PL248564B1 - Method of obtaining fermented beverages and fermented beverages - Google Patents

Description

The subject of the invention is a method for obtaining fermented beverages and fermented beverages obtained using the tea mushroom, with health-promoting properties intended for consumption.

The tea fungus is a microbial consortium composed of acetic acid bacteria, osmophilic yeasts, and sometimes lactic acid bacteria. This culture forms naturally in the environment, primarily on sweetened tea. This phenomenon was observed in ancient times and was used to produce a fermented tea beverage called kombucha. Currently, this beverage is produced by fermenting a sweetened (usually with sucrose) infusion of Camellia sinensis tea (black, green, or oolong). In addition to traditional tea kombucha, kombucha-like beverages are gaining popularity, in which the tea infusion is fermented with additional ingredients such as fruit, fruit juices, herbs such as basil, thyme, or rosemary, or spices such as cardamom or turmeric. These additives enrich the beverage with vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and other bioactive substances, giving it its flavor and aroma. Fermented beverages obtained using the tea mushroom contain numerous phenolic compounds, which act as powerful antioxidants, protecting the body's cells from the harmful effects of free radicals. Furthermore, they exhibit antimicrobial properties and are believed to have anticancer potential and regulate blood sugar levels, as described by Kapp and Sumner in: Annals of Epidemiology 30, 2019, DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2018.11.001.

When using raw materials other than tea to prepare functional beverages fermented with tea mushroom, fruit juices, such as prickly pear and red grapes, and vegetable juices, such as black carrot and garlic, are used. This is described by Yildiz et al., Food Sci. Technol, Campinas 41, 2021, DOI: 10.1590/fst.00320; Afiati et al., IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 439, 2020, DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/439/1/012053.

Attempts have also been made to obtain fermented products from dairy products, e.g. whey and milk (also with added plant extracts), coffee (from both Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora leaves), infusions from herbs and plants, e.g. common yarrow, Clitoria ternatea, and oak leaves, as described by Barakat et al., Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 63, 2023, DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2069673; Vazquez et al., Chemico-Biological Interactions 272, 2017, DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2017.05.001. In addition, by-products of the food industry other than fruit and vegetable pomace, such as soy whey or banana peel extract, are used as raw materials for this type of fermented beverages.

Beverages fermented with the help of tea mushrooms known from literature are obtained primarily from tea infusions, fruit juices, with the addition of herbs or spices.

Sanwala et al., Food Chemistry Advances 3, 2023, DOI: 10.1016/j.focha.2023.100421, states that the preparation of tea mushroom-fermented beverages begins by dissolving 5.0 to 10.0% by weight of sucrose in water at 70 to 100°C for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, 0.5 to 0.7% by weight of the substrate (e.g., coffee, milk, coconut water) is added to the sweetened solution at the same temperature to complete the extraction process for 5 to 30 minutes. Next, the beverages are filtered, sterilized in an autoclave at 121°C for 15 minutes, and then cooled to 20°C. In the next stage, the extracts are inoculated with tea mushroom and subjected to a fermentation process for a period of 6 to 14 days at a temperature of 18 to 30°C.

Miranda et al. in Journal of Food Science 87, 2022, DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.16029 obtained beverages fermented with tea mushroom by preparing 0.1 to 10.0% by weight of tea infusion in which 1.0 to 20.0% by weight of sucrose was dissolved. In the next step, the sweetened tea solutions were inoculated with 0.25 to 10.0% by weight of tea mushroom and 3.0 to 30.0% by volume of liquid from the previous fermentation of a kombucha-type beverage. Fermentation was carried out for a period of 7 to 14 days at 25°C. After fermentation and filtration, the beverage was optionally subjected to a second fermentation for 2 to 3 days. The second fermentation was intended to further carbonate the beverage and allow for the addition of ingredients such as fruit or herbs to enhance flavor and aroma. Once obtained, the beverage was stored at refrigerated temperatures to inhibit fermentation and enhance sensory properties.

PL 248564 Β1

Patent description CA2833764C describes the preparation of beverages fermented with tea mushrooms as a two-stage process. In the first stage, a beverage concentrate is obtained by inoculating 10.0% by weight of a tea infusion at 32°C with 10.0% by volume of tea mushrooms. Fermentation of the concentrate takes place at a temperature of 32 to 36°C until the concentrate reaches acidity equilibrium. In the second stage, the obtained concentrates are filtered to remove the tea mushrooms. The concentrates are then added in appropriate amounts (at least 1.0%) to a sweetened solution containing ingredients consistent with the final beverage recipe.

