Abstract
Kombucha fermentation is traditionally carried out by inoculating a previously grown tea fungal mat into a freshly prepared tea broth and incubating under aerobic conditions for 7–10 days. In this study, four kombucha beverages were prepared by placing the tea fungal mats in sugared Sri Lankan black tea at varying concentrations for a period of 8 weeks. The antioxidant activities, physicochemical, and qualitative properties were monitored prior to the commencement of the fermentation process, one day after the inoculation with the microorganisms and subsequently on a weekly basis. All samples displayed a statistically significant decrease (p < .05) in the antioxidant activity at the end of 8 weeks, which was indicative of the decreasing functional properties of the beverage. The physicochemical properties indicated increased acidity and turbidity, which might decrease consumer appeal of the fermented beverage. Further studies are necessary to test the accumulation of organic acids, nucleic acids, and toxicity of kombucha on human organs following the extended period of fermentation.
Highlights
Kombucha is a fermented beverage obtained through the fermentation of sugared tea (Camellia sinesis) with symbiotic bacteria and osmophilic yeast
This study focused on monitoring the changes to the antioxidant activities and physicochemical effects of kombucha “Tea Fungus” during an extended fermentation period of 8 weeks
The decrease in pH value could be due to the increased concentration of organic acids produced during the fermentation process by bacteria and yeasts in the tea fungal mat, which seeped into the broth
Summary
Kombucha is a fermented beverage obtained through the fermentation of sugared tea (Camellia sinesis) with symbiotic bacteria and osmophilic yeast. A pleasantly sour, slightly sparkling, apple cider-like beverage is produced It can be produced at home by fermentation using mail order fungus or a tea fungal mat which is domestically prepared. The tea fungus has the ability to enhance the radical scavenging activity by the fermentation process, whether these beneficial effects of the beverage are enhanced through extended periods of fermentation remains a question. To address this issue, this study focused on monitoring the changes to the antioxidant activities and physicochemical effects of kombucha “Tea Fungus” during an extended fermentation period of 8 weeks. These sensory aspects are important above all as being a fermented beverage, consumers may tend to judge the drink mostly based on the color, clarity, and flow properties
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