Abstract—Kefir is a fermented milk beverage with a slightly acidic taste. In this study, lactic acid bacteria and yeast were isolated from consumed kefir samples. The isolates which had antibacterial activity were identified using biochemical tests, API CHL, and riboprinter system. Lactic acid bacteria isolates were identified as Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei spp paracasei, Lactococcus lactis spp lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Yeast was isolated from the kefir yeast as Kluyveromyces marxianus, Kluyveromyces wickerhamii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia angusta, Pichia guilliermondii, Candida glaebosa. Lactic acid bacteria were tested for antimicrobial activity against food-borne bacterial pathogens according to the agar spot test and well diffusion assay. Lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide and proteolytic activity of the lactic acid bacteria were all identified. The amount of lactic acid was range 1.12–8.68 mg/mL. Lactobacillus paracasei spp paracasei KM-5 produced maximum hydrogen peroxide (0.69μg/mL). L. plantarum KM4-mr1 produced the highest (0.59mg/mL) proteolytic activity.
 

Index Terms—kefir, antimicrobial, hydrogen peroxide, lactic acid, proteolytic activity, yeast, biofilm

Cite: Merih Kıvanç and Evrim Yapıcı, "Kefir as a Probiotic Dairy Beverage: Determination Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeast," International Journal of Food Engineering, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 55-60, June 2015. doi: 10.18178/ijfe.1.1.55-60