Kefir is one of the oldest registered fermented milk products in the world. It originates from the Caucasus region. Kefir was originally produced with so-called “kefir grains” or “kefir mould”. Today’s modern dairies are using special developed cultures eliminating the extensive work involved in handling of kefir gains. These modern Kefir cultures have reduced the yeast fermentation, resulting in less CO2, ethanol and foam, which again create less problems during filling of the final product.
Today´s Kefir has a reduced yeast taste, is less acidic and has less “body” than the traditional Kefir, but it is still a tasty fermented milk product.
Kefir is defined as liquid acidified milk products manufactured from pasteurized milk by use of a mixture of mesophilic and thermophilic lactic acid bacteria. Yeast strains can also be added. As the Kefir cultures contain different culture groups having different optimum temperatures, the fermentation temperature will determine the final product.
The below processing parameters are general guidelines and should only be considered as such.
Processing Sequence
| Sequence |
Process / Technology |
| 1. Processed milk |
|
| 2. Fat standardization (3.5%) |
STANDOMAT |
| 3. Deaeration (0.7-0.8 barg at 70°C) |
PARAVAC module |
| 4. Homogenizing (one stage, 175 barg at 70°C) |
Homogeniser module, Niro Soavi, NANOVALVE |
| 5. Heat treatment (95°C for 4 min.) |
Heat treatment, PHE Systems/VARITHERM
|
| 6. Inoculation of starter culture |
Inoculation module
|
7. Fermentation (long or short time)
|
|
| 8. Cooling |
PHE Systems/VARITHERM
|
| 9. Filling |
GEA Procomac |