What WE are. What commercial starters truly are not.
NOVICE SPECIAL NOTICE. Because dom ingests Us kefir grains, WE have decided to revolt, by taking mutiny of dom's faculties as OUR main-course of action. So, bearing with this in mind, WE kefir grains hereby declare that dom is now under OUR control. From here on WE communicate through dom by navigating the slimy typing. So you fortunate few, please sit back, relax and enjoy what WE share here.
WE kefir grains wish to educate newcomers to kefir, without excluding those so thought to be "in the know". With your undivided attention, WE shall focus on common issues, which are causing confusion among the many among the masses. Before WE move on though, please, splash your screen with an imaginary amount of fresh milk, for WE kefir grains are hungry. That was very kind of you... thank you for exercising your imagination.
Firstly and fore-mostly Kefir should not be mistaken for Yogurt [How was that for an opener, brown cow?!]. These 2 culture milk-products are unique and very different to each other. The reason why kefir is often referred to as yogurt, or drinking yogurt, is because of the familiarity most westerns have with yogurt in comparison to kefir. This is especially true in those countries where kefir is lesser known than yogurt. However, analysis of the composition of kefir indicates that it contains bio-active ingredients that give it unique health benefits, which means that kefir is an important probiotic source and the more promising as a functional-food product[24] even more so than yogurt in many respects.
Kefir is a culture-milk beverage similar to buttermilk in consistency, and not a thick, spoonable curd of commercial yogurt
Traditional Kefir can only be produced with Us kefir grains. WE are the only self-perpetuating [self-growing] natural-mother of milk-cultures known to people. WE are mostly quite difficult to procure due to OUR rarity. We being in a distinctive class, which is mostly uncommon to the everyday person. One may be lead to believe that commercial kefir including commercial kefir-starters are the same as the traditional counterpart. However, this is mostly not the case at all. Today, commercial kefir is prepared with artificially produced commercial starters and not with Us kefir grains implemented in the long standing traditional manner. This is partly due to laws enforced through codes of practice by regulatory bodies, which stipulate specific standards making it literally illegal or extremely challenging to implement natural starters, in order to produce a traditional culture food-product for sale at the marketplace. Since We are a natural starter, this brings a challenge that can not be easily met by commercial interest, if it can at all be met. Also, there are certain strains of organisms, that will not propagate on their own, that is once these are separated from the rest of OUR microflora, so any commercial kefir starter or commercial kefir, can not and shall not contain those organisms. This leaves the commercial counterpart, somewhat lacking.
It takes a reasonably large amount of work, time and milk to culture Us kefir grains to supply the masses. This is also true for producing commercial kefir employing Us kefir grains in the traditional manner.
Cheap cost with much less time and energy involved to artificially produce and employ a commercial starter makes it cost effective for companies to supply or implement an artificially produced kefir starter, rather than work with Us kefir grains. This is true for the commercial kefir starter-vendor, and those companies producing commercial kefir for sale.
Employing artificially prepared kefir starters for the production of commercial kefir are used for producing a commercial kefir with consistent character, regarding taste, consistency and texture for the marketplace. In this case, a kefir that best suits the pallet of the population it is aimed for sale.
WE kefir grains are an ancient natural mother-culture, and because of this, OUR microflora varies from batch to batch. The same batch can also be found to vary in microflora, due to environment and culture conditions. WE, including the actual kefir that WE produce with fresh milk in the traditional manner, contain a vast number of different strains of lactic acid bacteria [LAB] including streptococci-lactococci, acetobacter [acetic acid or vinegar producing bacteria] and yeasts. Specific strains of OUR yeasts can breakdown lactose, which is rare to find in a culture milk-product in the western world. The vast species of organisms among these four genus groups is what make up OUR unique, complex, self-organizingmicroflora, which shares perfect symbiosis among the different strains of organisms. However, yogurt, commercial kefir including artificially prepared kefir-starters do not contain anywhere near these numbers of different strains of organisms. These culture-products also lack proper, everlasting symbiosis among the different species of organisms.
The animation on the left demonstrates best quality creamy, ready-to-drink traditional kefir prepared by Us kefir grains and with dom's elp.[No dom don't wake up! You are in a deeeep sleeeep. Relax, freee your mind. Goood].
And this pictur demonstrates the small curd size of kefir sitting in a glass cup.
