Abstract: Kombucha tea (KT) has many health benefits. The complex microbiological composition of KT makes difficult its standardized production on an industrial scale. Currently, most studies on KT focus on chemical composition analysis and health effect evaluation, or product development on a laboratory scale. There is little information available in the literature on the relationship between microorganisms derived from KT and its characteristic flavor compounds. This review summarizes the relationship between the dominant microorganisms in KT and the flavor compounds in fermented foods containing those microorganisms. Meanwhile, the dynamic changes in the flavor components in KT are discussed. The information gathered in this review is expected to provide support and evidence for selecting a suitable starter culture for KT production, ensuring the product sensory quality, developing new products with different flavors and functional properties and promoting the development of the KT industry.

Key words: Kombucha tea, microbiological composition, yeast, bacteria, flavor compounds