Productivity of mares and technology for preparing kumys. How to prepare kumis at home Kumis prepared according to this recipe

Traditional Kyrgyz nomads now, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, look the same as they did thousands of years ago. Five round, felt-covered yurt houses are located in a crescent shape on a large mountain meadow. Women in long colored dresses and large scarves swarm around them. Some of the men settled down under a canopy and cut themselves into bones, while others went to graze sheep and horses...

A yurt is a dwelling that is extremely conveniently adapted both for quick packing and moving, and for living in a seismic zone. It consists of a round lattice on top (tyundyuk), into which poles are stuck - uuki - the foundations of future walls. The more there are, the richer and more authoritative the owner. The coolest, richly embroidered, impractical white yurts have ninety uuks at their base.

The whole furnishings inside are felt and blankets. They serve as both a bed and a dining table. You can assemble and disassemble such a dwelling in an hour and a half. There is even a legend preserved about the nomad Apendi, who invited lonely travelers with livestock into the yurt, fed and watered them. And when the guest fell into a drunken sleep, he quickly dismantled his house, put it on a horse, added the traveler’s cattle to his herd, and set off. The guest woke up in the open air...

The Kirghiz are equally unpretentious when it comes to food. Traditional beshbarmak - boiled meat with noodles - is cooked in a large cast-iron cauldron for everyone at once. And sometimes it can be cooked in a more ancient way - in a leather wineskin. Water is poured into it and stones heated over a fire are thrown in until the water boils, then meat, grain, noodles or flour are added.

The usefulness of kumiss

In general, a true mountain Kyrgyz considers it an insult to eat “grass” - vegetables, fruits, grains. They were not specifically engaged in farming, but there were and still are small crops of millet and wheat near the nomadic camps. They are not only used to bake bread, but also to prepare various healthy drinks. And it is thanks to them that the Kyrgyz do not turn into dystrophics on their meat and dairy diet. Shoro, bozo and others, with a minimum of components and simplicity of technology, completely provide the necessary vitamins and microelements. But kumys remains the most popular of the traditional drinks, since the healing properties of kumiss are difficult to overestimate. Without it, no feast is a joy.

Among the Kyrgyz, like other nomadic peoples, almost the only available food was meat and milk, says nutritionist Svetlana Brazhkina. - Having learned to ferment mare's milk, they found a way to compensate for nutritional deficiencies.

Is there alcohol in kumiss? Kumis is a low-alcohol drink; it contains 0.5-2.5% alcohol. It contains a large amount of protein (20 g per liter, approximately the same as 100 g of beef). These proteins are easily digestible because they enter the stomach in a partially destroyed, coagulated state, whereas ordinary milk coagulates already in it, forming a hard-to-digest lump. Koumiss is rich in essential amino acids, which cannot be produced in the body itself and must be supplied with food. Contains the drink and a lot of calcium salts. Thanks to them, in the old days, kumiss was considered a panacea for tuberculosis - they “closed” the foci of consumption in the lungs.

How to prepare kumis

How to make kumiss at home, is it difficult? Making kumis at home is very simple. It can be made from cow's or goat's milk. Of course, in terms of healing effect it is significantly inferior to natural mare’s kumiss, but it will be no less useful.

To prepare kumys we will need:

• 1 liter skim milk
• 1 glass of clean water
• 3 teaspoons granulated sugar or honey
• 2 tablespoons yogurt or kefir
• 4-5 gr. pressed bread yeast

1. Mix one liter of boiled milk with 1 glass of water, add 3 tablespoons of sugar or honey and cool to room temperature (18 - 20 degrees). Add 2 tablespoons of kefir to the milk mixture, cover the dish with a lid, wrap it and place in a warm place (temperature 25 - 30 degrees) for several hours.
2. After the mixture turns into sour milk, it must be whipped until liquid, and the larger protein flakes must be strained through cheesecloth. To form alcohol and carbon dioxide, add yeast: 4-5 g. Dilute pressed yeast with warm water until sour cream thickens, add granulated sugar (a pinch). Pour the prepared yeast into the whipped sour milk, mix and pour into bottles, seal hermetically and let stand for 20-30 minutes.
3. During this time, carbon dioxide is formed in the yeast. This can be seen by the “boiling” of kumiss in bottles. Bottles should not be filled to the neck to avoid explosion. As soon as the “boiling” begins, place the bottles in ice water or the refrigerator. When the koumiss has “calmed down”, it can be served. It must be remembered that kumiss must be opened carefully, without shaking, otherwise the kumiss may clog like a fountain.

Depending on the time of ripening, koumiss is divided into 3 categories: weak (5-6 hours have passed since fermentation); medium (the one that matured for 1-2 days); strong (fermented for about 3 days). Kumiss contains less fat and protein than cow's milk, but it contains 1.5 times more sugar. Weak koumiss contains up to 1 percent alcohol, medium - up to 1.75, three-day koumiss made from natural mare's milk can contain up to 4.5-5% alcohol.

When preparing kumiss, two types of fermentation are used - lactic acid and alcohol, so yeast cells accumulate in large quantities. And many people know about the benefits of yeast. Thanks to the B vitamins, proteins, phosphorus and other minerals they contain, they help with purulent skin lesions (in particular, furunculosis), non-healing wounds, exhaustion, and nervous disorders. In fact, treatment with kumis is treatment with yeast.

In addition to B vitamins, it also contains vitamin C and nicotinic acid, lactic acid bacteria, which suppress the growth of putrefactive intestinal flora, killing Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. The latter circumstance is especially useful for those suffering from diarrhea, for example, after prolonged use of antibiotics.

