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Episode 188

One Ate & Ate

( Week 3 of Jun 2022 )

We interview Dr Jo Rees about our gut biota.

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Micheal Barnes

Ranking Officer 2 years ago

Cracking episode, always keen to learn more about a exciting area of science. FYI In chrome the link to Dr Jo's Favourite Kifir recipe above doesn't seem to go anywhere. is that deliberate, is the kifir it creates just too good and you fear we will become addicted. The link in firefox downloads a zip file which opens no problem.

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    Steve Stewart

    Ranking Officer 2 years ago

    The link to the Kifir recipe is a download zip file - but here it is:

    Kefir Traditional kefir originates from the Caucasus Mountains and is a fermented milk drink with a creamy texture, sour taste and subtle effervescence. It is produced by adding a starter culture termed “kefir grains” to milk. Kefir grains consist of synbiotic lactose-fermenting and non-lactose fermenting yeasts (eg Saccharomyces) and lactic/acetic acid producing bacteria (eg Lactobacillus) housed in a polysaccharide-protein matrix called kefiran. Suggested health benefits of kefir include • Antimicrobial activity (in vitro studies) • Immune system stimulation (animal studies) • Anti-oxidative, anti-hypertensive, anti-carcinogenic and cholesterol-and glucose-lowering effects (animal and in vitro) • Reduces symptoms of dysbiosis. • Beneficial for lactose malabsorption and H. pylori eradication How to make kefir EQUIPMENT

    1. ½ teaspoon of kefir grains (most health food shops will supply these)
    2. 1 pint of fresh milk (organic whole milk for best results)
    3. 500 ml jar for fermenting (cover with a muslin cloth or loose fitting lid)
    4. A non-metal spoon
    5. A non-metal sieve and non-metal jug/bowl and storage bottle; or a straining funnel and wide necked bottle METHOD
    6. Put ½ tsp kefir grains in the jar.
    7. Add a pint of milk, leaving about 5cm head room.
    8. Leave on the worktop for 18-24 hours to ferment. It’s turned to kefir when the milk has thickened. It may have set and separated, with pockets of whey forming – this is quite normal.
    9. When set, you can strain it anytime over the next 48 hours, if you can’t strain it straight away, put it in the fridge to stop it fermenting further.
    10. Strain the kefir through the sieve or straining funnel into your jug or bottle. The grains are quite robust and will withstand gentle stirring.
    11. You can drink it straight away, and keep the remainder in the fridge.
    12. Place the grains back into the fermenting jar and feed with some fresh milk (sufficient to cover them liberally). You can store this in the fridge to slow down fermentation, just take it out 24hours before you want to strain some more. The kefir ‘mother’ will keep for years as long as you feed it and refresh the jar every so often.
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