What You Need to Know
The process relies on indigenous yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida spp. to ferment sucrose, glucose, and fructose into ethanol and CO₂, while lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus spp.) produce lactic and acetic acids that lower the pH. The resulting beverage typically contains 5–10 % v/v ethanol and a mildly acidic pH of 3.5–4.5.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Anaerobic fermentation of sugars by yeasts to produce ethanol and CO₂, coupled with lactic acid fermentation by bacteria producing lactic and acetic acids