Kumis - benefits and harm

In moderate doses (1-2.5 glasses), kumiss helps increase appetite and improve digestion. Therefore, for stomach diseases with reduced secretion and low acidity, it is recommended to drink 1-2 glasses of kumis before meals, and for high acidity - the same amount half an hour after meals. In case of exhaustion caused by overwork or poor nutrition, the dose is increased to 1-2 liters per day.

However, in case of obesity, diabetes, gout, inflammation of the kidneys and liver, you should consult a doctor before using kumiss. It is believed that real kumiss is prepared from mare's milk in a leather wineskin. That is why residents of mountain jailoos are distrustful of the latest newfangled urban invention - bottled kumiss, including carbonated one, and even more so with the taste of apricot, raspberry, kiwi... But the townspeople really like these products.

Another ancient drink, Shoro, mastered by modern producers, appears on the streets of the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, in the summer season. Shoro is a very healthy drink. It is prepared from barley and is considered a folk remedy for a hundred diseases. Since ancient times, it has been recommended to drink Shoro for anemia, blood diseases, inflammatory diseases and exhaustion. Its taste is peculiar, but many people like it. And it’s not difficult to prepare. Crush the millet (250 g) and fry in oil together with flour (350 g) until straw-colored. Cool to 70 degrees and dilute with warm boiled water in a ratio of 1:4, stir so that there are no lumps.

Add the composition to boiling water (8.5 l) and, stirring continuously, cook for an hour. Then pour in 875 g of milk and cook for another half hour over low heat. Cool the composition to 36 degrees, add 30 g of salt, 60 g of sugar and yeast, stir, close the lid and leave to ferment at room temperature for 12 hours. The drink is ready.

The most valuable product, kumys, is produced from the milk of mares. Kumis is a highly nutritious dietary and medicinal drink made from fresh mare’s milk. Thanks to its medicinal properties, kumiss has gained worldwide fame.

Since ancient times, people have called kumiss the elixir of vigor and longevity, as it has a strong and versatile effect on the human body. It helps to increase the level of nutrition and resistance of the body, normalize metabolism and hematopoiesis. Kumis is successfully used in combination with antibiotics to prevent and treat pulmonary, bone and renal tuberculosis, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases, vitamin deficiencies, diseases of the nervous system and general loss of strength.

It is a historically known fact that, for example, L.N. Tolstoy, whose two brothers died of consumption, very successfully improved his health when he went to the Samara steppes to eat kumiss.

So, kumys is a product obtained by fermenting mare’s milk with special starter cultures. The composition of the starter culture for the production of kumiss according to OST 46148-83 “Natural kumys” includes Bulgarian and acidophilus lactic acid rods, as well as yeast that ferments lactose.

Koumiss undergoes double fermentation - lactic acid and alcohol. As a result of the decomposition of milk sugar, up to 3.5% ethyl alcohol, about 1% lactic acid and carbon dioxide accumulate in koumiss. In addition, during the fermentation process, enzymes and various biologically active and aromatic substances are formed. These chemical compounds are found in kumys in small quantities. However, they give it a specific taste and smell. To make kumys in the traditional way, various natural starters were used in the past and are now used:

a mixture of wheat flour, honey and brewer's yeast;

a mixture of millet, malt and honey.

In Bashkiria, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, katyk, a national lactic acid product made from cow's milk, is widely used as a starter. In Kyrgyzstan alone, up to 1 million liters of kumys are produced annually.

Kazakhs and Kyrgyz often use “kor” as a starter, a protein deposit that appears on the walls of leather bags in which kumiss is prepared. In the fall, bags of bark are dried and stored until spring. In spring, fresh mare's milk is poured into them in small portions. At the same time, the activity of microflora is activated and full-fledged kumys fermentation occurs. Experiments have shown that dry sourdough “kor” is well preserved for three years.

As an everyday kumys starter, a portion of freshly prepared strong kumys is used. Such a starter, rejuvenated several times daily with fresh raw mare's milk, retains its activity for months and even years.

There are 2 ways to prepare kumys:

1. Indigenous, folk, when kumiss is aged for 2 - 3 days;

2. Modern, accelerated with exposure up to 1 - 1.5 days.

According to the first method, milk is fermented with relatively small doses of starter (15–20%) and an initial kumys mixture with lower acidity (from 30 to 40 °T) is obtained. When the acidity increases to 60 - 70 °T, the mixture is again rejuvenated with a new portion of fresh milk and kneaded for 15 minutes. During the day, the mixture is “rejuvenated” as many times as the mares are milked. At the end of the day, 3–4 hours after the last addition of milk, koumiss is kneaded for an hour and left alone until the morning. In the morning, one-day kumys is ready. Part of it is used to ferment new portions of milk, and part is again rejuvenated with small portions of milk in order to maintain active fermentation on the second day. Considered already suitable for consumption, 2-day-old koumiss is poured into barrels and rejuvenated once again. On the third day, they receive fully fermented 3-day old, vigorous kumiss, which is highly valued by indigenous kumiss makers.

