Purpose -Kefir, the self-carbonated beverage, possesses nutritional attributes due to its content of vitamins, protein and minerals and therapeutic attributes contributed by its antibacterial spectrum, gastro-intestinal proliferation, hypocholesterolemic effect, anti carcinogenic effect, L(þ ) lactic acid content, b-galactosidase activity and bacterial colonization. Inclusion of kefir in the diet as a dietetic beverage may confer nutritional and therapeutic advantages to the consumers. Design/methodology/approach -By reviewing the literature the chemical, microbiological, nutritional and therapeutic characteristics of kefir have been highlighted to justify its consumption as a dietary beverage. Findings -Kefir grains, kefir starter and kefir beverage vary considerably in microflora of bacterial and yeasts. The nutritional attributes of kefir are due to its chemical ingredients such as vitamins, protein and minerals and fermentation induces further enhancement in its nutritional profiles. Kefir exhibits varied therapeutic attributes due to possession of different therapeutic components. Kefir can be recommended for consumption by normal and sick adults as well as infants as a dietetic beverage. Originality/value -Due to various nutritional and therapeutic attributes of kefir, it may occupy an important place in the diet of those consumers inclined towards dietetic foods.

Purpose Yoghurt is most popular and more acceptable throughout the world because of its general positive image among consumers because of its diverse nutritional and therapeutic properties and can be the most suitable probiotic carrier. Key factors for consumer’s inclination towards functional foods are increased awareness for healthy foods because of health deterioration resulting from busy lifestyles, growing healthcare cost and the aspiration for an improved quality life in later years. Yoghurt is still not consumed in certain parts of the world because of a lack of a cultural tradition of consuming yogurt and further people are not aware of the health benefits associated with yogurt consumption. In this study an attempt has been to project probiotic yoghurt as a functional food in the current era of self-care and complementary medicine. Design/methodology/approach Attempt has been made to review the literature on the biochemical activities of yoghurt cultures and their behavior in association with diverse probiotic cultures. Both review and research papers related to biochemical activities and functional properties of yoghurt cultures in association with probiotics and their health benefits published in diverse journals under Pub Med and Science Direct have been considered. Keywords used for data search included functional foods, yoghurt, probiotic, health benefits, etc. Findings Functional properties of yoghurt can be further enhanced with fortification of minerals and vitamins or inclusion of probiotic cultures. Diversity in biochemical behavior yoghurt cultures in association with different probiotic cultures has been reported. Conjugated application of probiotics with yoghurt cultures would result in a product with enhanced functional properties to extend health benefits. Originality/value Inclusion of probiotic cultures in yoghurt is suggested to extend the functional properties of normal yoghurt, thus providing necessary nutrients, improving health and preventing or reducing nutrition-related diseases. Regular intake of probiotic yoghurt is suggested for healthy lifestyles, as it will help in retaining their health and reduce the potentially long-term risk of disease. Food industries can have profit-driven business by projecting the probiotic yoghurt as a functional food.

Milk is an ideal medium for the growth and multiplication of diverse microorganisms resulting in its early deterioration. Consumption of raw milk should be discouraged, as numerous epidemiological outbreaks even death have been recorded. Amongst various methods, pasteurization is the widely adopted technology to render milk safe for human consumption. Microbiological quality of pasteurized milk is resultant of various factors including quality of raw milk, heat-treatment employed, storage conditions and extent of post-pasteurization contamination. In the present endeavor, attempts have been made to highlight microbiological considerations for the safety of pasteurized milk. Endeavour has been made to explore various factors affecting the microbiological quality of pasteurized milk and hygienic practices to be implemented for quality improvement. Reviewed literature indicated that to ensure safe pasteurized milk, an improvement in the microbiological quality of raw milk, proper pasteurization and prevention of postpasteurization contamination is important. Introduction of microfiltration prior to pasteurization is suggested to ensure complete removal of spores thereby enhancing the microbiological safety of pasteurized milk.

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to show that traditionally, kefir was obtained by fermenting milk with kefir grains. Wide variation in microflora of kefir grains makes it difficult to obtain an optimal and uniform starter culture necessary for obtaining a quality kefir. Reviewed literature on microbiological and technological innovations in kefir production would enrich the scientific knowledge resulting in production of kefir with superior physical, chemical, nutritional, therapeutic and sanitary qualities.Design/methodology/approachAn attempt is made to highlight the microbiological and technological aspects of kefir production with regard to the microflora of kefir grains, suitability of different types of milk, treatment of milk, starter inoculation and incubation, packaging, storage and post‐production treatment of kefir as well as methods of preservation of kefir grains.FindingsDiverse microflora of kefir grains is the prime cause for the wide variation in kefir quality. Production of kefir is based on symbiotic relation between lactic acid bacteria and yeasts and the type of milk, their heat‐treatment, size of inoculating starters and temperature of incubation influence their metabolic activities. Application of a suitable combination of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts would enable production of kefir with more uniform product with specific properties Packaging of kefir in a suitable container and storage at low temperature are suggested to retain its qualities.Originality/valueFermentation of milk with a suitable starter combination consisting of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts rather than application of kefir grains during the production of kefir would be more scientific to yield a product with enhanced nutritional and therapeutic qualities.

The study was conducted to investigate the socio-economic status of the buffalo farmers and the management practices of buffaloes at different villages of Boraikhali, Hoglabunia and Khawlia union of Morrelgonj upazilla in Bagerhat district of Bangladesh. A total of 60 respondents (20 from each union) were randomly selected from three unions. The data was collected through personal interviewing with pre-tested questioner. The investigation revealed that buffalo rearing was practiced by the middle (30-40 years) and old (>40 years) aged farmers than the young (<30 years). Majority (82%) of the buffalo farmers are educated but only 12% are illiterate. The major occupation of the selected farmers are buffalo rearing (50%) followed by crop production, dairying and poultry rearing. The buffalo farmers basically have no training skills but practiced buffalo rearing as their family profession and 30% of them are influenced by the neighboring buffalo farmers. The buffalo farmers purchased usually one pair of buffalo and reared at least for 2 years. The farmers fed their buffalos with locally available roughages and tree leaves but they did not practice concentrate feeding. The CP contents of the available feedstuffs are comparable and even higher and the CF content was found lower compared to other unconventional feedstuffs indicated the availability of good quality feeds for buffaloes in the studied areas. Semiintensive feeding system was practiced for rearing buffaloes followed by extensive feeding system.Majority of the buffalo farmers allowed wallowing buffaloes for once or twice in a day for at least 1-2 hours. The major diseases of buffaloes found in the studied areas were foot and mouth followed by black quarter, anthrax and hemorrhagic septicemia. Most of the buffalo farmers practiced vaccination and deworming regularly. The average cost of one pair of buffalo was 60000-200000 BDT. The annual total cost of production was Tk 5,070, while a gross return was Tk 15,630 per buffalo. The annual food and cloth purchasing capacity of the buffalo farmers were found to be increased to 62.85 and 58.33%, respectively. Similarly, the ability to maintain social status, health care, education and housing of the buffalo farmers were also increased through buffalo rearing. Considering all this parameters related to livelihood, it was clearly found that the socio-economic status of the buffalo farmers was improved through buffalo rearing although the management practices need to be improved with scientific approaches.