Czech J. Food Sci., 2026, 44(5):452-461 | DOI: 10.17221/210/2025-CJFS

Impact of fermentation on biological activities and bioactive compounds of coconut milk kefirOriginal Paper

Hai Truong Pham ORCID...1,2, Thi-Phuong Nguyen ORCID...1,2, Buu-Chau Thi Nguyen ORCID...1,2, Khoa Thi Nguyen ORCID...1,2
1 NTT Hi-Tech Institute, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2 Nguyen Tat Thanh University Center for Hi-Tech Development, Saigon Hi-Tech Park, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Coconut milk serves as an excellent plant-based substitute for animal milk in fermentation with kefir grains, producing a vegetarian-friendly and allergy-safe fermented beverage. This study examined how fermenting coconut milk with milk kefir grains affects its antioxidant capacity, tyrosinase inhibition, probiotic growth, total phenolic content, and protein profile. Results showed significant improvements in cellular antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase effects, along with enhanced growth of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus during fermentation, especially at 120 h. Conversely, fermentation decreased the overall phenolic content and led to the breakdown of most proteins in the coconut milk. Nonetheless, the process promoted the formation of smaller proteins and peptides around 10 kDa, possibly contributing to the increased antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and probiotic growth-promoting effects. These findings offer valuable insights into how fermentation with kefir alters the biological activities and bioactive compounds of coconut milk, helping to identify the optimal fermentation duration for producing a health-enhancing, high-quality fermented beverage.

Keywords: antioxidant; kefir-fermented coconut milk; phenolics; probiotic growth; tyrosinase inhibition

Received: December 17, 2025; Revised: September 1, 2026; Accepted: September 3, 2026; Prepublished online: October 27, 2026; Published: October 30, 2026  Show citation

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Pham HT, Thi-Phuong N, Thi Nguyen B, Thi Nguyen K. Impact of fermentation on biological activities and bioactive compounds of coconut milk kefir. Czech Journal of Food Sciences. 2026;44(5):452-461. doi: 10.17221/210/2025-CJFS.
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