With the transition to the production of bottled koumiss, the fermentation period was shortened. First, 2-day-old kumys was bottled, and later – one-day-old. Recently, kumys has been used without rejuvenation at all. In this case, the koumiss mixture is prepared from 40–50% starter and 50–60% fresh milk. After the acidity increases to 60 - 70 °T, which happens almost immediately, the mixture is well kneaded for 40 - 60 minutes and poured into bottles, which are hermetically sealed with stoppers. In sealed bottles, koumiss is left for another 2–3 hours in the koumiss workshop to continue fermentation, and then placed in a refrigerator with a temperature of 0–4 °C for cooling, further maturation and storage. During the cooling period, kumys self-carbonates. After 24 hours from the moment of fermentation, kumiss is ready for sale.

Kumis, prepared from the same raw materials and the same starter, but using different methods, is not the same in composition, taste and aroma.

Animal engineering

Slinko V.G., Bereznitsky V.I.

Poltava State Agrarian Academy

Poltava, Ukraine

Petrushko N.P., Pron E.V., Donskikh T.V., Gerasimov V.I.

KOUMYS MAKING – PURPOSE AND TECHNOLOGY

Kumis, its chemical composition, value as a dietary and medicinal drink. Kumis made from mare's milk is called natural. It has the properties of a highly nutritious healthy and medicinal product, because it is rich in easily digestible proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and biologically active substances.

During the fermentation process, the chemical composition of mare's milkchanges. In koumiss, the sugar content is sharply reduced, lactic acid, carbon dioxide, alcohol, and aroma accumulatetic and other substances.

The total amount of dry matter in the milk of mares of different breeds ranges from 10 to 11.4%, in kumiss it is reduced to 6.8-8.6%; milk contains 6-7% sugar, and kumiss - from 1.4 to 4.4%. The calorie content of 1 liter of kumiss ranges from 300 to 400 kcal. Koumiss is rich in calcium, the content of which in 1 liter is from 70 to 150 mg. During alcoholic fermentation, yeast cells accumulate in kumiss in significant quantities, which gives it special value. It is known that yeast has long been used in medicine for furunculosis, exhaustion, purulent and long-term wounds, as well as for metabolic disorders, causing baths with insufficient amounts of proteins and B vitamins in food. Thus, everything that is known about the beneficial effects yeast on the human body can also be attributed to kumiss.

The nutritional and medicinal properties of kumiss are determined not only by its remarkable composition, but also by the content of profermentation products (lactic acid, alcohol, carbon dioxide).

Lactic acid stimulates appetite and improves digestion.

Vitamins C (ascorbic acid), B 1 (thiamine), B 2 (riboflavin), A, PP, E and others have a beneficial effect on metabolism in the body.

Technologies for the production of kumys on an industrial basis .

Technology for preparing kumys in industrial conditionsincludes the preparation of milk, the preparation of the starter, the ripening of kumys, its kneading, bottling, capping, carbonation, cooling and storage.

Mare's milk used for the production of kumis must be obtained from healthy animals under supervisionnium of veterinary workers. Milk should not have any foreign tastes or odors, contain toxic chemicals or pathogenicmicrobes, acidity - not higher than 7°T, density 30-33% areometers, fat content not lower than 1%. Before milking begins, the udder mares are thoroughly treated with warm water (not higher than 45°C), and then wipe with a dry towel. The milk goes to theprocessing in pair form, and if storage (transportation) is necessary, it must be cooled to a temperature not exceeding 10°C. Refrigeration units are used to cool milk. natural water sources (streams, wells, springs).

Kumis is prepared by fermenting mare's milk with special starter cultures consisting of lactic acid bacteria and milk yeast.

There are several ways to prepare starter cultures and koumiss. Industrial technology is considered simpler production of koumiss using pure cultures (lactic acid, Bulgarian bacillus and milk yeast). The essence of this technology is that fresh mare’s milk is filtered through a cotton or lavsan filter, cooled to a temperature of 30-35°C, and its acidity is determined (it should not be higher than 6°T) and placed in a thoroughly washed and disinfectedwooden tub (chilyak). Then the necessary ingredients are added there.quantity of sourdough heated to 32°C, after which everything is carefullyknead for 20 minutes. It is important that the acidity of the mixture was within 30-32°T. The maturation process continues 2-3 hours, while the acidity increases all the time. When the acidity reaches 75 0 T, the mixture is stirred again for 1 hour, poured into half-liter bottles and hermetically sealed with stoppers.

Table 1.

Quality requirements (OST 1461148-83 “Natural Kumis”)

Indicators	Characteristics of kumis
	weak	average	strong
Consistency	Liquid, homogeneous, carbonated, slightly foaming
Taste and smell	Specific to natural koumiss, without extraneous tastes and odors not characteristic of a benign product, fermented milk, slightly yeasty, pinching, with a creamy aroma. Sweetish – for weak kumiss
Color	Milky white with a bluish tint
Total acidity, 0 T, within	70-80	81-100	101-120
Mass fraction of fat, %, less than
Mass fraction of alcohol, %, more than within limits
Density, g/cm 3, within	1,025-1,021	1,020-1,018	1,017-1,015
Titer of Escherichia coli bacteria, ml, not less than:
when selling to the public
when selling to medical institutions
Temperature upon leaving the factory, 0 C, no more
Pathogenic microorganisms, including salmonella	Not allowed

Koumiss in bottles is kept for 30-40 minutes at room temperature (20-22°), and then the bottles with koumiss areplaced in the refrigerator (temperature 6°C), where they are kept from 3 up to 24 hours. During this time, koumiss ripens, its acidity increasesup to 70-100°T, and the product is ready for use. When decreasing The temperature of kumys is up to 0-2°C, the process of its maturation lasts up to two days.

