Effects of processing on the preparation of kombucha: a systematic review

Abstract

SummaryThe objective of this review study was to carry out a systematic review of the effects of the process in the preparation of kombucha. Scientific articles published between 2017 and 2022 were investigated in the ScienceDirect, Scopus and Web of Science scientific databases. The search was carried out by applying the descriptors ‘kombucha’, ‘tea’, ‘green tea’, ‘black tea’, ‘processing’ and ‘fermentation’. The work followed the standards of Preferred Reporting Items in Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses in its structuring. Among the articles that met the inclusion criteria, ten studies were selected to compose this review. The studies' results showed the effects of the kombucha production process on the variables of type of herb, substrate, fermentation time and temperature. It was possible to conclude that the results of this work provide evidence about the effects of the kombucha process comprising different variables. New studies to optimise kombucha production must be carried out to standardise amounts of herbs, substrates, fermentation time and temperature since these parameters have shown an influence on the final product and, consequently, on its biological activity.