Kombucha Under Fire

Kombucha has long been a favorite for natural product consumers, but does part of the charm come from its hidden alcohol content? Some in the industry think so.

An article from the New York Times by Kim Severson said this fermented tea is facing regulation because of it possible alcohol content. Severson said some fermentation may even occur in the bottle, causing more alcohol to be present than the manufacturer tests show. She noted one popular brand may have as much as 3-percent alcohol content, which is much higher than the legal limit of 0.5.

She said Whole Foods Market decided to stop selling unpasteurized kombucha because possible high levels of alcohol, and the U.S. Treasury Department issued a warning saying kombucha may be subject to the same taxes and regulations as other alcoholic beverages.

The article also noted industry publications have speculated that kombucha will soon face heavy government regulation because of this issue.