Produção de bebidas fermentadas elaboradas a partir de extratos vegetais hidrossolúveis e kefir de água: revisão

Abstract

The search for more nutritious and healthier food has increased over the past years, stimulated by consumers looking for food with lower fat and cholesterol content and animal protein-free composition, whether for medical reasons such as food intolerance and allergies or ideological beliefs such as vegetarianism or veganism. Within this range of products that add healthiness to consumers, kefir has emerged and is still an unexplored industrial alternative in Brazil, as its grains are formed by different yeast, lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria surrounded by polysaccharide matrix. The consumption of kefir has shown benefits such as the decrease of effects from lactose intolerance, immunomodulation, increase in protection against pathogenic microorganisms, intestinal microbiotic balance, and also recognized anti-carcinogen activity. Some authors have used hydro-soluble vegetable extracts obtained from protein rich parts oleaginous, cereals, leguminous species in order to replace cow milk in the production of fermented probiotic beverages. The objective of this study was to make a bibliographic review evaluating the processes of water soluble vegetable extracts obtained from watersoluble fermented vegetables by kefir water grains, as well as their sensorial and physicalchemical characteristics. Four different beverages fermented by water kefir grains were studied: yacon, rice, soy bean and quinoa. Regarding the physio-chemical analysis of samples from fermented and non-fermented extracts, a decrease in pH values was recorded, which is consistent with fermentation process as well as an increase in acidity. Also, every beverage presented had a good sensory review. It has been concluded that the progress of probiotic beverages produced with vegetable extracts and fermented by water kefir grains presents itself as a nutritionally advantageous alternative and still commercially unexplored. The beverages assessed in this study have been proven as a viable food alternative for specific targets.