Kombucha is a fermented beverage. Its consumption has significantly increased during the last decades due to its perceived beneficial effects. For this reason, it has become a highly commercialized drink, industrially produced. However, kombucha is still also a homemade beverage, and the parameters which, besides organoleptic characteristics, define the duration of its potential beneficial properties over time, are poorly known. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of nine-month storage at 4 °C with 30-day sampling on the pH, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, free radical scavenging properties of kombucha fermented from black tea. Our results highlighted that, after four months, phenolic content decreased significantly from the initial value of 234.1 ± 1.4 µg GAE mL-1 to 202.9 ± 2.1 µg GAE mL-1, as well its antioxidant capacity tested by two in vitro models, DPPH and ABTS assays. Concomitantly, the pH value increased from 2.82 to 3.16. The novel findings of this pilot study revealed that kombucha from sugared black tea can be stored at refrigerator temperature for four months. After this period the antioxidant properties of kombucha are no longer retained.

Effects of long-term storage on radical scavenging properties and phenolic content of kombucha from black tea

Maria Cristina Caroleo;
2021-01-01

Abstract

Kombucha is a fermented beverage. Its consumption has significantly increased during the last decades due to its perceived beneficial effects. For this reason, it has become a highly commercialized drink, industrially produced. However, kombucha is still also a homemade beverage, and the parameters which, besides organoleptic characteristics, define the duration of its potential beneficial properties over time, are poorly known. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of nine-month storage at 4 °C with 30-day sampling on the pH, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, free radical scavenging properties of kombucha fermented from black tea. Our results highlighted that, after four months, phenolic content decreased significantly from the initial value of 234.1 ± 1.4 µg GAE mL-1 to 202.9 ± 2.1 µg GAE mL-1, as well its antioxidant capacity tested by two in vitro models, DPPH and ABTS assays. Concomitantly, the pH value increased from 2.82 to 3.16. The novel findings of this pilot study revealed that kombucha from sugared black tea can be stored at refrigerator temperature for four months. After this period the antioxidant properties of kombucha are no longer retained.
2021
Kombucha
black tea
long-term storage
antioxidant scavenging activity
total phenolic content
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12317/78047
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 36
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 31
social impact