Kombucha Research Articles

Production and Characterization of Kombucha Tea from Different Sources of Tea and Its Kinetic Modeling

This study aimed to investigate the fermentation performance, sugar consumption, pH changes, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity produced using different tea extracts and sugar concentrations and the kinetic characteristics of Kombucha fermentation. Three independent sugar concentrations (10 g/L, 40 g/L, and 70 g/L) were used in the fermentation process. The results showed that the Kombucha culture consumed all sugar in the fermentation medium when the sugar concentration was below a certain threshold, but when the sugar concentration was high, not all substrate was consumed. Sugar consumption values ranged from 48.39 to 55.40 g/L and affected biomass formation, with higher sugar consumption resulting in increased biomass production. The pH decreased during fermentation due to the production of organic acids and microbial by-products, while total acidity increased. Total phenolic compounds increased during fermentation, with the highest concentrations observed in herbal Kombucha teas. Antioxidant activity varied, with some samples showing a decrease in DPPH scavenging ability. Kinetic characterization revealed the relationship between substrate depletion, sugar consumption, total acidity, and phenolic compound production. The results showed that sugar concentration influenced the fermentation kinetics and end-product characteristics of Kombucha tea. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the fermentation process of Kombucha tea and its impact on various parameters, contributing to the understanding of the factors affecting its quality and health benefits.

Principal component analysis revealed the key influencing factors of kombucha bacterial cellulose yield and productivity

A long-term approach for turning waste into useful products might aid in sustaining the commercialization of kombucha tea by-products. Using principal component analysis (PCA), this study sought to investigate how eleven variables affect the yield of kombucha bacterial cellulose. The input variables that were included types of tea leaves and sugar concentrations, SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) mass, kombucha starter tea, temperature, pH, and fermentation time. PCA found 75 % of data variability in the first four principal components (PCs). The correlations between the input variables were examined using the correlation centroid plot. Biplot combines the optimal loading PCA plot with the correlation centroid that revealed the high concentration of sugar contributes to high yield of bacterial cellulose. The findings provided insight into the condensed criteria as a vital hint for both academia and industry in the pursuit of a high cellulose yield in kombucha.

The Effectiveness of Roselle Kombucha Tea in Increasing Haemoglobin Levels Mice (Mus imusculus) With Anaemic

The Effectiveness of Roselle Kombucha Tea in Increasing Haemoglobin Levels Mice (Mus imusculus) With Anaemic

Anti-Inflammatory and Protective Effects of Water Extract and Bioferment from Sambucus nigra Fruit in LPS-Induced Human Skin Fibroblasts.

In this study, an attempt was made to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and protective effects of the Sambucus nigra fruit extract and its ferment obtained by fermentation with kombucha tea fungus. For this purpose, fermented and non-fermented extracts were compared in terms of their chemical composition by the HPLC/ESI-MS chromatographic method. The antioxidant activity of the tested samples was assessed using DPPH and ABTS assays. Cytotoxicity was also determined using Alamar Blue and Neutral Red tests to assess the viability and metabolism of fibroblast and keratinocyte skin cells. Potential anti-aging properties were determined by their ability to inhibit the activity of the metalloproteinases collagenase and elastase. Tests showed that the extract and the ferment have antioxidant properties and stimulate the proliferation of both cell types. The study also assessed the anti-inflammatory activity of the extract and ferment by monitoring levels of the pro-inflammatory interleukins IL-6, IL-1ß, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory IL-10 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated fibroblast cells. The results indicate that both the S. nigra extract and its kombucha ferment can be effective in preventing free-radical-induced cell damage and have positive effects on skin cell health.

