🚀 go-pugleaf

I have a couple of kombucha / tea-kvas cultures and am producing the tea.
I have been trying to get a full chemical and biochem. assay done but have
encountered some problems in as much as the two labs in London I have
contacted both cannot test for yeasts or differentiate them and generally
cannot / will not do a micrbiol. assay, inc. usnic acid, although they will
test for vitamins, alcohol, glucuronic acid etc.

Given the variability of the content of the kombucha, I am keen to get a
full assay done if I 'm to continue drinking the stuff (as I wish).

For info. of those not acquainted: the conventional description states
that kombucha is a symbiosis of certain non-sporing yeasts and bacteria.
It is cultivated in a sugared tea medium, producing a tart and
effervescent beverage after an average of 8 days' fermentation.  
Principal constituents identified to date:
>Composition of Kombucha Fungus
>Scientific exploration of the fungus commenced in the 1950s with 
>the Moscow Bacteriological Institute (as part of their research project...
>They isolated the following organisms: Bacterium xylinum, Bacterium
>xylinoides, Bacterium gluconicum, Saccharomyces ludwigii, Saccharomyces
>apiculatus varieties, Schizosaccaromyces pombe, Acetobacter ketogenum,
>Torula varieties, Pichia fermantans and other yeasts.  This group of
>organisms shows a distinct antibiotic effect through the presence of
>usnic acid...
>
I also wish to test for pathogenic contaminants, ketones, water-soluble
aspergillus etc. etc.

The price quoted me for a very incomplete test (no bacteriological assay)
is around UKPnds 350-400. Can anyone offer an assay of the above items
(+some others) for this sort of price (or less!) or offer some pointers
where I could get such done?  I'm acting on my own account as a private
individual.

Thanks,


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robert jones                                       rwj@tyunnos.demon.co.uk