• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.165-169
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• 2000

Kombucha beverages were made from sweetened tea by Oriental, European and Tibetan tea fungus starters. The hot water extracts o green tea, black tea, Gugija and Omija were mixed with white and/or brown sugar, and were fermented under a static culture at 3$0^{\circ}C$. Titrable acidity, pH, color and cellulose production in kombucha beverages were evaluated. All tea fungus starters showed a higher acid production in green/black tea extracts rather than Gugija and Omija extracts. In green/black tea extracts Oriental tea fungus produced a kombucha beverage with a higher titrable acidity and lower pH than those of European and Tibetan tea fungus starters. By the static fermentation of green/black tea extract for 18 days, Oriental, Tibetan and European tea fungus starters produced cellulose pellicles of 0.43g, 0.16g, and 0.19 g (dry weight) on the top in the culture, respectively. As a mother starter, the cellulose pellicle was more efficient in acid production compared with tea fungus broth. Oriental/Tibetan mixed tea fungus showed the best acid production in the green/black tea extract supplemented with brown sugar.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2002

Factors affecting the production of bacterial cellulose and organic acids in Kombucha fermentation were investigated. Kombucha was obtained by the fermentation (for 12 days at 3$0^{\circ}C$) of the green/black tea extract, supplemented with 10% white sugar, using an Oriental tea fungus as starter. Hitgher initial pH increased acid production with decreased cellulose production. With a cellulose pellicle or tea fungus broth as a starter, a 1~3 mm thick cellulose layer developed as a top layer every four days, and was removed subsequently while continuing fermentation. Addition of 30 mL tea fungus broth (13%, v/v) in Kombucha fermentation resulted in maximum production of a cellulose pellicle, indicating weak acid production. Yield of cellulose production at an early stage of fermentation was also higher when Kombucha was inoculated with a cellulose pellicle. In fact, addition of 1% (v/v) alcoholic beverage in the Kombucha fermentation activated the cellulose production, coupled with four times higher acid production.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.497-501
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• 2000

We investigated the effect of tea fungus/kombucha(TF) beverage on serum and liver lipid metabolism in growing male rats. The rats(Sprague-Dawley) were divided into five groups; control(TF free water), 20 or 40% TF groups(20 or 40% TF in water) and 20 or 40% TFS groups(20 or 40% TF autoclaved in water) according to the level of TF supplementation. The rats were fed ad libitum each of the experimental beverage for 7 weeks. The body weight gain of all the TF and TFS groups were similar to that of the control group. The total lipid and triglyceride concentrations of serum in the 40% TF group were increased more than those in the control group, but those in the 20% TF and 20% TFS groups were similar to that of the control group. The total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol concentrations, HDL-cholesterol / total cholesterol ratio and atherogenic index of serum in all the TF and TFS groups were similar to those of the control group. The LDL-cholesterol concentration of serum was significantly lower in the 20% TF group than that in the control group. The LDL-cholesterol concentration of serum was significantly lower in the 20% TF group than that in the control group, but those of the 40% TF, 20% TFS and 40% TFS groups were similar to that of the control group. The liver weights of all the TF and TFS groups were heavier than that of the control group. The concentrations of hepatic triglyceride in the 20% TF and 20% TFS groups were significantly decreased, compared with that in the control group. The concentrations of hepatic total cholesterol in all the TF and TFS groups were significantly more decreased than that in the control group. These results indicated that the liver weights of tea fungus/kombucha beverage feeding rats were increased, also the serum triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations of 40% TF feeding rats were increased. but the serum LDL-cholesterol, hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol levels of 20% TF feeding rats were decreased.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.397-402
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• 2009

Kombucha tea(KT) is sugared black tea fermented with a symbiotic culture of acetic acid bacteria and yeasts, which is said to be tea fungus. KT is claimed to have various beneficial effects on human health, but there is very little scientific evidence available in the literature. In the present study, KT along with black tea(BT) and black tea manufactured with tea fungus enzymes(enzyme-processed tea, ET) were evaluated for hepatoprotective and curative properties against $CCl_4$-induced toxicity, using male albino rats as an experimental model by analyzing aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase in plasma and malondialdehyde content in plasma and liver tissues. Histopathological analysis of liver tissue was also included. Results showed that BT, ET, and KT have the potential to revert the $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity. Among the three types of teas tried, KT was found to be more efficient than BT and ET. Antioxidant molecules produced during the fermentation period could be the reason for the efficient hepatoprotective and curative properties of KT against $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.67.1-67
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• 1999

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.80.1-80
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• 2000

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.1137-1143
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• 1999

