[Analysis of sugary kefir samples for the development of a regulatory framework in the Argentinian Food Code]

Water kefir is a fermented beverage that has experienced a growing popular interest in its production, commercialization and consumption. However, it was not contemplated as such in the Argentine Food Code (CAA, Spanish acronym). The aim of this work was to determine some microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of water kefir samples produced by Argentine entrepreneurs, to have the necessary information for the National Food Commission (CONAL, Spanish acronym) to generate an article incorporating water kefir in the CAA. For this purpose, 31 water kefir producers from different cities of the country were invited to send samples of their products for microbiological and physicochemical analysis to the National Reference Laboratory of the National Food Institute (INAL, Spanish acronym) (Buenos Aires, Argentina). In the period December 2021-February 2022, a total of 13 samples were received, together with the corresponding information on their production process. The samples analyzed showed a pH between 2.9 and 3.7, a titratable acidity between 6 and 16.6 (ml of NaOH 1N/100ml of sample), an alcohol content between 0.58 and 2.55 (%v/v), a lactic acid bacteria count of 1×10⁷CFU/ml and a yeast count of 1×10⁶CFU/ml, with enterobacteria counts lower than 10CFU/ml). The results provided local data that culminated in the publication, on August 12, 2024, of the joint resolution 7/2024 of the Secretariat of Quality in Health and Secretariat of Bioeconomy by which article 1084 tris was incorporated to the CAA in the chapter XIII of fermented beverages, referring to water kefir.