Development of Fermented Kombucha Tea Beverage Enriched with Inulin and B Vitamins

Kombucha is a sweet and sour beverage made by fermenting a liquid base with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. Different tea substrates, carbohydrate sources, and additional ingredients are used to create beverages with different physical and chemical characteristics. The purpose of this work was to create a recipe and technology to study the properties of the beverage based on kombucha with a given chemical composition. The content of added functional ingredients (vitamins and inulin) in quantities comparable with reference daily intake was the specified parameter characterizing the distinctive features of the enriched beverages. For fermentation using symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeast, a black tea infusion sweetened with sucrose was used as a substrate. The changes in the physicochemical characteristics of the fermented tea beverage base were evaluated. The dynamics of changes in pH, acidity, the content of mono- and disaccharides, ethanol, organic acids, polyphenolic compounds, and volatile organic substances were shown. The fermentation conditions were selected (pH up to 3.3 ± 0.3, at T = 25 ± 1 °C, process duration of 14 days) to obtain the beverage base. Strawberry and lime leaves were used as flavor and aroma ingredients, and vitamins with inulin were used as functional ingredients. Since the use of additional ingredients changed the finished beverage’s organoleptic profile and increased its content of organic acids, the final product’s physical–chemical properties, antioxidant activity, and organoleptic indicators were assessed. The content of B vitamins in the beverages ranges from 29 to 44% of RDI, and 100% of RDI for inulin, which allows it to be attributed to the category of enriched products. The DPPH inhibitory activity of the beverages was 82.0 ± 7%, and the ethanol content did not exceed 0.43%. The beverages contained a variety of organic acids: lactic (43.80 ± 4.82 mg/100 mL), acetic (205.00 ± 16.40 mg/100 mL), tartaric (2.00 ± 0.14 mg/100 mL), citric (65.10 ± 5.86 mg/100 mL), and malic (45.50 ± 6.37 mg/100 mL). The technology was developed using pilot equipment to produce fermented kombucha tea enriched with inulin and B vitamins.

Microbiological and Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Black Tea Kombucha Fermented with a New Zealand Starter Culture.

Kombucha is a popular sparkling sugared tea, fermented by a symbiotic culture of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) and yeast. The demand for kombucha continues to increase worldwide, mainly due to its perceived health benefits and appealing sensory properties. This study isolated and characterised the dominant AAB and yeast from a starter culture and kombucha broth after 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 14 days of fermentation at ambient temperature (22 °C). Yeast and AAB were isolated from the Kombucha samples using glucose yeast extract mannitol ethanol acetic acid (GYMEA) and yeast extract glucose chloramphenicol (YGC) media, respectively. The phenotypic and taxonomic identification of AAB and yeast were determined by morphological and biochemical characterisation, followed by a sequence analysis of the ribosomal RNA gene (16S rRNA for AAB and ITS for yeast). The changes in the microbial composition were associated with variations in the physico-chemical characteristics of kombucha tea, such as pH, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids (TSS). During fermentation, the acidity increased and the TSS decreased. The yield, moisture content, and water activity of the cellulosic pellicles which had developed at the end of fermentation were attributed to the presence of AAB. The dominant AAB species in the cellulosic pellicles and kombucha broth were identified as Komagataeibacter rhaeticus. The yeast isolates belonged to Debaryomyces prosopidis and Zygosaccharomyces lentus.

Evaluation the antiviral activity of the sweetened kombucha tea against different viral infections in vitro

Evaluation the antiviral activity of the sweetened kombucha tea against different viral infections in vitro

Development of Kombucha Tea with Gac and Mango Fruits: Sensory, Nutritional, Phytochemical, Physicochemical and Antioxidant Evaluation

Kombucha tea is a sweetened black tea beverage that undergoes fermentation with a starter culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). In this study, gac (Momordica cochinchinensis) and mango (Mangifera indica) fruits were primarily chosen for infusion into kombucha due to their health benefits. Thus, this research aims to develop kombucha black tea with gac and mango, evaluate the sensory evaluation of the kombucha tea, and analyse the nutritional composition, physicochemical, phytochemical, and antioxidant activity of the kombucha tea. In this study, kombucha was prepared by fermenting black tea with sugar at different concentrations (70, 80, and 100 g) and SCOBY for 10 days before infusing it with gac and mango fruits. The sensory evaluation was evaluated using a hedonic 9-scale and another while using the standard methods. The result showed that kombucha gac and mango fruit with100 g of sugar (KGM100) represents the highest score on all attributes with a value of colour 7.5±1.55, aroma 6.47±1.74, taste 6.6±1.77, and overall, of 6.6±1.77. The nutrient of KGM 100 was higher than other concentrations with a value content of carbohydrates 6.9% and vitamin C of 2.70 mg/kg. The phytochemical of all samples showed increment during fermentation time and the antioxidant activity is higher in KGM100 (95.88%) while the physicochemical properties showed an increase in acidity and a decrease in colour. These findings show that kombucha black tea with gac and mango may impact health when consume and future investigation is worthy to determine its potential health benefits. &nbsp

