More Than a Probiotic: Why Traditional Kefir Has No Analogues

Alla Novokshanova; Natalya Efimochkina; Nikita Selivanov

doi:10.21603/1019-8946-2026-4-92

UDC

MORE THAN A PROBIOTIC: WHY TRADITIONAL KEFIR HAS NO ANALOGUES More Than a Probiotic: Why Traditional Kefir Has No Analogues

АА Аа

Published in Dairy industry · Pages 10–15 · Rubric: Review article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21603/1019-8946-2026-4-92 · EDN: MAPFUK

Received: 18.02.2026 Accepted: 09.06.2026 Published: 17.08.2026 Language of publication: RUS

Authors

Alla Novokshanova

SPIN

Natalya Efimochkina

Nikita Selivanov

Alla Novokshanova

Academic degree: doctor of technical sciences

Science rang: docent

Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety veduschiy nauchnyy sotrudnik laboratorii pischevyh biotehnologiy i specializirovannyh produktov · Russian Federation · Moscow

SPIN

Natalya Efimochkina

Academic degree: doctor of sciences in biology

Federal Research Centre for Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety Russian Federation · Moscow

Nikita Selivanov

LLC KOMOS GRUP Russian Federation · Izhevsk

ABSTRACT

Kefir is a popular Russian fermented dairy product. While it remains a staple in the product range of most city dairies, kefir sales are expected to decline by 3% in 2025 compared to 2024 and by 5% compared to 2023. This decline is due to a growing interest in other fermented milk products, particularly probiotics and functional foods. This article demonstrates the unique properties of traditional kefir and assesses its potential as a product with proven probiotic and therapeutic properties. The study focused on the technical regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and scientific literature sources from electronic databases. A metagenomic analysis of traditional kefir grains demonstrated a higher microbial diversity compared to kefir products obtained using pure freezedried kefir cultures. Traditional kefir production technology ensures the highest microbial diversity, which underlies its multifaceted therapeutic properties, ranging from modulation of the gut microbiota and immunomodulatory effects to antimicrobial, antioxidant, hypotensive, and cholesterol-lowering activities. Attempts to reproduce the product using pure freeze-dried cultures simplify the microbial consortium and, consequently, reduce its dietary and therapeutic properties. Further research is needed to standardize and preserve authentic kefir cultures to explain their mechanisms of action and specific components

KEYWORDS

kefir, kefir drinks, fermented dairy products, kefiran, kefir grains, lactic acid microorganisms, probiotic properties

Funding

The material was prepared as part of the state assignment FGMF-2025-0014

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Novokshanova A. L., Efimochkina N. R., Selivanov N. M. More Than a Probiotic: Why Traditional Kefir Has No Analogues // Dairy industry. 2026. pp. 10-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21603/1019-8946-2026-4-92. EDN: MAPFUK. (Date of access 19.08.2026).

MLA

Alla Novokshanova, Efimochkina N. R., Selivanov N. M.. "More Than a Probiotic: Why Traditional Kefir Has No Analogues." Dairy industry (2026): 10-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21603/1019-8946-2026-4-92. EDN: MAPFUK.

APA

Novokshanova A. L., Efimochkina N. R., Selivanov N. M. (2026). More Than a Probiotic: Why Traditional Kefir Has No Analogues. Dairy industry, 10-15. https://doi.org/10.21603/1019-8946-2026-4-92 EDN: MAPFUK.

Chicago

Alla Novokshanova, Efimochkina N. R., Selivanov N. M.. "More Than a Probiotic: Why Traditional Kefir Has No Analogues." Dairy industry, no. (2026): 10-15. https://doi.org/10.21603/1019-8946-2026-4-92. EDN: MAPFUK.

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{{cite journal | author = Novokshanova A. L., Efimochkina N. R., Selivanov N. M. | title = More Than a Probiotic: Why Traditional Kefir Has No Analogues | journal = Dairy industry | year = 2026 | pages = 10-15 | doi = 10.21603/1019-8946-2026-4-92 }} EDN: MAPFUK

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