How to Know if Your Yogurt Is REALLY Yogurt!

For centuries, yogurt has been considered a healthful food. And today, research is going on internationally regarding the potential attributes of yogurt in such areas as

• lowering cholesterol,

• fighting yeast infections,

• preventing gastrointestinal infections,

• boosting the body’s immune system,

• preventing certain types of cancer.

But yogurt-lovers should take notice: there are products in the marketplace that take advantage of yogurt’s healthful image, but that do not contain the things that make yogurt, yogurt. Yogurt-covered candies, raisins, and pretzels, and yogurt-containing salad dressings are just a few examples.

So what makes yogurt – well, yogurt? According to the National Yogurt Association (NYA), three words: LIVE, ACTIVE CULTURES. The words “live and active cultures” refer to the living organisms, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which convert pasteurized milk to yogurt during fermentation.

Note that the milk is pasteurized before culturing to remove any harmful bacteria. The process is very similar to that used when making beer, wine or cheese, in that beneficial organisms ferment and transform the basic food. This fermentation process is what creates yogurt, with its unique taste, texture and healthful attributes.

To dispel consumer confusion, the NYA developed the Live & Active Cultures seal to help consumers readily identify those yogurts containing significant levels of live and active cultures. The seal is a voluntary identification available to all manufacturers of refrigerated yogurt whose products contain at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture, and whose frozen yogurt contains at least 10 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture. (However, here’s something to know: since the seal program is voluntary, some yogurt products may have some live cultures but not carry the seal.)

The NYA is a national non-profit trade organization whose purpose is to sponsor health and medical research for yogurt with live and active cultures. It serves as an information source to the trade and the general public. Their Live & Active Culture seal is an indicator of product quality and the manufacturer’s integrity.

And speaking of INTEGRITY: Back to the fact that not all yogurts are created equal. Some yogurt brands are heat-treated after fermentation. This process kills most of the beneficial active cultures found in the yogurt. Why would a manufacturer heat-treat yogurt? It’s a money-driven decision. Heat-treating prolongs shelf life and decreases yogurt’s natural tartness (some consumers dislike tart yogurt). And then there are yogurts that are deliberately formulated with a low level of cultures (again, a money-driven decision).

So the bottom line? Read your labels. While that marked-down house brand looks attractive (price-wise), if you’re wanting true yogurt with all its health benefits, then move on to a brand that carries the National Yogurt Association (NYA) Live & Active Cultures Yogurt seal on the package and be willing to pay a little more. You’ll be certain you’re getting yogurt with significant levels of live and active cultures.

And here’s another reason to look to real yogurt. Lactose intolerance. Studies show that the live and active cultures present in true yogurt permit it to be eaten by many of the more than one quarter of American adults who ordinarily experience lactose intolerance with other dairy products. If you relate, this may give you hope.

Finally, there’s yogurt’s versatility. It makes a superb substitute for mayonnaise and sour cream; top waffles or pancakes with fruited yogurt; and make desserts more healthful by opting for frozen yogurt over ice cream.

Perfect for today’s busy schedules, nothing is as convenient to carry with you on a hike or put in a lunch bag as yogurt. For the commuter, it’s the perfect portable protein boost. Just be sure you’re getting the real deal; always look for the trustworthy Live and Active Cultures seal!

Sources:

•   www.healthyeating.org
•   www.jacktuchten.com
•   www.moonshineink.com
•   www.smellslikefoodinhere.blogspot.com
•   www.heraldextra.com
•   www.kristinwillard.com

    Alice Osborne

    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006

    Email the author! [email protected]

Does All Yogurt Contain Probiotics and Active Cultures? • Cathe Friedrich

Yogurt has become a popular breakfast food and tasty snack, especially as interest in probiotics continues to grow. In case you’re not aware, probiotics are “friendly” bacteria, in contrast to pathogenic bacteria that cause illness. Your gut is teaming with probiotic bacteria, up to 100 trillion of them, and they help keep your gut peaceful and balanced. They do this by reigning in pathogenic bacteria so they don’t gain a foothold and by the positive impact they have on the immune system, 70% of which lies in your gut.

Preliminary studies suggest that these gut-friendly bacteria influence health and disease in ways we don’t yet fully understand. For example, these tiny intestinal citizens seem to help keep inflammation in check, an important job since most chronic health problems are partially fueled by inflammation. Plus, these bugs help to maintain gut health as well. With such an impressive resume, these are bacteria we want more of!

