Tibicos

Tibicos, or water kefir, is a traditional fermented drink made with water and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY) held in a polysaccharide biofilm matrix created by the bacteria.
It is sometimes consumed as an alternative to milk-based probiotic drinks or tea-cultured products such as kombucha. Water kefir is typically made as a probiotic homebrew beverage. The finished product, if bottled, will produce a carbonated beverage.

Cultures

Tibicos cultures are found around the world, with no two being exactly the same; but typical tibicos have a mix of ''Lactobacillus'', ''Streptococcus'', ''Pediococcus'' and ''Leuconostoc'' bacteria, with yeasts from ''Saccharomyces'', '' Candida'', ''Kloeckera'' and possibly others. ''Lactobacillus brevis'' bacteria has been identified as the species responsible for the production of the dextran polysaccharide that forms the "grains."

As with milk kefir "grains", the microbes present in tibicos act in symbiosis to maintain a stable culture. Tibicos can do this in many different sugary liquids, feeding off the sugar to produce lactic acid, alcohol (ethanol), and carbon dioxide gas, which carbonates the drink.

Origin

The origin of tibicos grains is unknown. Tibicos grains form as hard granules on the pads of the ''Opuntia'' cactus found in Mexico. These granules then could be reconstituted in a sugar-water solution for propagating the tibicos grains. Another study found a similar tibicos culture made from bacteria cultured from known stocks with similar properties.

Tibicos are also known as tibi, water kefir grains, sugar kefir grains, Japanese water crystals and California bees, and in older literature as ''bébées'', African bees, Australian bees, ginger bees, vinegar bees, bees, Japanese beer seeds, beer seeds, beer plant, ale nuts, eternity grains, and Balm of Gilead. Pidoux in 1898 also identified the sugary kefir grains with the ginger beer plant. Different ingredients or hygienic conditions might also change the bacteriological composition possibly leading to the different names found in scientific literature.

Tibicos are used to brew a variety of tepache known as ''tepache de tibicos''. The '' ginger beer plant'' is also a form of tibicos. Kebler attests that they were used in Kentucky circa 1859 to brew a "home drink" and were referred to as "Japanese beer seeds."

Preparation

The basic preparation method is for tibicos to be added to a sugary liquid and fermented 24 to 48 hours. The water is kept at a room temperature range of . If the temperature is towards the upper end of this range, the fermentation period is shortened. A typical recipe might contain the tibicos culture, a citrus fruit, and water.

Some ingredients will inhibit fermentation, such as chlorine in tap water or preservatives in dried fruit (sulfites). The fruits used are changed and mixed to create different flavors.

Additional precautions are taken to keep the cultures healthy. The use of reactive metals such as aluminium, copper, or zinc are minimized, since the acidity of the solution will draw these metals out, damaging the culture. Instead, plastic, lead-free ceramic, or glass containers are commonly used. It is recommended to culture grains in a glass jar and use clean plastic or wooden utensils when handling the grains.

See also

* Kefir
* Kombucha

External links

Water Kefir: A Review of its Microbiological Profile, Antioxidant Potential and Sensory Quality

An update on water kefir: Microbiology, composition and productionDevelopment of new non-dairy beverages from Mediterranean fruit juices fermented with water kefir microorganisms

Characterization of kefir-like beverages produced from vegetable juiceFunctional Exploitation of Carob, Oat Flour, and Whey Permeate as Substrates for a Novel Kefir-Like Fermented Beverage: An Optimized FormulationDevelopment, Characterization, and Bioactivity of Non-Dairy Kefir-Like Fermented Beverage Based on Flaxseed Oil Cake

5 Scientific Benefits of Water KefirAntioxidant potency of water kefirWater Kefir and Derived Pasteurized Beverages Modulate Gut Microbiota, Intestinal Permeability and Cytokine Production In VitroStudy of anti-inflammatory activity of Tibetan mushroom, a symbiotic culture of bacteria and fungi encapsulated into a polysaccharide matrixProbiotic Potential of Lactobacillus paracasei CT12 Isolated from Water Kefir Grains (Tibicos)Water kefir: Factors affecting grain growth and health-promoting properties of the fermented beverageAnti-Inflammatory and Cicatrizing Activities of a Carbohydrate Fraction Isolated from Sugary KefirAntimicrobial Activity of Broth Fermented with Kefir GrainsMicrobial Species Diversity, Community Dynamics, and Metabolite Kinetics of Water Kefir FermentationThe Buffer Capacity and Calcium Concentration of Water Influence the Microbial Species Diversity, Grain Growth, and Metabolite Production During Water Kefir FermentationPollution Abatement of Heavy Metals in Different Conditions by Water Kefir Grains as a Protective Tool against ToxicityQuantitative insights on the interaction between metal ions and water kefir grains: kinetics studies and EPR investigations

References

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Fermented foods
Fermented drinks