A Review of side effects of Kombucha

Kombucha is a mushroom fermented in sweetened black or green tea, originally found in Asia, being used as a remedy for many ailments in this region. Kombucha is not a usual mushroom because it represents the symbiosis between yeast and a variety of bacteria aggregated through a permeable membrane. Among the benefits of Kombucha tea are the potential antioxidant effect against free radicals, and the clinical effects on diabetes for its hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, and immune stimulation. But secondary to the lack of evidence to support these benefits, several publications emerged to mention the side effects of Kombucha consumption. The present article is trying to collect the data reported in the literature regarding the side effects of Kombucha.

Morphological Effect on Swelling Behaviour of Carboxymethyl Cellulose–Maleic Acid Hydrogel Modified with Kombucha Bacterial Cellulose

The incorporation of bacterial cellulose from kombucha tea in carboxymethyl cellulose / maleic acid (CMC / MA) hydrogels has been successfully conducted. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the pores on the surface of the hydrogel with their water-absorbing ability. Bacterial cellulose from kombucha (KBC) was confirmed by the spectrum of OH, C-O-C, and C-OH functional groups with FT - IR analysis. Filler KBC was added to CMC / MA hydrogel with variations in the concentration of 2, 4, 6, and 8 % wt. The CMC / MA / KBC hydrogels were characterized by swelling test, degree of crosslinking, FTIR, and SEM. The swelling results showed that hydrogels with 2 % KBC produced the best water absorbing ability up to 172 %, water absorption decreased with the increase of KBC concentrations. Furthermore, SEM image results showed that the addition of KBC affects the morphological shape and pore size of the hydrogel. Meanwhile, FTIR analysis showed that there were no major changes in the functional groups of hydrogels.

Green Tea Kombucha Prevents Increased Malondialdehyde and Decreased Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS) in Male Rats Exposed to Nicotine E-Cigarette Vapor

Background. Increased ROS accumulates oxidative stress which can be measured by increasing Malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreasing eNOS level. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) kombucha contains antioxidants, especially polyphenols that reduce ROS and prevent endothelial damage. This study aimed to determine the benefits of green tea kombucha in preventing increasing MDA and decreasing eNOS in male Wistar rats exposed to nicotine electric cigarette vapor. Methods. A randomized pretest-posttest control group study was conducted in male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) aged 2-3 months, weighing 150-200 grams. Thirty-five rats were randomly divided into negative, control, and three treatment groups that were given 0.5ml, 1 ml and 2 ml of green tea kombucha (1 hour before exposure to cigarette vapors). Before treatment, MDA and eNOS level were measured. After 14 days, posttest MDA and eNOS were tested and a comparative analysis were performed. Results. Pre-post MDA levels showed significant differences (p<0.05). Meanwhile, the results of eNOS comparative test showed the average in the posttest group had a significant difference (p<0.05). Post Hoc test analysis showed treatment group 1 and 2 had significantly different mean eNOS levels compared to the control group (p<0.05), indicating 1ml green tea kombucha prevents increasing MDA levels and 0.5 and 1 ml prevents decreasing eNOS in male Wistar rats exposed to nicotine electric cigarette vapor. Conclusions. Administration of green tea kombucha prevents an increase in MDA and decrease in eNOS in male Wistar rats exposed to nicotine e-cigarette vapor. Keywords: Camellia sinensis, Kombucha, eNOS, Malondialdehyde, electric cigarette.

Chemical and Organoleptic Quality of Kombucha Tea at Different Fermentation Time and Concentration of Cherry Leaves (Muntingia calabura L.)

