Development of a new method for determination of exopolysaccharide quantity in fermented milk products and its application in technology of kefir production

An easy-to-use method for quantitative analysis of bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) was developed. The acid treatment was resultant in removing proteins and lactose and allowed to avoid long-term operation as dialysis. It was shown that, as opposed to anthron and phenol–sulphuric acid methods, reducing sugars method after EPS hydrolysis with glucose as standard provided reliable results, no matter to the EPS monosaccharide composition. antity in kefir of different brands was varied greatly, approximately at 50–200 mg/l, showing potential to enhance kefiran production by alteration of technological process. The temperature optimum for EPS production by kefir grains and kefir starter was about 30 °C, while the rise of temperature increased soluble EPS in culturing media by means of extraction from kefir grain body.