Kefir produced from red rice milk by lactobacillus bulgaricus and candida kefir starter

Abstract

Kefir is a dairy product commonly fermented by bacteria and yeasts. One of the potential vegetable milk materials to be used in kefir production is milk from red rice. Studies of fermentation of milk from red rice to produce kefir are barely found. This study aimed to determine the nutrient content of red rice milk kefir fermented using mixed of microorganisms, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Candida kefir, in various concentrations of 3%, 9%, and 15%, respectively. The content of carbohydrate, fat, protein, water, and ash was measured using proximate analysis, while their content of lactic acid and alcohol was assayed using titration method. The results showed that fat, water and ash content in all resulted kefir products met standard quality of kefir, whereas carbohydrates and protein content did not. Treatment using the set mixed starters at a concentration of 9% was found to be able to produce kefir with a lactic acid content of 2.19%. Increasing alcohol content of kefir was dependent by starters. Generally, all treatments were able to produce kefir with alcohol content of 1.5% on average. As conclusion, fermentation of red rice milk at concentration of mixed starters at 9% has nutrient content which meet standard quality of kefir.