EVOLUTION OF THE FERMENTATION PROCESS OF KOMBUCHA MADE WITH NATIVE BEE HONEY

Kombucha is a beverage that promotes gut health due to its probiotic action, and it is also rich in vitamins and essential amino acids. The beverage is typically produced through the fermentation of a cluster of microorganisms known as "SCOBY" with the infusion of black tea and sugars. In this study, the fermentation process of SCOBY was carried out using native bee honey as a source of sugars. The fermentation took place over 10 days, and the fermentation process was evaluated based on the physicochemical parameters of pH, total titratable acidity (TTA), and total soluble solids (TSS), conducted following the methodologies of the Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL, 2008). At the end of the process, the content of total phenolic compounds (TPC) and total flavonoids (TF) was quantified using the methodologies of Singleton et al. (1999) and Pękal and Pyrzynska (2014), respectively. The initial pH value was 3.50±0.01, and the final pH was 2.23±0.01. The reduction in pH may be associated with the production of acetic acid bacteria during fermentation, which causes a decrease in pH throughout the fermentation process. TTA results ranged from 0.60±0.00 mEq/L to 8.60±0.00 mEq/L, indicating the metabolism of bacteria and yeast, resulting in the production of organic acids. TSS remained almost constant throughout the process, ranging from 8 to 7 °Brix, suggesting that microorganisms consumed only a small portion of the sugars during the process. The final product showed high values of TPC and TF, equal to 1431.90±35.01 mgGAE/L and 89.12±3.00 mgEQ/L, respectively, demonstrating that the product can be a source of biologically active compounds. In conclusion, the product has great potential in the beverage and nutraceutical sectors and can also contribute to the growth of the meliponiculture product industry due to its satisfactory nutritional characteristics.