Approximately 20 morphologically distinct colonies were isolated from the plates of each kefir grain and cultivated in MRS broth (Acumedia) at 30 C for 48 h. The bacterial isolates were subjected to gram staining and the catalase test to identify the presumptive LABs as gram-positive, catalase-negative rods and cocci. All of the isolates were stored at 80 C in MRS broth supplemented with 15% glycerol.