Market beverages - composition, nutritional value and legal evaluation.

Fermented beverages are products which are produced by fermentation of carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs with a mixture of cultures of different microorganisms like yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria. The individual products like teakwass, kwass, waterkefir or bionade vary in the applied microorganism cultures and the original substratum (e.g. sugared tea, bread, or malt). Results of investigated trade products from Southern Bavaria are presented (sensoric, microscopic image, concentrations of sugars, organic acids and mineral sustances). The individual concentrations vary, as expected, extremely, depending on original substratum, microorganism culture and the period of time since inoculation. Essentially the data correspond with data in the literature. Finally, the legal classification as food, discrimination to medical products, and nutritional advertising (health claims) is discussed. Referring to the ingredients all above mentioned products can be regarded as food because of their undoubted nutritional value and aromatical properties. If advertising refers to curing of diseases, the purpose is predominantly a different one and can lead to a classification as medicine. Concerning nutritional advertising scientifically unproven and therefore misleading statements can make consumers feel insecure. This is illustrated by discussing some nutritonal statements, e.g. on effects of magnesium, gluconic acid and lactic acid.