Effects of bifenthrin pesticide on fermented cultures and metabolite profiles of kombucha tea

Abstract

Pesticide residue contamination in raw materials influences the quality of fermented products. This study investigated the effects of bifenthrin (1, 3, 5, and 30 mg/L) in tea broth on the composition and metabolite profiles of kombucha tea. Bifenthrin at 30 mg/L (B30) showed an adverse effect on kombucha composition, with reduced 0.63–1 log CFU/mL of each microbial group (acetic acid bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and yeast), while lower concentrations of bifenthrin gave decreased 0.30–0.84 log CFU/mL of each fermented culture. The presence of bifenthrin altered the kombucha metabolites and instigated intervening microbial metabolisms, such as arginine biosynthesis and pyrimidine metabolism, which resulted in reduced production of amino acids, amino derivatives, organic acids, and other beneficial compounds. B30 addition also reduced flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of kombucha tea by 16% (0.143–0.223 mg quercetin/mL) and 5% (0.239–0.278 mg Trolox/mL), respectively. Findings demonstrated that the presence of bifenthrin decreased kombucha tea quality in terms of chemical composition and reduced beneficial microbial populations by disrupting their biological pathways.