Stability of bioactive compounds in green tea kombucha (Camellia sinensis) flavored with pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata)

This study developed a green tea kombucha (Camellia sinensis) with pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) and monitored the chemical stability of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and carotenoids for 60 days. A 2³ factorial design was applied to optimize the formulation, considering green tea percentage, pumpkin puree, and sugar. Three conditions were selected: traditional kombucha (TK), kombucha with 15% pumpkin (PK), and kombucha with 15% pumpkin and 5 g sugar (SPK). Samples were refrigerated, and bioactive compounds were analyzed at time 0 and every 10 days. TK had the highest phenolic (2.02 ± 0.06 mgEAG/ml) and flavonoid (48.79 ± 0.97 mgEC/ml) concentrations. PK had the highest carotenoid content (28.9 ± 1.73 µg/100 ml). Carotenoid levels peaked on day 20, and antioxidant activity on day 30. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences over time, confirming stability under refrigeration for 60 days. Pumpkin is a promising ingredient for kombucha flavoring, enriching it with bioactive compounds, particularly carotenoids.