In Bashkiria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Buryatia, koumiss for Kvass is prepared in different ways. In Bashkiria, for example, primary Kumys sourdough is prepared from katyk (a national fermented milk product made from cow's milk), sometimes with the addition of a decoction of grain or sugar syrup. In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, for fermentation, in the fall, “kor” is left for storage - a protein deposit that appears on the walls of leather bags (tarsuks). or sab), in which kumys is prepared. Sabu with the "core" in the falldry well and store until spring. In the spring, mare’s milk is poured into it in portions, the microflora is activated, and as a result This is where kumys fermentation develops.

Depending on the ripening time, kumys is divided into three types: weak - one-day, medium - two-day, strong - three days, counting from the end of technology gical process. In terms of organoleptic, physicochemical and microbiological indicators, natural koumiss must meet the requirements given in table. 1.

All-Russian Research Institute of Horse Breedingdeveloped a method for industrial canning of mare's milk by drying. At the same time, powdered milk does not lose its valuable qualities, and good kumiss can be made from it. This opens up wide opportunities for preparing kumis in various zones of the country and helps eliminate seasonality in its production.

Kumis– a low-alcohol fermented milk drink made from fermented mare’s milk.

Kumis is an ancient drink whose history goes back thousands of years. The first mentions date back to the life of Herodotus (484-424 BC). The historian described kumis in his works, speaking of it as a nutritious, tasty drink.

Kumis can be prepared in several ways. Depending on this, it has different properties. There is concentrated kumiss, which can lead to alcohol intoxication. Less strong soothes and relaxes.

If we talk about a drink like kumys, there cannot be one recipe for preparing it. Many eastern families have their own secrets for preparing the drink, which are passed down from generation to generation.

Preparation method

Kumis is made from mare's milk. In this case, horses are milked throughout the day, since their udders are small and they do not produce much milk. As a result of milking, one mare produces about five liters per day.

The milk is placed in a special barrel for churning kumiss. It should be made of natural wood, for example, linden. This is necessary to ensure that the resulting drink does not have any foreign impurities or odors. Fresh milk is churned with a special wooden spoon called a bishkek. After this, it is left to ferment for several days. During these days, beneficial bacteria appear in the milk, and it noticeably thickens. Depending on how mature the kumys is, there are three types: weak, medium and strong.

The drink is very popular, which is why the production of kumys in factories has recently appeared. But since this process is quite labor-intensive, few companies undertake it. In addition, experts say that kumiss prepared at home is much tastier.

Kumis is rightly called a “living drink”, as it has a number of medicinal properties. Scientists agree that this drink is the healthiest among fermented milk drinks. There is a direction of traditional medicine called “kumiss therapy”, the essence of which is the dosed use of kumiss in combination with climatotherapy.

Kumis contains many vitamins and microelements. Among them are A, B1, B2, B12, C, E, D, copper, iodine, iron, titanium. Regular consumption of the drink stimulates the digestive, cardiovascular and circulatory systems. Kumis helps cure diseases of the liver, stomach and lungs. The drink has a calming effect on the nervous system, calming a person. In addition, kumiss has a rejuvenating effect, slowing down cell aging. It improves body tone and immunity. Kumis is an excellent hangover cure. It lowers cholesterol levels and increases the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. Regular consumption of kumiss is one of the keys to longevity among mountain residents.

There is a separate culture of eating kumys. For a long time, the most revered mountaineer had the right to be the first to taste a freshly prepared drink. Not much has changed since then. The head of the family tastes the first kumiss, and then the rest of its members. The drink is not drunk alone, as it is believed that this loses its properties. It is best to drink kumiss in a large company in order to fully experience its life-giving power. Spilling kumis is considered a bad sign, so its safety is carefully monitored. You need to drink the drink to the last drop. Thus, previously, pouring out the remains of kumiss was considered a sin.

The beneficial properties of kumiss have been known since ancient times. If earlier the drink was popular among residents of Central and Central Asia, now it is gradually spreading to other countries.

If you have ever drunk kumiss, you will never forget the taste of this healthy drink. After its appearance in ancient times and to this day, it has been one of the favorite products of many peoples. Kumis is the national drink of those peoples where horse breeding is developed. These are Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Tatars, Bashkirs, Kalmyks and some others. Our ancestors knew about the beneficial properties of kumys to “strengthen the body and cheer the soul” and called it a “heroic drink.” And also an elixir of vigor, health and longevity.

...Little illuminated by the moon,

With a joyful smile of pity

On bended knee, she

To his lips kumys* cool

Brings it with a quiet hand...

...It will flash behind the gloomy mountain,

Circassian woman, along a shady path,

Brings wine to the prisoner,

Kumis, and fragrant honeycomb beehives,

And snow-white millet...

* “Koumiss is made from mare’s milk; This drink is widely used among the mountainous and nomadic peoples of Asia. It is quite pleasant to the taste and is considered very healthy.”

A. S. Pushkin. Prisoner of the Caucasus

Kumis (from Turkic)- a product of lactic acid and alcohol fermentation of mare's milk under the influence of a special starter culture. As a result of fermentation, a slightly foaming drink with a milky color, a sweetish-sour taste and a unique aroma is obtained. Koumiss at all stages of ripening is consumed only fermented, and not fermented, which is why it is called a “live drink”.

History of kumys

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus (484-424 BC) has indications that the Scythians churned mare's milk in wooden vats, and then poured the upper layers, which they considered the best part, into separate tubs. Nomads carefully guarded the secret of preparing kumis. Those who divulged this secret were severely punished: they were blinded. Many historians believe that kumiss came from the Scythians.