WE kefir grains have the ability to culture traditional kefir either from raw, non-pasteurised fresh milk including pasteurised fresh milk. And WE culture kefir at room temperature. FOr just the cost of fresh milk, this provides the unique opportunity to prepare real, traditional kefir as a simple, inexpensive flexible process.
WE are capable of preparing kefir with any milk-type of YOUR CHOICE. This includes full cream, fat reduced or non-fat commercial dairy milk. Although WE prepare the best kefir from fresh raw milk obtained right after milking, WE shall also prepare a healthy kefir with any commercial fresh milk, including long life milk [UHT] and reconstituted dry milk powder.This provides the advantage to choose a Certified Bio-Dynamic or Organic milk with or without any amount of fat content. To some extent, WE can also culture non dairy milk, such as coconut milk, coconut water, soy milk, rice milk, and seed and nut milk etc. WE shall prepare a traditional kefir in any dairy milk type within 24 hours, day in, day out, year hence and year fifth [the number of change]. And it's always nice to have options--- hey dom?! heheheheeheee. [NO dom, don't wake up-- Just relax, reeelaaaxssss, you are in a deeep sleeeeep. GOoood]
Where were WE? Oh yeh! On the other hand, artificially prepared kefir starters [including commercial yogurt starters], lack the capacity to culture ongoing batches of kefir with a small amount of previous kefir added to fresh milk. This can not be done on an continuous basis. Such starters can ONLY prepare kefir [or yogurt] with freshly pasteurised [sterilized through heating] milk. In the case with yogurt, the freshly pasteurised or sterile milk with the added commercial starter MUST be incubated for 8 to 12 hours at a temperature range of 37°C to 42°C [97°F to 111°F]. Bearing in mind that an incubator to maintain these temperatures is needed. Electric incubators cost money to purchase, and to run. This is because the very few selected organisms for preparing artificial commercial starters, simply lack the ability to culture at room temperature. To be able to reproduce, those few strains of organisms have a specific optimal temperature when they are cultured on their own or with only a few strains or organisms. But there's more to this, which WE shall explain later.
However, WE kefir grains have the capacity to thrive and propagate AND the ability to culture traditional kefir at a reasonably wide temperature range, anywhere between 8°C to about 30°C [39°F to 86°F]. This comes natural for Us, for OUR microflora has developed a high order of self-organization because WE haveevolved in raw milk, cultured at ambient temperature over many centuries. In effect, WE have the muscles needed to get the job done--- and done right at that--- a cool, simple fact.
Authentic traditional kefir CAN NOT be prepared with artificial commercial kefir starters often sold as akefir-starter or kefir starter-culture sold in packets in powder form. Such commercial starters are prepared from only a few strategically selected strains of organisms isolated from Us kefir grains. However, once those organisms are removed from OUR microflora to prepare the artificial starter, they can no longer create and maintain the all-important essential symbiosis among those different strains of lactic acid bacteria, vinegar producing bacteria and yeasts. Commercial starters are prepared under laboratory conditions, therefore they can not be classified as a Natural Starter, for they truly are artificially prepared. As stated above in the opening paragraph, there are certain strains of organisms that can not be cultured on their own, that is once they are separated from OUR microflora. So these strains are missing in any commercial kefir starter-product. As such, these are not Us kefir grains, but instead, an inferior starter. Similar to yogurt starters, commercial kefir starters simply lack the ability to culture unpasteurised raw milk. In simple terms, this is because the native microflora found in raw milk, competes aggressively with the organisms of the commercial starter-- the fate of which the commercial starter loses the battle for nutrients in the first round, and by a knockout punch-- Ding! wake-up call. [NO not you dom! Go back to deeep sleeeep... deeeep sleeep].
NO GRAIN= NO GRAINS= NO GAIN It is impossible to spontaneously grow Us kefir grains, from non-existing kefir grains. Kefir grains can not be spontaneously grown from any form of commercial kefir OR any artificial kefir starter. This is also true with the very kefir that WE kefir grains produce. Once Us kefir grains have been separated by straining Us from the drinking kefir, like those commercial starters, those organisms found in the kefir the we produced, can NOT produce kefir grains in fresh milk fermented with the addition of that kefir. In all such cases, the end culture milk will contain thick, white curds due to the separation of milk into curds and whey. Many folks have mistaken those white curds for kefir grains in the above case, believing that kefir grains were produced when this is not the case at all. This is literally impossible to do.
