Abstract
Kombucha is a fermented functional beverage that started as a homemade beverage and grew into a commercial product in the U.S. by the turn of this century. The number of companies producing kombucha, as well as the variety of kombucha products, is increasing rapidly. The scientific research on kombucha also got active along with the growth in the market. The topics of kombucha research can be grouped into the substrate used in fermentation, the microbial composition of the cultures, processing methods, chemical composition, the health benefits and health risks associated with consumption, the utilization of symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBYs), etc. There are several already published in-depth scientific reviews covering these topics. Even with the sensory characteristics of kombucha being a critical aspect of the beverage, there are not many publications covering the sensory and consumer research on this beverage. This review paper aims to provide the current market status of kombucha and to show a need for scientific sensory and consumer research studies to help the kombucha researchers and industry working on this fast-growing beverage.
Highlights
The Wall Street Journal called 2018 the year of “Fancy water and kombucha” [1]
symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBYs)’ forms on the top surface and the composition of the liquid phase changes with the sugar level and the pH decreases and the acidity increases due to the symbiotic action of starter bacteria and yeast
The sweetness of the kombucha decreases while the sour taste increases due to the SCOBY using the sugar as a substrate to produce organic acids [25,27]
Summary
The Wall Street Journal called 2018 the year of “Fancy water and kombucha” [1]. Before 2016, the carbonated soft drink was the largest beverage category by volume in the United States [2]. Despite the current growth and trend of functional food and beverages in the U.S market, there are no specific definitions or regulations for functional foods by law These are referred to as “conventional” foods which must be safe to be marketed as foods, and the ingredients must be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) or approved as food additives by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) [10,11]. Functional foods can be considered to be those whole, fortified, enriched or enhanced foods that provide health benefits beyond the provision of essential nutrients (e.g., vitamins and minerals), when they are consumed at efficacious levels as part of a varied diet on a regular basis. The objective of this review paper is to provide overall information of kombucha such as the definition, history, and fermentation process of kombucha along with the commercial and sensory research status of kombucha
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