Do you know fermented dairy?

In recent years dairy products have taken center stage. On the one hand, they have appeared detractors and defenders and, on the other, they have gone from consuming milk, yogurt and cheese to consuming a wide variety of dairy products and even products that are not derived from dairy, but have a similar format, such as soy-based dairy desserts, which They are packed in a container equal to that of yogurt. Besides the milk in its different forms, whole, semi, skimmed, powdered, condensed (which generally contains added sugar), evaporated, etc.

The yogurt

Yogurt is, as we pointed out, a fermented dairy product, this fermentation is produced by means of specific lactic bacteria, known as lactic ferments, are the Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. When we buy a yogurt these bacteria are still alive and abundantly present, and in fact the preferred consumption date indicates when a good part of these bacteria are no longer active.

Yogurt with bifidobacteria

In this case we are talking about the same as in the previous section, with the difference that the bacteria used to generate the product, or what is the same, to carry out the fermentation of the milk, are different from the previous ones. In this case it is bifidobacteria such as Bifidobacterium lactis. This type of yogurt was previously known by the name of "bio", what happens is that the legislation reserved this name for and since then they had to change their nomenclature to adapt to the new standard.

Types of yogurts

There are many varieties of yogurt: natural, with pieces of fruit, flavored, with cereals, etc. And, in addition, in whole or skimmed version, versions of creamy yogurt, which usually have added cream, etc. In these cases, to know what we are buying it is essential check the ingredient list and verify that we are really acquiring a yogurt that contains fruit. If it only has aroma, we can also see if sugar has been added and surely know the amount, also if creamy means that it has cream and is therefore much more fatty, etc. On a nutritional level, it is more advisable to choose the conventional "white" yogurt And if we want to add fruit, cereals, nuts, etc., do it ourselves at home, thus avoiding the sugar that is generally added to these products when making varieties of flavors or with added ingredients. Otherwise, as we have commented, we must look for the already prepared product that suits us best and

Fermented and pasteurized dairy

These products generated a lot of controversy in their day, since they are not really yogurts, but fermented dairy products that have been pasteurized after fermentation and therefore do not contain live bacteria at the time of purchase. This means that they can be kept at room temperature, but since it is not a yogurt, it cannot be attributed probiotic effects. Probiotics are viable, non-pathogenic bacteria that colonize the intestine and modify the intestinal microflora and its metabolic activities. Has effects beneficial to health.

Kefir

This product originating in the Caucasus is another example of food obtained from fermented milk. In this case, not only lactic fermentation takes place but also ethanolic fermentation. At kefir, Lactobacillus kefir and various species of the genus Leuconostoc, Lactococcus and Acetobacter produce lactic and ethyl fermentation, derived from the action of yeasts that ferment the lactose, such as Kluyveromyces marxiamus and Candida kefir, and others that do not use it, such as Saccharomyces unisporus, S. cerevisae and S. exiguus. Actually, the name kefir is not only called the drink that originates after fermentation, but it is also the name used to designate the set of microorganisms used to make kefir and that form cultures that shape Kefir grains, white granules that together look like cauliflower. Once the fermentation process is finished, the granules are removed and we obtain the kefir drink that has formed, a food similar to yogurt, with a more liquid consistency and with a somewhat more acidic flavor.

Leben

It is called laban, leben or labneh and is made with sheep's milk, cow's milk and occasionally goat. It is very typical in Morocco, Lebanon, Syria and the Middle East in general and is obtained after the action of Lactobacillus, together with Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Pediococcus cerevisiae, Streptococcus lactis and Bifidobacterium bifidus. Its consistency is usually somewhat thicker than yogurt, but it depends on the country, as it can sometimes have a doughy texture. It is often flavored with spices such as thyme or mint.

Skyr

An Icelandic product that has recently been gaining popularity and increasing its sales in different countries is Skyr, a preparation similar to yogurt, but with higher protein content, low fat content and a thicker and denser consistency. It was initially made with sheep's milk, and now cow's milk is used. The bacteria used to make it are Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus.

Filmjölk

In the Nordic countries, filmjölk It is usually taken for breakfast or as a snack. It is a dairy product originating in Sweden made from the fermentation of cow's milk by mesophyll bacteria, including Lactococcus lactis lactis, Lactococcus lactis cremoris, Lactococcus lactis diacetylactis and Leuconostoc mesentedamientos cremoris. It has a flavor and consistency similar to yogurt, but is somewhat less sour.

Kumys

The kumys is a product fermented by lactic and alcoholic fermentation originally from Mongolia. Currently it is made with cow's milk, but traditionally it was made with mare's milk. It can contain up to 3% alcohol due to alcoholic fermentation and the addition of sucrose to milk. Bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp., Bulgaricus and yeasts such as Kluveromyces marxianus take part in fermentation.

• In the case of dairy, how could it be otherwise, it is very important check labeling to be able to choose a good product.
• The participation of different bacteria and yeast on milk they give rise to a diversity of products that despite being similar have different nuances of flavor and texture.
• In addition to yogurts and other semi-liquid products, the dairy fermentation It also gives rise to cheeses, which will be very different depending on their preparation and curing.

Bachelor of Food Science and Technology Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics