Drinking cold kefir on a hot day - what could be more pleasant! In the summer, our body is not accidentally striving for fermented milk drinks: they protect against intestinal infections and other digestive troubles possible this season. But only foods without preservatives are useful. Here's how to choose the right yogurt and kefir.

Fermented milk products are obtained from milk or its derivatives (cream, whey) by fermentation with various ferments in the form of lactic acid bacteria (thermophilic streptococcus, lactococcus, acidophilus and Bulgarian bacillus) and yeast. These foods help the body absorb the nutrients in milk and have a beneficial effect on metabolism.

The sourdough contains 10 times more lactobacilli than is usually found in fermented milk products. Alive lactic acid bacteria with regular use, they strengthen the immune system and slow down the aging process of the body, and also remove radionuclides from the body.

Kefir

As part of classic kefir- only milk and sourdough on kefir fungi. Kefir shelf life- from 36 hours to 15 days. Fermented milk products with a shelf life of more than 20 days contain preservatives.

According to GOST, the number of lactic acid bacteria at the end of the shelf life of kefir must be at least 1 × 107 CFU / g, the amount of yeast - at least 1 × 104 CFU / g. CFU- colonies of forming units - live microorganisms, lactic acid bacteria. It is customary to indicate the number of CFU per 1 g.

How to choose healthy kefir for you?

• Kefir can be weak, medium and strong. It depends on its maturity - there is more carbon dioxide and alcohol in a three-day-old kefir than in a one-day one. Strong kefir is the most active catalyst for digestive processes in the stomach and cleansing in the intestines.
• Kefir of different strength has a different effect on the intestines: fresh daily kefir weakens, strong three-day old - strengthens.
• Strong kefir is not for everyone. For people who suffer from ulcers, pancreatitis or gastritis, kefir for three or more days of exposure is not useful.
• On the packaging of real kefir, there is certainly a certification mark CTP and GOST R 52093.

Other lactic acid drinks

The drink prepared on pure lactic acid microorganisms is a kefir product. Shelf life of kefir product- up to 20 days.

Biokefir Is kefir enriched with bifidobacteria, microorganisms that activate metabolic processes. Biokefir is suitable even for people with cow's milk intolerance.

V fermented baked contains a large number of beneficial bacteria that improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys.

Acidophilus bacillus improves the digestion process and helps to lower blood cholesterol levels.

Yoghurts

Currently, three types of yoghurts are produced: natural yoghurt without fruit and aromatic additives, fruit or vegetable yoghurt and flavored yoghurt. When comparing natural and fruit yoghurt, the benefits will be on the side of the former. Natural yogurt is a lactic acid drink, without heat treatment after fermentation, containing lactic acid bacteria.

Buy natural yoghurt without sugar and fruit additives - it is not at all as boring as it seems. Add fruits or berries to your taste, mix - healthy and tasty author's yogurt is ready. Also, natural yogurt without sugar and fruit is suitable for dressing salads - it is an excellent substitute for high-calorie mayonnaise or sour cream.

Choosing yogurt

• Yoghurts are divided into "live" (with active microorganisms and fermenting microbes) and those in which there are no bacteria. The former have a short shelf life, but they are useful, in contrast to the latter, "long-playing" yoghurts with a long shelf life. Do not take a product with a long shelf life, due to heat treatment, there are no beneficial bacteria in it. Shelf life of real live yoghurt should not exceed seven days, provided that the yoghurt is stored in the refrigerator at a temperature not higher than 7 ° C.
• High-quality yoghurt contains milk (pasteurized and / or skimmed), a culture of lactic acid bacteria, possibly pieces of fruit. In dessert yoghurts, cream, sugar or sourdough is added to this composition.
• Only those yoghurts that contain living cultures... The packaging must indicate their presence, such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidus and Lactobacillus acidophilus.
• Drinkable yoghurts with pieces or fruit juice may contain a lot of sugar. Therefore, people who monitor their weight need to be more careful about their choice.
• Part fruit yogurt includes natural fruits. To make it have the desired texture, gelatin and stabilizers are added to it. The addition of sugar significantly increases the calorie content of yogurt.

