MICROFLORA OF KEFIR GRAINS

A vast variety among different species of organisms have been isolated and identified in kefir grains. Such species are among four genus groups; Lactobacilli, Streptococci-Lactococci, Acetobacter and Yeasts. The bacterium and yeast component share a symbiotic relationship, which means, they survive and reproduce by sharing their byproducts as an energy and growth-stimulating source [u 4 I + I 4 u ... a balanced, proactive relationship]. Bacteriocin may also be present in kefir if specific strains of lactic acid bacteria exist in the grains[14] or, are introduced in the milk from external means.

Batches of kefir grains obtained from different sources commonly vary in micro floral composition, except for the essential components specific to the synthesis of the grain, which must be found in all propagable kefir grains. In fact, the micro floral rhythm of the same batch of grains is influenced by season [temperature and humidity] including culture-conditions [volume of milk added to the grains, including duration of fermentation]. This can be summed up to adaptation to environment and culture-conditions. Such a localized-adaptationencourages a benefit for the consumer sharing that specific environment with the culture's microflora. Of some interest is the culture-process under stress conditions, which influences the synthesis of specific compounds by organisms, including the effect of the synthesis of the grain when cultured under specific conditions. This would make an interesting area for research to gain some understanding at a scientific level of the relationship between different species of organisms, and synthesized compounds under specific culture-conditions. Although intuition in communal observation and digestion through logic tells the author that he may be on a correct path by stating health benefits of home brewing. Especially if we observe the basic principle of the Macrobiotic Diet or regime, which states that to increase both the length and quality of life, it is essential to consume organically grown local produce-- whole foods that are in season, with extension on dehydration, and the fermentation of fresh food-produce as a natural means for preservation.

The people of Caucasus who consumed large quantities of kefir were renowned for longevity and healthy constitution. These folks possibly had little choice but to follow the basic Macrobiotic principles, and they did not suffer from the many common maladies that plague the populous of the civilized world today. It comes with little doubt that the fresh milk gathered from their milking animals contained coliform counts due to poor milking conditions. The people of this region are classified as centenarians where life expectancy was over 100 years young. These people also ingested actual kefir grains due to the crude method of straining, where it is quite possible that an amount of kefir grains were always found in the ready-to-drink kefir, or kefir that was ripened. Since these folks also enjoying ripened kefir--- sometimes matured with the addition of the sweet root of the Snow Rose [Rhododendron caucasicum]--- all these together are important key-factors in regards to the longevity that the people of this particular region enjoyed. Today though, these key-pointers are not well addressed but are mostly unknown or overlooked.

< To behold, or not to behold a cheeky wrinkled-grin is mostly in our hands>

Microorganisms Found in Different Batches of Milk Kefir-Grains and Kefir

Divided into Four Genus Groups [with revised nomenclature]

LACTOBACILLI Lactobacillus acidophilus Lb. brevis [Possibly now Lb. kefiri] Lb. casei subsp. casei Lb. casei subsp. rhamnosus Lb. paracasei subsp. paracasei Lb. fermentum Lb. cellobiosus Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus Lb. delbrueckii subsp. lactis Lb. fructivorans Lb. helveticus subsp. lactis Lb. hilgardii Lb. helveticus Lb. kefiri Lb. kefiranofaciens subsp. kefirgranum Lb. kefiranofaciens subsp. kefiranofaciens Lb. parakefiri Lb. plantarum

STREPTOCOCCI/LACTOCOCCI Streptococcus thermophilus St. paracitrovorus ^ Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis Lc. lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis Lc. lactis subsp. cremorisEnterococcus durans Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris Leuc. mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides Leuc. dextranicum ^

YEASTS Dekkera anomala t/ Brettanomyces anomalus a Kluyveromyces marxianus t/ Candida kefyr a# Pichia fermentans t/ C. firmetaria a Yarrowia lipolytica t/ C. lipolytica a Debaryomyces hansenii t/ C. famata a# Deb. [Schwanniomyces] occidentalis Issatchenkia orientalis t/ C. krusei a Galactomyces geotrichum t/ Geotrichum candidum a C. friedrichii C. rancens C. tenuis C. humilis C. inconspicua C. maris Cryptococcus humicolus Kluyveromyces lactis var. lactis # Kluyv. bulgaricus Kluyv. lodderae Saccharomyces cerevisiae # Sacc. subsp. torulopsis holmii Sacc. pastorianus Sacc. humaticus Sacc. unisporus Sacc. exiguus Sacc. turicensis sp. nov Torulaspora delbrueckii t * Zygosaccharomyces rouxii

ACETOBACTER Acetobacter aceti Acetobacter rasens ______________________________________________ Legend t Teleomorph. Sexual reproductive stage. Yeast form pseudo-mycelium as in Flowers of Kefir. a Anamorph. Asexual reproductive stage. Reproduce by budding or forming spores or cell splitting [fission]. # Can utilize lactose or lactate. ^ Aroma forming. subsp. Sub specie type. sp. Specie type. sp. nov. New strain or new specie strain type. biovar. Biological variation strain type. var. Variety type.

Units Count of Microbes in Gram Stained Kefir Grains Bacilli [single cells, pair, chains] Streptococci [pair, chains] Yeast [single cells]

The Means Range Bacilli 66, 62-69% Streptococci 16, 11- 12% Yeast 18, 16- 20% [11]

Evolution Sequence among Genus Groups during Kefir Culture Cycle Lactococci > Lactobacilli > Leuconostoc > Yeast > Acetobacter

Microbial Composition of Kefir at End of Fermentation [colony forming units/ml] ** Lactococci : 1,000,000,000 Leuconostocs : 100,000,000 Lactobacilli : 5,000,000 Yeast : 1,000,000 Acetobacter : 100,000

References List of Bacterial Names with Standing in Nomenclature - Genus Lactobacillus

END NOTES Candida albicans has never been found among the microflora of kefir grains and kefir. Conditions make it quite unfavourable for this particular opportunistic yeast to flourish among the microflora. Certain yeasts of kefir include Candida as part of the nomenclature [name], however these particular yeasts are not pathogenic as such. They are classified as Generally Regarded As Safe [GRAS]. Some yeast strains of kefir may have the potential to keep C. albicans in check in the host, for research has shown that certain yeast strains of kefir can colonize the gut, giving C. albicans competition for nutrients or good inhibition by chemical action of yeasts, and Lactic acid bacteria [LAB] of kefir. Kefiran may also play an important role in this respect, for research has shown kefiran markedly antagonized the growth of C. albicans, including other strains of unfavourable fungi and bacteria.