This work aimed to study the production, for the first time, of three fermented
products of chestnut puree (CP) withmilk kefir grains, a higher nisin-producing
(Lactococcus (L.) lactis CECT 539) and a higher lactic acid-producing (Lactobacillus
(Lb.) casei CECT 4043) lactic acid bacteria (LAB). After studying the CP
rheology, the ability of the two LAB to assimilate the carbon sources (starch,
sucrose, glucose, and fructose) present in the CP was assayed. The two LAB
grew well on glucose, fructose, and sucrose, but they did not use starch. Fermentation
of CP with the two LAB and kefir grains allowed us to obtain three
fermented products that contained no alcohol and low levels of sugars, lactic,
and acetic acids, as well as viable cell counts. After 24 h of fermentation, bacterial
counts increased by 2.12 log10 cycles for Lb. casei and 2.44 log10 cycles for L.
lactis. Although the final counts for both LAB were very similar (p > 0.05), L. lactis
grew faster than Lb. casei and produced a higher concentration of lactic acid.
The total microbial counts for kefir increased by 1.16 log10 cycles, after 28 h of
incubation, indicating that the microorganisms of the kefir grains adapted well
to the composition of the CP. As no ethanol was detected, these results suggest
the possibility of producing healthy, nonalcoholic, and low-calorie CPs.
