L-R: Lesley So, Founder of So Good Kombucha, with Troy Whyte, Managing Director of NeoVos, which analysed three flavours of her product to measure key levels of healthy acetate and lactate
A leading UK gut health analysis firm has given its seal of approval to a Derby entrepreneur’s kombucha after it subjected a batch of the drink to a laboratory test.
Three flavours of So Good Kombucha, the fast-growing fermented tea brand owned by well-known producer Lesley So, were each subject to a technique called tandem mass spectronomy analysis at the labs belonging to NeoVos, which is based in Morley, just outside the city.
The tests were looking to measure the levels of acetate and lactate, both of which are key ingredients which add to the health benefits of kombucha, an ancient Chinese recipe which is made by fermenting tea and sugar with a culture of bacteria and yeasts – known as a SCOBY.
Lactate – or lactic acid – is beneficial because it is linked with boosting people’s immune system, while acetate, which is most commonly known as acetic acid and is found in vinegar, is believed to help reduce blood sugars, promote weight loss and control blood pressure.
The test results showed good consistency across all three flavours tested – strawberry and basil, elderflower mojito and gingerlicious – for lactate, with an average concentration of at 0.0102 grams per litre across the range, as well as for acetate, which averaged 2.027g/L for all three flavours.
Lesley founded So Good Kombucha as a social venture three years ago and it is now sold all over the county, thanks to the different range of flavours and growing awareness of the health benefits of the drink.
These were underlined by NeoVos’ report conclusion, which stated the recommended acetate levels in kombucha should be between and 0.5g/L and 2.5g/L, meaning Lesley’s 2.027g/L score is “informative and give confidence of good manufacturing practices and recipe design.”
It added: “This also puts So Good Kombucha at the more potent end of the spectrum which maximises value for money and health benefits of this product.”
Lesley said: “I am delighted with the results and very grateful to NeoVos for analysing my So Good Kombucha. As with any product that is marketed as a healthy choice, I am always careful to ensure that any claim I make is backed up with evidence, so it’s wonderful to learn that the acetate levels in particular are so healthy.”
NeoVos, which is operated by SureScreen Scientifics, offers a range of health tests, including Vitamin D tests and Omega 3, and a range of gut health tests, which use cutting-edge laboratory analysis to find out what bacteria are present and what chemicals they are producing in the all-important microbiome – the unique population of bacteria that each of us has living inside our large intestines.
Troy Whyte, managing director of NeoVos said: “I am a huge fan of kombucha and drink it regularly because of the benefits that it has on my microbiome.
“Both lactate and acetate are indicators of the health benefits of kombucha, while the acetate has an effect on the flavour, so these tests give information for both quality control and for research and development for the product range.
“Everyone who follows a typical Western diet should incorporate more fermented products into their daily intake. They are strongly linked with good gut health, which is vital for both our physical and mental wellbeing.”
For more information visit www.surescreenscientifics.com.
