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The biofilm hypothesis: The formation mechanism of Tibetan kefir grains
Author(s) -
Dong Jian,
Liu Bin,
Jiang Tiemin,
Liu Yanpin,
Chen Lijun
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of dairy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1471-0307
pISSN - 1364-727X
DOI - 10.1111/1471-0307.12473
Subject(s) - kefir , biofilm , polysaccharide , monosaccharide , chemistry , bacteria , lactic acid , rheology , acetic acid , food science , biology , biochemistry , materials science , genetics , composite material
The anatomical structure of Tibetan kefir grains ( TKG s), and the monosaccharides and characteristics of the exopolysaccharides ( EPS ) under different conditions were explored. Tibetan kefir grains are internal vesicle‐like grains containing liquid polysaccharides, and these proliferate in an ‘umbilical cord'‐like manner. Lactic acid bacteria are located on the outside and acetic acid bacteria on the inner surface of the TKG s. Biofilms of Acetobacter orientalis and the TKG s showed that they had similar monosaccharide compositions. The apparent viscosity of the EPS positively correlated with the polysaccharide concentration and negatively correlated with the shear rate. A biofilm hypothesis of the TKG formation mechanism was proposed.