What Is Kombucha by Dr. Philippe J. Blanc

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CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TEA FUNGUS METABOLITES

Philippe J. BLANC*

Département de Génie Biochimique et Alimentaire, UA CNRS N & deg;544, Institut

National Des Sciences Appliquées, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil F-31077

Toulouse cedex

Tea fungus (commonly designed as " Kombucha " ) is a symbiotic culture of at least

three microorganisms: The acetic acid bacteria Acetobacter xylinum and two

yeasts Zygosaccharomyces rouxii and Candida sp. On sugared tea (Hesseltine,

1995; Anonymous, 1983). These microorganisms were cultured in their traditional

medium and several metabolites cultured were identified and quantified: ethanol,

lactic, acetic, gluconic and glucuronic acids. The antibacterial product known

as usnic acid was also searched. ( but not found)