Kombucha, the fermented tea
Kombucha tea is not an infusion. Born from a fermentation process of infusing tea, black or green, where it is added a Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) that makes possible the process. The result of the fermentation is a slightly carbonated drink with a flavor that fits between sweet and tart and a reminiscent smell of probiotic yogurt or kefir.
Sugar added in the preparation of kombucha becomes the food of bacteria and yeast presents in the culture. This process involves the appearance of acids (acetic and gluconic, among others) beneficial to health.
The exact composition of kombucha depends on the substrate, temperature and lenght of fermentation process and obiously the microorganisms present in the original culture. Greenwalt & al (2000) collected the composition of kombuchaa other authors had described:
- Bacteria: Acetobacter xylinum, Acetobacter aceti, Acetobacter pasteurianus, Gluconobacter.
- Yeast: Brettanomyces, Brettanomyces Bruxellensis, Brettanomyces intermedius, Candida, Candida famata, Mycoderma, Mycotorula, Pichia, membranaefaciens Pichia, Saccharomyces, Saccharomyces cerevisiae subsp. cerevisiae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae subsp. ACET Schizosaccaromyces, torula, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Torulopsis, Zygosaccharomyces, Zygosaccharomyces bailiff, Zygosaccharomyces Rouzier.
