.832) and diurnal humidity range (|r| = 0.940). The findings confirmed that the key flavor-related factors during storage mainly involved phenolic oxidation, fatty acid oxidation, and β-carotene degradation pathways. This study provides important theoretical support for the rational storage of RAPT.