Question

Many people have attempted to home brew kombucha. Given your undertsanding on microbial control, what are some of the potential risks associated with this practice, and how can those risks be minimized?

Answer 1

Kombucha is a fermented drink consisting of black tea and sugar. It contains colony of bacteria and yeast known as SCOBY. After fermentation process, kombucha will be rich in vinegar,B vitamins,enzymes, probiotics, acids and the black tea present in it is really high in polyphenols and certain types of antioxidants that are great for the body and thus it is considered as a healthy drink.

Brewing kombucha at home incorrectly can lead to health issue and it can turn to be a poisom rather than helth elixir. Home brewing with untested SCOBY disk could cause issues. As the home made brew is not pasteurised and consumed as raw, it can include some dangerous bacteria too. More over the alcohol level can vary which can buils up lactic acid in blood stream. Moreover fermenting kombucha in ceramis wares can leach lead from the glaze which turns to be a serous poison. So the brewing should be done in glass wares. Extreme care should be taken to brew kombucha in sterile equipment and in sanitary conditions and to keep it away from flies, ants etc as it may cause contamination. It is also reported that lack of sanitary practises can lead to the colonizing of certain nematodes like Turbatrix aceti which usually live in low pH.

The first batch of the home brewed kombucha must be made following the directions in kombucha brewing kit in highly sterilized conditions and should be fermented at 68-78 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid potential contamination or otherwise it can cause serious health issues to people and leads to acidosis and liver complications. It is always better to buy the commercial product as it is tested to make sure that the probiotics and the organisms present init are helpful ones and not harmful.