Lab test gives drinks firm seal of approval

Drinks made by So Good Kombucha have been given the seal of approval following a lab test carried out by the sister company of SureScreen Diagnostics.

The NeoVos lab, run by SureScreen Scientifics, carried out tests on three flavours of So Good Kombucha, the fast-growing fermented tea brand founder by Lesley So.

The tests aimed 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.

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 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.”