Discussion

06/11/2017 15:49:10, Ilona125

I prefer fermented baked milk more

Yes, I heard that we do not have all kefir, where it is written), including drinking. Therefore, I use fermented baked milk))

I was deliberately not too lazy and went to the kitchen for a packet of kefir to read what was written there. Judging by the article, it is clearly not kefir in my refrigerator))) It is a pity that it is so difficult to find high-quality and tasty kefir in stores.

Comment on the article "Kefir and yogurt: how to choose a" live "product? Composition and shelf life"

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yogurt yogurt strife. We eat actimel activa, rastishka and the most hit - the red-up pudding. And so on his priter (this is a chocolate = adno-vanilla which). Most often, dyes and sweeteners are mixed there, and natural yoghurts are useful, of course, for everyone.

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There is a huge selection of yoghurt on store shelves. Bright and beautiful packaging, tempting drawings of fruits and berries, screaming health benefits…. The hand itself reaches for them! I just want to try all the yoghurts, but still, let's figure out whether it is worth buying the yoghurt you like, and will it be good for your health? So, we choose the healthiest and freshest yogurt.

Examining the packaging

Take any yogurt from the shelf and look at the composition. Most likely, you will see the following ingredients: normalized milk, reconstituted milk, skimmed milk powder, dyes, sugar, flavorings, stabilizers, acidity regulators, fruit additives, and the like. What is the use of yogurt with such a dubious composition?

Real yoghurt - "live"

Real healthy yoghurt is "live": live bacteria must be present in such a product. Look for clearly labeled “active” or “live” crops such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidus, and Lactobacillus acidophilus on the packaging.

Natural yogurt always contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus, but Lactobacillus acidophilus may be absent, but it is such a culture that will be very useful for our intestines. Look for it in yogurt ingredients. In addition, do not confuse the sign "Living and active cultures" with the inscription "made on the basis of live lactobacilli", because this is how the manufacturer tries to deceive the consumer, confuse and sell a useless product.

Shelf life

Healthy yogurt has a shelf life of no more than two weeks, and ideally should not exceed seven days. Manufacturers often make thermized yoghurt products in an effort to extend the life of their product. There is no useful microflora in such yoghurts. Simply put, after heat treatment, the shelf life increases and can go up to several months, killing live bacteria. In general, the shelf life is the most important factor in the choice of yoghurt. According to international quality standards, natural yogurt is a lactic acid drink, and after fermentation it should not undergo heat treatment and lactic acid bacteria should be preserved in it, which die after 5-7, maximum 14 days at a temperature of 0 + 10 ° C.

How much sugar do you need?

There are not so many lovers of real yoghurt, because sugar is not added to it. Therefore, most buyers prefer yoghurts with additives - pieces of berries or fruits. But the pieces of fruit are also processed before they get into yogurt, and they are deprived of all vitamins. This special treatment of berry and fruit additives is necessary to prevent the fermentation process.

Buy yogurt that has two main ingredients: skim milk or pasteurized milk, and live cultures of lactic acid bacteria. A lot of calories and little benefit from fruit yoghurts, they contain sweeteners and sugar.

Fruit yogurt is not real product.

When buying, you should pay attention to the calcium content - a very useful trace element. Its content in yogurt should be within 300 mg, and its calorie content should not exceed 250 kcal. Keep in mind that calorie content directly depends on additives: without sugar and additives there are fewer calories, but this is a matter of taste.

Harmful and dangerous ingredients

And try to avoid yoghurts with such inscriptions: the flavor identical to the natural one is pure chemistry.

Also, do not buy yogurt with vegetable fats, an analogue of margarine, guar gum. These ingredients are very harmful and guar gum is also allergenic. Pectin, sodium citrate, food gelatin are also not the best ingredients for yogurt.
Often, under the guise of yogurt, an aqueous drink is sold, to which colors and flavors have been added.

Also note that the starch in the composition is a sign of fake.

