In November 1881 the German naturalist Eduard Kern reported to Botanic Society in St. Petersburg about a mysterious beverage, which was exclusive common to the higher regions of the Caucasus and said to assure the inhabitants of this area good health and a very long life expectancy.

This beverage is kefir, a fermented milk product whose particular features is that in addition to lactic fermentation it also undergoes alcoholic fermentation caused by the presence of yeast, which yields this sourish, yeasty, sparkling, refreshing end product.

Kefir is not only a very valuable tasty, physiologically nutritional milk product it is said to be a ?miracle? product.

Research conducted by East European institutes has proven that there is something to the reputation of kefir. In Rumania where research has been carried out by Professor Dr. Asian on the causes of old age, the effect of kefir on prolonging life is being studied. According to gerontologist at the Genatric Centre of Suchumi (former USSR) the importance of kefir has not yet been completely recognized. The general opinion is that the life-prolonging effect is to be attributed to certain components of the kefir grains.

Moreover, kefir seems to have a stabilizing and, to some extent a youth-preserving effect on the human organism, but only if one?s entire diet is completely altered and the kefir is not only consumed as a side-dish, a snack or a dessert. When following the kefir diet recommendations developed in Rumania, one?s organism re-adjust within six months.

The functioning of liver, gallbladder, circulation, heart activity, metabolism, oxygen supply to the cells, blood circulation to the brain improves and stabilizes. Also so-called senility does not occur or is even reversed and the elasticity of the blood vessels and joints is restored. Rheumatism and coronary thrombosis do not stand a chance if a special kefir diet is followed: between the ages of 25 and 30 at the latest 20 g of kefir should be consumed twice a day. Numerous scientific tests are being performed to determine the effect of kefir especially in Eastern Europe.

Originally Kefir beverage was obtained by adding the so-called grains to fresh milk and then incubating them at 18 - 24º C for approx. 24 hours. The origin of Kefir grains themselves is unknown. To date it has not been possible to simulate the spontaneous formation of kefir grains using single isolates of kefir flora. New kefir grains can only be obtained from propagating and dividing of existing kefir grains.

One of our clients predict that kefir within the next 5 - 10 years will have a market that could be as big as the yoghurt market in North America.


The literary data and opinion on this subject differ.

But the following is accepted in unanimity.

Lactic acid bacteria.
1.1 Mesophilic lactococci Lactococcus lactic subsp. Lactis
Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacitylactis

1.2 Leuconostoc spp, mainly Leuconostoc mesenteriodes subsp. cremoris


1.3 Lactobacillus spp. mainly Lactobacillus kefyr
Lactobacillus brevis
Lb. casei

Yeast

2.1 Lactose fermenting, mainly Candida Kefir



2.2 Not lactose fermenting, mainly Saccharomyces unisporus
Saccharomyces florentinus
Among others Saccharomyces spp.

Danlac has kefir for sale in two size packages:

http://www.danlac.com/store/index.asp?category=4&product_id=85

http://www.danlac.com/store/index.asp?category=2&product_id=361