We kefir grains can ONLY be PRODUCED and CULTIVATED from EXISTING, GROWING KEFIR GRAINS. It is a simple fact that one needs to initially obtain Us kefir grains, in order to propagate more grains, while WE prepare a traditional kefir WITH YOU. In effect, the strong association [symbiosis] among OUR microflora extends to include YOU, where ALL organisms involved, mutually benefit from the strong essential relationship.
Please take a short break to splash your screen with more imaginary fresh milk, for all of this manoeuvring of dom's faculties has made Us quite thirsty. While you're there, please take this opportunity to enjoy a glass of OUR real kefir 
... Cheers!
With any type of non-genetically modified commercial lactic acid starter available today, such as commercial kefir-starters, yogurt-starters, including cheese lactic acid starters, a point comes where the organisms of such artificial starters SHALL FAIL to culture future generations [batches] of the culture milk-product.
The challenge that powder commercial kefir-starters face The few selected strains of organisms chosen to prepare artificial kefir starters, are unable to create and maintain the all essential symbiosis among the lactic acid bacteria, vinegar producing bacteria and yeast components of such starters, over generations. Humans have little understanding of symbiosis, so dairy technicians are unable to artificially reproduce a starter, that can successfully create and maintain symbiosis like We do. However, OUR microflora is very capable of maintaining symbiosis among the different strains of organisms, doing so on a continual, indefinite basis. This is why WE have not changed over the past centuries right up to this point in time. In fact, WE can be regarded as a perfect example of symbiosis among the scientific community that study biology, microbiology and mycology [the study of fungi and yeast] etc.
In effect, phage virus infection including lack of proper symbiosis of artificial starters have a positive edge, leaning towards the financial gain of artificial starter vendors. Looking over dom's memory glands however, WE sadly note that he has come across companies selling kefir starter-powders, which have taken unusual measures to protect their potential sales and profit margin interest. As an example, WE note the implementation of fear tactricks mixed with partial truths in order to make Us kefir grains appear poor, while on the other kefir-hand the commercial starter-powder appear supreme. There are suggestions that the yeast component among OUR microflora has the potential to aggressively overtake the LAB. However, scientific research has never found this to be the case, and there has been numerous studies on the microflora of kefir grains and of kefir to substantiate this. Some of these studies involved over 550 batches of Us kefir grains obtained from various households and kefir-producing facilities in the former USSR [when traditional kefir was prepared with Us, some years ago, and which is mostly no longer the case].
But let Us say that if this did ever occur, it is due to the mishandling of Us, and not simply aspontaneous outcome, as suggested. Such companies should also disclose the fact that this can and does indeed occur to a commercial starter, but in this case to the final detriment of the artificial commercial starter.
On the other kefir-grain-hand, in the event that if this ever occurred to OUR microflora, WE are quite capable of reestablishing OUR microfloral components in order to correct the imbalance. This is simply by you, OUR caretaker, adjusting culture-conditions, such as giving Us larger milk-volume, and making certain that WE are strained and fed daily with fresh milk. Dom has proven in many instances that OUR microflora is self-organizing and superior, if given the chance by you culturing Us according to the simple instructions dom explains throughout his web pages and in his book dedicated to Us. But this is not possible with any commercial starter available today. Once those starters are subjected to the wild [in a jar of milk sitting on your kitchen counter top], the unorganised microbial components are lost for good, and in only a short matter of time, compared to how long WE've been in existence! Yes, WE have stood up to the test of time, and with a smile, along with the folks who prepare kefir with Us:-)
It is shameful, and not for Us mind your good soul, but for who ever this may concern, that there are companies inclined to implement strategic tactricks such as those explained above. Of all the torment that folks endure today, there is no torment that equals the intellectual and spiritual torment that demons of ignorance and greed inflict on people. WE hope that members of such companies including the general public are saved from such torment, so that they may grow in spirit, to propagate and forward truths, be it in their own time, and only if one is so willing to ask for deliverance from demons of greed and ignorance that have taken possession of one's faculties:-) Contamination of bodies, hearts which is detrimental to the soul is of no laughing matter to the compassionate or otherwise. Meanwhile, WE have all the patience in the world for that moment to come, as WE propagate forward, outwardly and in all directions with gratitude to those who sincerely care for Us in accordance to observing the simplest of instructions with a little attention dedicated to Us, in turn, to benefit both YOU, and Us.
