Unveiling the biopotency of Butea monosperma Kombucha through physicochemical kinetics and molecular fingerprinting

A novel kombucha beverage was developed using Butea monosperma (Palash) flower instead of traditional black or green tea. Renowned for its abundance of flavonoids and polyphenols, B. monosperma served as a potent substrate for fermentation. Over 14 days, fermentation markedly increased titratable acidity to 1.95%, while pH and total soluble solids declined from 3.32 to 2.72 and 11 to 5 °Brix, respectively, indicating active microbial metabolism and organic acid formation. Antioxidant activity, measured via DPPH radical scavenging, increased by 22.78%, and total phenolic and flavonoid contents rose to 263.54 mg GAE/100 g and 98.12 mg QE/mL, respectively, reflecting enhanced bioactivity. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the emergence of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and aromatic functional groups characteristic of organic acids and polyphenols. High-resolution accurate-mass spectrometry (HRAMS) identified newly formed metabolites including salicylic acid derivatives, quercetin-3β-D-glucoside, and homobutein-4-glucoside, evidencing strong microbial biotransformation. Microbial growth increased from 6.65 to 9.18 log CFU/mL over the fermentation period. Collectively, the study demonstrates that fermentation effectively transforms B. monosperma into a bioactive, antioxidant-rich kombucha with functional and therapeutic potential. This research underscores the value of traditional Indian botanicals in developing innovative, health-focused fermented beverages.