Bio-functional and anti-inflammatory properties of Chubitchi: A traditional fermented rice beverage of Meghalaya, India

Abstract

Chubitchi, a traditional brewed alcoholic beverage from Meghalaya, was prepared under controlled laboratory conditions. A comprehensive storage study was conducted over four weeks under refrigerated conditions to examine its physicochemical properties (pH, acidity, alcohol content) and bio-functional attributes (antimicrobial, antioxidative, ACE inhibitory, anti-diabetic activities, and phenolic content). Over the four weeks, the pH decreased to 3.31, while acidity increased to 2.03%. Ethanol content peaked at 5.62% during week 2. Lactic acid bacteria and yeast counts declined to 5.21 log CFU/mL and 4.86±0.19 log CFU/mL, respectively, by week 4. Chubitchi demonstrated antimicrobial activity against K. pneumoniae, E. coli, and S. aureus. Antioxidative activity peaked in weeks 3 (86.19±0.00%) and 4 (86.04±0.06%). ACE inhibition increased non-significantly from 17.03±0.28% to 23.10±0.92%. Anti-diabetic potential peaked at 3.53% (α-amylase inhibition), 20.42% (α-glucosidase inhibition), and 39.50% (lipase inhibition). Total phenolic content rose from 0.22 mg/mL to 0.27 mg/mL. Organoleptic evaluation revealed declining sensory scores through day 40. Furthermore, a 1:8 dilution of Chubitchi was found to be non-cytotoxic in a murine macrophage cell line, exhibiting significant antiinflammatory activity and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. This study provides critical insights into physicochemical and biofunctional dynamics of Chubitchi during storage, supporting its potential as a functional beverage.