Kombucha: Probiotic beverage or ultra-processed food: A global review using nutritional classification | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 13 No. 12 (2023): December 2023 / 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. Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2023-12-18 Issue Vol. 13 No. 12 (2023): December 2023 Section Research Articles License Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors may post and share their published work freely, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. By submitting to this journal, authors confirm that their manuscripts are original, not under consideration elsewhere, and that they hold the necessary rights to grant this license. The Functional Food Center encourages open scientific exchange and allows derivative and extended works, provided attribution to the original publication is maintained. About the Journal      Editing Services      Graphical Abstract      Journal Insights        Submissions        Editorial Team       Privacy Statement        Contact        Current        Archives   Open Journal Systems Hosting and Support by: OpenJournalSystems.com