Yogurt

Yogurt (Turkish: yoğurt), less commonly yoghourt, yogourt, or yogurt, is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Any sort of milk may be used to make yogurt, but modern production is dominated by cow's milk. It is the fermentation of milk sugar (lactose) into lactic acid that gives yoghurt its gel-like texture and characteristic tang.

Word origins

The word derives from the Turkish yoğurt, deriving from the verb yoğurtmak, which means "to blend," a reference to how yogurt is made. In Turkish, the word has a soft g, and is pronouced [yaw-ghurt], where the gh is similar to the ch used in loch but voiced. English pronunciation varies in different regions according to the local accent but common pronunciations include /jOg@t/, /jog@rt/, and /jOG@rt/ (using SAMPA).

Yogurt making involves the introduction of specific "friendly" bacteria into pasteurized milk under very carefully controlled temperature and environmental conditions. The bacteria ingest the natural milk sugars and release lactic acid as a waste product; the increased acidity, in turn, causes the milk proteins to tangle into a solid mass, (curd). Generally a culture includes two or more different bacteria for more complete fermentation; the most commonly used microbes are Streptococcus salivarius and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, although sometimes another member of the Lactobacillus genus is used, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus. If the yogurt is not heated to kill the bacteria after fermentation it is sold as containing "live active culture" (or just as "live" in some countries), which some believe to be nutritionally superior. In Spain, the yogurt producers were divided among those who wanted to reserve the name yogur for live yogurt and those who wanted to include pasteurized yogurt under that label (mostly the Pascual Hermanos group).

Pasteurized yoghurt has a shelf life of months and does not require refrigeration. Both sides submitted scientific studies claiming differences or their lack between both varieties. Eventually the Spanish government allowed the label yogur pasteurizado instead of the former postre lácteo ("dairy dessert").

Because live yogurt culture contains enzymes that break down lactose, some individuals who are otherwise lactose intolerant find that they can enjoy yogurt without ill effects. Nutritionally, yogurt is rich in protein as well as several B vitamins and essential minerals, and it is as low in fat as the milk it is made from.

Presentation

Yogurt is often sold sweetened and flavored, or with added fruit on the bottom, to offset its natural sourness. If the fruit is already stirred into the yoghurt it is sometimes referred to as Swiss-style]].

Greek-style yogurt is made from milk that has been blended with cream to a fat content of exactly ten percent. It is often served with honey as a dessert.

Lassi is a refreshing yoghurt-based beverage, originally from India where two basic varieties are known: salty and sweet. Salty lassi is usually flavored with ground-roasted cumin and chili peppers; the sweet variety with rosewater and/or lemon, mango or other fruit juice. A lassi-like, salty drink called Ayran is also quite popular in Turkey. It is made by mixing yoghurt with water and adding salt. Commercial products resembling sweet lassi began appearing on the U.S. market during 2002, with names like "Drinking Yogurt" and "Yogurt Smoothie."

History

Yogurt is traditionally believed to be an invention of the Bulgar people of central Asia, although there is evidence of cultured milk products in other cultures as far back as 2000 BCE. The earliest yogurts were probably spontaneously fermented, perhaps by wild bacteria residing inside goatskin bags used for transportation.

Yogurt remained primarily a food of central and eastern Europe until the 1900s, when a Russian biologist named Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov theorized that heavy consumption of yogurt was responsible for the unusually long lifespans of the Bulgar people. Believing lactobacillus to be essential for good health, Mechnikov worked to popularize yogurt as a foodstuff throughout Europe. It fell to a Spanish entrepreneur named Isaac Carasso to industrialize the production of yogurt. In 1919, he started a commercial yogurt plant in Barcelona, naming the business Danone after his son. (The group trades as Dannon in the U.S.)

Homemade yoghurt

Yogurt can be made at home using a small amount of store-bought plain live active culture yoghurt as the starter culture. One very simple recipe starts with a litre of low-fat milk, but requires some means to incubate the fermenting yogurt at a constant 109.4°F (43°C) for several hours. Yogurt-making machines are available for this purpose. As with all fermentation processes, cleanliness is very important.

• Bring the milk to 185°F (85°C) over a stove and keep it there for two minutes, to kill any undesirable microbes.
• Pour the re-pasteurized milk into a tall, sterile container and allow to cool to 43°C (110°F)
• Mix in ½ cup (120mL) of the warmed yogurt and cover tightly.
• After about six hours of incubation at precisely 110°F (43°C); the entire mixture will have become a very plain but edible yogurt with a loose consistency.
  • If a precise means of temperature control is not available, put the culture in a warm place such as on top of a water heater or in a gas oven with just the pilot flame burning. The further below 110°F (43°C) the temperature, the longer it will take for the yoghurt to solidify; you can tell it is done when it no longer moves if you tilt the jar.

See also

• Cheese
• Kephir