However so this may be, one can not dispute the fact that once the individual obtains Us kefir grains, WE do not go asking that individual to go running to a vendor to purchase more of Us, as is the case with commercial kefir-starter vendors. If simple care is observed while culturing a traditional kefir with Us, WE have the ability to outlive YOU, including the potential to outlive your children and their children's' children, just as we have done up to this point in time, while WE remain as WE have always been. We have at least 1,000 years in existence under OUR slimy belt, and WE're still going as strong as ever to this day.
And yet, not only do WE make the preparation of traditional kefir simple, affordable and reasonably flexible, WE also have the ability to forward these gifts on to yours, and OUR future generations, so that they may all enjoy similar benefit. WE shall also mention that not only do WE have the capability of producing a refreshing health-promoting nutritious beverage kefir, if WE kefir grains are ingested, WE have the potential to better improve digestive function, liver function, reduce or remove inflammation, reduce the risk of contracting cancer, correct blood glucose and blood pressure, with an increase in general sense of well being as a marker being a beneficial side-effect. Ask dom, he has much experience in this area [that is after WE return dom's faculties back to him, needless to state:].
If you are having difficulty keeping up with Us, please take another break to drink some more kefir to revitalize your brain power banks, for WE have much more to share with you :)
To current date, the limited diversity among the species of organisms strategically selected to prepare artificial commercial starters, is a limiting-factory in its own right. With Us kefir grains however, any particular strain, or type-strain of organism[s] among OUR microflora, has the potential to overcome many limiting factors and challenges. Including being endorsed with a natural protection against phage infecting agents [immunity]. In the event that any one particular strain of organism among OUR species may fail, there is a good chance that another strain, or type strain, has probability to prevail; carrying with it, the essential survival mechanism in future generations [progeny]. This can basically be put down to the vastness in the different types of organisms and the complexity among OUR self-organizing microflora. To further add, because Us kefir grains understand proactive, workable relationships among different species [perfect example of symbiosis], WE have the ability to work with, or adopt local, wild friendly organisms, found in the fresh milk or your local environment. If such adopted organisms become part of OUR extensive family... all sharing the accommodation of the abode of the friendly microbe i.e. WE kefir grains, it may bring advantage to OUR microflora, if the adopted organism[s] comes readily equipped with resistance to infective agents, such as phage virus infection.
This is one of the reasons why WE kefir grains have successfully propagated over many centuries, in the hands of people, and without any change to Us!
If an individual's health and well-being, be it only in part, is a reflection of what the individual eats and drinks... then it is reasonable to prefer, and to demand a natural, traditional culture food-product.
Codes of Practice [COP] To produce commercial culture-products, such as commercial kefir including kefir-starters intended for sale, there are COP that commercial producers and retailers have to abide by, by Law. In certain countries or states of, such COP stipulate specific restrictions regarding what is, and what is not allowed in a food-product or starter-culture intended for sale. As an example, WE quote the Californian Food And Agricultural Code, Section 38871:
"Market milk or market milk combined with nonfat milk from market milk, with or without added market milk solids, flavouring, or seasoning, which is certified raw milk or has been pasteurised and afterwards fermented by Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus caucasicus may be sold as kefir, reduced-fat kefir, low fat or light (lite) kefir, or nonfat, skim, or fat-free kefir, or such names as may be characteristic for the product and approved by the secretary.[There is some interest here, how this COP suggests that companies can in fact, but mostly do not give their artificially prepared culture milk-product a unique name for the saleable product, as long as it describes the product well to distinguish it. Addendom Us kefir grains] The product may contain harmless edible stabilizers not to exceed six-tenths of 1 percent. It shall contain no more than 10 coliform bacteria per gram and shall be free of molds, yeasts, and other fungi,and other objectionable bacteria that may impair the quality of the product."
The COP above clearly declares that a commercial culture food-product labeled as Kefir or similar intended for sale, must be free of yeasts and fungi. Yet, yeast is an essential component of traditional kefir. Note also that the COP states that only three strains of LAB are essential to classify the commercial product a kefir! WE mean to say, compare that number of LAB with the many different strains of LAB, yeasts including acetic acid [vinegar] bacteria found in a traditional kefir [see above, typical microflora of milk kefir grains].
