CAN I CONSUME KEFIR PRODUCED DURING INITIAL BATCHES, WHILE RECONSTITUTING [REACTIVATING] DEHYDRATED GRAINS?
It’s not favourable to consume initial batches of kefir prepared during reconstitution and re-activation of dehydrated kefir grains [e.g., the first 3 to 7 batches]. This is mostly true for milk kefir-grains. However, the third batch of water kefir can be consumed if the water kefir has a nice, clean sour aroma and flavour, and it is not slimy. One of the reasons is that the product may not have an appealing taste, consistency and aroma during these first batches of re-activation. Until the microflora establishes a balance between the friendly bacteria and yeasts, the yeast component is usually more active than the bacteria component, initially. This may produces a kefir with an overwhelming aroma and taste. The kefir may also taste bitter, somewhat similar to brewer’s yeast. Kefir grain’s microflora share a complexity among the yeast and bacterial components, which is still not well understood at a scientific level. During re-activation, these components need time in order to reach an