How to make homemade yogurt correctly?
Yogurt in history
The use of lactic acid bacteria in food fermentation dates back to ancient times, when it was discovered that, if certain conditions are met, it is possible to relatively easily create food with a new taste and a better shelf life from fresh food.
Fermented foods of both animal and plant origin comprise a significant portion of human diets worldwide. Dairy fermentation cultures were developed and introduced at the beginning of the 20th century primarily to achieve stable product quality
What distinguishes yogurt from other fermented milk products?
Yogurt is a type of soured milk made from milk. Yogurt is distinguished from other fermented dairy products (soured milk, buttermilk, kefir, etc.) by the traditional, symbiotic fermentation bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii sbsp.bulgaricus, which give yogurt its characteristic creamy consistency and taste. .
The notion that yogurt can be made wonderfully using store-bought yogurt has started to spread. This is a risky venture. Why?
Fermentation bacteria play an important role in the success of good yogurt. The bacteria in yogurt fermentation are in symbiosis with each other, i.e. they need each other for life, this is the recipe for good yogurt. Since both fermentation bacteria must be added to the yogurt in the right ratio, using store-bought yogurt as a source of yogurt carries the risk of yogurt making failure, because the ratio of different bacteria may have changed during the previous fermentation.
Can and how can you make yogurt yourself?
Yogurt is also easy to make at home using yogurt starters on the market under the Nordwise brand. Nordwise® yogurt starter contains just the right ratio of live yeast bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii sbsp. bulgaricus . By adding these bacteria to milk that has been previously pasteurized and cooled to the fermentation temperature, we can control the fermentation process.
Fermentation must take place at a temperature and time suitable for the fermentation bacteria. Therefore, a controlled, targeted fermentation process, compliance with hygiene requirements ensures the quality of yogurt. The prior heat treatment of yogurt milk has an effect on the properties of the proteins and creates the conditions for the formation of a permanent curd, which ensures the characteristic texture and viscosity of the final product, i.e. yogurt.
Heat treatment also increases the hydrophilicity of proteins, which in turn makes yogurt curdle stronger. Short-term and lower-temperature pasteurization or "heating" of milk does not induce sufficient denaturation of whey proteins. Therefore, the product does not reach the desired consistency at the end of the acidification process, but may remain liquid and with low viscosity.
In addition to traditional fermentation bacteria, probiotic bacteria are also added during yogurt production to provide added value. Eating fermented foods increases the number of beneficial lactic acid bacteria in the gut.
Nordwise® yogurt starter contains fermentation microbes in combination with beneficial, patented live lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum MCC1 , which increases the number of beneficial bacteria and stimulates the immune system.
Make your own!