Kefir Grains In Australian Supermarkets

[Bertoldo Beyer]

Kefirgrains are the living symbiotic colonies of yeast and bacteria that convert milk in to the probiotic powerhouse that is milk kefir. As the kefir grains digest the lactose in the milk, they create that tangy, creamy taste and texture that makes milk kefir what it is.

However, since kefir grains are living colonies, they're delicate, making where to buy kefir grains a real issue. Any store is going to have a hard time storing living milk kefir grains, so finding kefir grains near you can be hard.

Milk kefir grains are a mother culture whose main physical structure is made up of polysaccharides, the primary of which is kefiran. Within this matrix of polysaccharides exists both bacteria and yeasts which exist in symbiosis both with each other. These bacteria and yeast feed on the milk and thereby culture it. These grains have a gelatinous feel to them and look like a sort of miniature floret shape, much like cauliflower.

The bacteria and yeast composition of milk kefir grains tend to vary according to their origin as well as their culturing environment. In other words, where the grains came from and where they are currently being used can impact the makeup of the microorganisms existing in the milk kefir grains.

This is a common question and one worth delving into. Most sources agree that the milk kefir grain culture was harnessed somewhere near the Caucasus Mountains. The grains themselves are quite unusual in that no other cultured dairy product is known to come from grains.

Though the specifics of the origination of milk kefir grains are fairly shrouded in mystery, one thing has been made clear: milk kefir grains must be acquired from somewhere. The specific polysaccharides, bacteria, and yeasts that makeup milk kefir grains have been handed down from generation to generation. You can, however, multiply your milk kefir grains once you have them in order to pass the culture on.

Depending on your definition of milk kefir, you can! Milk kefir grains are a very specific culture with a very specific combination of microorganisms. Milk kefir containing all of the bacteria, yeasts, and the polysaccharide kefiran cannot be made without milk kefir grains. If you already have milk kefir grains, you can get them to multiply in the right conditions.

Milk kefir can, however, be made from a kefir starter culture, which is a powered mixture that mimics those cultures in the milk kefir grains. These powdered starter cultures make a cultured dairy product similar in flavor and viscosity to milk kefir made from grains, but it does not contain the exact properties of kefir made from grains, and they won't continue to propagate indefinitely, like milk kefir grains do.

Milk kefir grains start in a fresh state, but they aren't very stable in that state. They require specific temperatures and feedings that are difficult to maintain while transporting or shipping the grains. As a result, you'll often find kefir grains sold in a dehydrated state.

Dehydrated kefir grains are in a dormant state and, while care should be taken with them, they are not in as fragile of a state as the fresh grains are. Dehydration does create minor stress on all cultures, but with proper activation, they should be up and running in no time.

Dehydrated kefir grains also have the advantage of having a longer shelf life. This is advantageous in that it gives you a buffer of time both in the shipping of the grains and in the time frame you have once you receive them. So if it takes a 3 or 4 days to ship your kefir grains, then you don't have time to start them for another week, this would kill live grains, but your dehydrated kefir grains will be fine.

You can obtain fresh kefir grains by getting them from a friend who is already making kefir at home, assuming that you trust that they've kept their grains healthy. Fresh grains can also be purchased online from retailers, but must be shipped swiftly under the right weather conditions and placed immediately in fresh milk upon arrival or or else the cultures can die from temperature variation or lack of food.

We've got everything you need all packed into one with our Milk Kefir Starter Kit. This comes packed with everything you need including tools and milk kefir grains making starting to make your own milk kefir at home as easy as possible.

Click here to download our full milk kefir recipe book to get more idea about kefir grains, filled with tips, tricks and recipes to make amazing milk kefir at home.

At Cultures for Health, our milk kefir grains are versatile and can be used with various milk types such as cow's milk, goat's milk, or non-dairy milks like almond and soy. Remember, using different types of milk can change the texture and taste of your kefir, so feel free to experiment to find what you like best.