The leaves of the cherry plant (Muntingia calabura L.) contain vitamin C and phenolic compounds. High phenolic compounds have the potential to have antioxidants. Efforts to increase antioxidant activity can be carried out by fermentation using SCOBY. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cherry leaf concentration and fermentation time on the chemical and organoleptic quality of cherry leaf kombucha tea, and to determine the best treatment for cherry leaf kombucha tea. This study used a completely randomized design (CRD) which was arranged in a factorial manner with 2 factors. The first factor is the fermentation time with 3 levels (4 days, 8 days, 12 days). The second factor is the concentration of cherry leaves with 3 levels (1%, 2%, 3%). Each treatment combination was repeated 3 times. The chemical analysis of cherry leaf kombucha that will be tested is the total phenol content using the Folin Ciocalteau reagent with the spectrophotometric method, antioxidant activity with the DPPH method, and vitamin C with the iodine titration method. Analysis of organoleptic quality was carried out by testing the level of preference / hedonic test which included color, aroma, and taste. Determination of the best treatment is done by using the effectiveness test. K3L2 treatment with 3% cherry leaf concentration and 8 days of fermentation gave the best treatment results, namely 0.71, which means that this treatment is the best treatment with parameter criteria including antioxidant 109.77 ppm, phenol 9.42 mg GAE/g, vitamin C 22.92 ppm, taste 3.85 (neutral), scent 3.00 (rather dislike), and color 5.00 (rather like)

The Effect of Fermentation on the Characteristics and Antioxidant Activity of Wuluh Starfruit Leaf Kombucha Tea (Avverhoa bilimbi Linn.)

Kombucha is a fermented drink that provides health effects. Wuluh starfruit leaves are one of the ingredients that can be used in making kombucha. This study was conducted to determine the effect of fermentation time on the physical, chemical, and antioxidant characteristics of wuluh starfruit leaf kombucha tea (Avverhoa bilimbi Linn.). This research is an experimental study with a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of 4 treatments. Kombucha wuluh starfruit leaves are made with a fermentation time of 0, 4 8, and 12 days. The physical characteristics tested include an organoleptic test of scent, color, and taste. The chemical characteristics tested include pH, levels of titrated acids (tta), phenolic, and alcohols. The antioxidant activity is known by determining the value of IC50. Organoleptic, pH, tat, and phenolic assessment data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney. Alcohol content and antioxidant activity were analyzed descriptively. The best result of physical, and chemical characteristics and antioxidant activity are on the 12th day of fermentation with a pH of 3, TTA 0.11 0.070%, phenolic 87.33 1.140 mg/ml GAE and alcohol of 0.41% with an IC50 value of 3.65 ppm.

Intracellular Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects and Bioactive Profiles of Coffee Cascara and Black Tea Kombucha Beverages.

Kombucha is a functional beverage obtained through fermentation of sweetened Camellia sinensis infusion by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts that exerts many beneficial biological effects, mostly related to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Alternative raw materials have been used to create new kombucha or kombucha-like products. Coffee is the most important food commodity worldwide and generates large amounts of by-products during harvest and post-harvest processing. The main coffee by-product is the dried fruit skin and pulp, popularly known as cascara. To date, no studies have evaluated the potential bioactivity of coffee cascara kombucha. In this study, we aimed to measure and compare the effects of infusions and kombuchas made with arabica coffee cascaras (n = 2) and black tea leaves (n = 1), fermented for 0, 3, 6, and 9 days on the intracellular production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Nitric Oxide (NO) in model cells. Oxidative stress was induced in HK-2 cells with indoxyl sulfate (IS) and high glucose (G). Inflammation was induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophage. The contents of phenolic compounds, caffeine, and other physicochemical parameters were evaluated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study providing information on the bioactive profile and on the potential biological effects of coffee cascara kombucha. Fermentation caused the release of bound phenolic compounds from the infusions, especially total chlorogenic acids, with an average increase from 5.4 to 10.7 mg/100 mL (98%) and 2.6-3.4 mg/100 mL (30%) in coffee cascara and black tea kombucha, respectively, up to day 9. All evaluated beverages reduced (p < 0.0001) similarly the intracellular ROS (41% reduction, on average) and uric acid (10-55%) concentrations in HK-2 model cells, reversing the induced oxidative stress. All beverages also reduced (p < 0.0001, 81-90%) NO formation in LPS-induced macrophages, exhibiting an anti-inflammatory effect. These potential health benefits may be mostly attributed to polyphenols and caffeine, whose contents were comparable in all beverages. Coffee cascara showed similar potential to C. sinensis to produce healthy beverages and support sustainable coffee production.

