The Influence of Starter Cultures on the Content of Vitamin B2 in Tea Fungus Beverages
Radomir V. Malbaša1, Milan Z. Maksimović2, Eva S. Lončar1, and Tatjana I. Branković2
1 Department for Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro
2 Institute of Hygiene, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Corresponding author: Radomir V. Malbaša
Faculty of Technology
University of Novi Sad
Blvd. Cara Lazara 1
21000 Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia and Montenegro
Telephone: +381 21 350 122 ext. 799
Fax number: +381 450 413
E-mail: bingula@yahoo.com
CEJOEM 2004, Vol.10. No.1.: 79–83
Key words:
Tea fungus, kombucha, vitamins, fermented food, antioxidants, HPLC
Abstract:
The tea fungus beverage usually named kombucha belongs to a group of natural food products
with no additives or potentially risky substances. Vitamins B2 and B6 are
compounds that are produced during fermentation of the tea fungus. Beside their contribution to
the nutritive value of the beverage, they are strong antioxidants. The task of this study was to
investigate the production of vitamins B2 and B6 in fermentation performed
by means of native kombucha and two starter cultures formed from native kombucha isolates that
grew on sweetened black and green tea. The vitamins were quantified by HPLC method, which had not
been common for this kind of samples. The highest vitamin B2 value of
96 mg/L was noticed after 10 days of native kombucha
fermentation (control series) on green tea substrate. Vitamin B6 content was less than
30 mg/L in all cases.
Received: 1 August 2003
Accepted: 5 December 2003
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