Scientists associate the emergence of kumis with the large number of horses among nomads and their way of life. As you know, horses were mainly riding animals. They were not used for heavy work. A free mare on excellent food in the free steppes gave a lot of milk. But fresh mare's milk is unpleasant to drink. Besides, it soon spoils. Therefore, nomads invented a method of preparing a special drink from mare’s milk - kumiss.

By the way, over time, nomads began to make kumis from the milk of other animals, in particular camels and cows. The Kalmyks were the first to start making such drinks. As for the Bashkirs, for example, they recognized kumiss only from mare’s milk, and the Kazakhs and Turkmens - from camels’ milk.

Currently, the composition of this fermented milk product is determined at the legislative level. In accordance with the Federal Law of the Russian Federation dated June 12, 2008 No. 88-FZ “Technical Regulations for Milk and Dairy Products” kumys is a fermented milk product made by mixed (lactic and alcoholic) fermentation and ripening of mare’s milk using starter microorganisms - Bulgarian and acidophilus lactic acid rods and yeast. That is, kumiss is a product made from mare’s milk.

A fermented milk product made from cow's milk in accordance with kumys production technology is a kumys product. We will return to the issue of the raw materials used for preparing kumys and the kumys product.

Creators of the Elixir of Longevity

From time immemorial, the production of kumys has been carried out by enterprises located in regions where horse breeding is a traditional activity (in Bashkiria, Kalmykia, Yakutia, Buryatia, etc.).

Talking about the nuances of making this product, one involuntarily recalls an interesting story. In the times of our ancestors, the drink of nomads was so amazing that even European doctors and scientists at one time tried to establish its production. Thus, the Scottish doctor John Grieve, who served in the Russian army, made a report on the heroic drink at a meeting of the Royal Medical Society in 1784. In the Russian department of the London Exhibition in 1896, a special estate was organized: yurts for Bashkirs, Tatars and Kyrgyzs with their wives were placed on its territory; a pen for Bashkir and Kyrgyz mares with foals and a gelding, a separate room for two stallions. The entire London press spoke flatteringly about this section of the exhibition, and several magazines published illustrations depicting nomads, their wagons, and horses. There were days when more than 80 thousand people visited the exhibition in London. But there was no real kumys. Because the Bashkir nature, the Ural climate, the grass meadows of Agidel, Dema and Sakmara could not be transferred to foreign lands. This, perhaps, is the secret of Bashkir, and therefore real kumiss.

From the publication of the beginning of the last century “A short reference book for those going to kumys in the Ufa province” (author E.I. Gikkel, Ufa, 1916):

“Why are they especially famous as kumiss for healing?ѣ ness, steppes of Eastern Russia - Ufa, Samara, Orenburg and others. province? INѣ Yes, clean air can be found in any province, and kumiss is also prepared in other places.ѣ ness.

This depends on the fact that in the named provinces the air is especially dry, and therefore increased thirst is caused in the heat of the sun. The patient can drink huge quantities of kumis and thus absorb theѣ stѣ there is a lot of good nutritional material with it. Yes, and the most kumysѣ s special. The quality of kumiss depends on the breed of the mare and the quality of its food. Steppe mares feed on steppe grasses, which produce the best kumys...

...The Bashkirs prepared kumys from the milk of their own mares, grazing on the untouched, primeval steppe with its feather grass and other fragrant herbs, which they took care of, stingsѣ whether they fed well and did not exhaust them in workѣ …»

Currently, the Republic of Bashkortostan ranks first in the Russian Federation in terms of kumis production. This fermented milk product is recognized as a product of the national economic cluster (a cluster is a geographically concentrated group of interconnected companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, firms in relevant industries, as well as organizations related to their activities. - Ed.) with a tourist and environmental focus . No other product fits so perfectly into this investment niche, not even Bashkir honey, because you can’t eat too much honey. And kumys is both a delicacy and a medicine.

About the quality of kumys

Our ancestors divided kumiss, like kefir, depending on the amount of alcohol content into weak, medium and old (strong). A weak drink (1% alcohol) was considered to be one that was bottled earlier than 24 hours after ripening. Average (1.75% alcohol) was called daily kumiss. Old (4.5% alcohol) - a week or more has passed since the date of preparation when stored on ice.

Very useful advice on how to distinguish between these types of kumiss is given by E.I. Gikkel in his reference book, dated 1916, “A short guide for those going to kumiss in the Ufa province” (Ufa):

“To distinguish between these departmentsѣ You can use flaxseed types of kumiss if you pour it into a clean glass with a tablespoon and shake it over a glassѣ nkam glasses. Moreover, if kumiss is weak, thenѣ the beams will settle on the tableѣ nkah in piles of flakes; with average kumysѣ the sediment will be smooth andѣ where it sticks to the glass, glass dѣ It appears opaque, as if made of milk glass. Finally, whenѣ pkom kumysѣ turns out on stѣ nkah is a weak, transparent sediment that weakly adheres to the glass.”

The mechanism of kumys fermentation is as follows: protein is converted into easily digestible substances, and milk sugar into lactic acid, ethyl alcohol, carbonic acid and a number of aromatic substances. All this creates high nutritional value of kumys, easy digestibility, pleasant taste and aroma.

The quality of kumys depends on stirring: the more often you shake, the tastier it is. No wonder they said in the steppe: “There are two bowls of air in one bowl of kumiss.”

Kumis according to GOST

The fermented milk product kumys is subject to the requirements of the National Standard of the Russian Federation GOST R 52974-2008 “Koumiss. Technical conditions".

