Kombucha tea is slightly sweet and acidic refreshing beverage consumed
worldwide, tasting like sparkling apple cider and mostly produced by fermentation
of black or green tea and white sugar using a tea fungus. In addition to black and
green tea, some herbal teas can also be used, so the aim of this work is to produce
kombucha beverages by fermentation of mint and nettle herbal teas and honey with
the addition of different concentrations of apple juice (2.5; 5 and 10% v/v). For the
purposes of this study, the following parameters were measured: pH value, acidity,
dry matter and residual sugar content. For the determination of antioxidative
capacity, the content of total phenolics was measured and two tests were
performed: DPPH and FRAP. The fermentations lasted for 10 days, and with
regard to the results of measuring the pH value, acidity, dry matter and residual
sugar content, there was no excessive difference among the obtained kombucha
beverages. Mint kombucha beverages showed better antioxidant activity, and in
most cases the best effect was shown in samples in which the smallest amount of
apple juice was added (2.5% v / v). Mint and nettle herbal teas proved to be
adequate substrates for obtaining kombucha beverages, and the addition of apple
juice had a positive effect on the characteristics of the product.
