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							| Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007



	

				
						
 
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																Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007
										

				


				
				
					
					
						
																					
				
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					Vol. 13 No. 12 (2023): December 2023
				
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									Research Articles
							
		



	
		  	 

		
	
		Kombucha: Probiotic beverage or ultra-processed food: A global review using nutritional classification
	


	
	
		

							
					Authors

						
							
								Carlos Aulesa
							
																																		
	
							
								Carmen Gongora
							
																																		


				
			
																	
					
												DOI:
					

					
						
							https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v13i12.1236
						
					
				
			

						
										
					Abstract

					Aim/Objectives: The aim of this work is, to know the true essence and content of kombucha through the statistical analysis of the food classification and nutritional component of the world database of kombucha-registered trademarks, which has been provided to us by the OpenFoodFact Foundation.
Method: To gain an understanding of kombucha, a study on the global market for this beverage has been conducted. A total of 2,818 kombucha brands are currently marketed and registered as of April 1, 2023.This research has been made possible thanks to the fact that OpenFoodFact. App provides us with detailed descriptions of the products, nutritional components, as well as Nutri-Score, Nova, and Eco-Score classifications for each registered trademark.
Results: The statistical analysis of 2,673 brands from the 13 main Kombucha-producing countries reveals that, based on the Nutri-Score classification, 57% are deemed healthy (categories A, B, and C), while 43% are categorized as unhealthy (categories D and E). In terms of the Nova classification, 70% fall under the healthy categories (1, 2, 3), with the remaining 30% classified as unhealthy, specifically falling into category 4 as ultra-processed.
Conclusions: The world market kombucha study shows contradictory results depending on the chosen food classification and the country. Global basic advice for its consumption and specific tips for groups such as people with diabetes or cardiovascular disease are proposed.
Running Title: Global analysis market shows us kombucha´s distribution worldwide brands through the statistical analysis of OpenFoodFact database.

Keywords: Kombucha, Probiotic fermented food, SCOBY, Nutri-Score food classification, Nova food classification, ultra-processed food.

				
			
			

						
																										
						
		


		

						
										
					
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						Published
					

					
																			2023-12-18
																	

				
							

			
						
										

											
							
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									Vol. 13 No. 12 (2023): December 2023
								
							

						
					
											
							
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								Research Articles
							

						
					
									

			
						
										
					
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