Antimicrobial activity of kefir on Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus: a review

Abstract

Kefir is a drink obtained by fermenting a substrate in the presence of kefir grains, which have a wide variety of probiotic microorganisms. Studies indicate that among the benefits of kefir is antimicrobial activity, which could serve in the prevention and treatment of foodborne illness, often caused by the ingestion of pathogenic bacteria that produce toxins or proliferate in the human intestinal tract, which can cause serious health complications. Data show that outbreaks of foodborne illness are mostly caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus. Considering the antimicrobial potential of kefir and the rise of strains resistant to treatment with antimicrobials, the objective of this work was to conduct a literature review to bring results and conclusions from studies that evaluated the antimicrobial activity of kefir against the bacteria most involved in outbreaks illness foodborne: Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus. After searching the “Google Scholar” database, 37 articles were selected to compose this review. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that kefir and its components have antimicrobial and protective activity against pathogenic bacteria.