This study aims to evaluate the antioxidative activities of cow-milk kefir and goat-milk kefir. Antioxidative mechanisms, including radical-scavenging effects, ferrous-ion chelating ability, reducing power and antioxidant activity, were investigated herein. Kefirs demonstrated significantly greater scavenging effects upon 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide radicals, an inhibition effect upon linoleic-acid peroxidation, and more substantial reducing power, but reduced glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity than was the case for milks. There was no significant difference between milks and kefirs as regards ferrous-ion chelating ability and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. These findings have demonstrated that kefirs possess antioxidant activity, thereby suggesting that kefirs are potential candidates for the role of useful natural antioxidant supplements for the human diet.