How to check yoghurt for authenticity? Put a couple of tablespoons of yogurt in a cup or glass and add a couple of drops of iodine. Did you see the blue spots? This means that starch has been added to the composition.

Package

Do not buy yogurt in a deformed, wrinkled package, this may indicate a leak, which is very dangerous to health. If the package is open, do not take it. Packages with a plastic lid are more useful, they are not damaged during transportation.

Important!
If the manufacturer does not comply with the standards, then often goes to the trick, calling the product "yogurt", "frogurtik", etc. Remember this is all just useless delicious dessert... On the package there should be an inscription "Yogurt".

By the way, the density of the drink does not affect the content of lactobacilli, these crops feel equally good both in drinking and in thick yogurt. Other dairy products such as whey or casein can also be added to natural yogurt.
Note that yogurt has a high concentration of lactic acid - you should not give it to children under one year old.

We wish you a good choice!

Approaching the dairy department of any store or a stall specializing in dairy products, we are drowning in the variety of drinks presented.

An impressive range of fermented milk products - from traditional kefir, koumiss and varenets in barrels to acidophilus, fermented baked milk and yoghurts in some suspiciously small ones plastic containers makes choosing a buyer a very difficult process.

A lot of questions start to spin in my head. Buy bifidorezhenka or yogurt? Which yogurt should you prefer? Which of the presented products are healthy and natural? Why are kefir and yogurt starter cultures sold separately if these products are brought to the store every day? And is it worth buying fermented milk desserts with a frightening shelf life of about a year if the milk sours within three days?

What are the properties and characteristics of the “relatives” of kefir, what is the difference between yoghurt and other fermented milk drinks, what is a yoghurt product and how to make a choice, let's figure it out.

How are fermented milk products useful?

Even I.I. Mechnikov noted that fermented milk products, destroying the pathogenic microflora in the intestine and activating the growth of beneficial microorganisms, prevent self-poisoning of the human body and suspend the aging and decay processes.

The cleansing properties of yoghurt and other fermented milk drinks help in weight loss. As a result of the systematic use of yogurt, a person loses the gained kilograms, dissolves fat deposits, removes excess feces and corrects the slim body shape.

All fermented milk products can be classified according to the fermentation method:

Drinks obtained by purely fermented milk fermentation: yoghurt, yogurt, fermented baked milk, acidophilic milk.
Drinks made by combined fermentation - alcoholic and fermented milk: kumis and kefir.

Yogurt: which one to choose

Live yoghurt

Like all other fermented milk drinks, yogurt is considered much more valuable for the human body than whole cow's milk... The product, fermented under the influence of beneficial bacteria, is not only easily absorbed, but also saturates the intestines with irreplaceable microflora. The drink contains a number of vitamins (A, group B, C), mineral salts (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium), highly digestible protein compounds, enzymes, and healing bacteria.

If yeast and lactic acid streptococci are used when fermenting kefir, then Bulgarian bacillus, thermophilic and lactic acid streptococci are used to prepare yogurt. The very name "Bulgarian stick" testifies to the birthplace of the drink - the Balkan Peninsula.

Back in the 15th century AD, the peoples of the Mediterranean began to prepare a dietary and cleansing product of youth and longevity, which has received the modern name yogurt.

Not everyone knows that ¾ of all elements of the immune system is located in the intestine and on its state, in particular on the ratio of harmful and beneficial microorganisms, depends not only on the ability of our body to evacuate waste products, but also to resist external unfavorable factors and attacks of viruses, microbes, bacteria.

Thanks to Bulgarian bacillus, natural live yogurt has a unique ability to free the digestive system from pathogenic flora, putrefactive bacteria, pathogens. The benefits of all natural fermented milk products it is concluded precisely in the presence of living bacteria. Drinks made using high temperature sterilization techniques can be safely classified as "dead".

... and the yogurt is dead

All the beneficial properties described above apply only to natural, that is, live yoghurts, and not to yoghurt products made using modern technologies. The high (compared to kefir) acidity of yoghurt is often masked by the addition of sweeteners, flavors and fruit fillers, and not always natural ones.

