Effects of Soluble Soybean Polysaccharides on Properties of Kefir Produced from Cow and Buffalo Milks

Fermented dairy products are considerably known due to several benefits including high nutritional values, immunity stimulations, antimicrobial and cancer suppressing effects. Kefir is a fermented dairy product with acidic-alcoholic flavors made from various sources of milk with various characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate impact of soluble soybean polysaccharides on properties of kefir produced from cow and buffalo milk.

Soluble soybean polysaccharides at concentrations of 0 (control), 0.5, 1 and 1.5% (w v-1) were added to kefir samples produced from cow and buffalo milks and the physicochemical, sensory and microbiological characteristics as well as fatty acid profile analysis of the kefir samples were compared during one month of cold storage.Results and

Results showed that soluble soybean polysaccharides (P≤0.05) had significant effects on kefir properties. By increasing concentration of soluble soybean polysaccharides and storage time of the kefir, some properties including acidity, viscosity, sensory score and counts of the lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were increased. The fatty acid analysis revealed that unsaturated fatty acids of cow and buffalo kefirs were more than cow and buffalo milks while these were reverse for saturated fatty acids. The best microbial and sensory properties of kefir were observed by adding 0.5 to 2% (w v-1) soluble soybean polysaccharides on day 30 of storage.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.