Mixing up root microbes can boost tea’s flavor

Dosing dirt with nitrogen-metabolizing bacteria boosted synthesis of a taste-enhancing amino acid

Tea farm in China

The mountainous region of China known as Wuyishan, shown here, is a renowned source of rougui and other oolong teas.

Wei Xin

Researchers may have gotten to the root of tea’s soothing effect.

The quality of a cup of chai can be enriched by modifying the microbial community that populates the plant’s roots, researchers report February 15 in Current Biology.