Small boxes with the so-called yogurt, made with strong heat treatment, are, at best, a useless delicacy, since all living bacteria in the product are completely destroyed, and at worst, undoubted harm to the body due to the presence of stabilizers, preservatives, dyes, and chemically processed pieces of fruit and their extracts, flavor enhancers, flavors and other unnatural ingredients.

Inquire about the finely compiled composition of these dead fruit yoghurts, even if you have to bring a magnifying glass to the store to do so. The list of "synthetic" ingredients will make your hair stand on end. A staggering shelf life of up to 1 year allows manufacturers to generate profits with the least risk.

Do not be surprised if you do not find milk and cream in the composition of the ingredients of the "dead yogurt", on which, in fact, it should ferment. Some manufacturers have appropriated the beautiful word yogurt (or similar to it) to their products to attract naive consumers. In fact, this product is made from starch, modified soybeans, vegetable protein, flavors, residues after pressing fruit into juices, jelly, marshmallows and other confectionery products.

How to identify live yogurt

1. Savings term. Natural yogurt, as a rule, is stored for no more than 2 weeks at a temperature exceeding + 6 ° C, that is, only in the refrigerator. Some manufacturers produce yoghurt for up to 1 month. Remember that the longer the shelf life of the finished product, the more likely it is that a starter-killing heat treatment was used in the manufacture. Yoghurt products are stored at room temperature from 1 month. up to six months.


2. Name... The label on the package should be yogurt, not a consonant name, such as "frugurt", "yoghurt dessert", "milk-based yoghurt-based product" and other tricks of inventive manufacturers.


3. List of ingredients. The composition of a live product must contain milk, cream and yoghurt starter culture with an indication of the amount of beneficial lactic acid bacteria per unit of the product. Remember that milk must have a fat content of 6% to get yogurt, which is why cream is added to it. On the packaging of dead drinks, somewhere in an inconspicuous place and in very small print is typed "yoghurt product", "thermized product", but there is no yoghurt starter in the list of components.

One more point is important. It is desirable that the purchased yoghurt is packaged in a polypropylene container (there is a “pp” mark at the bottom of the package). Polystyrene cups can release hazardous compounds into the fermented milk product in cases where at the time of the spill the temperature of the yogurt was above normal, and from a failure in technological process no manufacturer is insured. Polystyrene containers are marked with "ps".

That is, the conclusion from this information suggests itself: buy only live yoghurts, preferably made in your region, in polypropylene packaging, with the specified number of live bacteria per unit of drink weight. Yoghurt products are of no value to the body, and often can cause significant harm.

Recently, in the pharmacy and dairy departments of supermarkets, you can buy kefir and yoghurt starter cultures. This is a concentrated powder containing a certain amount of valuable microorganisms, adding which to whole milk get ready-made kefir and yogurt. Naturally, it is preferable to cook lactic acid products on your own, especially from natural village milk. So you not only know exactly what is in your glass, but also get the most effective product useful in every way.

Nutritionists recommend including fermented milk products in the daily diet of children and adults. To determine which drink is most beneficial to you, listen to your own feelings. It should be borne in mind that kefir, in comparison with yogurt, is a drink more preferable for the child's body and all people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, due to the lower acidity. Cook fermented milk products at home and be healthy!

Yoghurt, yoghurt, bioygurt, drinking yoghurt ... It's just that your eyes run wide, isn't it ?! In fact, it is one and the same product - yoghurt, which manufacturers give a variety of names in order to attract as many customers as possible to the product.

Natural yogurt: what is it?

Natural yogurt is made from the following components:

• whole milk
• starter cultures from probiotics: Bulgarian bacillus (in Latin Lactobacillus bulgaricus) + thermophilic lactic acid streptococcus (Streptococcusthermophilus).

The health benefits of these microorganisms are invaluable. They perform a number of critical tasks:

• remove toxins and toxins from the body,
• normalize the activity of the digestive tract,
• prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria,
• increase the protective functions of the body,
• prevent the development of gastrointestinal diseases and oncology,
• promote the assimilation of a number of vitamins and essential amino acids.

