Microbiology and antimicrobial effects of kombucha, a short overview

Kombucha is a beverage usually prepared with black or green tea containing sucrose, and a synbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY). This paper aims at offering an overview on kombucha microbiota, as well as on its nutritional composition, and antimicrobial effects. The microbiota of kombucha includes acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, Gluconacetobacter, Komagataeibacter), lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, Lacticaseibacillus) and yeasts (Brettanomyces, Candida, Saccharomyces, Zygosaccharomyces), depending on raw materials, starter cultures, and fermentation temperature. The second topic of this review is the production path and kombucha composition, with a synopsis from a quali-quantitative point of view of the most important compounds. Finally, the review examines the antimicrobial potential, focusing on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. An open question is on the probiotic status of kombucha; this review offers a contribution to this debate, suggesting for this beverage the status of post-biotic. •Kombucha is a fermented beverage produced traditionally from tea.•Its microbiota includes acetic acid bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts.•The use of the term probiotic for kombucha could be misleading.•Kombucha showed a promising antimicrobial potential towards foodborne pathogens.