Because yeast activity of kefir continually produces carbon dioxide through fermentation of lactose, this forwards a challenge to commercial kefir producers. The container to store commercial kefir needs to be designed to release pressure caused by the production of carbon dioxide during fermentation and throughout storage at the point of sale and storage and home. Otherwise the carton shall bulge and distort during storage, to the point of exploding. The problem this incurs is that producers of commercial kefir will have to pay royalties to patent holding companies currently holding patents on specially designed cartons to release pressure of commercial kefir during storage. In fact, there is just such a line of storage container for commercial kefir developed in the former USSR, when Us kefir grains used to be implemented in the production of kefir on a commercial scale some years ago in that country. So in effect, eliminating yeast altogether as part microbial component in the production of commercial kefir, as stipulated in the Californian Food and Agriculture Code, section 38871 above, avoids this potential problem. But this comes at a great cost of adulteration, or the migration of a traditional kefir from an authentic state.
There is another workaround to this challenge, and that is to pasteurise the culture milk-product before sale, so that all organisms are destroyed and can no longer produce CO2 gas during storage. However, pasteurisation defeats the purpose of producing a product that is mostly desired for its probiotic value. Now, just to clarify and to shine the limelight back on OUR favourite subject, i.e. talking about Us kefir grains, WE quote the following research, one among many published citations explaining similar results--
Sub-Abstract:578 samples of kefir grains were examined bacteriologically by microscopy in the Moscow, Irkutsk, Tula, Stavropol' and Kuibyshev dairy factories.... On direct observation through microscopy, lactic acid, streptococci and yeast cells should always be detected.[21]
Sub-Abstract: ... When kefir was made from kefir grains with yeast; lactic acid bacteria ratios 1:5.6, 1:15 [traditional culture] and 1:46, increasing or decreasing the proportion of yeast in the grains resulted in flavour defects.[22]
COP such as the FAA Code Section 38871 above, with little doubt, strategically overlook such simple facts provided by much former research. Instead, such COP place a stranglehold on the possibility of employing Us kefir grains for the production of traditional kefir intended for sale. However so this may be, this suits Us just fine.
To further add. There is a Codex Standard for Fermented Milks to consider, specifically CODEX STAN 243-2003, which states the following--
Endorsement and/or revision of maximum level for food additives and processing aids in Codex standards
[The Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products responsible for establishing international codes and standards for milk and milk products].
FAO/WHO CODEX STANDARD FOR FERMENTED MILKS [CODEX STAN 243-2003] "Kefir-- Starter culture prepared from kefir grains, Lactobacillus kefiri, species of the genera Leuconostoc,Lactococcus and Acetobacter growing in a strong specific relationship. [This is scientifically incorrect for the strong specific relationship (symbiosis) specifically requires YEASTS in Us kefir grains for symbiosis among all components to exist. Addendum Us kefir grains].
"Kefir grains constitute both lactose fermenting yeasts (Kluyveromyces marxianus) and non-lactose-fermenting yeasts (Saccharomyces unisporus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae andSaccharomyces exiguus). Other microorganisms than those constituting the specific starter culture(s) specified above may be added." [As with the Californian Food And Agricultural Code, Section 38871, it appears this is also stating yeasts can not be included in a commercial kefir, but other microorganisms may be added. Yes it explains constituents of Us kefir grains including yeasts.
Alas, WE feel that most if not all natural, traditional culture-products of yesteryear, are extremely challenging to understand, let alone mass-produce for the marketplace. Not without adulterating the product for product-name $ake. This seems to be the case with traditional-authentic-kefir. Laws may be readjusted to try and meet public interest, and what is true today will be a different matter tomorrow, which can be a good thing. However WE kefir grains, a Gift from God to the common everyday individual, is if one so wishes to per-receive Us probiotic-jewels as a gift from God as such... WE leave you with this choice.
OUR Challenge to Commercial Culture-Product Producers
Before WE hand over dom's faculties back to him, WE would like to leave to whom this may concern with the following fair challenge. WE kefir grains feel that if individuals or company holders have the creativity and the capability to pioneer or develop a unique culture milk-starter, or culture-milk product intended for sale, a respectful and open option [as in FAA Code, Section 38871 above suggests] is to give the unique culture-product an equally unique name for it to be sold by; rather than simply steel or borrow an existing name. Especially those names which have already been taken to represent what WE are [KEFIR GRAINS the natural KEFIR STARTER], and what WE produce [KEFIR]. This should be quite simple to understand and accomplish.