This study investigated the effect of tea fungus/kombucha beverage(TF) protein concentrations and enzyme activities in serum of both normal and diabetic male rats. Sprague Dawley growing rats were randomly assigned to one control and five diabetic groups. In five diabetic groups, D control group was fed drinking water and the other groups were fed drinking water supplemented with 20 or 40% TF (20 or 40% TFD group, respectively) and 20 or 40% disinfected TF(20 or 40% TFSD group, respectively) for 7 weeks. Diabetes was experimentally induced in all five diabetic groups by streptozotocin injection after 3 week feeding. The diabetic groups were significantly decreased the body weight( 29.4~ 48.6g) compared with those in control group(72.4g). The total liver and kidney weights in all diabetic groups were similar to those in control group, but those relative to body weights in all diabetic groups were heavier than those in control group. The total spleen weight in all diabetic groups was significantly decreased compared with those in control group, but those relative to body weights in all diabetic groups were similar to those in control group. The blood glucose levels were heigher in all diabetic groups than those in control group. The alkaline phosphatase activity in serum was higher in all experimental groups than those in control group, but it was lower in 40% TFD, 20% and 40% TFSD groups than those in D control group. The GPT activity was significantly increased in D control, 20% and 40% TFD groups than in control group. The GOT activity was significantly increased in D control goup than in control group, but those in all TFD and TFSD groups were similar to control group. The total protein concentration in all diabetic groups was significantly decreased compared with that in control group, but the albumin concentration showed almost the same levels in all the experimental groups. The ratio of albumin/globulin, and hem atocrit value were significantly increased in all diabetic groups than in control group. These results show that tea fungus/kombucha beverage with which diabetic rats were fed has not recovered the decreased body weight, lowered serum total protein level, hypertrophy of liver and kidney, hyperglycemia to the normal state.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.207.3-208
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• 2000

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.613-618
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• 1999

This study investigated the effect of tea fungus/kombucha(TF) beverage on body weights, pancreas weights, serum glucose and lipid concentrations of both normal and diabetic male rats. Sprague Dawley male rats weighing $140{\pm}10g$ were randomly assigned to one control and five streptozotocin(STZ) diabetic groups. Diabetic groups were divided into D control(TF free water), 20% TFD(20% TF in water), 40% TFD(40% TF in water), 20% TFSD(20% TF disinfection in water) and 40% TFSD(40% TF disinfection in water) according to the level of TF supplementation. Diabetes was experimentally induced by intraperitoneally administration of STZ in citrate buffer(pH4.3) after 3 week feeding of four experimental water. Animals were sacrificed at the 4 week of diabetic state. The diabetic groups showed significant decrease of body weight(-29.4~48.6g) compared with the control group(72.4g). Pancreatic weights relative to body weights in all diabetic groups were heavier than those of the control group. The levels of fasting serum glucose were higher in all diabetic groups than that of the control group. The concentrations of triglyceride in serum was lower in 20% TFD and 20% TFSD groups than in those D control group. The levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol in serum and atherogenic index were significantly decreased in all(20 or 40%) TFD and TFSD groups than in those D control group, but those were similar to control group. The levels of HDL cholesterol in serum was similar to all groups, but HDL cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio were significantly increased in all(20 or 40%) TFD and TFSD groups than in those D control group. Liver triglyceride concentration of the all diabetic groups significantly decreased compared with the control group. Liver total cholesterol and phospholipid were not affected by TF and TFS feeding. The results indicated that tea fungus/kombucha beverage feeding improved the cholesterol, triglyceride and atherogenic index levels in diabetic rats.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.661-668
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• 2002

We investigated the effect of tea fungus/kombucha beverage(TF) on the body weights, the blood glucose levels, lipid and protein concentrations, and enzyme activities in diabetic female rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed drinking water supplemented with 20% or 40% TF groups, respectively for 7 weeks. The female rats (mean weight 155.5$\pm$9.3 g) were assigned to one control and three diabetic groups. Diabetic groups were divided into diabetic control (TF free water), 20% or 40% TFD groups (20% or 40% TF in water) according to the levels of TF supplementation. Diabetes was experimentally induced by intraperitonially administration of streptozotocin in citrate buffer(pH 4.3) after 2 weeks feeding of four experimental water. Animals were sacrificed at the 5 weeks of diabetic state. The diabetic groups showed significantly decrease of body weight(6.8-7.5 g) compared with the control group(48.3 g). The hepatic, kidney and pancreatic weights of 20% or 40% TFD groups were not significantly different with D-control group. The fasting serum glucose level were higher in all diabetic groups than that of the control group. The concentrations of serum triglyceride in 40% TFD group and serum LDL-cholesterol in 20% TFD group were significantly decreased compared with the D-control group. The concentrations of serum total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio, and atherogenic index in 20% or 40% TFD groups were similar to those in D-control group. The concentrations of hepatic triglyceride in 20% or 40% TFD groups were significantly decreased compared with the D-control group, but the concentrations of hepatic cholesterol and phospholipid were similar to all diabetic groups. The concentrations of serum and hepatic total protein, serum albumin, and the activities of GOT, GPT and LDH in the serum were the same levels of all diabetic groups.