Yogurt

For the Mel Brooks character, see Spaceballs.

Yoghurt or yogurt, or less commonly yoghourt or yogourt (see spelling below), is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Fermentation of the milk sugar (lactose) produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to give yoghurt its gel-like texture and its characteristic tang. Natural, unflavoured yoghurt is common as well as yoghurt in fruit, vanilla, and chocolate flavours. Many yoghurt substitutes such as "yoghurt" made from soya milk are also popular.

Commercial Japanese yoghurt

Yoghurt sold at the Bulgarian Pavilion of Expo 2005 - Aichi Japan

Yoghurt sold at the Caucasus common Pavilion of Expo 2005

Yoghurt, full fat

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	257 kJ (61 kcal)
Carbohydrates	4.7 g
Sugars	4.7 g (*)
Fat	3.3 g
Saturated	2.1 g
Monounsaturated	0.9 g
Protein	3.5 g
Vitamins	Quantity %DV†
Riboflavin (B2)	11% 0.14 mg
Minerals	Quantity %DV†
Calcium	9% 121 mg
(*) Lactose content diminishes during storage.
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.

History

There is evidence of cultured milk products being produced as food for at least 4,500 years since the 3rd millennium BC. The earliest yoghurts were probably spontaneously fermented by wild bacteria living on the goat skin bags carried by the Bulgars (or Hunno-Bulgars), a nomadic people who began migrating into Europe in the 2nd century AD and eventually settled in the Balkans at the end of the 7th century. Today, many different countries claim yoghurt as their own, yet there is no clear evidence as to where it was first discovered.

The use of yoghurt by ancient Turks is recorded in the books Diwan Lughat al-Turk by Mahmud Kashgari and Kutadgu Bilig by Yusuf Has Hajib written in the 11th century. In both texts the word "yoghurt" is mentioned in different sections and its use by nomadic Turks is described. The first account of a European encounter with yoghurt occurs in French clinical history: Francis I suffered from a severe diarrhoea which no French doctor could cure. His ally Suleiman the Magnificent sent a doctor, who allegedly cured the patient with yoghurt.

Until the 1900s, yoghurt was a staple in diets of the South Asian, Central Asian, Western Asian, South Eastern European and Central European regions. The Russian biologist Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov had an unproven theory that regular consumption of yoghurt was responsible for the unusually long lifespans of Bulgarian peasants. Believing Lactobacillus to be essential for good health, Mechnikov worked to popularise yoghurt as a foodstuff throughout Europe. It fell to a Spanish entrepreneur named Isaac Carasso to industrialise the production of yoghurt. In 1919, Carasso, who had previously lived in the Balkans, started a small yoghurt business in Barcelona and named the business Danone ("little Daniel") after his son. Carasso emigrated to the United States during World War II and set up a business in New York City under an Americanised version of the name: Dannon.

Yoghurt with added fruit jam was invented to protect yoghurt from decay. It was patented in 1933 by the Radlická Mlékárna dairy in Prague, and introduced to the United States in 1947, by Dannon.

Culture

Yoghurt is made by introducing specific bacteria strains into milk, which is subsequently fermented under controlled temperatures and environmental conditions, especially in industrial production. The bacteria ingest natural milk sugars and release lactic acid as a waste product. The increased acidity causes milk proteins to tangle into a solid mass (curd in a process called denaturation). The increased acidity (pH=4–5) also prevents the proliferation of potentially pathogenic bacteria. In the U.S., to be named yoghurt, the product must contain the bacteria strains Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. Often these two are co-cultured with other lactic acid bacteria for taste or health effects (See probiotics). These include L. acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium species.

In most countries, a product may be called yoghurt only if live bacteria are present in the final product. In the U.S., non-pasteurised yoghurt can be marketed as "live" or containing "live active culture". A small amount of live yoghurt can be used to inoculate a new batch of yoghurt, as the bacteria reproduce and multiply during fermentation. Pasteurised products, which have no living bacteria, are called fermented milk (drink).

