Kombucha SCOBY - what IS it?

First and foremost, this has been an interesting experience and I have only been in possession of my "mother" for 12 whole days..

Secondly, I will say my sister thinks this is absolutely disgusting! LOL!

I was browsing the "free " section on Craigslist and someone posted "Free Kombucha Scoby". I thought to myself, what on EARTH is that...

So I googled it! What I found was intriguing and sort of turned my stomach, all at the same time..

What IS Kombucha, though... really.. So, straight from Wikipedia, here it is:

The kombucha culture is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, comprising Acetobacter (a genus of acetic acid bacteria) and one or more yeasts. In Chinese, this microbial culture is called haomo, or jiaomu in Mandarin, (Chinese: 酵母; literally meaning "yeast").

A kombucha culture may contain one or more of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. Alcohol production by the yeast(s) contributes to the production of acetic acid by the bacteria. Alcohol concentration also plays a role in triggering cellulose production by the bacterial symbionts.

Although the bacterial component of a kombucha culture comprises several species, it almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus (formerly Acetobacter xylinum), which ferments the alcohols produced by the yeast(s) into acetic acid. This increases the acidity while limiting the alcoholic content of kombucha. G. xylinum is responsible for most or all of the physical structure of a kombucha mother, and has been shown to produce microbial cellulose.[1] This is likely due to artificial selection by brewers over time, selecting for firmer and more robust cultures.

The acidity and mild alcoholic element of kombucha resists contamination by most airborne molds or bacterial spores. As a result, kombucha is relatively easy to maintain as a culture outside of sterile conditions. The bacteria and yeasts in kombucha may also produce antimicrobial defense molecules.

What does all of this mean? It means Kombucha is fermented sweet tea that grows bacteria and yeast - then you drink it. (gag)

Seriously, gag. I'm on day 8 of my brew and I think it looked worse on the first few days than it does now - but STILL doesn't look appetizing... enough... to drink....

Here are my "mothers" I picked up on 9/28/12 from the nice lady who gave them away for free on Craigslist:

They were very healthy! I divided one in half and threw the other half in the jar with the other because I only wanted to kill one at a time.. Seriously..

Apparently, Kombucha orginated in East Asia... they and Russians believed Kombucha tea to have healing ailments. It appears this is quite popular among people with HIV and the elderly because of claims it can boost immunity and slow aging. Nowadays, though it appears to be more of a natural probiotic, from what I have read. Now, whether or not I can 'stomach' this probiotic (no pun intended) is questionable... we'll see!

One very important thing to note in regards to this new milestone in life: THERE ARE SIDE EFFECT. Ohhhhh LAWD, sweet baby jesus, in a manger! I AM the side effect... always... if it's going to happen, it happens to this girl!

So, www.cancer.org has an article about Kombucha! The USDA warns caution when making and drinking this tea. From the article, two women were diagnosed with high lactic acid levels when admitted to the hospital. Looks like I'm Ok though because the cancer warning on this is for the dummies who brew in ceramic, lead or painted canisters. SMH..

This is what I pulled from WebMD though:

KOMBUCHA TEA Side Effects & Safety

Kombucha tea may be UNSAFE for most adults. It can cause side effects including stomach problems, yeast infections, allergic reactions, yellow skin (jaundice), nausea, vomiting, head and neck pain, and death.

Kombucha tea, especially batches made at home where it’s hard to maintain a germ-free environment, can become contaminated with fungus (Aspergillus) and bacteria (including anthrax). In Iran, 20 people got anthrax infections from taking kombucha tea. This tea is particularly unsafe in people with weakened immune systems, such as people with HIV/AIDS, who are more likely to get infections. Also, lead poisoning has been reported from kombucha tea that was prepared in a lead-glazed ceramic pot.

Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Kombucha tea may be unsafe during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Alcoholism: Kombucha tea contains alcohol. Avoid it if you have a drinking problem.

Diarrhea: Kombucha tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in Kombucha tea, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Kombucha tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in Kombucha tea, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea and might worsen symptoms of IBS.

Weak immune system: Don’t use kombucha tea if you have a weakened immune system due to HIV/AIDS or other causes. Kombucha tea can support the growth of bacteria and fungus that can cause serious infections.

I need to re-think this... my dad was all about drinking this with me to "try it out" until he saw how it looked on day three.... he then said he was just going to watch me to make sure I didn't die.... wonder if he looked this information up before I did...