Regulation of Intracellular Lipid Droplets by Tea: Mechanistic Insights and Food Applications

/γ (Γ, line tension; γ, surface tension) ratio, limits LD fusion, and increases LD-specific surface area, thereby enhancing lipolytic enzyme access to stored triglycerides. The primary aim of this review is to systematically clarify the molecular mechanisms by which tea regulates LD dynamics and to examine its translational potential in the food sector. We summarize the molecular basis of LD dynamics, how tea modulates the gut microbiota and LD phospholipid composition, the signaling pathways involved in LD homeostasis, and applications of these mechanisms in food, including optimizing nanoemulsions and achieving targeted LD regulation through enhanced tea bioactivity.