GOST defines kumys as a fermented milk product made by mixed (lactic and alcoholic) fermentation and ripening of mare's milk using starter microorganisms - Bulgarian and acidophilic lactic acid rods and yeast.

The national standard also states that, in terms of organoleptic characteristics, kumys must meet the requirements established by regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation, namely:

• The appearance of the drink is an opaque liquid.
• The taste and smell are pure fermented milk, slightly spicy, specific to kumys, without any foreign tastes or odors. Yeast flavor is allowed.
• The color is milky white, uniform throughout the mass.

In terms of physical and chemical properties, kumys must meet the following requirements:

• Acidity - no more than 80 °T.
• Mass fraction of fat - not less than 1.0%.
• Mass fraction of protein - not less than 2.0%.
• Temperature upon release from the plant - (4 ± 2) °C.

Among other requirements for the product, GOST also specifies the number of lactic acid microorganisms at the end of the shelf life - no less than 1-107 CFU/cm3, yeast - no less than 1-105 CFU/cm3. Traces of ethyl alcohol are allowed in kumiss.

To make kumys (again in accordance with GOST R 52974-2008), the following raw materials are used:

• raw mare's milk according to GOST R 52973;
• sourdough prepared with pure cultures of lactic acid rods: Bulgarian (Lactobacillus bulgaricum strain Fn), acidophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilum strain In3) and yeast (Saccharomices lactis strain Sk) in accordance with the requirements for starter microorganisms.

Paragraph 4.10.2 of the national standard states that ready-to-eat kumys is bottled in glass bottles in accordance with GOST 10117.2 (type X), as well as in accordance with GOST 15844 (type P). The shelf life of kumys is no more than 5 days (120 hours). This product is stored at a temperature of (4 ± 2) °C.

Valuable raw materials

As noted earlier, kumiss is a fermented milk product made from mare’s milk using a special technology. A drink made from cow's milk, created in accordance with the technology of kumys production, is a kumys product.

Currently, this division of fermented milk products depending on the type of raw material into koumiss and koumiss product has been adopted at the legislative level. Interestingly, our ancestors also saw the difference in these products. In the publication “A short reference book for those going to kumys in the Ufa province” (Ufa, 1916) an interesting fact is noted:

“Koumiss with water is thin, watery, bluish fromѣ nka, leaves almost no sediment on the glassѣ nkah glasses. Primѣ goat milk dѣ barks colorѣ t yellowish; from cow's to bottomѣ a large dense cottony sediment is obtained, difficult to break up when shaken, on the surface - bѣ loose, loose lumps similar to pѣ Well. This kind of kumiss is less digestible for the stomach.”

The reasoning of E. I. Gikkel, the author of the cited reference book, about the raw materials used to prepare kumiss, came at just the right time. The quality of this drink and its medicinal properties directly depend on the raw materials. And despite the fact that both cow’s and mare’s milk are unique in their composition and have a pronounced medicinal effect, it is mare’s milk that is recognized as the raw material for making kumiss.

For example, in terms of protein composition, mare's milk is more suitable for the production of a drink such as kumiss. Koumiss is dominated by albumin, which dissolves in water. It does not change when exposed to rennet and weak acids. Therefore, when mare's milk is fermented, loose, loose clots with small casein flakes are formed, which easily disintegrate under mechanical stress. This is why fermented mare's milk remains liquid. The kumys product, made from cow's milk, is dominated by casein, which does not dissolve in water, and when exposed to rennet and weak acids, coagulates, forming dense clots. It is on this property of casein that the production of cheese, cottage cheese and other fermented milk products is based.

Koumiss contains more vitamin C than the koumiss product. For example, in some sanatoriums vitamin C is added to the kumys product at the rate of 200 mg of vitamin per daily dose of the drink. But the calorie content of koumiss and koumiss product is the same - 50 kcal per 100 g. Both fermented milk products have bactericidal properties.

Mare's milk and kumiss have amylase and lipase activity without any significant difference in the composition of the raw materials and the final product. However, the finished product (kumys) is considered a more perfect product. The intensity of bioenergetic processes in koumiss is higher than in mare’s milk, as evidenced by the higher level of redox enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase) in ripening koumiss, which, in turn, is explained by the participation of koumiss microorganisms in the redox processes during their reproduction.

Composition of the heroic drink

Kumis contains easily digestible proteins and fats, milk sugar, lactic acid, carbon dioxide, alcohol, a large amount of vitamins, enzymes, and minerals. The main nutritional components of kumiss (proteins, fats, sugar) are absorbed almost completely (up to 95%). Kumiss helps to increase the digestibility of fats and proteins contained in food, especially meat.

Protein piggy bank

Koumiss proteins consist of 18 amino acids. The amino acid content increases as koumiss ripens. In ripened koumiss, amino acids appear that are absent in mare’s milk - tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine.

The amount of amino acids and other components of kumys may vary depending on the place of its production, which is explained by differences in the composition of milk, in the starter and other factors - the time of year, soil and climatic features that determine the chemical composition of the mares' feed. Seasonal dependence identified in protein content (per 100 g of product): spring - 1.90, summer - 1.94, autumn - 1.92, casein - 48.5%, whey proteins - 51.5%, globulin - 10 .3%.

Vitamin boost

The biological activity of kumis varies depending on the time of year, which is determined by the quantitative expression of vitamins.