So, how do we get more of these bacteria – food or supplements? The probiotic supplement industry is thriving. According to Natural Products Inside, the global market for probiotics is valued at 36. 7 billion and shows no signs of slowing. But, we don’t have to depend on a probiotic supplement to supply our guts with friendly bacteria. Fermented foods are a natural source of these organisms. The most popular fermented foods in the American market are dairy foods, particularly yogurt. More recently, another probiotic-rich dairy alternative, kefir, has gained favor.

Chances are you’ve eaten yogurt many times in your life. This creamy snack comes in a dizzying array of flavors these days, although some are quite high in sugar. Recently, Greek yogurt has taken center stage due to its thicker texture and higher protein content. However, Greek yogurt is lower in calcium. In fact, regular yogurt has twice the calcium that Green yogurt has.

To add to the mix, a number of non-dairy yogurts have entered the market. First, non-dairy yogurt was primarily made from soy milk, but now you can buy yogurt made with other non-dairy milk forms such as coconut and almond milk. Choices! Choices! Choices! But, if you’re buying yogurt for its probiotic content, you might wonder whether ALL yogurt contains probiotics.

Active Cultures or Not?

Theoretically, all yogurt SHOULD have probiotics as its made by adding bacterial colonies to milk to ferment the lactose and form lactic acid. The milk is pasteurized BEFORE adding the bacterial colonies, as the heat of pasteurization would destroy them. Once formed, the lactic acid thickens the milk and gives yogurt its thick, creamy consistency.  Lactic acid also gives the yogurt its characteristic tangy taste. Yogurt is arguably one of the oldest fermented foods in existence.

So, why wouldn’t all yogurt contain active probiotic cultures? If yogurt is heat processed after fermentation, it destroys some the healthy bacteria, along with the health benefits. Some manufacturers add probiotic organisms into yogurt after its heat treated to make up for the loss. Some even add some extra probiotic bacteria to compensate for the loss of viable bacteria due to storage.

Still, if yogurt is heat processed after fermentation, the yogurt may still have few active cultures – and how would you know? The National Yogurt Association helps to solve this problem by designing a seal called the Live and Active Cultures seal. Manufacturers can place this seal on yogurt if the yogurt contains at least 100 million cultures at the time it was manufactured. Frozen yogurt must contain at least 10 million cultures to bear the seal.

Seeing this seal on a yogurt container gives you some reassurance that you’re getting active cultures, as long as you don’t leave it sitting in the refrigerator for weeks. Since manufacturers can choose whether to use this seal, there may be yogurt brands that do have enough viable cultures but choose not to use the seal. But, if you’re consuming yogurt for its probiotic benefits, the seal gives you some assurance that you’re getting active cultures.

Does Non-Dairy Yogurt Contain Active Cultures Too?

If you’re lactose intolerant or eat a vegan diet, you can still get gut-friendly bacteria by eating non-dairy yogurt. Manufacturers make non-dairy yogurt in much the same way as dairy yogurt only non-dairy milk is the medium. They commonly use Lactobacillus bulgaricus as a starter culture to ferment the non-dairy milk. If the final product isn’t treated with heat again after fermentation, it should have viable cultures.

Be picky when you choose a yogurt, dairy or non-dairy. Look for one with as little added sugar as possible. Unflavored is usually the best option as the flavorings are often a source of added sugar. You can always flavor it yourself with fresh fruit, herbs, spices, and add other healthy additions like nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground flaxseed, and even matcha powder for green tea yogurt.

Look Beyond Yogurt

Although there are plenty of commercial yogurt brands that contain active cultures, you can also get active probiotic organisms by eating fermented vegetables. The most popular of these is fresh sauerkraut. You can buy sauerkraut as well as other fermented vegetables in the refrigerated case of many natural food markets. Canned sauerkraut won’t cut it as it’s pasteurized before canning to kill the bacteria. The advantage that fermented vegetables have over yogurt is they’re a rich source of fiber, some of which is prebiotic. The prebiotics in fermented vegetables are food for probiotic bacteria and help them survive and flourish.

Other options are kefir, kombucha, tempeh, and miso, all of which may have active cultures. However, heating these foods, as is characteristic with tempeh and miso, destroys some of the active organisms.

The Bottom Line

All yogurt contains active cultures, although some commercial brands may heat process their yogurt and destroy some of the organisms. Look for the Live and Active Culture seals on yogurt for reassurance. But, look beyond yogurt as well and get your probiotics from other sources, including nutrient-dense fermented vegetables. These foods have other health benefits as well.