The method of obtaining a fermented beverage comprising fermentation using a tea mushroom, according to the invention, is characterized in that in the first stage, fruit or vegetable pomace is extracted in an amount of 3.0 to 10.0% by weight, preferably 5.0% by weight, with water or tea infusion in an amount of 0.3 to 1.0% by weight, preferably 0.5% by weight, with the addition of sucrose in an amount of 3.0 to 10.0% by weight, preferably 5.0% by weight, at a temperature of 90 to 100°C for a period of 15 to 30 minutes. Then, in the second stage, the obtained extracts are filtered and further sterilized by placing the extracts in an autoclave for 20 minutes, where the sterilization temperature is 117°C and at a pressure of 0.75 atm. In the third stage, the sterilized extracts are inoculated at a temperature of 20°C with a starter culture, which is a tea mushroom in an amount of 0.5 to 2.0% by weight, preferably 0.5% by weight, with the addition of post-fermentation liquid in an amount of 1% by volume, and fermented for a period of 7 to 21 days at a temperature of 22 to 28°C.

Preferably, the fruit or vegetable pomace is discarded before the sterilization process.

Preferably, the fruit or vegetable pomace is discarded after the fermentation process.

Preferably, chokeberry pomace and/or apple pomace are used as fruit pomace, while beetroot pomace and/or carrot pomace are used as vegetable pomace.

Preferably, after the fermentation process is completed, the beverage is filtered and stored at a temperature of 4 to 5°C.

The subject of the invention is also a fermented beverage obtained by the method according to the invention, characterized in that it has antimicrobial properties.

The invention concerns functional beverages with health-promoting properties obtained by fermenting fruit or vegetable pomace extracts obtained during fruit and vegetable processing in the food industry using the tea mushroom. The essence of the invention is a beverage fermented with the tea mushroom, obtained from fruit and vegetable pomace extracts, previously undescribed in the literature. During fermentation, acetic acid bacteria and osmophilic yeasts metabolize saccharides added to the extract. This process produces a number of metabolites with functional properties, including acetic acid, gluconic acid, and glucuronic acid. Compounds with antimicrobial and antidiabetic properties, inhibiting α-amylase activity, are also produced during fermentation. The fruit and vegetable pomace used as a substrate is a rich source of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals, which enrich the composition of the fermented beverage during production. During fermentation, carbon dioxide is produced, which makes the resulting invention a carbonated drink.

During the fermentation process, a fruit or fruit-tea beverage is produced, the acidity of which increases and the pH decreases over time. The total acidity is higher in beverages in which the pomace is removed by filtration after the fermentation process is complete. The resulting fermented beverage is made from fruit or vegetable pomace extracts with health-promoting properties suitable for food use.

During the fermentation of beverages using tea mushrooms, sucrose added during the hot water or tea infusion preparation stage undergoes complete hydrolysis within the first seven days of fermentation, transforming into fructose and glucose through microbiological processes. Saccharides contained in fruit and vegetable pomace also undergo changes during fermentation. After 21 days of fermentation, only glucose is detectable in the beverages.

The subject of the invention is shown in an example embodiment in the drawing, where Fig. 1 Fig. 4 shows the total acidity marked with a dashed line and the pH marked with a continuous line as a function of the fermentation time for beverages obtained by extracting pomace, where for beverages with the pomace removed before the sterilization process the markings are blank, respectively without the addition of tea (φ) and with the addition of tea © and for beverages prepared with the pomace removed

PL 248564 Β1 after the fermentation process without the addition of tea (φ) and with the addition of tea (φ), respectively. Fig. 1 shows a drink based on chokeberry pomace (A), Fig. 2 shows a drink based on apple pomace (B), Fig. 3 shows a drink based on beetroot pomace (C), Fig. 4 shows a drink based on carrot pomace (D).

Figure 5 - Figure 8 shows changes in the content of saccharides: fructose (), sucrose (A) and glucose (□) during the fermentation of beverages obtained from pomace extracts, respectively in Figure 5 - chokeberry (A), Figure 6 - apple (B), Figure 7 - beetroot (C), Figure 8 - carrot (D), where the continuous line indicates beverages without added tea and the dashed line indicates beverages with added tea.

The invention is illustrated by the following examples.

