Kombucha: Determining the likelihood of secondary fermentation and increased ethanol content via stated sugar content on product labels

Abstract

Kombucha products are now a common, and popular beverage. Increasingly, Kombucha beverages are outpacing popularity of other carbonated beverages on the market, such as soda pop. This increase is seen by many as a positive change of consumer interests, as Kombucha has much less sugar content than many soda pop alternatives. However, Kombucha products are fermented beverages, and therefore are apt to contain ethanol, which may be a hazard for certain at risk populations. This study aims to investigate how information provided on product labels may or may not allow for increased consumer control by making an educated guess about potential ethanol content.