Pasteurised vs. Unpasteurised kombucha: what's the difference?
Discover why Yugen has committed to unpasteurised kombucha and why it should always be stored in the fridge.
LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING
Kombucha has been around for a long time, as far back as 221 B.C., passed through generations through the sharing of scobies (Symbiotic Cultures of Bacteria and Yeast), the living organisms necessary to ferment tea. During fermentation, the SCOBY transforms sweetened tea into bubbly kombucha. Learn more about the ancient history of kombucha here.
UNPASTEURISED KOMBUCHA
Yugen goes to incredible lengths to offer our customers a gut-healthy and authentic kombucha, packed with naturally occurring beneficial bacteria. Putting a raw, unpasteurised kombucha on the market might not be the easiest method, but for us it’s the right way.
WHAT IS PASTEURISATION?
Before refrigeration and pasteurisation, fermentation was used to naturally preserve food and drinks. Yugen kombucha is still brewed this way: raw, unpasteurised, and alive with active cultures from the SCOBY.
Pasteurisation uses heat to kill microorganisms and create a shelf-stable drink, which allows for simpler distribution and longer shelf life, but it also stops the living fermentation process. Because Yugen remains alive and naturally fermented, it needs to be kept refrigerated. Left unrefrigerated, it will continue fermenting, becoming more acidic and fizzy over time.
WHY NOT PASTEURISE?
Pasteurising kombucha makes it shelf stable, but it also kills the live cultures that make raw kombucha so authentic. Every can of Yugen contains around 3 billion living cultures, researched together with Ghent University, which may help support gut health and digestion.
Heat treatment can also soften the flavour and aroma of kombucha, reducing the bright, complex character created during fermentation. And because Yugen is made with pure juice, pasteurisation would also lower naturally occurring nutrients like vitamin C.
WHICH KOMBUCHA TO CHOOSE?
There are currently no strict labelling laws for pasteurised kombucha, but most authentic kombucha brands (like Yugen) will mention terms like “raw”, “unpasteurised”, “keep refrigerated”, or “cold stored” on the label.
If a sugar-containing kombucha is sold unrefrigerated, it’s almost always pasteurised — otherwise it would keep fermenting and build up C02 over time. If you want kombucha that’s fresh, raw, and full of live cultures, choose one that’s kept cold.