 

References:

Natural Products Inside. “Probiotic Product Trends”
AboutYogurt.com. “Live and Active Culture Yogurt”

 

Related Articles by Cathe:

The Problem with Probiotic Supplements: Are They What They Seem to Be?

Does Your Favorite Yogurt Have Enough Probiotic Bacteria?

Fermented Foods vs. Probiotic Supplements: Is One Better Than the Other?

How Your Gut Microbiome Changes with Age and How It Impacts Your Health

Are Probiotic Supplements Overhyped?

 

Microbiological indicators of yoghurt

Real yogurt, in which natural milk and sourdough are combined, must contain pure, “live” cultures in a certain number and proportions. In Russia, its microbiological parameters are strictly specified by the Law of the Russian Federation No. 88-FZ and GOST 31981-2013. If the content of cultures deviates from the norm, the product cannot be called yogurt. It will not bring the benefits for which the lactic acid drink is valued all over the world.

Yogurt on sourdough, in which all microbiological and other parameters are observed:

• helps to strengthen the immune and hematopoietic systems, helps the body fight seasonal infections;
• enriches the body with vitamins B and A, which are necessary for regulating cholesterol levels, the proper functioning of the nervous system, and maintaining the beauty of the skin;
• improves digestion, regulates acidity, helps fight pathogenic microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, putrefactive microorganisms in the intestines;
• prevents osteoporosis, reduces the risk of high blood pressure, and so on.

For the first time, the microflora of a dairy product was studied at the beginning of the 20th century at the University of Geneva. Then it was described as a combination of lactic acid microorganisms – these were rod-shaped and spherical bacteria. Today we know them under the names Lactobacilli bulgaricus (the birthplace of the drink, Bulgaria) and Streptococcus thermophilus, respectively. The bulgarian stick and thermophilic streptococcus (as cultures are called in the Russian-speaking scientific community) are still used today as the main bacteria that convert milk into a useful product.

Microbiotic parameters of different types of yoghurt

Russian GOST 31981-2013 stipulates that yogurt must be produced using the above mentioned starter microorganisms. Their concentration in the finished product cannot be less than 10 ⁷ CFU per gram (at the end of the expiration date). The protosymbiotic mixture used for fermentation should consist of pure cultures.

In addition to yoghurt itself, not enriched in any way, made from sourdough based on bulgarian sticks and thermophilic streptococcus, the state standard introduced the concept of bioyoghurt. This is a product where, in addition to the main cultures in the correct concentration, there are probiotics, prebiotics, lactic acidophilus bacillus. For them, concentration norms are also strictly stipulated at the time of the expiration date of bioyogurt, regardless of the presence of additional components:

• for bifidobacteria (Bifidobacterium) – the amount should not be less than 10 ¹⁰ CFU per one gram of bioyoghurt;
• for lactic acid bacillus (Lactobacillus acidophilus) – the concentration of bacteria should not be less than 10 ⁶ CFU per gram.

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Natural sources of Lactobacillus acidophilus:

• Yogurt: Contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles. In addition, some yogurts contain Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Kefir: In the production of kefir, starter preparations are used, consisting of acidophilic rods (Lactobacillus acidophilus), thermophilic and mesophilic lactic streptococci and bifidobacteria (Bifidobacterium bifidum)
• Miso: Miso is a traditional Japanese dish. It is made with the addition of specially fermented soybeans or cereals. Miso contains a koji-kin mold called Aspergillus oryzae. In addition to it, it can also contain many bacteria, including Lactobacillus acidophilus.

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Also, GOST introduced the concept of enriched yogurt – with food, biologically active substances. The concentration of the main microorganisms in them must comply with the standard. Otherwise, the product distributed on the territory of the Russian Federation cannot be called “yogurt”.

What do yoghurt microbiota values ​​say and how they are determined

Milk under the influence of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacilli bulgaricus turns into a product with high nutritional value. To benefit from it, you need to monitor compliance with the norm of microbiotic indicators. They indicate that the fermentation process was carried out correctly, the yogurt is really “alive”, the result from it will correspond to the declared action, it will be absorbed better than milk. To find out if a product is of high quality, it is tested for microbiotic indicators.

Experts from laboratories conduct an organoleptic analysis of yogurt according to the main parameters and compare the result with the regulatory documents in force in the country. So, for the correct performance of a microbiotic study of yogurt, it is necessary to assess the presence and quantity of:

• lactic acid organisms – in accordance with GOST 10444.11-89;
• bifidobacteria – according to industry regulations in force at the time of the audit;
• microorganisms that should not be in yogurt (E. coli, mold, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and so on) – according to GOST 30347, GOST 10444.12 and other standards.