The presence of ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and B vitamins in mare’s milk is especially important. Ascorbic acid in mare’s milk is 8-10 times greater in comparison with cow’s milk, which determines the therapeutic effect of kumis. Koumiss contains 3 times more vitamin C than cow's milk.

Medicinal fat

The medicinal properties of kumis are also determined by the qualitative ability of mare's milk fat: it is fusible (melting point 21-23 ° C), finely dispersed, contains many unsaturated acids (oleic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic), which determines its lighter consistency, better absorption and ability to inhibit the growth of tuberculous mycobacteria. The content of unsaturated acids in koumiss increases in the summer.

Carbohydrates of life

The taste of koumiss is sweet and sour, foamy, refreshing and does not resemble any of the known fermented milk drinks.

Rice. 1. Scheme of the chemical composition of koumiss

Medicinal properties of kumiss

The tradition of kumiss treatment has its roots in ancient times. As already noted, the first mention of this wonderful drink was made by the ancient Greek scientist Herodotus (484-424 BC).

Information about the medicinal properties of kumiss is found in the works of Abu Ali ibn Sina (Avicenna), who almost 1000 years ago cured the vizier Sukhailiy, who suffered from urolithiasis, with kumiss.

Marco Polo (1254-1324) also mentioned kumiss, calling it the favorite drink of the Tatars and comparing it with white wine.

Subsequently, in his memoirs, the Russian traveler Academician P. S. Pallas wrote in 1770 that “sick people from Muscovy and the Don came to the Bashkir steppes to drink kumiss, since it has great health benefits.”

The first detailed description of the preparation of kumiss, its taste and effect on the human body was made by the Frenchman William Rubricas, who traveled through Tatary in 1253. In his notes about this drink, he emphasized its intoxicating and diuretic effects.

The famous writer S. T. Aksakov in his “Family Chronicle” mentions the benefits of kumis. “In spring,” the writer writes, “the black earth steppe is covered with fresh, fragrant, lush vegetation. Mares that have grown thin over the winter gain fat. And then the preparation of kumys begins in all koshas. And everyone who can drink, from an infant to a decrepit old man, drinks the heroic drink. After this, the ailments of hungry winter and even old age disappear. Haggard faces are dressed with fullness, and pale, sunken cheeks are covered with blush.”

The great Russian writer L.N. Tolstoy was also fond of drinking kumis. His first acquaintance with the Bashkirs and the Bashkir drink took place in 1862. Later, at the end of the 1870s, he wrote: “For a year I was engaged in schools and was so exhausted that I fell ill. Then he dropped everything and went to the steppe to the Bashkirs - to breathe the air, drink kumiss.”

In the summer of 1875, Lev Nikolaevich again vacationed with his family in the Bashkir steppe. The writer’s wife Sofya Andreevna wrote to her sister T. A. Kuzminskaya that Tolstoy “drinks kumis, walks around the abyss”, that “he is healthy, tanned to blackness; Of course, he doesn’t write anything and spends his days either in the field or in the tent of the Bashkir Mukhametshakh.”

A contemporary of A. S. Pushkin, author of the “Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language” V. I. Dal also became interested in the medicinal properties of kumiss. This is what he writes: “Koumiss is the main food and pleasure of our nomadic peoples. It cools, quenches both thirst and hunger and gives special vivacity. Kumis never fills your stomach; you can drink it as much as you like. Koumiss is beneficial in all those diseases where the body requires nourishing and baby food... The consistent effect of koumiss is detected after a week or earlier. You feel cheerful, healthy, breathe freely, your face takes on a good color. I doubt whether it is possible to come up with any food that could replace kumiss?”

Centuries-old tradition

“A short guide for those going to kumys in the Ufa province”, E. I. Gikkel, Ufa, 1916:

“List of kumis treatment institutions in the Ufa province:

• Art. Aksakovo (Koumiss colony of O. G. Aksakova - good high terrain, healthy and cheerful: steppe with birch copses; koumiss medical establishment of M. P. Shchelkanova);
• Art. Glukhovskaya (kumiss clinic “Klyuchevka Konshina”; “Russian Switzerland” by A.F. Lapturev);
• Art. Aksenovo (Andreevskaya sanatorium Durilina);
• Art. Shafranovo (Tsolferov’s establishment; the “Grove” establishment of Alekseev and Fedorova; the establishment of the doctor A. L. Nagibin; the “Alexandrovskaya Grove” establishment of N. A. Korobov; the Monastyrev establishment; the Zhdanov establishment; the Chervinsky establishment, formerly Dotozhirov);
• and etc.

In the Ufa province at the beginning of May the weather is usually good, but at the beginning of the second half of May there are often significant and prolonged cold weather - this is almost the rule. June is good, but from July cold nights and strong fogs begin in the river valleys; August and September are often very nice and warm.

Therefore, it is best to go here by the end of May, but do not forget to stock up on warm clothes and a warm blanket in case of cold nights in the summer. The treatment season usually lasts 6-8 weeks, but it is useful to drink kumiss longer.”

The founders of kumiss treatment

The scientific basis for kumiss treatment is associated with the name of Dr. N.V. Postnikov. He was the first, based on a deep and comprehensive study of kumiss treatment in the sanatorium he organized, in three words - “nourishes, strengthens, renews” - to express the essence of the effect of kumiss on the body.

N.V. Postnikov’s closest friend and scientist, the English scientist George Carrick, in his book “About Kumis,” writes that “in a few years, kumis became famous not only throughout Russia, but also in neighboring countries as the most effective remedy against consumption.”

