Comprehensive Evaluation of Three Important Herbs for Kombucha Fermentation

• Published in: Food technology and biotechnology 2023-01, Vol.61 (1), p.127-137
• Main Authors: Tefon Öztürk, Burcu Emine, Eroğlu, Berfin, Delik, Eda, Çiçek, Mustafa, Çiçek, Esra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Antibacterial activity; Antibacterial agents; Antioxidants; Aquatic plants; Beverages; bioactivity; Bioflavonoids; Biological activity; Black tea; Cell lines; Cellulose; Crataegus monogyna; cytotoxic activity; Cytotoxicity; Fermentation; Fermented food; Flavones; Flavonoids; Free radicals; Health aspects; Herbal medicine; Herbs; Humulus lupulus; kombucha; Liquid chromatography; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Medicinal plants; Medicine, Botanic; Medicine, Herbal; Microorganisms; Original Scientific Papers; Pharmaceutical industry; Phenolic compounds; phenolic substance; Phenols; Polygonum cognatum; Polyphenols; Scavenging; sensory evaluation; Sensory properties; Tea
• ISSN: 1330-9862; 1334-2606
• DOI: 10.17113/ftb.61.01.23.7789

Kombucha is consumed worldwide for its beneficial health effects. Kombucha teas fermented with various herbal infusions have become very important nowadays. Although black tea is used for kombucha fermentation, kombucha teas fermented with different herbal infusions have gained great importance. In this study, three different traditional medicinal plants, namely hop ( L.), madimak ( ) and hawthorn ( ) were used for the fermentation of kombucha beverages, and the bioactivity of these beverages was investigated extensively. The microbiological profile, bacterial cellulose formation, antibacterial, antiproliferative and antioxidant activities, sensory properties, total phenolic content and flavonoid content of kombucha beverages were investigated. Liquid chromatography-coupled mass spectrometry analysis was used to identify and quantify specific polyphenolic compounds in the samples. According to the results, the hawthorn-flavoured kombucha, which has lower free radical scavenging activity than the other samples, came into prominence in terms of sensory properties. All examined kombucha beverages showed a strong cytotoxic effect on Mahlavu and HCT116 cell lines, but only the madimak-flavoured kombucha sample, which had a higher total phenolic/flavonoid content, had antibacterial activity against all microorganisms used in the study. Considering the results of this study, madimak could be an effective herb for the development of new kombucha beverages, although its sensory properties still need to be improved. This study contributes to science in terms of producing new fermented beverages with improved beneficial health effects.