Kefi

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file:///D:/From%20E/Health/herb/chariot/kefirpage.html#what's-kefir

 

fSO DOM, WHAT IS KEFIR?

Kefir is pronounced kef é-er (this link is a small audio file [42 KB]

pronouncing the word " kefir " ). The word " kefir " is thought to have derived

from the Turkish word keif, meaning " good feeling " , or " feeling good " . This

is for the sense of well-being experienced after ingesting this

culture-product. Kefir is a refreshing probiotic cultured-milk beverage,

which is believed to have originated in the Northern Caucasus Mountains,

many centuries ago.

Kefir has a uniform thick creamy consistency, a slightly sour refreshing

taste, with a mild aroma resembling fresh yeast. Kefir also has a slight

natural carbonated effervescent " zest " . To round this off, kefir may

contain between 0.08 to 2 % alcohol. Many aromatic compounds contribute to

the unique flavour and distinctive pleasant aroma of kefir... (yep... wow!!).

 

Traditional kefir can only be prepared by culturing fresh milk with kefir

grains. Kefir grains are not to be mistaken for cereal grains i.e. the

" grains " part of the name is a misnomer. Kefir grains or " granules " are in

fact a natural mother-culture. The grain's structure (which I refer to as a

bio-matrix), is created through the efforts of a symbiotic relationship,

shared between a vast mixture of specific friendly bacterium and yeast's.

The grains are a soft, gelatinous, white biological-mass (biomass),

comprised of protein, lipids (fats) and a soluble-polysaccharide (Kefiran )

complex. The microbes and yeasts not only create this bio-matrix structure,

but are also harboured by the very structure they create; either on the

surface (interior and exterior), or encapsulated within the bio-matrix itself.

 

Today, real kefir is easily prepared at home. To culture real kefir, the

addition of raw or pasteurized, full-cream or non-fat milk, is placed in a

clean suitable container, with the addition of kefir grains. This is left

to ferment for approx. 24 hours at room temperature (between 18 - 30° C [

65- 86° F] but not specifically). After the fermentation period, the

cultured-milk is strained to separate the kefir grains from the

liquid-kefir. The grains are then added with more fresh milk, and the

process is simply repeated, to produce the next ongoing batches... on an

indefinite basis... (real-kefir is forever!!). The liquid-kefir may either

be consumed fresh, refrigerated for later use, or brewed further by forcing

a secondary fermentation (omitting the kefir grains).

 

This has been done, like so, from the very first batch of kefir grains

derived many centuries ago.

 

After a period of time culturing daily kefir, the " living " kefir grains

increase in size, quantity or overall volume and weight. A point is

reached, where one has the option to either remove a portion of grains, or

add a larger volume of fresh milk with the culture; in order to maintain a

constant " grain to milk " ratio. Traditionally, excess kefir grains were

either eaten (which I highly recommend), dried for later use (as a back-up

source), or shared among family or tribal members.

 

The actual size of kefir grains can vary from the size of this 0, to the

size of a walnut or larger. The size of each kefir grain doesn't seem to

effect the quality of the finished kefir. Usually, kefir grains used with

large milk ratios, preferably with raw milk, which haven't been traumatized

by any harsh means (squeezing or pressing on), and with regular milk

changes, grow larger in actual size and faster in quantity or volume

(increasing biomass).

 

For full details explaining how to culture Kefir, please follow this link

For Kefir FAQ's please follow this link

 

A Probiotic (Parker 1974 and extended by Fuller 1986) is opposite to

Antibiotic. [Pro = for, Biotic = life] = Life-promoting or " For-life " as

opposed to Antibiotic - [Anti = against, Biotic = life] = " Against-life " .

The term " Probiotic " refers to organisms and their culture products which

contribute, enhance or stabilize the intestinal microflora, thereby

benefiting the host by either protecting against disease and/or improve its

nutrition.

 

 

 

Traditional Kefir Making

Traditionally, in the Northern Caucasus Mountains, kefir was prepared with

raw, full-cream goat or cow's milk. Fresh milk with the addition of kefir

grains, was placed into a goatskin leather bag. The contents were left to

ferment for 24 hours at room temperature. A portion of the contents was

tied off into one corner of the leather bag, so that the remaining kefir

could be easily separated from " most " of the grains. The kefir, with

possibly a few grains, was then poured into a container and consumed. This

would produce a foaming beverage, creamy in texture and consistency, with

an alcohol content between approx. .5% - 2%. During cold weather, the

leather bag was placed in the sun during the day, or hung near a fireplace

at night. It was also a custom to hang the bag near a door way, whereby

visitors would give the bag a gentle rocking action as they passed by.