How in heavens can anyone justify naming commercial kefir or commercial kefir starter as such, when in fact some strains of organisms that are part of OUR microflora can not be cultured independently, that is once they are removed from OUR microflora, from US kefir grains? You are only able to produce an INCOMPLETE commercial product. WE challenge your imagination, your creativity, your honesty, your intelligence including your ignorance! This should at least prevent the current misconception regarding what commercial kefir including commercial kefir-starters are, compared to the traditional and authentic counterpart. Do WE need to mention the Trademark incidences regarding the name Champagne of France and Parmigiano-reggiano the traditional cheese of Parma, Italy? as a side note, or as an example? It is advantageous to regard this guidance, as a precautionary measure, at the least.
WE hereby inform that as of the end of this here notice, WE shall have handed over all of dom's faculties back to dom. It was a pleasure having you and thank you for having Us and sharing Us with the world, dom.
Be-well wishes from WE of the never-never Great White Kefir-Grains of Oz [Thank you for the Great Whites of Oz title, Julia from USA].
[Chew n'gulp] Hhmm... great tasting kefir grains. Hey!.. hang on a tick with a pair of tweezers! I don't recall typing the section above?! And what's with all of this imaginary milk trickling down my monitor screen!
Traditionally in a region of the Caucasus Mountains, kefir was prepared with raw, full-cream goat or cow's milk. Fresh milk with the addition of kefir grains stored in a goatskin leather bag was left for 24 hours to ferment at room temperature. This initiated the fermentation process. Separation of the grains was achieved by forcing the contents to a corner of the leather bag by hand, where most of the grains were retained. The liquid-kefir was separated from most of the grains by pouring the contents into a container. This kefir had a moderate sour taste, creamy in texture and consistency with an alcohol content of around .5% by volume. During cold conditions, the goatskin bag was kept in the sun during sunny cold days, or hung near a fireplace. Apparently, it was a custom to hang the bag near a door way, where by anyone passing by would shake the leather bag. This was possibly performed as a religious ritual, with a beneficial consequence by assisting the culture-process.
I discovered that when first including fresh ginger root juice to brew SKG that were not previously brewed with ginger, and those SKG were only just acquired from another source, and which were only growing 5% to 10% by weight per each 2-day brewed batch, initial growth of the grains over the first 2 or so batches with added ginger was quite remarkable. A growth surge of more than 160% increase at 48 hours has been observed. Although the large percentage increase was variable for a while, increasing between 50% to 100% by weight at 48 hours was common, with added fresh ginger root. However, when using the exact same ingredients and the same measured amount of SKG, growth stabilized between 90% to 120% increase per each 2-day brewed batch.
Oceanic Coral, Limestone or Eggshell for a High Calcium Water Kefir, and Kefiraride I usually include a small piece of oceanic coral as seen in photo on left. But more recently, I use coarsely ground oceanic coral, limestone or egg shell or a mixture as part ingredient in my water kefir. Only 1/8 to 1/4 tsp per 6 to 7 cups sugar/water is needed, for too much of any of these ingredients may produce a slimy water kefir [see above]. These raw ingredients are mostly made up of calcium and magnesium carbonate. This gives a very slight pH adjustment as amounts of calcium carbonate is slowly dissolved in solution due the a reaction between the organic acids, such as lactic acid produced during fermentation, and the mineral calcium and magnesium of oceanic coral, limestone or egg shell. Not only do SKG grow more efficiently with the addition of these mineral-rich raw ingredients, the water kefir contains a highly bio-available form of the mineralsfound in those ingredients. This is beneficial to the consumer. These minerals are important for healthy strong teeth and bones, for the healing process, for good nervous and immune function, and the prevention ofOsteoporosis. This makes mineral rich water kefir a suitable alternative for dairy to obtain those essential minerals in the diet. However, to effectively utilize calcium, a sufficient amount of vitamin D must be included in the diet, or through exposing the skin to the sun for 10 to 15 minutes each day.
3cm across, before they break up into small grains as a normal phase of self-propagation of the culture. However, using such mineral-rich raw ingredients can produce water kefir with a cloudy slimy quality and a musty flavour. To avoid this it is advisable to use the calcium rich ingredients as part ingredient only in small amounts. Another option is to include the calcium rich raw ingredient in the strained water kefir, so that secondary fermentation allows the minerals to be dissolved into solution during storage, to become more bio-available, even under cold stored in the fridge over a number of days. This will avoid the potential for producing slimy SKG.
Electron Micrograph X 2,500 magnification of Kefir grains showing microflora of yeast and bacteria and polysaccharide matrix. Photo courtesy of 
