Kefir Grain
Origin of Kefir Grain
The consumption of kefir-fermented milk has more than a thousand years of history in the Caucasus Mountains. Kefir grains resemble puffed rice in appearance and are formed during fermentation of milk from more than 30 types of probiotics. In 1908, immunologist and Nobel laureate Élie Metchnikoff discovered the potential life-lengthening properties of kefir. This began a wave of scientific research into kefir and its use as a replacement therapy in Russian hospitals during the Soviet era. Today, kefir fermented milk is widely used in Central Asia and Europe.
Nutritional Value of Kefir
Extraordinary Taste
Kefir-fermented milk has a very special taste compared to that of an ordinary yogurt, thanks to differences in the microflora involved in the fermentation process. Kefir grains contain large amounts of polysaccharides (kefiran). These polysaccharides not only regulate immune function, but also give kefir-fermented milk its distinctive texture. Due to the yeast contained in the kefir grains, carbon dioxide and alcohol are produced during the fermentation process. As the alcohol content is less than 1%, it is safe for children to ingest. This is also the reason for its slightly carbonated "fizz." The taste is refreshing and unique.
Health Benefits of Kefir
More than a hundred years ago, sociologists discovered that residents in certain areas tend to enjoy long and healthy lives. After conducting analyses, it was found that they consume large amounts of kefir-fermented milk daily. The scientific community demonstrated that kefir-fermented milk improves the intestinal microflora, elevates immune function, restricts the activity of harmful bacteria, eliminates free radicals, reduces blood cholesterol levels, and decreases the activity of tumor cells. Thus, kefir-fermented milk is extremely beneficial to human health.
Precious Kefir Grains
Twenty years ago, Prof. Lin Chin-Wen of National Taiwan University led his team to join the increasing popularity of kefir studies. He not only initiated the research of kefir in Taiwan, but also planted the seed for the establishment of Phermpep. Our General Manager, Dr. Chen Hsiao-Ling, was a member of the team and has then continued the research. For many years, she has explored the world of fermented milk and has been committed to attaining the highest value kefir applications to provide people all over the world with outstanding, new choices for health promotion and disease prevention. In comparison with a single lactic acid bacterium strain, complete kefir grains possess diverse and astonishing health benefits. However, there were many obstacles to kefir commercialization due to its slow development, inconsistent composition across regions, and difficulty in mass production.
Phermpep - The Leading Brand of Kefir Peptides
In 1996, China Chemical & Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (CCPC) started the collaboration with Dr. Chen and other research teams to attempt to overcome these obstacles. After a decade of hard work, their collaborative effort has not only led to a successful increase in the scale of production, but also made Phermpep the pioneer in the mass production of novel functional kefir peptides.
Successful development of the proprietary novel kefir peptides, KEFPEP®, led to the foundation for Phermpep. Phermpep integrates existing research and development, medical science and marketing teams, using KEFPEP®; as our core technology. Incorporating novel health management concepts and holding firm to the high quality standards set by CCPC over its 6 decades of history, we are poised to become the leading brand of kefir peptides.