Organoleptic Test of Kombucha Made from Various Tea Sources and Fermentation Time

Background: This research aims to find the best mixture of kombucha that can accept by the community in BTN Pa’jukukang, Bantaeng district. Kombucha is a fermented beverage made from tea and sugar mixed with the kombucha culture. A kombucha culture is a mixture of bacteria and yeast designated as SCOBY in this work. Methods: In this research, kombucha was made from 4 various teas, i.e., black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and white tea. Each tea was fermented for 7 and 14 days. The kombucha tea samples were subjected to an organoleptic test based on the consumer's acceptance level. The organoleptic test data were analyzed using the hedonic and score test. Results: The test result showed that respondents preferred to choose the color, the smell, and the taste of the black kombucha tea which was fermented for 7 days. Conclusions: Furthermore, the observation of the physical characteristics of the tea showed that the longer the fermentation time, the more acidic the kombucha. This acidic kombucha resulted from the decreasing sugar level during the fermentation process due to the activity of bacteria and khamir in the SCOBY.

Kombucha Tea: Microorganisms Communities Composition, Active Metabolites, Health Functions and Fermentation

As a tea drinking product, Kombucha is made from sugar, water and tea as raw materials and fermented by a variety of probiotics and contains diverse metabolites derived from active microorganisms. As kombucha contains a variety of microorganisms, active ingredients, and uses a fermentation process, it has a wide range of health care functions such as antioxidant, liver protection, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, and anti-cancer, and thus has become the focus of people all over the world. As a result, in order to better exert the health as well as commercial value of kombucha tea product, it is necessary to carry out research on the diversity of microorganisms in kombucha, active substances types and functions, and their relationship with the fermentation process. In order to further improve the flavor and health functions of this tea product and lay a solid foundation for the industrial production of Kombucha from the theoretical level, this thesis will provide a comprehensive analysis and summary of the latest research on microbial communitys composition, active metabolites, health efficacy and fermentation process factors of kombucha tea.

Bacterial cellulose aerogel enriched in nanofibers obtained from Kombucha SCOBY byproduct

Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) pellicle is a by-product of Kombucha tea fermentation that can be a cheap and fast-growing source of cellulose. SCOBY develops a 3D cellulose membrane on the surface of Kombucha tea and since its microstructure can be chemically modified, it has promising applications in the development of biocomposites. This study presents a simple procedure to transform Kombucha SCOBY membranes into cellulose nanofiber aerogels. The protocol consisted in an alkaline purification followed by an acidic hydrolysis and lyophilization. The obtained nanofibers presented thickness than ranged principally between 50 and 110 nm, good crystallinity (90%) and thermal stability (343 ºC). The simplicity of this nanofiber aerogel protocol may contribute to the development of nano-scale materials giving higher value to this by-product that generally is composted. Furthers studies should be addressed to test this nanocellulose fibers combined with other polymers for the development of eco-friendly composites.

Pengaruh Konsentrasi Gula Terhadap Karakteristik Fisika, Kimia dan Aktivitas Antioksidan Teh Kombucha Daun Belimbing Wuluh (Avverhoa bilimbi Linn.)

