406 MILK 



COMPOSITION OF KEFIR 



Konig. Hammarsten. Vieth (Old Sample), 



Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 



Water 91.21 88.915 90.09 



Alcohol!: 0.75 0.720 0.64 



Lactic acid 1.02 0.727 0.44 



Fat ■ 1-44 3.088 1.82 



Suaar 2.41 2.685 1.87 



CiJein' 2.83 2.904 2.90 



Albumin: ::::::;: o.se 0.186 0.07 



Proteoses 0.30 0.067 0.45 



Ash 0.68 0.708 



Rogers gives a method for preparing kefir without kefir grains, 

 as they are difficult to obtain in this country. Buttermilk is 

 prepared in such a manner as to have the curd thoroughly broken 

 up in order to obtain a smooth product. Cane-sugar is dissolved 

 in the buttermilk, the quantity to be used being governed by the 

 extent of the alcoholic fermentation desired. Ordinarily 1 to 

 1^ teaspoonfuls to 1 pint of buttermilk are sufficient. The yeast 

 is prepared by adding | teaspoonful of sugar to 6 to 8 ounces of 

 boiled and cooled water, and to this solution one yeast cake is 

 added. This yeast culture is allowed to stand over night before 

 using. 



One teaspoonful of the yeast culture is added to a quart of 

 buttermilk and the mixture placed in strong bottles such as are 

 used for carbonated beverages, as ginger ale bottles, for example. 

 These bottles are kept at a temperature of 18° to 21° C. and are 

 shaken frequently while the fermentation is proceeding. The 

 kefir can be used on the third or fourth day. The finished product 

 should be smooth and creamy, effervesce rapidly when poured 

 from the bottle, and taste of buttermilk with addition of carbon 

 dioxid gas and a small amount of alcohol. This artificial kefir 

 will keep a week or longer if placed on ice. 



Kefir contains lactobacilli, streptococci; yeasts, oidium, and 

 other micro-organisms which have no significance. The lacto- 

 bacilli are not of importance, since they multiply slowly at the 

 temperature required for alcoholic fermentation. Kefir, there- 

 fore, has a relatively low acidity. 



Kumiss, koumiss, chumis, chemius, kumys, khoumcse, also 

 called "milkwine," originated in the steppes or treeless plains of 

 south Russia and Asia, particularly in Siberia. The nomadic 

 tribes of Kirgiz, the Kalmucks, Tartars, and Scythians consider 

 mare's milk the only suitable kind of milk for making kumiss. 

 They obtain the milk from a hardy race of mares which furnish a 

 large amount of it, but sometimes it is made from the milk of 

 camels or jennets. Kumiss is prepared by adding old kumiss to 

 boiled mare's milk in the proportion of 1 to 10 and then keeping 

 the mixture at a temperature of 20° to 23° C. for sixteen to twenty 

 hours. The dry sediment of kumiss or sour milk may also be used 



