Anais do Simpósio Latino Americano de Ciências de Alimentos
Anais do 14 SLACA - Simpósio Latino Americano de Ciência de Alimentos

Kombucha is a drink fermented through the symbiosis of bacteria and yeast, changing the sensory and chemical characteristics of tea. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of the use of cocoa bean shell in the fermentation of Kombucha. Three substrates were used: Black tea (KBT), cocoa bean husk tea (KCO), blend tea – a mixture of 50% black tea and 50% cocoa bean shell. pH, titratable acidity, phenolic compounds and bacterial cellulose (CB) were evaluated. The teas were prepared with 2,500g filtered water, 250g sucrose, 100g previously fermented tea, 50g bacterial cellulose, 20g tea/shell, fermented in glass jars for 13 days at 25 degrees (±2ºC). Aliquots were collected at times: 0; 3; 6; 9 and 13 days. The final pH and total acidity (expressed in % acetic acid) of the KCO, KBL and KBT kombuchas at the end of fermentation were, respectively, 3.16 and 0.95, 3.55 and 0.54, 3.75 and 0.41. The phenolic compounds were determined by the colorimetric method with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, and the standard curve was constructed with gallic acid. The concentrations of KBT, KBL and KCO were respectively 1.51, 1.08 and 0.71 µM GAE/mL. The produced bacterial cellulose masses in the KCO, KBT and KBL tests were, respectively, 137.8, 69.6 and 43.3g, measured on an analytical balance. The faster fermentation process promoted a reduction in pH, increased acidity and higher CB formation, however the concentration of phenolic compounds was lower. This work demonstrated some advantages when using cocoa bean shell, a residue from the chocolate production chain, with high added value and underutilized, making it an alternative for the food industry to develop products.