There are many ways to make kefir with many different types of milk, and believe me, I've tried them all. Mostly to try to help you. I have some of my favorites, but I will explain which ones you can use and let you know my favorites. There is a lot to understand about milk and the many ways you can consume it and use it to make kefir. Things like, "What do pasteurization and homogenization do to milk? Why don't you recommend organic milk to make kefir? Can I culture cream and make kefir butter and sour cream? What about non-dairy milk to make kefir? Does raw milk make good kefir?" I go into great detail here, but stay with me. You will learn so much.

Kefir, when placed into milk, becomes an entirely different food. In the process of fermentation, added enzymes and vitamins become present in the milk. The milk sugars (lactose) are consumed during the process of making kefir 99.9 % lactose-free and less than 1% sugar. The fermentation process changes the milk in wonderful ways and even has anti-tumor effects. Check out this study that found that kefir extracts contain constituents that specifically inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells, which might eventually be useful in the prevention or treatment of breast cancer. [1] There is nothing that has been more life-changing for me than drinking kefir every day. The more you understand and learn, the better your kefir will be. It's worth the small effort to understand milk and kefir. It's made all the difference for me.

Pasteurized and homogenized is the most common type of milk that is used to make kefir. It's the one I use most often, although I love raw milk kefir and goat kefir too. Regular pasteurized milk HTST (high-temperature short time) makes great kefir and is affordable. Let me explain more about how milk is pasteurized and homogenized, and then what happens when you ferment it. This kefir has helped me more than I could have ever imagined and is accessible and easy to make.

In most milk processing plants, chilled raw milk is heated by passing it between heated stainless steel plates until it reaches 161 F. It's then held at that temperature for at least 15 seconds before it's quickly cooled back to its original temperature of 39 F. With kefir fermentation, you're adding back enzymes, vitamins, and tons of probiotics. It changes the milk by adding many of the things pasteurization takes out. I love raw milk, too, since added enzymes and vitamins are still present, but there are a few things you should know about raw milk and kefir. See below.

Homogenization is a process that gives milk its smooth texture. Milk that has not been homogenized contains a layer of cream that rises to the top of a glass. The homogenization process involves reducing the size of the fat globules (the cream that rises to the top of the glass or bottle) into minuscule portions that are dispersed evenly throughout the milk. This is usually achieved by pumping milk through small openings under very high pressure. You can find pasteurized milk that has not been homogenized (raw milk is naturally not homogenized) but one thing to note. The cream, when it is fermented into kefir, gets a really yeasty taste that I don't like, so I always remove the cream in milk and use it for other things instead of fermenting it.

Most of the time, organic milk that you purchase from the store is ultra-pasteurized, even if it does not say "ultra-pasteurized." The problem is that ultra-pasteurized milk is heated at high temperatures, longer than regular milk, causing many problems when making kefir and problems with digestion. If it's not ultra-pasteurized, then organic milk is fine for making kefir.

UHT (Ultra High Temperature) milk is rapidly heated to 280+ degrees for 2-3 seconds. When you rapidly heat milk, it denatures the proteins differently and makes them significantly harder to digest. Denaturation involves the breaking of many of the weak linkages, or bonds, within a protein molecule that is responsible for the highly ordered structure of the protein in its natural state. UHT processing of milk also kills off the enzymes present in milk needed to digest the casein, and the casein itself is altered to the point of being indigestible. In regular HTST, pasteurization results in less than 10% denaturation. In UHT milk, it results in in100% denaturation. No wonder people have so much trouble digesting milk. Kefir doesn't like it either and often will refuse to culture.

Here is another problem with UHT milk and kefir. Casein is the protein that causes "curds" to form when the milk sours. Since the UHT milk is 100% denatured, your kefir won't get thick and properly ferment.

Interestingly enough, if you struggle with casein, fermentation breaks this down through a natural process and allows the curd to form in kefir. If there is any casein in the whey, it would be very minimal, but most likely none. If you're making kefir cheese by separating the whey from the curds, and you let it ferment longer in the fridge, it too will most likely break down the casein. You want the casein to be present in the milk to form the curd in kefir, but kefir will also break it down so you can digest it. Doesn't get better than that!

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