Methods and materials
Kombucha tea drinkers often name their cultures, so we followed their custom. The 'Toby' culture was a fresh transfer of Dr. Toby Feibelman's strain, which had been a gift of Paul Stamets Fungi Imperfecti, Olympia, Washington). Mr. Fritz Owens, a local NewOrleans musician who was contacted through the Internet, donated the 'Fritz' culture and also demonstrated his method of preparing Kombucha tea in a kitchen at home. The 'Olinka' culture was purchased from Paper Ships Books and Crystals, a holistic health store in San Anselmo, California. Stock cultures of Kombucha consortia were stored in plastic bags within sealable plastic containers at 5°C.