User:Julinaornelas/Kombucha

INTRODUCTION

Kombucha (also known as tea mushroom, tea fungus, or Manchurian mushroom when referring to the culture ; or botanical name Medusomyces gisevii) is a fermented, slightly alcoholic, lightly effervescent, sweetened black or green tea drink commonly intended as a functional beverage used for its supposed health benefits. Sometimes the beverage is called kombucha tea to distinguish it from the culture of bacteria and yeast. Juice, spices, or other flavorings are often added to enhance the taste of the beverage. The exact origins of kombucha are not known. It is thought to have originated in Manchuria where the drink is traditionally consumed, or in Russia and Eastern Europe. Kombucha is now homebrewed globally, and also bottled and sold commercially by various companies.

Kombucha is produced by fermenting sugared tea using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) commonly called a "mother" or "mushroom". The microbial populations in a SCOBY vary; the yeast component generally includes Saccharomyces cerevisiae, along with other species; the bacterial component almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus to oxidize yeast-produced alcohols to acetic acid (and other acids). Although the SCOBY is commonly called "tea fungus" or "mushroom", it is actually "a symbiotic growth of acetic acid bacteria and osmophilic yeast species in a zoogleal mat [ biofilm]". The living bacteria are said to be probiotic, one of the reasons for the drink's popularity the popularity of the drink.

Numerous implausible health benefits have been attributed to drinking kombucha. These include claims for treating AIDS, aging, anorexia, arthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer, constipation, and diabetes, but there is no evidence to support any of these claims. Moreover, the beverage has caused rare cases of serious adverse effects, including fatalities, possibly arising from contamination during home preparation. Therefore, the potential harms from drinking kombucha outweigh any unclear benefits, so it is not recommended for therapeutic purposes.

HISTORY

The exact origins of kombucha are not known, although Manchuria is the likely place of origin. It may have originated as recently as 200 years ago or as long as 2,000 years ago. The origin of kombucha branched from northeast China during the Tsin Dynasty in 220 B.C. The fermented drink was brought by a physician to Japan to aid with the digestion issues of Emperor Inkyo; kombucha then became prominent in Japan, Russia, and eastern Europe as trade routes expanded.

The drink is reported to have been consumed in east Russia at least as early as 1900 and from there entered Europe.[ need quotation to verify] Its consumption increased in the United States during the early 21st century. Having an alcohol content of less than 0.5%, kombucha is not a federally regulated beverage in the United States. Prior to 2015, some commercially available kombucha brands were found to contain alcohol content exceeding this threshold, sparking the development of new testing methods. With rising popularity in developed countries in the early 21st century, kombucha sales increased after it was marketed[ by whom?] as an alternative to beer and other alcoholic drinks in restaurants and pubs.

CHEMICAL AND NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION

Kombucha is made by putting adding the kombucha culture into a broth of sugared tea. Kombucha tea made with less sugar may be unappealing. '''The sugar serves as a nutrient for the SCOBY that allows for bacterial growth in the tea. Kombucha showed a chemical composition of organic acids, such as acetic, gluconic, glucuronic, citric, L‐lactic, malic, tartaric, malonic, oxalic, succinic, pyruvic, usnic; also sugars, such as sucrose, glucose, and fructose; the vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, and C; 14 amino acids, biogenic amines, purines, pigments, lipids, proteins, some hydrolytic enzymes, ethanol, antibiotically active matter, carbon dioxide, phenol, as well as some tea polyphenols, minerals, anions, [and] DSL.'''

Sucrose is converted, biochemically, into fructose and glucose, and these into gluconic acid and acetic acid, and these substances are present in the drink. In addition, kombucha contains enzymes and amino acids, polyphenols, and various other organic acids, but the exact proportions of these items which vary between preparations. Other specific components include ethanol (see below), glucuronic acid, glycerol, lactic acid, usnic acid (a hepatotoxin, see above), and B-vitamins. Kombucha has also been found to contain vitamin C.

The alcohol content of kombucha is usually less than 0.5%, but this number increases with extended fermentation times. Over-fermentation generates high amounts of acids similar to vinegar. The pH of the drink is typically about 2.5.

PRODUCTION

Kombucha drink can be prepared at home globally and while some companies sell it commercially. Standard kombucha production procedures include starts with boiling 1L non-chlorinated water and Kombucha is made by dissolving 50g sugar in the non-chlorinated boiling water. Next, 5g of tea leaves are then steeped in the hot sugar water for 5 minutes and then tea leaves are discarded. The sweetened tea is cooled to around 20 °C and 24g of and the SCOBY culture is added. This The mixture is then poured into a sterilized beaker with or other glass container along with 0.2L of previously fermented kombucha tea to lower the pH. The container is covered with a paper towel or breathable fabric that will not allow to prevent insects such as like Drosophila fruit flies to contaminate the kombucha. The tea is left to ferment for a period of up to 10 to 14 days at room temperature (18 °C to 26 °C). A new "daughter" SCOBY will form on the surface of the tea to the diameter of the container. After fermentation is completed, the SCOBY is removed and stored along with a small amount of the newly fermented tea. The remaining kombucha is strained and bottled for a secondary ferment for a few days or stored at a temperature of 4℃. Commercially bottled kombucha became available in the late 1990s. In 2010, elevated alcohol levels were found in many bottled kombucha products, leading retailers, including Whole Foods, to temporarily pull the drinks from store shelves. In response, kombucha suppliers reformulated their products to have lower alcohol levels. As of 2019, some commercial kombucha producers sell 'hard kombucha' with an elevated alcohol content. By 2014 US sales of bottled kombucha were $400 million, $350 million of which was earned by Millennium Products, Inc. which sells GT's Kombucha. In 2014, the companies that make and sell kombucha formed a trade organization, Kombucha Brewers International. In 2016, PepsiCo purchased kombucha maker KeVita for approximately $200 million. In the US, sales of kombucha and other fermented drinks rose by 37 percent in 2017.