In Spain, yoghurt producers were divided between those who wanted to reserve the name yoghurt for live yoghurt and those who wanted to include pasteurised products, the Pascual Hermanos group being the most prominent among the latter. Pasteurised yoghurt has a shelf life of months and does not require refrigeration. Both sides submitted scientific studies supporting their claims. The Spanish government eventually allowed the label yogur pasteurizado to replace the former postre lácteo ("dairy dessert").

People who are otherwise lactose-intolerant often enjoy yoghurt without ill effects because live yoghurt cultures contain enzymes which help break down lactose inside the intestine.

Yoghurt is rich in protein, several B vitamins, and essential minerals. It contains as much fat as the milk it is made from.

For women experiencing yeast infections, a common cure is the daily ingestion of yoghurt containing L. acidophilus, which combats the imbalance of colonies of the fungus Candida albicans .

Many antibiotics cause fungal problems in the mouth or on the tongue and skin due to a reduction in the number of commensal bacteria in the gut . Eating live yoghurt can stave off these problems before they happen if taken daily after completing a course of antibiotics.

Non-sweetened, drinkable yoghurt is sometimes sold in the West as buttermilk or cultured buttermilk. This is a misnomer, as the drink has little in common with buttermilk and is, in fact, most similar to kefir.

Presentation

To offset its natural sourness, yoghurt can be sold sweetened, flavoured, or in containers with fruit or fruit jam on the bottom. If the fruit has been stirred into the yoghurt before purchase, it is commonly referred to as Swiss-style. Most yoghurts in the United States has added pectin or gelatin. Like cream cheese, some specialty yoghurts (e.g., Brown Cow Yogurt) have a layer of fermented fat at the top. Fruit jam is used instead of raw fruit pieces in fruit yoghurts to allow storage for weeks . "Strained" yoghurt is the concentrated residue (described as a sort of "yoghurt cheese") produced by filtering plain yoghurt that is without flavourings, gelatin, pectin, or other additives through a paper or cloth filter, and allowing water and whey to drain from away.

Yoghurt types

Dahi yoghurt

Dahi yoghurt of the Indian subcontinent is known for its characteristic taste and consistency. The English term for a specific yoghurt in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan is curd. A typical Marathi preparation of curd, a dessert called 'shrikhand', is made with curd placed in a soft cloth with very fine holes, such as soft muslin. The cloth is tied up and hung to drain for a few hours while all the water drains out. Sugar, salt, red chili powder, black pepper, Jeera (cumin seed) powder, saffron, cardamom, diced fruit, raisins, and nuts may then be mixed in for taste. A special Indian preparation called "Raita" involves putting in grated cucumber or grated bottle gourd and spices. In South India, the preparation involves using tomato, cucumber, onion raitas and others like spinach & onion, radish and snakegourd with cashews or poppy seeds grinded along with coconut. In South India, it is common for people to eat rice mixed with plain yogurt or buttermilk as the last course in a meal.

Dadiah or Dadih

Dadiah sold in Bukittingi Market

Dadiah, or Dadih, is a traditional West Sumatran yoghurt made from water buffalo milk. It is fermented in bamboo tubes.

Labneh or Labaneh

Labneh yoghurt of Lebanon is a thickened yoghurt used for sandwiches. Olive oil, cucumber slices, olives, and various green herbs may be added. It can be thickened further and rolled into balls, preserved in olive oil, and fermented for a few more weeks. It is sometimes used with onions, meat, and nuts as a stuffing for a variety of Lebanese pies or Kebbeh كبة balls.

Bulgarian

Bulgarian yoghurt (Bulgarian: кисело мляко, lit. sour milk), commonly consumed plain, is popular for its taste, aroma, and quality. The qualities arise from the Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus culture strains used in Bulgaria and Macedonia. Bulgarian yoghurt producers are taking steps to protect the Bulgarian yoghurt trademark in Europe and to distinguish it from other products that do not contain live bacteria.

Bulgarian yoghurt is often strained by hanging it in a cloth for a few hours to reduce water content. The resulting yoghurt is creamier, richer and milder in taste because of increased fat content. Hanging it overnight creates a concentrated yoghurt similar to cream cheese. Yoghurt is also used to prepare Bulgarian milk salad. Commercial versions of strained yoghurt exist.

