Iranian traditional kefir beverage: isolation and identification of beneficial microorganisms and evaluation of antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens
ISSN: 0034-6659
Article publication date: 2 June 2023
Issue publication date: 21 November 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Kefir is a traditional fermented dairy beverage that has numerous health benefits due to the presence of bacteria and yeasts in an exopolysaccharide matrix. This study aims to isolate and identify beneficial microorganisms and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of kefir beverage against two important food-borne pathogens including Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes.
Design/methodology/approach
Microorganisms were identified by the polymerase chain reaction with specific primers, and antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the disk diffusion method.
Findings
The following microorganisms were identified as natural inhabitants of the kefir grains: Leuconostoc lactis, Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis, Streptococcus cremoris, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus helveticus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium langum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia fermentas. Also, the results obtained from the disk diffusion method showed the inhibitory effect of kefir milk on Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes with an inhibitory average diameter of 8.3 ± 4–9.1 ± 2.8 and 3.4 ± 3–6.6 ± 3 mm, respectively.
Originality/value
The results of this study showed that Iranian traditional kefir beverage contained different species of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts and has antimicrobial activity against two important food-borne pathogens, Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes, which the highest inhibitory effect was observed against Salmonella Typhimurium.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, for their financial support, Grant No. 980846.
Citation
Moghimani, M., Salari, A., Hashemi, M., Soleimanpour, S., Ranjbar, G. and Afshari, A. (2023), "Iranian traditional kefir beverage: isolation and identification of beneficial microorganisms and evaluation of antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 53 No. 8, pp. 1257-1267. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-01-2023-0023
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited