More Healthy and Delicious with Kefir

Since hundreds of years ago kefir has been known as a health drink, rich in nutrients, and able to ward off various diseases. These dairy products can cause a pleasant feeling.

Kefir is a drink derived from milk, fermented by a number of microbes, namely lactic acid producing bacteria (BAL), acetic acid-producing bacteria and yeasts (yeast).

Kefir drink has been known since many centuries ago in the ex Soviet Union, especially in the northern Caucasus Mountains. The word comes from Turkish kefir, keif which means feeling good or feeling good. So called because a person will feel good after eating kefir regularly.

At first kefir made accidentally, that is putting milk kefir seeds that have been added to the bag is made of sheepskin. The bag was hung on the door of the house, so that everyone passing through the door will automatically touch the bag, so sway. It turns out the stirring effect on milk, so it helps smooth the process of fermentation by microbes.

For decades, the secret of making kefir is only known by generations by the natives of the Caucasus Mountains. New in 1908, for the first time kefir seeds successfully brought out of the Caucasus Mountains to the city of Moscow. From the city's property and kefir-making technology spread throughout the world.

Currently kefir is very well known in Europe and traded with various names, kephir, kiaphur, kefyr, knapon, kepi and kippe. Popularity kefir supported by scientific evidence that it contains probiotics (live bacteria) and components, which are crucial for health. That is one secret of longevity of the population of the Caucasus.

Folic Acid Increases

The main ingredients are the seeds of making kefir and milk kefir. Kefir seeds can be obtained by purchasing or making kefir from the previous process. If stored correctly, kefir seeds can be used repeatedly without limit. Milk used to milk cows, goats, sheep or buffalo, either in powder form (full or skim milk) or liquid (full-cream, low-fat, or non-fat). Given the technology is very simple, making kefir can be done in the household scale.

Initially pasteurized milk, which is heated at a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes or at a temperature of 95 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes. The goal is to kill unwanted microbes and mendenaturasi proteins, thus facilitating the work of microbes in the fermentation process. Once the milk is cooled in a pot or a jar until it reaches room temperature (20-25 degrees Celsius), to which was added kefir grain seed as much as 5-6 percent (50-60 g of seeds for 1 liter of milk kefir).

A mixture of milk and kefir seeds subsequently brooded at room temperature for 24 hours, until complete clotting occurs. Kefir can be improved aroma and flavor by curing back in the refrigerator temperature 80-10 degrees Celsius for 15-24 hours. Subsequently filtered to separate the liquid kefir kefir from kefir grains (can be used to create a new kefir). The longer the curing is done, diminishing levels of lactose (milk sugar), but the more acidic taste. Longer curing will also increase the levels of vitamin B and folic acid. Durable power of kefir liquid can be extended up to one week of storage at cold temperatures (around 10 degrees Celsius).

The technique of making kefir is more a work of art rather than scientific activities. Long fermentation and fermentation temperature are the two things that really determines the texture and taste of kefir to be generated. In hot climates, fermented milk with kefir seeds quite done for 18 hours. After that, kefir seeds must be separated from the liquid kefir.

Fermentation is too long will produce a very thick kefir and sour. Kefir is good only slightly more viscous than fresh milk, so it is easy to drink.

Seeds Kefir

Seeds are often called kefir kefir grains, kefir granules, natural-starter, or natural-mother-culture. Seeds is a biomatriks a soft, white, contains protein, fat, and complex polysaccharides (kefiran). Kefiran levels can reach 45 percent of the seedlings dried kefir. Kefir seeds contain a number of lactic acid bacteria (BAL) and yeast (yeast), each play a role in the formation and structure of the kefir taste.

Yellowish-white seed color and shape of kefir granules (granular) resembles cauliflower. At first the small size (grain size) and if often used to grow until a shelled walnut. Wet kefir grains as much as 50 grams can grow to twice that in 7-10 days, if transferred into 500 ml fresh milk six times a week.

Kefir seeds consist of a mixture of various bacteria and yeasts. Species of microorganisms in kefir seeds consists of four main genus, ie Lactobacilli, streptococci / Lactococci, Acetobacter, and Yeast (yeast).

Each microbe has a special role, such as lactic acid forming, mucus (kefir grain matrix), diasetil, ethanol, and carbon dioxide. Kefir seeds can not be dried by heating because most microorganisms in it will die. Seeds kefir is still active if preserved by freeze drying (freeze drying). The best way to save seed kefir is moving into the old seed that has been pasteurized milk regularly, brooded and kept overnight in the refrigerator temperature of 4-7 degrees Celsius. In these circumstances kefir seeds remain dormant for about a month.