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Kefir contains yeast along with a number of bacteria cultures as one of the
necessary organisms that create kefir's unique and characteristic
properties.  Many celiacs are intolerant of yeast and thus cannot consume
kefir.  The following study demonstrates it might be possible to create a
probiotic product with the characteristics of kefir without introducing
yeast by a process which mimicks the presence and activities of yeast in
kefir grains:

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For background on "kefiran" see:

Exopolysaccharides Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria of Kefir Grains
http://www.znaturforsch.com/sc/57c/s57c0805.pdf

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Adv Biochem Eng Biotechnol. 2004;90:35-62

Clarification of interactions among microorganisms and development of co-
culture system for production of useful substances.

Taniguchi M, Tanaka T.

Department of Materials Science and Technology, Niigata University,
Ikarashi 2-8050, Niigata 950-2181, Japan. [log in to unmask]

Co-culture systems containing two microorganisms for the production of
useful substances are described. We developed a novel co-culture system
composed of two fermentors and two microfiltration modules. The proposed co-
culture system allowed regulation of the dissolved oxygen concentration at
a level suitable for an individual microorganism in each fermentor, as well
as the successful exchange of culture medium between two fermentors. By co-
culture, using a combination of Pichia stipitis and Saccharomyces
cerevisiae, ethanol was produced efficiently from a mixture of glucose and
xylose. Moreover, the useful probiotic cells were simultaneously produced
with a high productivity by our co-culture using a combination of
Bifidobacterium and Propionibacterium. Kefiran production by Lactobacillus
kefiranofaciens alone under the culture conditions, established by
mimicking the presence and activities of yeast cells in kefir grains, was
also investigated. The results obtained showed that under the culture
conditions established by mimicking the actions of yeast cells on L.
kefiranofaciens in kefir grains, the amount of kefiran produced was
enhanced, even when the lactic acid bacterium alone was used.

PMID: 15453184 [PubMed - in process]

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