Comprehensive Evaluation of Three Important Herbs for Kombucha Fermentation

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Herbal Medicine

Background:

• Kombucha, a fermented tea, is globally recognized for potential health benefits.
• Herbal infusions are increasingly used in kombucha fermentation beyond traditional black tea.
• Traditional medicinal plants like hop, madimak, and hawthorn offer unique fermentation possibilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bioactivity of kombucha fermented with hop, madimak, and hawthorn.
• To evaluate microbiological, chemical, and functional properties of these novel kombucha beverages.
• To explore the potential of these herbal infusions for developing enhanced kombucha products.

Main Methods:

• Fermentation of kombucha using hop (Humulus lupulus), madimak (Polygonum cognatum), and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna).
• Assessment of microbiological profile, bacterial cellulose, antibacterial, antiproliferative, and antioxidant activities.
• Analysis of sensory properties, total phenolic and flavonoid content, and polyphenolic compounds via LC-MS.

Main Results:

• Hawthorn kombucha excelled in sensory properties but had lower antioxidant activity.
• All kombucha variants exhibited strong cytotoxic effects on tested cancer cell lines.
• Madimak kombucha showed significant antibacterial activity against all tested microorganisms and higher phenolic/flavonoid content.

Conclusions:

• Madimak shows potential for developing new kombucha beverages with enhanced health benefits, particularly antibacterial properties.
• Hawthorn kombucha offers appealing sensory characteristics.
• Further research is needed to optimize madimak kombucha's sensory profile for wider consumer acceptance.