Evaluation of the Fermentation Characteristics and Functionality of Kombucha for Commercialization 콤부차 제품화를 위한 발효 특성 평가 및 기능성 평가

Abstract

© 2022 Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition. All rights reserved.Kombucha is a fermented beverage that is made up of green tea and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). Kombucha is well known for its high anti-oxidant activity, digestibility, and for its ability to prevent obesity. Our study used sugar as the primary substrate, and also used 5 secondary substrates (blueberry, pomegranate, zamboa, dried ginseng, omija) for secondary fermentation. We defined the microbiota in the SCOBY and measured the concentrations of many kinds of sugar, acids, and ethanol. Also, the antioxidant activity was measured by a DPPH assay, and the anti-inflammatory ability was measured by nitric oxide (NO) assay. The SCOBY identification process revealed the presence of Acetobacter spp., and yeasts such as Dekkera bruxellensis, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and Bruxellensis spp. The pH level was between 2-4 after the first fermentation, and the high performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that the sucrose level decreased while the acetic acid level increased, which is presumed to be related to the fermentation process. The blueberry or dried ginseng- based secondary fermented kombucha showed a higher concentration of acetic acid than the other samples of secondary fermented kombucha. The results of the DPPH assay showed that sugar-primary fermented kombucha and sugar-dried ginseng kombucha had the highest antioxidant activity. In the NO assay, kombucha using zamboa and dried ginseng showed the best anti-inflammatory activity. Thus, this study confirmed the physiological characteristics of kombucha and its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects depending on the type of substrate added during the production and secondary fermentation.