Properties of Kefir made in Scotland and Poland using bovine, caprine and ovine milk with different starter cultures

Varieties of Kefir were made in Poland and Scotland from bovine, caprine an d ovine milk, using Kefir grains and two direct-to-vat inoculation (DVI) st arter cultures. The chemical composition (g/kg) of the Kefir ranged from 10 6-149 for total solids, 29-64 for crude protein, 38-47 for carbohydrate, 7- 11 for ash. The fat content was standardized to a mean value of 31 g/kg. La ctic acid bacteria and yeasts were the predominant flora in fresh and store d Kefirs, but some strains decreased by I log,, cycle during the storage pe riod (12 days). Coliforms were absent(sensitivity = 10(-1) dilution). Micro bial metabolites (free fatty acids, diacetyl and ethanol) were associated w ith species of milk, but the former two components were also affected by st orage. The firmness of the product was also influenced by the type of milk used (ovine > bovine > caprine). All the sensory attributes tested were inf luenced by the type of milk. Storage influenced mouth-feel characters ('ser um separation', 'chalky', 'mouth-coating', and 'slimy'). Despite difficulti es in comparing results from the Polish and Scottish laboratories, the over all conclusion was similar, the type of milk had greater influence on produ ct characteristics than that of starter cultures.