A popular cold soup made from yoghurt is popular in the summertime in Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey. Called tarator and cacık, respectively, it is made with Ayran, cucumbers, garlic and ground walnuts in Bulgaria, and generally without walnuts in Turkey.

Yoghurt Drinks

Lassi is a yoghurt-based beverage originally from the Indian Subcontinent (i.e. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) that is usually slightly salty or sweet. Salty lassi is usually flavored with ground, roasted cumin and chile peppers. The sweet variety is flavoured with rosewater, lemon, mango or other fruit juice. Another yoghurt-based beverage, a salty drink called ayran, is popular in Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. It is made by mixing yoghurt with water and adding salt. The same drink is known as tan in Armenia, "Laban Ayran" in Syria, "Shenina" in Jordan, "Moru" in South India, and "Laban Arbil" in Iraq. A similar drink, doogh, is popular in the Middle East between Lebanon and Iran; it differs from ayran by the addition of herbs, usually mint, and is carbonated, usually with seltzer water. In the United States, yoghurt-based beverages are often marketed under names like "yoghurt smoothie" or "drinkable yoghurt".

They are also popular in Ecuador where the primary form of yoghurt is "bebida de yogurt", which literally means drink of yoghurt.

One popular yoghurt drink in Canada, UK, and Ireland, is called Yop. It is sold in supermarkets and select stores.

Kefir

Kefir is a fermented milk drink originating in Caucasus. A related Central Asian-Turco Mongolian drink made from mare's milk is called kumis, or airag in Mongolia. Some American dairies have offered a drink called "kefir" for many years with fruit flavors but without carbonation or alcohol. As of 2002, names like "drinkable yoghurt" and "yoghurt smoothie" have been introduced.

Homemade yoghurt

A yoghurt-making kit, with container, thermos, and thermometer.

Yoghurt is customarily made in domestic environments in regions where yoghurt has an important place in traditional cuisine. It can be made from a small amount of store-bought, plain, live culture yoghurt by adding milk and heating at a constant, but not boiling, temperature. Special yoghurt-making machines assist in small-batch yoghurt-making.

Caspian Sea Yoghurt

In Japan, Caspian Sea Yoghurt is a popular, homemade yoghurt. It is believed to have been introduced into Japan in 1986 by researchers returning from a trip to the Caucasus region in Georgia.

This Georgian yogurt variety, called Matsoni, is started with Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris and Acetobacter orientalis species and has a unique, viscous, honey-like texture. It is milder in taste than other varieties of yoghurts.

Caspian Sea yoghurt is ideally made at home because it requires no special equipment nor unobtainable culture and can be made at room temperature (20–30°C) in 10 to 15 hours. In Japan, freeze-dried, starter cultures are sold in department stores and online, although many people obtain starter cultures from friends.

Etymology and spelling

The word "yoghurt" comes from the Turkish yoğurt , itself derived from the adjective yoğun, which means "dense" and "thick", or from the verb yoğurmak, which means "to knead" and possibly originally meant "to make dense" – i.e. how yoghurt is made. The letter ğ was traditionally rendered as "gh" in transliterations of Turkish, which until the introduction of the Latin alphabet in 1928 used to be written in a variant of the Arabic alphabet. In older Turkish the letter denoted a voiced velar fricative /ɣ/, but this sound is elided between back vowels in modern Turkish, in which the word is pronounced as /jo'uɾt/. Some eastern dialects retain the consonant in this position, and Turks in the Balkans pronounce the word with a hard /g/.

In English, there are several variations of the spelling of the word. In the United States, yogurt is the usual spelling and yoghurt a minor variant. In the United Kingdom, yoghurt and yogurt are both current, and yoghourt is an uncommon alternative. Canada uses mostly yogurt and yogourt; in Australia and New Zealand yoghurt prevails. Whatever the spelling, the word is pronounced /'jɒgət/ or /'jəʊgət/ in Britain, /'jogɚt/ in the United States, and /'jəʉgət/ in Australia. See further at American and British English spelling differences.

See also

• Cacık
• Clabber (food)
• Crème fraîche
• Curd
• Frozen yogurt
• Kefir
• Kombucha
• Sour cream
• Tzatziki
• Viili
• Yakult

External links

• US National Center for Home Food Preservation: Fermenting Yogurt at Home
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