With the construction of railways into the very depths of the Bashkir steppes, kumis treatment began to move further and further to the east. In Bashkortostan, the conditions for the development of kumiss treatment were favorable due to the more suitable steppe climate and the abundance of feed for horses.

Professor P. Yu. Berlin is rightfully considered the father of modern kumiss treatment, who worked for many years at the Shafranovsky resort together with Professor L. I. Model. They, together with their students and followers, managed to prove that mare’s milk and kumiss contain 4-6 times more vital vitamins than cow’s milk.

In 1868, at the request of the Empress, the Moscow merchant V. S. Maretsky opened the first kumiss medical establishment near Moscow (in present-day Sokolniki). Kumis for this hospital was prepared in Ostankino.

Kumis is widely used in sanatoriums of Bashkortostan (Shafranovo, Sanatorium named after S. T. Aksakov, Yumatovo).

Forђ blowing kumys

In the 1916 edition of “A Brief Guide for Those Going to Kumys in the Ufa Province,” doctors give their advice on the correct use of kumys:

“It’s best to drink medium kumys right away. Some doctors advise starting with relatively small quantities - 1-2 bottles per day, and if kumiss is well tolerated, then quickly move on to 5 or more bottles per day. Others find that they can immediately drink as much as their stomach can tolerate without burden.

Dr. Carrick advises strictly monitoring the relationship between appetite and the amount of kumiss consumed; if the table is nutritious and plentiful and kumiss reduces the appetite for lunch, then it is better to reduce the amount of kumiss and not spoil the appetite, since lunch has more nutritional value than kumiss...

... Dr. Mikhailov advises that if kumiss is used in bottles and taken in the morning for the whole day, then so that it does not ferment, the bottles should be kept in a supine position...

...It’s good to get up at 4-5 o’clock in the morning - morning is the best time for walking and drinking kumiss. 1-1.5 hours before meals, stop drinking kumiss in order to eat with appetite, and in the same way do not drink kumiss at night so that your sleep is more restful.

Meals - little by little and often. Do not overload on meat dishes; it is better to eat flour and plant foods, as well as dairy dishes.

It is best to sleep in the fresh air. Sleeping in a stuffy room with the windows and doors closed is harmful to diseased lungs.”

The benefits of kumiss

In recent years, the influence of kumys on various physiological processes of the body and on individual organs has been studied:

• Kumys yeast produces antibiotic substances against the tuberculosis bacillus during fermentation.
• Kumis normalizes the secretory activity of the stomach and other digestive organs, and is very effective for stomach and duodenal ulcers, in the stage of attenuation of the process.
• Alcohol, which is part of kumiss in small doses (up to 2.5%), stimulates appetite, enhances the secretion of gastric juice, increases the absorption and motor ability of the stomach, and enhances the secretion of pancreatic juice.
• Kumis has antibiotic properties that have a bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect on specific pathogenic microbes in the intestines, which is important for long-term use of broad-spectrum antibiotics; in addition, it is active against E. coli, staphylococci, streptococci and other pathogenic microbes.
• Koumiss treatment helps to normalize metabolism, primarily protein metabolism, in particular, restore the amino acid spectrum of blood serum, increase hemoglobin content, and improve the leukocyte formula.
• Kumis has a beneficial effect on functional disorders of the central and autonomic nervous systems, and on diseases of the respiratory, cardiovascular and hematopoietic systems of patients. High-quality kumiss causes a peculiar state: some fatigue sets in, then a sound, restful sleep, and increased irritability disappears.
• Easily absorbed, koumiss promotes better absorption of food and increases the nutritional status of patients, despite its low calorie content (38 kcal per 100 g of product).
• Kumis increases the body's defenses.

In recent years, the immunomodulatory properties of kumiss have been established. The research results showed a normalization of the relationships and levels of cellular and humoral immunity and a decrease in tension and nonspecific protective factors in patients treated with kumiss.

Methods for taking kumis

The method of taking kumiss depends on the patient’s disease for which kumiss treatment is prescribed, on the activity of the process, and on the age of the patient. The drinking regime of kumys is similar to the drinking regime of mineral waters and depends on the secretory-motor, evacuation function of the digestive system.

The method of kumiss treatment involves the use of kumiss in fractional doses of up to 1000 ml/day. The time for taking kumys mainly depends on the state of the secretory function of the stomach.

For persons with normal and increased secretory function of the stomach against the background of normal motor-evacuatory function of the intestines, medium-strength koumiss 200-250 ml is recommended 20-30 minutes before meals or immediately before meals in a daily dose of 500-750 ml.

For persons with reduced gastric secretory function, medium and strong kumiss is recommended, 250-300 ml 40-60 minutes before meals, 750-1000 ml/day. The duration of the course of kumis treatment should be at least 20-25 days.

For peptic ulcers, chronic gastritis with increased and normal secretory function, weak koumiss is prescribed 1-1.5 hours before meals 125-250 ml 3-4 times a day in a warm form (18-20 ° C) with the expectation of its inhibitory effect. action (duodenal effect). Drink in large sips, removing excess foam.

For peptic ulcers, chronic gastritis with reduced secretory function, weak and medium grade koumiss is prescribed 20-30 minutes before meals, 125-250 ml 3 times a day. Drink in small sips. At the beginning of the course of treatment, a dose of 100-150 ml is recommended, with a gradual increase to 250 ml.

However, the prescription of kumis should be strictly individual, and for a number of diseases of the kidneys, liver, obesity, gout and diabetes mellitus, etc., a doctor’s consultation is necessary regarding treatment with kumis.