Team:Austin UTexas
Kombucha is a fermented tea that contains a symbiotic community which is characterized by the relationship between ethanol-producing yeast and bacteria. These different species of bacteria create bacterial cellulose and convert the ethanol produced from yeast, into acetic acid. Due to this unique microbiome, many claims have been made regarding the health benefits that come from drinking this beverage. However, none of these claims have been proven scientifically. Even so, many are quick to to jump on the bandwagon and want to try to create a profit from the rising popularity of kombucha. The Kombucha Brewers International, a non-profit trade association, has reported a growth of 50% per year in the kombucha industry with no signs of slowing down in the near future.1 Because of the growing popularity of kombucha and the fact that it has such a diverse community of microbes, we believe that our research can not only add to the field of synthetic biology, but help grow the industry of genetically modified foods. Our goal is to create a designer beverage with added benefits that come from the genetic modification of the microbiome inside. The following outlines the steps taken to achieve our goal.
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