The Potential of Non-dairy Kefir Products: Their Health Benefits, Physiochemical, Sensory, and Bioactive Properties

The consumption of functional foods increases with the rising healthy lifestyle trends among the public. Kefir is taken into account as a potential functional food as it contains a large variety of beneficial microorganisms and bioactive compounds. Non-dairy kefir has been developed to meet the needs of consumers with several limitations, such as milk protein allergies and lactose intolerance or vegan consumers. Various ingredients such as plant-based milk, fruits, and vegetable extracts used in non-dairy kefir can provide a variety of bioactive compounds wider than cow’s milk, such as fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, and higher antioxidant properties, as well as probiotic properties. This review presents non-dairy kefir alternatives with potential health benefits as well as the chemical and physical reactions occur during the fermentation process effecting sensory properties.