Abstract: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely used in the development of plant-based fermented foods, which play an important role in forming and improving the unique flavor, and promoting the diversification of nutritional and health benefits of fermented products. This article introduces the health benefits of LAB and reviews the recent applications of LAB in fermented tea with special reference to the basis, the fermentation process and its impact on tea quality. Meanwhile, future prospects for the application of LAB in the production of fermented tea are discussed, hoping to provide a reference for the development of LAB fermented tea products and high-value utilization of summer and autumn tea.

Key words: lactic acid bacteria; health benefits; summer and autumn tea; biotransformation; fermented tea products