Knowra Yogurt Yogurt Yogurt is a fermented milk product made when bacterial cultures convert lactose into lactic acid. The acid thickens the milk proteins and gives yogurt its tangy flavor.
Lactic acid fermentation : A metabolic process in which microorganisms convert sugars into lactic acid. Yogurt cultures use this process to turn milk lactose into acid.
Milk : A nutrient-rich liquid produced by mammary glands, commonly used as food. Yogurt begins with milk, whose proteins, fat, and sugar shape the finished product.
Greek yogurt : A thick yogurt style made by removing some whey, traditionally through straining. Straining concentrates yogurt’s solids and produces its dense texture.
Fermented milk products : Foods made by fermenting milk with microorganisms. Yogurt belongs to a broad family that includes many regionally distinct cultured milks.
Lactose intolerance : A condition in which insufficient lactase causes digestive symptoms after lactose consumption. Fermentation lowers lactose, and live cultures can help digest the amount that remains.
Lactose : The main sugar in milk, composed of glucose and galactose. It supplies the fermentable sugar that yogurt bacteria consume.
Milk proteins : Proteins in milk, chiefly caseins and whey proteins. Their behavior during heating and acidification determines yogurt’s body and firmness.
Skyr : An Icelandic cultured dairy product, traditionally made by draining fermented skim milk. Its dense, strained texture resembles Greek yogurt, though its production tradition differs.
Balkan cuisine : The varied food traditions of southeastern Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. Yogurt and related cultured milks became enduring staples across Balkan foodways.
Food microbiology : The study of microorganisms that affect food production, safety, spoilage, and preservation. Yogurt production depends on controlling beneficial microbes while limiting contaminants.
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