Title |
The Microbiota and Health Promoting Characteristics of the Fermented Beverage Kefir
|
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Published in |
Frontiers in Microbiology, May 2016
|
DOI | 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00647 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Benjamin C. T. Bourrie, Benjamin P. Willing, Paul D. Cotter |
Abstract |
Kefir is a complex fermented dairy product created through the symbiotic fermentation of milk by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts contained within an exopolysaccharide and protein complex called a kefir grain. As with other fermented dairy products, kefir has been associated with a range of health benefits such as cholesterol metabolism and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition, antimicrobial activity, tumor suppression, increased speed of wound healing, and modulation of the immune system including the alleviation of allergy and asthma. These reports have led to increased interest in kefir as a focus of research and as a potential probiotic-containing product. Here, we review those studies with a particular emphasis on the microbial composition and the health benefits of the product, as well as discussing the further development of kefir as an important probiotic product. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 16 | 12% |
Spain | 8 | 6% |
United Kingdom | 7 | 5% |
France | 4 | 3% |
Australia | 3 | 2% |
Germany | 3 | 2% |
New Zealand | 2 | 1% |
Mexico | 2 | 1% |
Austria | 2 | 1% |
Other | 9 | 7% |
Unknown | 79 | 59% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 89 | 66% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 24 | 18% |
Scientists | 16 | 12% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 6 | 4% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Indonesia | 1 | <1% |
Ireland | 1 | <1% |
Italy | 1 | <1% |
Denmark | 1 | <1% |
United States | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 666 | 99% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Bachelor | 138 | 21% |
Student > Master | 77 | 11% |
Researcher | 50 | 7% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 45 | 7% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 29 | 4% |
Other | 110 | 16% |
Unknown | 222 | 33% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 123 | 18% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 58 | 9% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 53 | 8% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 49 | 7% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 29 | 4% |
Other | 105 | 16% |
Unknown | 254 | 38% |