 

Occasionally, kefir would be put through a secondary fermentation but

without the grains. Fresh kefir was poured into a wooden barrel, sometimes

with the addition of fresh milk. The barrel was plugged airtight and the

contents was fermented for some days. This produced a higher carbonated

beverage, with possibly a slightly higher alcohol content, and good keeping

quality.

 

Hey Dom!.. is this a kefir-milk-beer? < hiccup-kefir-grin >

 

* KEFIRAN

Presently, the mechanism involved in the actual construction of the

bio-matrix structure (the grains), is not yet fully understood. A soluble

gel-polysaccharide discovered in kefir grains, was unique enough to have

been given it's own name, " Kefiran " [KGF-C]. Dry kefir grains consist of a

matrix of which approx. ca. 50% is Kefiran. This polysaccharide (PS) is

composed from specific percentages of two mono-saccharides; Glucose and

Galactose in equal proportions. Kefiran is produced at the centre of the

grain, synthesized by L. kefiranofaciens. This particular Lactobacilli is

encapsulated within the centre of the grain, where anaerobic conditions are

favourable for Kefiran synthesis in the presence of ethanol alcohol (1).

There are a few other lactobacilli that produce kefiran or a similar PS,

Lb. kefir and Lb. sp. KPB-167B and Lb. brevis are such lactobacilli.

 

These, including other species of Lactobacilli, may produce kefiran or a

similar form of gel-polysaccharide at different rates to each other. This

may be part of the mechanism involved in the kefir grains having a natural

tendency to propagate into a self-enclosed structure. This is possibly due

to different strains of Lactobacilli propagating in specific layers

spreading throughout the centre of the grain.

 

Experiments performed " with mice " (against mice really), have revealed

Kefiran exhibited anti-tumour properties. In these experiments, Kefiran

administered orally, was found to reduce the size of tumours, by inducing

an auto-immune response in mice. Much of this research was carried out in

Japan (2, 3, 4, 5).

 

References:

 

1. Int J Food Microbiol 1990;11:127-34. Immunofluorescence microscopic

studies on distribution of L. kefiranofaciens and L. kefir in kefir grains.

Arihara K, Tobo T, Adachi S.

 

2. Immunopharmacology 1986 Aug;121:29-35. Immunopotentiative effect of

polysaccharide from kefir grain, KGF-C, administered orally in mice.

Murofushi M, Mizuguchi J, Aibara K, Matuhasi T, et al.

 

3. Yakugaku Zasshi 1992 Jul;112:489-95. Pharmacological study on kefir-a

fermented milk product in Caucasus. I. On antitumor activity (1). [Article

in Japanese] Kubo M, Odani T, Nakamura S, Tokumaru S, Matsuda H, et al.

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kinki University, Osaka, Japan.

 

4. Jpn J Med Sci Biol 1982 Apr;35:75-80. Antitumor activity in mice of

orally administered polysaccharide from Kefir grain. Shiomi M, Sasaki K,

Murofushi M, Aibara K, et al.

 

5. Jpn J Med Sci Biol 1983 Feb;36:49-53. Effect of orally administered

polysaccharide from kefir grain on delayed-type hypersensitivity and tumor

growth in mice. Shiomi M, Aibara K, Murofushi M, et al........................

 

 

 

 

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Typical microflora makeup of water-kefir grains

 

Lactic acid Bacteria

 

Lactobacillus brevis

Lb. casei subsp. rhamnosus

Lb. alactosus

Lb. casei subsp. casei

Lb. pseudoplantarum

Lb. plantarum Streptococci/lactococci

 

Streptococcus lactis

S. cremeris

Leuconostoc mesenteroides Yeasts

 

Saccharomyces florentinus

S. pretoriensis

Kloeckera apiculata

Candida lambica

C. valida

 

Ref: (1) " The polysaccharides produced by Lb. brevis and leuconostoc

mesenteroides, alone or associated, are connected to the polysaccharide

matrix synthesis of the grain. We have found dextrans, with a main chain of

(1-6)-alpha-D-glucopyranose, with some (1-3)-alpha-D links and branch

linkages of (3-1)-alpha-D-glucosidic residues. The electronic microscopy

study confirms the role of Lb. brevis in the synthesis of the grain, with

leuconostoc mesenteroides and yeasts associated ; Lb. casei seems to be

able to condense these dextrans into a gel. " (M. Pidoux 1985) [Kindly

translated from French Abstract and submitted by Christian M. to the

Kefir_making list, which I host at .