Yogurt: read the label!

By choosing , carefully read its composition. It will help determine how many useful and harmful substances a given yogurt contains.

1. Minimum of artificial components

Alas, during the production of some yoghurts, a number of unnatural components (the so-called "E") are added to them: stabilizers, preservatives, dyes, flavors, etc. The less of these compounds in the composition of yoghurt, the more useful it is.

Alas, it is very rare to find yogurt in a store that was made without the use of stabilizers. Give preference to foods that contain natural stabilizers (gelatin, guar gum). Unlike artificial stabilizers, natural ones are obtained from plant materials - they will not do much harm to your body.

1. CFU - indicator of "live" yogurt

According to the presence of beneficial microorganisms, yoghurts can be conditionally divided into "live" and "inanimate". The former contain probiotics (beneficial microorganisms), and the latter do not.

Carefully read what is written on the packaging of the product: on the label of "live" yogurt containing beneficial bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, their quantity (CFU) in 1 g of the product is always indicated at the end of the shelf life.

1. Short shelf life

The rule is quite simple: the shorter the shelf life of the yoghurt, the more natural it is. The so-called "live" yoghurt can be stored at 2-6 degrees Celsius for a maximum of 2-3 weeks. If the packaging indicates a long shelf life (over 3-4 weeks), then this yogurt is unlikely to contain useful probiotics. After all, it is possible to increase the shelf life of yogurt only due to its heat treatment, as a result of which all beneficial microorganisms die.

1. Say no to thermized and sterilized yoghurts

If the name or description of the yogurt says that it is thermized or sterilized, then we can say with confidence that this product was subjected to heat treatment(this is the so-called "non-living" yogurt). In the process of such processing, not only harmful, but also beneficial microorganisms, so necessary for our body, died. As a result, the shelf life of such yoghurt can reach 30 days or more.

However, even though all useful biological cultures die during the heat treatment, "non-living" yogurt can bring certain benefits to your body, because it is rich in proteins, carbohydrates and fats, vitamins and minerals.

1. Say yes to prebiotics

Some yoghurts are supplemented with prebiotics (fiber and inulin) - compounds that beneficial bacteria feed on. Therefore, yoghurts with prebiotics have certain advantages over regular yoghurts.

1. Only natural fillers

There are two main types of fruit yoghurts:

• with pieces of fruit (apple, strawberry, peach, etc.) processed at high temperatures;
• with jam, which often contains flavorings, thickeners, and sugar.

In the case of the first yoghurt, you will read the phrase "cherry pieces" ("cherry") in the product, in the second case - "cherry filler: ...".

What are bacterial starters?

VIVO bacterial starter cultures are a product containing live, human-friendly bacteria. These bacteria have a number of characteristics:

• are able to ferment milk, turning it into a fermented milk product;
• have probiotic properties - they contribute to the restoration of intestinal microflora;
• are antagonists of many pathogenic microorganisms, in other words, they resist the development of pathogenic bacteria.

How are VIVO starter cultures used?

Bacterial starter cultures are used for home cooking of fermented milk products. Homemade fermented milk products prepared with the use of VIVO starter culture have a number of therapeutic and prophylactic properties and a number of advantages over store-bought yoghurts.

In addition, some starter cultures are used without fermentation as a probiotic.

Why are VIVO starter cultures used?

Fermented milk products prepared with VIVO starter cultures are used:

• as an alternative to "store" yoghurts, cottage cheese, sour cream in daily meals;
• as the most physiological (natural) and effective means of restoring and maintaining microflora, with dysbacteriosis and dysbiosis;
• to minimize the negative impact on health, during and after the use of antibiotics and chemotherapy;
• to maintain immunity;
• in dietary food.

How are VIVO starter cultures used in baby food?

• guaranteed freshness of the product;
• lack of preservatives, flavors, dyes, stabilizers;
• fermented milk products - a source of essential nutrients for the body in an easy-to-digest form.

