{{Short description|Fermented drink}} [[File:Ripe Water kefir (also known as Tibicos), after 2 days.jpg|thumb|Fermented water kefir with grains on the bottom and a floating piece of [[grapefruit]] peel]] [[File:Wasserkefir-Kristalle.jpg|right|thumb|Tibicos grains average {{convert|5|mm|in|frac=8|abbr=on}} in dimension.]]
'''Tibicos''', or '''water kefir''', is a traditional [[fermented drink]] made with water and a water kefir grains held in a [[polysaccharide]] [[biofilm]] [[Matrix (biology)|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 [[Homebrewing|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 (genus)|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".{{Cite journal | last1 = Horisberger | first1 = M. | last2 = Bauer | first2 = H. | last3 = Bauer | first3 = Heinz| title = The structural organization of the Tibi grain as revealed by light, scanning and transmission microscopy | journal = Archives of Microbiology |volume=128 |issue=2 |pages=157–161 |date=December 1980 |doi=10.1007/BF00406153 | bibcode = 1980ArMic.128..157M | s2cid = 30407268 }}{{Cite journal | title = The microbial flora of sugary kefir grain (the gingerbeer plant): biosynthesis of the grain from ''Lactobacillus hilgardii'' producing a polysaccharide gel | journal = World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology|volume=5 |pages=223–38 |date=June 1989 |doi=10.1007/BF01741847 | issue = 2 | last1 = Pidoux | first1 = M. | s2cid = 83381986}}
As with [[kefir|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 like coconut water, fruit juice or sugar mixed with water, feeding off the sugar to produce [[lactic acid]], alcohol ([[ethanol]]), and [[carbon dioxide]] gas, which [[Carbonation|carbonates]] the drink.
==Origin== The origin of tibicos grains is not known exactly.{{Cite journal|last1=Laureys|first1=David|last2=De Vuyst|first2=Luc|date=April 2014|title=Microbial Species Diversity, Community Dynamics, and Metabolite Kinetics of Water Kefir Fermentation|journal=Applied and Environmental Microbiology|volume=80|issue=8|pages=2564–2572|doi=10.1128/AEM.03978-13|issn=0099-2240|pmc=3993195|pmid=24532061|bibcode=2014ApEnM..80.2564L}} The grains called ''[[Ginger beer#Ginger beer plant|ginger beer plant]]'', which according to [[Martinus Beijerinck]]{{Cite journal|last1=Fiorda|first1=Fernanda Assumpção|last2=de Melo Pereira|first2=Gilberto Vinicius|last3=Thomaz-Soccol|first3=Vanete|last4=Rakshit|first4=Sudip Kumar|last5=Pagnoncelli|first5=Maria Giovana Binder|last6=de Souza Vandenberghe|first6=Luciana Porto|last7=Soccol|first7=Carlos Ricardo|date= September 2017|title=Microbiological, biochemical, and functional aspects of sugary kefir fermentation - A review|journal=Food Microbiology|volume=66|pages=86–95|doi=10.1016/j.fm.2017.04.004|pmid=28576377 }} were brought by the British soldiers while returning to their country from the Crimean War in 1855 (although this was dismissed as an unsubstantiated myth by [[Harry Marshall Ward]] as early as 1892 {{Cite journal|last1=Ward|first1=Harry Marshall|date=1 January 1892|title=The ginger-beer plant, and the organisms composing it: A contribution to the study of fermentation-yeasts and bacteria.|journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B| volume=183|pages=125–197|doi=10.1098/rstb.1892.0006|doi-access=free}} and its real origins remain a mystery), were defined by [[Harry Marshall Ward]] as "beverage containing a symbiotic mixture of yeast and bacteria, and containing sufficient amounts of nitrogenous organic matter and beet sugar or cane sugar in its aqueous solution".{{Cite journal|last1=Ward|first1=Harry Marshall|date=1 January 1892|title=The ginger-beer plant, and the organisms composing it: A contribution to the study of fermentation-yeasts and bacteria.|journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B| volume=183|pages=125–197|doi=10.1098/rstb.1892.0006|doi-access=free}} This description is probably the first published account of the water kefir culture.{{Cite journal | last1 = Cufaoglu | first1 = Gizem | last2 = Erdinc | first2 = Ayse Nur | title = An alternative source of probiotics: Water kefir | journal = Food Frontiers | volume = 4 |date = 8 January 2023 | pages = 21–31 | doi = 10.1002/fft2.200 | s2cid = 255676470 | doi-access = free }} As a different theory, Lutz (1899) reported "Tibi grains" which were plucked from the leaves of a Mexican cactus (''[[Opuntia]]'').{{Cite journal|last=Lutz|first=L.|year=1899|title=Recherches biologiques sur la constitution du Tibi|journal=Bull. Soc. Mycol. France|volume=15|pages=68–72}} 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.{{Cite journal | last1 = Stacey | first1 = M. | last2 = Youd | first2 = F. R. | title = A note on the dextran produced from sucrose by Betacoccus arabinosaceous haemolyticus | journal = Biochem. J. | volume = 32 | issue = 11 | date = November 1938 | pmc=1264277 | pages = 1943–1945 | pmid=16746830| doi = 10.1042/bj0321943 }}
Tibicos are also known as tibi, water kefir grains, sugar kefir grains, Japanese water crystals and [[bees wine|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,{{Cite book|url=https://www.nb.no/nbsok/nb/1d18171283506655979729d92c7fd67a?index=1#87|title=Hjemmelagning av øl og vin|last=Sopp|first=J.O.|publisher=Norli|year=1917|location=Kristiania, Norway|pages=83}} and [[Balm of Gilead]].{{Cite journal | last = Kebler | first = L. F.| title = California bees. | journal = J. Pharm. Sci. |volume=10 |issue = 12 |pages=939–943 |date=June 1921 |doi=10.1002/jps.3080101206|url = https://zenodo.org/record/1427691 }} 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''.{{Cite journal|last1=Romero-Luna|first1=Haydee Eliza |last2=Hernández-Sánchez|first2=Humberto|last3=Dávila-Ortiz|first3=Gloria|date=3 August 2017|title=Traditional fermented beverages from Mexico as a potential probiotic source|journal=Annals of Microbiology|volume=67|issue=9 |pages=577–586|doi=10.1007/s13213-017-1290-2|s2cid=256073930 }} 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 == {{sources needed|section|date=September 2020}} [[Image:Kefir wodny (Tibicos).jpg|thumb|250px|Tibicos colony under microscope (200×)|alt=]] The basic preparation method is for tibicos to be added to a sugary liquid and [[fermentation (food)|fermented]] 24 to 48 hours. The water is kept at a room temperature range of {{convert|20-30|C|F|round=5}}. If the temperature is towards the upper end of this range, the fermentation period is shortened.{{Cite web|url=https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/water-kefir/encouraging-water-kefir-grains-to-multiply/|title = Encouraging Water Kefir Grains to Multiply: 7 Tips for Happy & Healthy Grains| date=23 June 2022 }} A typical recipe might contain the tibicos culture, a citrus fruit, dried fruit, and water.{{cite web |last1=Gross |first1=Ivo |title=The ultimate guide to water kefir |url=https://letsgotomato.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-water-kefir/ |website=Letsgotomato.com |date=11 July 2023 |access-date=6 September 2023}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://fermentaholics.com/how-to-brew-water-kefir-at-home/|title = How to Brew Water Kefir: Your #1 Guide to DIY Water Kefir|date = 8 February 2021}}
Additional precautions are taken to keep the cultures healthy. The use of reactive metals such as aluminium, copper, or zinc are minimised. The acidity of the solution will react with the metals forming metal ions, which could be potentially damaging to 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 silicone utensils when handling the grains.
