Kombucha is a slightly sweet, slightly acidic tea beverage consumed worldwide, but historically in China, Russia, and Germany. Kombucha is prepared by fermenting sweetened black tea preparations with a symbiotic culture of yeasts and bacteria. Potential health effects have created an increased interest in Kombucha. Yet, only a few research studies have shown that Kombucha has in vitro antimicrobial activity and enhances sleep and pain thresholds in rats. Furthermore, Kombucha consumption has proven to be harmful in several documented instances.

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Visual haze detection thresholds were assessed in thirty panelists by two methods: the ascending method of limits and a transfonned staircase procedure (UDTR, from Wetherill and Levitt 1965). The 3AFC test was used as the response procedure for both methods. Enpenmental samples consisted of an apple juice simulation (water with food coloring). Haze was added to the samples using formazin, and was calibrated to eleven levels ranging from 0.75-13.30 M U . Haze detection thresholds under store-like conditions (3.55 f 0.57 [mean f S.E.] and 3.16 f 0.50 NTU by the two methods, respectively) were higher than those foundpreviously under more controlled viewing conditions. No diflerences were found between methods, genders, or order of method presentation @ > 0.05); a practice q e c t showed a slight improvement in detection thresholds between sessions f j = 0.05). Nonparametric tests confirmed the similarities in the threshold estimates from the two methods. The two methods estimated visual haze detection thresholds equally well. However, the ascending method of limits may be preferred method due to the shorter time involved in administration.

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