These factors have determined the enormous popularity of the use of VIVO starter cultures as fermented milk supplements for children. Better to start with Bifivit VIVO (used for decades in dairy kitchens the former USSR) and Curd VIVO. Also, if the child likes sour foods, VIVO Acidolact (also known as Narine, acidophilus milk or acidophilus paste) can be started. Over time, when the child gets used to fermented milk products, you can add Vitalact and Yogurt to the menu, and replace Bifivit with Probio Yogurt

Whatever complementary foods you introduce to your baby (be it VIVO fermented milk products, cereals, vegetable or fruit purees), we strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the rules for introducing complementary foods.

How do VIVO starter cultures help to restore the intestinal microflora?

The generally accepted method of restoring microflora is the use of probiotics - preparations containing beneficial bacteria.

Unlike tablets, VIVO fermented milk products are the most natural way for humans to deliver beneficial bacteria to the intestines.

The second advantage over drugs is the number of these bacteria. The number of bacteria in one average capsule or tablet is comparable to the number of beneficial bacteria in just one gram of VIVO fermented milk product.

In addition, a big problem of disturbance of intestinal microflora is that pathogenic or conditionally pathogenic microorganisms settle in the place of missing beneficial bacteria in the intestine. VIVO fermented milk products contain bacteria that counteract the development of many disease-causing bacteria.

During the fermentation process, these bacteria produce lactic acid and other substances that inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi.

VIVO starter cultures in fermented milk diets.

There are many diets based on the use of fermented milk products. Ideally, the diet should be prescribed by a dietitian, taking into account the individual characteristics of your body and the set therapeutic and prophylactic goals.

Therefore, we refrain from publishing any diets on our website. They can be easily found on the Internet using any search engine. Whichever fermented milk diet you follow, using homemade VIVO products instead of store-bought products will bring much greater benefits:

• fermented milk products made from VIVO starter cultures are truly fresh and "alive";
• do not contain dyes, preservatives, stabilizers;
• do not contain sugar, sugar substitutes, vegetable fats.

Who produces the VIVO starter cultures?

The VIVO group of companies was established in 2008 and specializes in the production and sale of bacterial starter cultures for the preparation of live homemade fermented milk products.

Thanks to the unique useful properties VIVO starter cultures, their high quality and safety are loved by millions of people around the world.

VIVO starter cultures are especially popular in Russia, where they occupy a leading position in the market and are presented in all large supermarkets and pharmacies of the country.

The VIVO production base is located in Russia, Moscow. Bacterial cultures of the world's leading manufacturers from France, Germany and Denmark are used as raw materials.

How to cook fermented milk products?

It is very easy to prepare a fermented milk product using VIVO lactic starter culture.

For maximum simple preparation we need super-pasteurized milk, VIVO starter culture and a yogurt maker.

You can use not only super-pasteurized milk, but also boiled homemade or ordinary (pasteurized) "store" milk.

You can also prepare a fermented milk product without a yogurt maker.

In the section "Instructions

How to cook fermented milk products in a yogurt maker?

We need milk, VIVO starter culture and a yogurt maker.

The leaven is dissolved, mixed with milk at room temperature, poured into cups and placed in a yogurt maker. All this will take no more than 5 minutes of your time. After that, the yogurt maker will do everything automatically. You just have to take out the finished product from it and put it in the refrigerator.

In the "Instructions" section you will find all the information you need to cook.

How to cook fermented milk products in a thermos?

A yoghurt maker is a simple and inexpensive device that greatly facilitates the preparation of fermented milk products at home. But if it is not there, it doesn’t matter. A regular liter thermos with a glass flask will do.

The milk is boiled, cooled to a certain temperature, the leaven is dissolved and mixed with milk. This mixture is poured into a thermos and left to ferment for a certain time (the temperature and fermentation time depend on the specific type of ferment and are indicated in the instructions).

After that, the finished product is poured from a thermos and placed in the refrigerator.

In the "Instructions" section you will find all the information you need to cook.

Is it possible to cook fermented milk products without a yogurt maker and a thermos?

It is possible to prepare fermented milk products without using a yogurt maker, subject to a number of conditions.