Example 1

In the process of producing beverages fermented using tea mushrooms, extracts from fruit pomace (chokeberry or apple) or vegetable pomace (beet or carrot) are used as the substrate, and hot water (90°C) is used as the extractant. Extraction is carried out for 15 minutes. Sucrose (5.0% by weight) is added to the extract. The second stage involves filtration to remove any fruit or vegetable pomace. The filtrate is then placed in an autoclave and sterilized for 20 minutes at 117°C and 0.75 atm. The sterilized and cooled extracts are then inoculated with 1.0% by weight of a starter culture, i.e., 1.0% by weight of tea mushrooms and 1% by volume of the fermentation liquid, and fermented for 14 days at a constant temperature (25°C).

Example 2

In the process of producing fermented beverages using the tea mushroom, fruit pomace extracts (chokeberry or apple) or vegetable pomace extracts (beet or carrot) are used as the substrate, and 0.5% by weight of tea infusion (90°C) is used as the extractant. Extraction is carried out for 15 minutes. Sucrose (5.0% by weight) is added to the extract. The second stage involves filtration to remove the fruit or vegetable pomace and tea leaves. The filtrate is then placed in an autoclave and sterilized for 20 minutes at 117°C and 0.75 atm. The sterilized extracts are then inoculated with 1.0% by weight of the starter culture and fermented for 14 days at a constant temperature (25°C).

Example 3

In the process of producing fermented beverages using the tea mushroom, fruit pomace extracts (chokeberry or apple) or vegetable pomace extracts (beet or carrot) are used as the substrate, and hot water (90°C) is used as the extractant. Extraction is carried out for 15 minutes. Sucrose (5.0% by weight) is added to the extract. The extract is then placed in an autoclave and sterilized for 20 minutes at 117°C and 0.75 atm. The sterilized extracts are then inoculated with 1.0% by weight of the starter culture and fermented for 14 days at a constant temperature (25°C). After fermentation, filtration is performed to remove any fruit or vegetable pomace.

Example 4

In the process of producing fermented beverages using the tea mushroom, fruit pomace extracts (chokeberry or apple) or vegetable pomace extracts (beet or carrot) are used as the substrate, and 0.5% by weight of tea infusion (90°C) is used as the extractant. Extraction is carried out for 15 minutes. Sucrose (5.0% by weight) is added to the extract. In the second stage, the tea leaves are discarded. The extract is then placed in an autoclave and sterilized for 20 minutes at 117°C and 0.75 atm. The sterilized extracts are then inoculated with 1.0% by weight of the starter culture and fermented for 14 days at a constant temperature (25°C). After fermentation, filtration is performed to remove any fruit or vegetable pomace.

Example 5

In the process of obtaining fermented beverages using the tea mushroom, extracts from fruit pomace (chokeberry or apple) or vegetable pomace (beet or carrot) are used as the substrate, and 0.3% by weight of tea infusion (95°C) is used as the extractant. Extraction is carried out for 15 minutes. Sucrose (3.0% by weight) is added to the extract. In the second stage, filtration is carried out to remove the fruit or vegetable pomace and tea leaves. The filtrate is then placed

PL 248564 Β1 in an autoclave and sterilized for 20 min at 117°C under a pressure of 0.75 atm. Then the sterilized extracts are inoculated with 0.5% by weight of the starter culture and fermented for 21 days at a constant temperature (22°C).

Example 6

In the process of producing fermented beverages using the tea mushroom, extracts from fruit pomace (chokeberry or apple) or vegetable pomace (beet or carrot) are used as the substrate, and 1.0% by weight of tea infusion (93°C) is used as the extractant. Extraction is carried out for 30 minutes. Sucrose (10.0% by weight) is added to the extract. The second stage involves filtration to remove the fruit or vegetable pomace and tea leaves. The filtrate is then placed in an autoclave and sterilized for 20 minutes at 117°C and 0.75 atm. The sterilized extracts are then inoculated with 2.0% by weight of the starter culture and fermented for 7 days at a constant temperature (28°C).

Example 7

The invention is a health-promoting fermented beverage with antimicrobial properties (Table 1, Table 2), as presented in the tables below.

Table 1.

