Date of Award

5-2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

College/School

College of Education and Human Services

Department/Program

Nutrition and Food Studies

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

John Specchio

Committee Member

Stephanie Silvera

Committee Member

Lee Lee

Abstract

Kombucha is a fermented tea created with the help of a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria. The presence of bacteria and yeast in the broth of kombucha, and not solely in the top-floating pellicle layer, permit fermentation and alcohol production to continue after the “mother” SCOB Y has been removed and after bottling has occurred for mass consumption. In the normal metabolic path of kombucha fermentation, the yeast breaks down the disaccharide sucrose into the monosaccharides glucose and fructose. However, the microbial composition of kombucha varies. This study included the microbial identification of a species of kombucha currently being marketed in the United States. Through isolation, gram staining, bacterial DNA extraction, PCR, and Agarose Gel Electrophoresis, the bacteria used in this study was identified as lactobacillus. Using traditional brewing preparation methods for kombucha, ideal brewing conditions were identified; samples of kombucha incubated in 26°C decreased in color during the initial 14-day fermentation and what was initially a slightly brown-colored liquid became more opaque and slightly yellow in color. Lastly, the effect of temperature on alcohol production was observed. When brewed in ideal conditions, 0.0% - 0.5% alcohol was produced within 6 weeks of bottling.

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