Comparing the filtering efficiency of kombucha SCOBY and nitrocellulose membrane filter

Abstract

Kombucha is a fermented tea made from tea broth 5-8% Sucrose (granulated sugar) and SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), it is an alcoholic drink with 0.5 -2.5% alcohol. The origin of kombucha tea is said to be from China. The kombucha tea takes about 7-10 days for its fermentation. The fermentation takes place in two stages, wherein the first stage takes about 7-10 days, and the pellicle is formed in the air-water interface and in the second stage the flavoring of the kombucha is done with the fruit pulp and it is left for 10 days. In the first stage of fermentation, it forms a polymeric cellulose pellicle (SCOBY) with the help of certain species of bacteria and yeast-like lactic acid bacteria, Acetic acid bacteria and Saccharomyces species. The consumption of kombucha is good for health. The SCOBY is a biofilm formed by the action of acetic acid bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and yeast and it is made of cellulose polymeric compound which can trap the microorganisms to a certain extent and retain them on the filter pad (SCOBY). The increased use of nitrocellulose membrane filter is used for filtering microorganisms from the sample is used extensively as it gives out efficient results, but the continuous and increased use of nitrocellulose filter is not good for the environment and for the human population who live near the industries where it is made. This study focuses on the use of SCOBY as a filter pad on various samples and finding out its efficiency when compared to the nitrocellulose membrane filter pad.