Guided by legally established standards, experts determine whether the drink can be used and whether it contains enough useful cultures. Each country has its own standards for the content of the necessary components in yogurt, and their concentration in finished “canned” products is not always sufficient. Therefore, the best way to ensure the correct microbiotic indicators is to make your own yogurt, from natural milk and quality starter cultures that contain the necessary cultures.

The professor told how to distinguish healthy yogurt from useless

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04/14/2021 20:10

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Professor Vera Kryuchkova told “RG” which fermented milk product is the most valuable and what is bad in yogurt. She on this, figuratively speaking, ate the dog. She worked for 13 years at a dairy enterprise, from a laboratory assistant to the head of the plant’s production, for several more years she served as an inspector of the trade inspection in the Amur Region. Later – university, scientific activity, more than 40 developments, her students won four UMNIK grants.

from the archive of Vera Kryuchkova

Now she works at the Volga Research Institute for the production and processing of meat and dairy products. So it can determine the quality of milk without analysis, at a glance. The topic of her dissertation is functional foods. What does functional mean? These are those products that, in addition to the main ingredients, for example, milk, various probiotics (beneficial microflora), prebiotics (substances that help develop beneficial microflora in our body – lactulose, pectin, inulin and others) and natural, rich in vitamins , minerals biologically active substances.

– Vera Vasilievna, they say that the food in today’s supermarkets is not at all the same as it was in the 60s. And this is not because “before, sugar was sweeter, and trees – higher.” Indeed, in today’s apples there are not as many vitamins as there were before?

Vera Kryuchkova: Yes, today’s products – milk, meat, fruits and vegetables, even wild plants, they do not contain even 50 percent of the nutrients that were half a century ago.

Because intensive technologies are used, the soil and water are depleted, and because of the constant emissions from enterprises, aircraft, chemical plants, the ecology is disturbed. For example, one chemical plant for the destruction of harmful substances used or obtained in production, buys microflora abroad. Then all this merges into rivers and seas. And no one canceled the water cycle in nature.

See how many sausages are in stores. In its production allegedly soy protein is used. How much soybean is grown in your area? A drop in the sea. That is, here is a protein that is obtained by biotechnological methods using microflora from oil and other raw materials.

– If the GOST sign is on the packaging of a product, does this mean that it is made according to an old, proven recipe?

Vera Kryuchkova: GOST is a recipe and technology approved by Rosstandart. But now there are such tolerances that in Soviet times production workers could not even dream of. Don’t forget the human factor. Back in 2005, one professor-butcher said: I will make you a sausage in which there is not a single gram of meat, you will eat it and do not want natural. Can you imagine what happened in 15 years?

– What are the current trendy yoghurts? Is it true that ordinary kefir with fresh raspberries is healthier?

Vera Kryuchkova: Most fashionable yoghurts today lack the most important thing – the necessary microflora. They have been terminated, i.e., destroyed by its temperature. And the benefits of these drinks are in live lactic acid bacteria.

As far back as the beginning of the last century, II Mechnikov suggested that lactic acid bacteria could increase the resistance of the human body to various diseases.

And in the 20th century, the theory of the immunomodulating effect of these microorganisms was scientifically proven. They contribute to the production of cytokines and antibodies in the intestine, stimulate the synthesis of interferon, increase the activity of phagocytes and natural killer cells. Therefore, lactic acid probiotic bacteria are effective in preventing infections caused by respiratory viruses, which are so common in winter.

– Is there enough of them in yogurt? Or is plain kefir better?

Vera Kryuchkova: True, kefir is not the same now as it used to be, because it is produced mainly from kefir sourdough, and earlier it was made from kefir fungus plums. It is a great relief for production workers that they do not have to take care of the fungus, it is enough to open the foil bag and pour the contents into the prepared milk, mix – and fermentation has begun. It’s also good if antibiotics are not added to fermented milk products in order to keep them longer.

– Maybe ferment kefir yourself?

Vera Kryuchkova: Yes, there is such a way – to dilute milk mushroom yourself. The fact is that the white stroma is an environment in which useful microorganisms live and multiply – these are lactic acid bacilli, and cocci, thermophilic, mesophilic, aroma-forming bacteria and much more.

The Ulan-Uden Research Institute has been working on kefir fungi for more than 20 years and has not been able to artificially create such a fungus.