Dive Brief:
- Kombucha, a vinegary-tasting fermented tea, has seen a huge surge in popularity over the past few years, but because it contains a small amount of alcohol as a result of the fermentation process, kombucha producers' labels have been targeted by regulators.
- Five years after nationwide recalls caused by kombucha's alcohol levels, federal authorities are again demanding that companies re-label their products to show alcohol content or risk being fined. However, this time producers are pushing back and asking for new federal tests to help them abide by alcohol laws, which they feel have limits that are too low to intoxicate people and should be raised.
- Kombucha sales increased nearly five times since 2013 to about $600 million prt year, according to retail analysts at Markets and Markets.
Dive Insight:
If kombucha is allowed to age, it can contain about 1% alcohol, which is above the current 0.5% limit but less than a quarter of the alcohol content of a Bud Light, which is 4.2%. Still, this means kombucha has too much alcohol to be sold to minors.
"The federal agency says it is interested in an alcohol test specific to fermented beverages. But in the meantime, it says it won't stop issuing fines when it gets reports of products that exceed alcohol limits using existing tests," Associated Press reported.
Kombucha is just one of several fermented food and beverage products that are becoming more popular as the consumer health trend takes hold. Kimchi, a Korean pickled cabbage dish, and kefir, fermented milk with a tangy taste similar to yogurt, are two other examples of products that provide "good bacteria" that can aid the digestive system.