EFFECTS OF COCOA SHELL CONTENTS, STORAGE TEMPERATURES, AND STORAGE DURATIONS ON THE QUALITY OF KOMBUCHA

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the impact of substituting black tea with cocoa bean shells (CBS) in Kombucha production. Kombucha samples were analyzed with varying CBS contents (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%). The findings revealed that replacing black tea with CBS in kombucha increased total phenolic and flavonoid content, as well as antioxidant capacity compared to traditional kombucha. Additionally, the study assessed changes in Kombucha quality during storage at 4°C and 25°C over three weeks. Overall, using 40% black tea and 60% cocoa bean shells in kombucha production results in significantly higher total phenolic content (218.39 ± 0.55 μg GAE/mL), total flavonoid content (68.09 ± 0.38 μg RTE/mL), DPPH (360.86 ± 0.20 μg E/mL), ABTS (488.05 ± 2.93 μg TE/mL) compared to normal kombucha (185.86 ± 0.43 μg GAE/mL, 58.96 ± 0.34 μg GAE/mL, 340.92 ± 0.40 μg TE/mL, 436.97 ± 3.99 μg TE/mL, respectively). Besides, sensory evaluation revealed that kombucha composed of 40% black tea and 60% cocoa bean shells received significantly higher scores compared to the control sample. Besides, during 3 weeks of storage, the results indicated that kombucha stored at 25℃ had higher bioactive compounds compared to those kombucha stored at 4℃. Meanwhile, storing kombucha at 4℃ has been shown to attenuate the rate of pH reduction and accelerate the rate of ethanol content increase in the beverage. This research significantly contributes to enhancing the value of cocoa bean shells and provides valuable insights into their utilization as a substitute in Kombucha production. These findings open up avenues for the creation of high-value-added products that improve the health quality of consumers while simultaneously addressing environmental concerns by reducing waste from discarded cocoa bean shells. The implications of this research extend to the beverage and food industry, emphasizing the importance of exploring alternative materials, including waste materials, in future research endeavors. This underscores the potential for innovative solutions that not only add value to byproducts but also promote sustainability in food production practices.