Comparative Analysis of the Biogenic Profile of Kefir and Kefir Probiotic

• Grant number: 19/03220-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2019
• End date: December 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Cristina Stewart Bittencourt Bogsan
• Grantee: Mariana Mitiko Matsuo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Kefir is a milk beverage developed by the fermentation of bacteria and yeasts that live in symbiosis in a matrix of exopolysaccharides, known as kefir grains. Traditionally consumed in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Southwest Asia, it exhibits consumption expansion in Brazil although the knowledge is not very widespread. The benefits of Kefir's consumption are related to the potentially probiotic microorganisms present in its composition. Buffalo milk has high levels of protein, fat, and lactose, being suitable for the elaboration of dairy products. Both fat and buffalo milk protein have a fatty acid profile and protein pattern different from milk, being able to present biogenic components with different functionalities. It is known that comparing kefir bovine to kefir buffalo, kefir buffalo has a similar flavor to the bovine homolog, but its biogenic components and functional activity have not yet been well described. The Murray buffalo milk will be supplied pasteurized and refrigerated by the Montenegro Farm (São Paulo, Brazil) weekly. The commercial Kefir grains (Kefir DA (Dupont, Poland), Grains of Kefir commercial Probiotic - KEFIR HOWARU (Dupont, Poland), probiotic Bifidobacteria HOWARU (Dupond, Poland) will be used for the production of fermented milks of kefir with analysis of the kinetic activity of the preparations, physicochemical, enumeration of microorganisms and fatty acid content and analysis of bioactive peptides, followed by statistical analysis of the results. There are currently not many studies on Kefir in a bubaline matrix. Thus, the present project aims to develop and characterize the acidification profile of Kefir grains in buffalo matrix and milk matrix, comparing the different biogenic compounds produced, such as fatty acids and bioactive peptides of the product.