Fu tea is receiving increasing attention for its specific aroma, flavor, and dramatic functional benefits. Herein, we explored the effects and underlying mechanisms of Fu loose tea (FLT), Fu brick tea (FBT), and diet pills (orlistat) on a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. The results indicated that FLT and FBT administration effectively inhibited weight gain, glucose metabolic dysregulation, fat accumulation in organs, hepatic and kidney injury, and oxidative stress induced by HFD. Additionally, FLT and FBT treatments improved the lipid profiles and reduced the production of proinflammatory cytokines by regulating the expression levels of lipid metabolism- and inflammation-related genes. Furthermore, FLT and FBT ameliorated the gut microbiota dysbiosis in HFD-mice in a dose-dependent relationship by increasing the abundance of family Verrucomicrobiaceae and genus Akkermansia and Turicibacter and simultaneously reducing the abundance of family Erysipelotrichaceae and genus Bifidobacterium; in contrast, orlistat did not exert a regulatory effect on gut microbiota similar to FLT and FBT to improve HFD-induced obesity. KEGG analysis of gut microbiota annotation revealed that “metabolism” was the most enriched category. This study further provides a theoretical basis for FLT and FBT to be potential supplements to alleviate diet-induced obesity.

Wheat flour is mainly composed of protein and starch. Gluten, especially the high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit, is the key factor determining the dough quality which has been widely accepted by breeders. However, the contribution of starch composition and physicochemical properties to dough quality has not been paid enough attention. Wheat starch has a bimodal size distribution and it is composed of A-type starch granules (diameter more than 10 μm) and B-type starch granules (diameter no more than 10 μm) according to the particle size. There are differences in the physicochemical properties of different types of starch granules. Therefore, the particle size distribution of starch affects the physicochemical properties of the total wheat starch, the gluten network structure, and the gluten-starch interaction of gluten, and finally affects the dough rheological properties, and processing characteristics. In summary, from a view of starch particle distribution, this article reviewed the development and regulation mechanism, physicochemical properties of A- and B-type starch granules, and their contribution to quality and yield. Strategies for future wheat breeding were proposed, that is, the starch properties should be selected and improved. The germplasm with high B-type starch granules proportion and strong gluten-starch interaction should be screened for further utilization. The objective of this study is to provide a reference for breeding the new high-quality and strong-gluten wheat varieties.