Follow the instructions for thermos cooking.

Instead of a thermos, use glass jar wrapped to prevent the product from cooling.

Leave the product for fermentation in a warm place so that the product does not cool down.

If you manage to maintain the temperature of the milk in the range of + -2 degrees from the recommended throughout the entire fermentation time, everything should work out.

How are VIVO starter cultures used without fermentation?

Bacterial starter cultures contain beneficial live bacteria that are part of the normal human microflora. Thus, fermented milk products and the starter itself itself are probiotics, which are used with high efficiency to restore the intestinal microflora, when using antibiotics, for acute respiratory viral infections and colds, for stimulating the immune system, for gastritis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The best products to be consumed in their pure form are: Acidolact, Probio Yogurt, Yogurt, Probio Lactulose Yogurt, Lactulose Yogurt and Immunovit.

Dissolve a sachet of starter culture in half a glass of boiled water at room temperature. Take 1 sachet 1 to 2 times daily immediately after meals for 1 to 3 weeks. For maximum effect, it is advisable to combine the intake of a pure starter culture with the use of homemade fermented milk products.

How do fermented milk products prepared with VIVO sourdough differ from store-bought products?

The main differences between homemade fermented milk products prepared with the use of VIVO starter cultures from the “store” ones:

• guaranteed freshness - you know exactly when the product was prepared;
• guaranteed absence of various additives - preservatives, dyes, flavorings, stabilizers, vegetable fats;
• the product is guaranteed to contain live beneficial bacteria in a high concentration;
• flavoring additives are guaranteed to be natural - you yourself choose what to add to the finished product;
• you can prepare not only traditional products, but also unique ones that are not sold in stores - Vitalact, Probio Yogurt, Bifivit, Acidolact.

How do fermented milk products prepared with VIVO sourdough differ from yogurt?

The bacteria that are involved in the preparation of yogurt get into milk from the environment. It can be both beneficial lactic acid bacteria and unsafe for health. By actively developing in milk, they can increase their amount to a health hazard. Therefore, there are frequent cases of intestinal disorders after consuming yogurt.

When preparing fermented milk products using VIVO bacterial starter cultures, specially selected bacteria are added to the milk. They are not only useful for humans in themselves, but also have the properties of inhibiting the development of many pathogens that inevitably enter milk from the environment during the preparation process.

What is a yogurt maker?

A yoghurt maker is a simple and inexpensive kitchen appliance that greatly facilitates the preparation of fermented milk products. The yoghurt maker consists of a body with a built-in heating element and a container or containers (cups) for preparing fermented milk products.

The task of the yogurt maker is to warm up the mixture of milk and sourdough and keep the temperature of the mixture constant throughout the entire fermentation time.

What is the difference between yogurt makers?

Fundamental differences between yogurt makers of various models:

• The material from which the cups are made, the milk container: glass or plastic.
• Heating element power: the faster the mixture heats up from room temperature to operating temperature, the better.
• The presence of a temperature sensor that regulates the temperature of the milk mixture - without it, the temperature of the milk mixture may differ from the recommended one.
• The presence of a timer with a sound signal will remind you of the need to rearrange the cups of yogurt in the refrigerator.

Why didn't the leaven work?

More on this in questions about the yogurt maker, thermos and milk quality.

Why doesn't the leaven ferment in a thermos?

There are several reasons why leaven may not work in a thermos.

• incorrect milk temperature - it is optimal for the milk mixture to be + - 2 degrees from the recommended temperature during the entire fermentation period. Check the temperature of the milk at the end of the fermentation period. If the milk is cold, then the thermos does not hold the temperature well. We recommend replacing the thermos or leaving it in a warm place while fermenting.
• incorrect fermentation time - it should be noted that if the temperature of the milk in the thermos decreases, the time required for fermentation may increase
• adding starter culture to too hot milk or dissolving the starter culture too hot water- high temperatures (over 42 degrees) can damage the bacteria that make up the starter culture
• you use low-quality milk - sometimes at various stages of collection, processing and packaging of milk, substances are added to it that prevent milk souring. These substances can disrupt the fermentation process.

