Milk Kefir Beverage Improves Histomorphometry, Reduces Inflammatory Infiltrates and <i>Desulfovibrio</i> and Increases <i>Lactobacillus</i> in IL‐10 ^−/− Mice

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of milk kefir on parameters related to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in interleukin-10 knockout (IL-10^-/-) mice. Sixteen C57BL/6J IL-10^-/- male mice were divided into two experimental groups. The control group (n = 8) received 0.4 mL of whole milk (UHT) and the kefir group (n = 8) received 0.4 mL of a fermented beverage made from milk kefir grains (2.4 × 10⁸ colony-forming units [CFU]), both administered via gavage for 4 weeks. Feces were collected and body weight was measured weekly. At the end of the study, the animals were anesthetized and euthanized, and the small intestine and cecum content were collected for analysis. Proximate composition of kefir and microbiological analysis were conducted. Histomorphometry measurements and quantification of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were conducted in small intestine. SFCAs were also evaluated in cecum content, and microbiota composition was evaluated in fecal samples. The kefir beverage improved histomorphometry characteristics of the small intestine, increased the number of goblet cells, reduced inflammatory infiltrates, increased Lactobacillus, and reduced Desulfovibrio, suggesting attenuation of the inflammatory process. Furthermore, the kefir beverage increased the concentration of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid with anti-inflammatory properties, in the small intestine, which may also be associated with reduced inflammation in this group.