Antimicrobial activity of beverages obtained by extraction of chokeberry, apple, beetroot and carrot pomace determined by the diffusion method, given as the diameter zone of inhibition of growth of A) Gram-positive bacteria

Drinks Farm time, [days] Bacterial strain growth inhibition zone [mm] Gram-positive L. monocytogenes S. aureus S. epidermidis B. cereus B. cereus survives Chokeberry without added tea 0 0.0 0.0 10.0 13.0 13.0 7 11.0 11.5 13.5 14.5 15.5 14 12.5 9.5 11.5 12.0 12.5 Chokeberry with tea 0 0.0 0.0 12.5 14.5 13.0 7 9.5 12.5 12.5 13.0 16.5 14 12.5 15.0 13.0 15.0 13.0 Apple juice without added tea 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7 2.0 1.0 1.5 0.5 0.0 14 8.0 7.5 8.5 6.0 5.5 Apple with tea 0 6.5 3.5 8.5 9.0 0.0 7 10.5 8.0 3.5 6.5 4.0 14 11.5 4.0 9.0 9.5 8.5 Beetroot without added tea 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 14 0.0 11.0 8.0 0.0 0.0 Beetroot with tea 0 0.0 5.0 9.5 7.0 7.0 7 0.0 6.0 1.5 6.0 6.0 14 9.5 11 13.5 5.5 5.0 Carrot smoothie without tea 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 14 5.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Carrot with tea 0 6.0 9.0 8.0 8.5 0.0 7 7.0 10.5 9.0 9.0 9.0 14 8.5 11.5 9.5 10.5 9.5

PL 248564 Β1

Table 2.

Antimicrobial activity of beverages obtained by extraction of chokeberry, apple, beetroot and carrot pomace determined by the diffusion method, given as the diameter zone of inhibition of growth of Gram-negative bacteria B)

Drinks Fenu time, [days] Bacterial strain growth inhibition zone [mm] Gram-negative E. coli P. aeruginnsa S. Typhimurium S. Paratyphi Chokeberry without added tea 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7 14.5 12.0 10.0 1.0 14 11.5 19.0 15.5 11.5 Chokeberry with tea 0 0.0 0.0 10.0 0.0 7 2.0 12.0 12.5 11.0 14 18.0 16.5 18.5 13.5 Apple juice without added tea 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7 0.5 0.0 1.0 1.0 14 6.5 4.0 3.0 8.0 Apple with tea 0 0.0 0.0 10.0 6.0 7 9.5 8.5 6.5 4.0 14 11.5 10.0 8.0 11.5 Beetroot without added tea 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 14 0.0 13.0 10.0 0.0 Beetroot with tea 0 0.0 0.0 7.5 0.0 7 0.0 0.0 5.0 6.0 14 0.0 0.0 13.0 7.0 Carrot smoothie without tea 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 14 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Carrot with tea 0 0.0 4.5 3.0 10.0 7 0.0 6.5 3.0 12.0 14 0.0 8.0 9.0 7.0

Claims (6)

1. A method for obtaining a fermented beverage comprising fermentation using a tea mushroom, characterized in that in the first stage, fruit or vegetable pomace is extracted in an amount of 3.0 to 10.0% by weight, preferably 5.0% by weight, with water or tea infusion in an amount of 0.3 to 1.0% by weight, preferably 0.5% by weight, with the addition of sucrose in an amount of 3.0 to 10.0% by weight, preferably 5.0% by weight, at a temperature of 90 to 100°C for a period of 15 to 30 minutes, and then in the second stage, the obtained extracts are filtered and further sterilized by placing the extracts in an autoclave for 20 minutes, where the sterilization temperature is 117°C and at a pressure of 0.75 atm., and in the third stage, the sterilized extracts are inoculated at a temperature of 20°C a starter culture which is a tea mushroom in an amount of 0.5 to 2.0% by weight, preferably 0.5% by weight, with the addition of post-fermentation liquid in an amount of 1% by volume and fermented for a period of 7 to 21 days at a temperature of 22 to 28°C. 2. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the fruit or vegetable pomace is discarded before the sterilization process. PL 248564 Β1 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the fruit or vegetable pomace is discarded after the fermentation process. 4. The method according to claims 1-3, characterized in that the fruit pomace is chokeberry pomace and/or apple pomace, and the vegetable pomace is beetroot pomace and/or carrot pomace. 5. The method according to claims 1-4, characterized in that after the fermentation process is completed, the beverage is filtered and stored at a temperature of 4 to 5°C. 6. A fermented beverage obtained by the method according to claims 1-5, characterized in that it has antimicrobial properties.