The chances of failure being caused by the quality of the sourdough are extremely low. In production, each batch is carefully checked for bacterial activity. Before packaging, the bacterial concentrate is thoroughly mixed, which guarantees uniformity of activity from bag to bag. In the event that the entire batch turns out to be defective, such a batch is immediately discontinued before the sourdough is on sale. Even with significant violations of the storage and transportation temperature, the starter culture retains sufficient activity for the production of a high-quality fermented milk product.

Why is the starter culture not fermented in the yogurt maker?

There are several reasons why leaven may not work:

• Incorrect milk temperature - it is optimal for the milk mixture to have a temperature of + - 2 degrees from the recommended temperature during the entire fermentation period.
• Incorrect fermentation time - it should be borne in mind that when using some yogurt makers, it can take a long time until the milk heats up to the fermentation temperature, when the starter begins to work. Therefore, this time must be added to the recommended cooking time.
• Adding starter culture to too hot milk or dissolving the starter culture with too hot water - high temperatures (over 42 degrees) can damage the bacteria that make up the starter culture.
• You use low-quality milk - sometimes substances that prevent milk souring are added to it at various stages of collection, processing and packaging of milk. These substances can disrupt the fermentation process.

The likelihood that the quality of the sourdough is the cause of the failure is extremely low. In production, each batch is carefully checked for bacterial activity. Before packaging, the bacterial concentrate is thoroughly mixed, which guarantees uniformity of activity from bag to bag. If the entire batch turns out to be defective, such batch is immediately discontinued before the starter dough is on sale. Even with significant violations of the storage and transportation temperature, the starter culture retains sufficient activity for the production of a high-quality fermented milk product.

What kind of milk to use for fermentation?

For the most simple and fast food fermented milk products High Quality we recommend using milk long-term storage(it is super-pasteurized) in Tetra-Pak packages (multilayer cardboard and foil packaging). This milk does not need to be boiled and is very convenient if you use a yogurt maker.

Just add the starter culture to milk at room temperature (and this milk can be stored at room temperature), stir, pour into cups and turn on the yogurt maker.

When using regular milk (pasteurized), remember: it is strongly recommended to boil it and cool it before fermentation.

Both pasteurized and super-pasteurized milk can be "regular" and "baby". If you are preparing fermented milk products for your baby, we recommend using baby milk.

Using homemade milk, it will not be superfluous to make sure that the cow that gave this milk is healthy. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. Homemade milk it is also recommended to boil before fermentation.

Long-term milk - good or bad?

If you study the technology for the production of super-pasteurized long-term storage milk, it becomes clear that such milk is of sufficient quality.

Unlike pasteurization (heating to a temperature of +65 degrees and above for a period of 30 minutes), during super-pasteurization, the heating temperature is, although higher (125-150 degrees), but only for a few seconds (from 2 to 6 seconds). This allows you to preserve the maximum vitamins and minerals.

At this temperature, all microorganisms die, which makes it possible to store such milk (in a sealed Tetra-Pak package) for much longer. This also prevents the milk from boiling before fermentation.

Another fact in favor of super-pasteurized milk is the careful selection of raw materials. After all if raw milk will be stale, it may curl up in the super-pasteurization process. Which will lead to equipment failure, production downtime and costly repairs.

Why are starter cultures sensitive to milk quality?

Bacteria are a major problem in the collection, processing and packaging of milk. Entering milk from the environment, they cause sour milk. To avoid this, milk is subjected to heat treatment. However, sometimes at different stages of collection and production, unscrupulous producers or collectors may add bacteria inhibiting substances to milk to prevent sourness.

Even if you are using the same brand of milk, the quality of milk may vary from batch to batch. This is due to the fact that dairies cannot fully control the milk collection process.

The very substances that prevent milk souring during the production process can disrupt home cooking fermented milk products. Some starter culture manufacturers genetically modify bacteria to be resistant to these substances. VIVO starter cultures do not contain genetically modified bacteria.

Why aren't GMO bacteria used in VIVO starter cultures?