Masa depan Yoghurt

Yoghurt adalah susu asam yang merupakan hasil fermentasi susu oleh bakteri asam laktat (BAL). Yoghurt biasanya dibuat dengan menggunakan dua jenis BAL yaitu Streptococcus thermophilus dan Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp bulgaricus sebagai starter. Selain itu, ada juga yoghurt yang ditambahkan dengan BAL yang bersifat probiotik, misalnya Lactobacillus acidophillus, Lactobacillus casei, dan Bifidobacterium. Bakteri probiotik bisa hidup dan melakukan proses metabolisme didalam usus, sedangkan S. thermophilus dan L. delbrueckii ssp bulgaricus tidak bisa hidup dalam saluran pencernaan.
Bagaimana prospek usaha yogurt kedepannya?
Prospek usaha yoghurt kedepan akan semakin baik. Hal ini terkait nilai plus yoghurt dibandingkan dengan susu biasa dan semakin meningkatnya jumlah konsumen yang peduli dengan kesehatan. Aspek positif yoghurt bagi kesehatan adalah:
• Memberikan energi. Proses fermentasi hanya sedikit menurunkan kandungan energi yoghurt jika dibandingkan dengan susu segar.
• Menyehatkan pencernaan. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, yoghurt dapat mengatasi berbagai masalah pencernaan seperti diare, radang usus dan intoleransi laktosa. Minuman yoghurt yang mengandung probiotik akan memberikan efek kesehatan yang lebih baik terhadap saluran cerna. Baca selengkapnya disini

Presentation

To offset its natural sourness, yoghurt can be sold sweetened, flavored, 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 have added pectin or gelatin. Some specialty yoghurts 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 flavorings, gelatin, pectin, or other additives through a paper or cloth filter, and allowing water and whey to drain away. "Strained" yoghurt is available commercially under the descriptor "Greek-style".

Yoghurt Benefit

Yoghurt has nutritional benefits beyond those of milk: people who are moderately lactose-intolerant can enjoy yoghurt without ill effects, because the lactose in the milk precursor is converted to lactic acid by the bacterial culture. The reduction of lactose bypasses the affected individuals' need to process the milk sugar themselves.

Yoghurt also has medical uses, in particular for a variety of gastrointestinal conditions and in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. One study suggests that eating yoghurt containing L. acidophilus helps prevent vulvovaginal candidiasis, though the evidence is not conclusive.

Yoghurt is believed to promote good gum health, possibly because of the probiotic effect of lactic acids present in yoghurt.

Yoghurt Culture

Yoghurt is made by introducing specific bacteria strains into milk, which is subsequently fermented under controlled temperatures and environmental conditions (inside a bioreactor), 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 Australia, to be named yogurt, the product must be made with the bacterial species 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, L. casei and Bifidobacterium species. In most countries, a product may be called yoghurt only if live bacteria are present in the final product. In Australia, 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). When yoghurt is pasteurised, even though its main aim is to kill harmful bacteria, it kills large amounts of essential bacteria too, such as Acidophilus, Bifidus and Lactobacillus Rhamnosus (LGG)