Researchers demonstrated antimicrobial activity during tibicos fermentation, using tibicos grains to ferment different sugar sources, namely, molasses, demerara sugar, and brown sugar. Brown sugar promoted the greatest antimicrobial activities, against the microorganisms ''[[Candida albicans]]'', ''[[Salmonella typhi]]'', ''[[Shigella sonnei]]'', ''[[Staphylococcus aureus]]'' and ''[[Escherichia coli]]''.{{Cite journal | last1 = Silva | first1 = Karoline | last2 = Rodrigues | first2 = Sheila | last3 = Filho | first3 = Lauro Xavier | last4 = Lima | first4 = Alvaro S. | title = Antimicrobial Activity of Broth Fermented with Kefir Grains | journal = Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology |volume=152 |pages=316–325 |date=29 July 2008 | issue = 2 |doi=10.1007/s12010-008-8303-3| pmid = 18663417 | s2cid = 19989453 }}
For tibicos grains to grow, a certain water [[buffer capacity]] and/or [[calcium]] concentration are required.{{Cite journal | last1 = Laureys | first1 = David | last2 = Aerts | first2 = Maarten | last3 = Vandamme | first3 = Peter | last4 = De Vuyst | first4 = Luc | title = The Buffer Capacity and Calcium Concentration of Water Influence the Microbial Species Diversity, Grain Growth, and Metabolite Production During Water Kefir Fermentation | journal = Frontiers in Microbiology |volume=10 |pages=2876 |date=13 December 2019 |doi=10.3389/fmicb.2019.02876 | pmid = 31921054 | doi-access = free | pmc = 6923659 }} If necessary, buffer capacity can be improved by adding some hydrogen carbonate-rich mineral water.{{Cite journal | last1 = Beer | first1 = Andre-Michael | last2 = Uebelhack | first2 = Ralf | last3 = Pohl | first3 = Ute | title = Efficacy and tolerability of hydrogen carbonate-rich water for heartburn | journal = World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology |volume=7 |pages=171–180 |date=15 February 2016 | issue = 1 |doi=10.4291/wjgp.v7.i1.171| pmid = 26909240 | pmc = 4753184 | doi-access = free }}
== See also ==
- [[Kefir]]
- [[Kombucha]]
== External links == *[https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fft2.200 An alternative source of probiotics: Water kefir] *[https://www.actascientific.com/ASNH/pdf/ASNH-04-0706.pdf Water Kefir: A Review of its Microbiological Profile, Antioxidant Potential and Sensory Quality] *[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160521000878 An update on water kefir: Microbiology, composition and production] *[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0740002017301120 Microbiological, biochemical, and functional aspects of sugary kefir fermentation - A review] *[https://www.academia.edu/en/25149543/Development_of_new_non_dairy_beverages_from_Mediterranean_fruit_juices_fermented_with_water_kefir_microorganisms Development of new non-dairy beverages from Mediterranean fruit juices fermented with water kefir microorganisms] *[https://www.academia.edu/25149580/Characterization_of_kefir_like_beverages_produced_from_vegetable_juices Characterization of kefir-like beverages produced from vegetable juice] *[https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/2/294 Functional Exploitation of Carob, Oat Flour, and Whey Permeate as Substrates for a Novel Kefir-Like Fermented Beverage: An Optimized Formulation] *[https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/8/11/544 Development, Characterization, and Bioactivity of Non-Dairy Kefir-Like Fermented Beverage Based on Flaxseed Oil Cake] *[https://office2.jmbfs.org/index.php/JMBFS/article/view/7101 Antioxidant potency of water kefir] *[https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/11/3897 Water Kefir and Derived Pasteurized Beverages Modulate Gut Microbiota, Intestinal Permeability and Cytokine Production In Vitro] *[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12526861/ Study of anti-inflammatory activity of Tibetan mushroom, a symbiotic culture of bacteria and fungi encapsulated into a polysaccharide matrix] *[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00284-020-02016-0 Probiotic Potential of Lactobacillus paracasei CT12 Isolated from Water Kefir Grains (Tibicos)] *[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269947874_Evaluation_of_Anti-Hyperglycemic_and_Anti-Hyperlipidemic_Activities_of_Water_Kefir_as_Probiotic_on_Streptozotocin-Induced_Diabetic_Wistar_Rats Evaluation of Anti-Hyperglycemic and Anti-Hyperlipidemic Activities of Water Kefir as Probiotic on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats] *[https://sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jam.15385?af=R Water kefir: Factors affecting grain growth and health-promoting properties of the fermented beverage] *[https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/jmf.2007.329 Anti-Inflammatory and Cicatrizing Activities of a Carbohydrate Fraction Isolated from Sugary Kefir] *[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12010-008-8303-3 Antimicrobial Activity of Broth Fermented with Kefir Grains] *[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3993195/ Microbial Species Diversity, Community Dynamics, and Metabolite Kinetics of Water Kefir Fermentation] *[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6923659/ The Buffer Capacity and Calcium Concentration of Water Influence the Microbial Species Diversity, Grain Growth, and Metabolite Production During Water Kefir Fermentation] *[https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jchem/2019/8763902/ Pollution Abatement of Heavy Metals in Different Conditions by Water Kefir Grains as a Protective Tool against Toxicity] *[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14786419.2020.1855164 Quantitative insights on the interaction between metal ions and water kefir grains: kinetics studies and EPR investigations]
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
[[Category:Fermented foods]] [[Category:Fermented drinks]]