Effect of sucrose concentration on the products of Kombucha fermentation on molasses

Fermentation of 1.5 g/l of Indian black tea, sweetened with adequate quantities of molasses (containing approx. 70 g/l, 50 g/l and 35 g/l of sucrose), was conducted using domestic Kombucha. Inoculation was performed with 10% of fermentation broth from a previous process. The fermentation in cylindrical vessels containing 21 of liquid phase, was carried out at 22 +/- 1 degrees C for 14 days, with periodical sampling, to measure pH, content of acids (total, acetic and L-lactic), content of remaining sucrose, and the yield of biomass at the end of fermentation. A product with 70 g/l sucrose from molasses corresponds to an optimal concentration of carbon source, which provided metabolites with high pH, a low content of less desired acetic acid, a high content of highly desired L-lactic acid, an acceptable content of total acids and the highest possible level of utilisation of sucrose. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.