One of the fermented traditional drinks that can have a health effect is kombucha. The materials that can be used in making kombucha is wuluh starfruit leaves. The research was conducted to determine the effect of sugar concentration of the physical, chemical characteristic, and antioxidant activities of wuluh starfruit leaf kombucha tea. This research is an experimental study with a complete randomized design method (CRD) consisting of 3 treatments. Kombucha wuluh starfruit leaves are made with a sugar concentration of 10%, 15% and 20%. The physical characteristics tested include organoleptic tests and the chemical characteristics include a test of the pH value, the total levels of titrated acids (tat), phenolics statistically analyzed using the Kruskal Wallis test and the Mann Whitney test. The alcohol data and antioxidant activity (IC 50 ) were analyzed descriptively. The results of the Kruskal Wallis test have a significant difference in the pH. The best result based on the physical, chemical characteristic and antioxidant activity is were kombucha with a sugar concentration of 10% with a pH value of 3, a tat content of 0.11%, a phenolic content of 87.33 mg/ml GAE, an alcohol content of 0.41% and an IC 50 value of 3.65 ppm.

Green Tea Kombucha Increases Leydig Cell Numbers and Testosterone Level in Male Wistar Rats Exposed to Nicotine Electric Cigarette Vapor

Background: Nicotine as a free radical reduces male fertility. Green tea, as an antioxidant, has contributed to protecting testes function; however, green tea kombucha has never been studied for such benefits. This study demonstrated the effect of green tea kombucha in increasing Leydig cells number and testosterone levels in male Wistar rats exposed to nicotine from electric cigarettes. Methods: A post-test-only control group trial was performed on 28 male Wistar rats randomly divided into control, untreated, treatment groups 1 and 2. The control group was exposed to e-cigarette vapor + 1 ml of distilled water. Treatment groups 1 and 2 were exposed to e-cigarette vapor + 0.5 ml/day and 1 ml/day of green tea kombucha, respectively—the e-cigarette vapor exposure occurred daily for 30 minutes. After 28 days, Leydig cell and testosterone levels were measured and compared between groups. Results: The control group's mean value of Leydig cell number is lower than untreated group (p=0.004). Only treatment group 2 had a higher mean of Leydig cell number than control (p&lt;0.001). The control group's mean value for testosterone levels was lower than untreated group (p&lt;0.001). The mean testosterone level in treatment groups 1 and 2 was higher than in untreated and control (p&lt;0.001). In addition, treatment group 2 had higher mean testosterone levels than group 1 (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: Green tea kombucha has been shown to inhibit the harmful effects of nicotine. These results serve as a basis for the administration of green tea kombucha to prevent free radical-induced testosterone decline. Keywords: Kombucha, Leydig Cells, Testosterone, Nicotine, Antioxidant

A new approach to obtain chitosan films – Characteristics of films prepared with tea and coffee kombucha as natural chitosan solvents

The environmental degradation that is currently taking place makes it important to develop new natural and biodegradable packaging for various branches of industry. Therefore, the aim of the research was to characterize films prepared from chitosan and kombucha solutions obtained from coffee and three types of tea (black, green, and white). Kombucha solutions were used as a natural solvent for the preparation of chitosan films which is a new approach in the production of chitosan films and has not been used so far. Both the kombucha and chitosan-kombucha solutions were characterized by high antioxidant activity in the DPPH test. This could be connected with the presence of phenolic compounds in kombucha solutions, which were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography. In turn, chitosan-kombucha films had different physical, mechanical and biological properties depending on the type of kombucha solutions used. The highest oxygen barrier was determined for the film obtained from chitosan and green tea kombucha solution. The film consisting of chitosan and white tea kombucha solution was characterized by the highest tensile strength. In turn, microbiological studies showed that films based on chitosan and tea kombucha solutions showed higher activity against Salmonella eneterica than kombucha solutions, while film that consisted of a chitosan and black tea kombucha solution additionaly exhibited greater activity against Escherichia coli. Moreover, the analysis of sorption showed that kombucha solutions limited the accessibility of primary sorption sites. The results indicated that the type of kombucha used to prepared chitosan-kombucha films affects the properties of the obtained films. In addition, kombucha solutions can be used as a natural chitosan solvent instead of inorganic acids. The results of the study confirmed that chitosan films produced using kombucha as a solvent are better than the chitosan films commonly produced with acetic acid, so they can be a viable alternative material for food packaging.