Cultured dairy foods
With the development of microbiological and nutritional sciences in the late 19th century came the technology necessary to produce cultured dairy products on an industrial or commercial basis. Fermented milks had been made since early times, when warm raw milk from cows, sheep, goats, camels, or horses was naturally preserved by common strains of Streptococcus and Lactobacillus bacteria. (The “cultures” were obtained by including a small portion from the previous batch.) These harmless lactic acid producers were effective in suppressing spoilage and pathogenic organisms, making it possible to preserve fresh milk for several days or weeks without refrigeration. Cultured products eventually became ethnic favourites and were introduced around the world as people migrated.
Central to the production of cultured milk is the initial fermentation process, which involves the partial conversion of lactose (milk sugar) to lactic acid. Lactose conversion is accomplished by lactic-acid–producing Streptococcus and Lactobacillus bacteria. At temperatures of approximately 32 °C (90 °F), these bacteria reproduce very rapidly, perhaps doubling their population every 20 minutes. Many minute by-products that result from their metabolic processes assist in further ripening and flavouring of the cultured product. Subsequent or secondary fermentations can result in the production of other compounds, such as diacetyl (a flavour compound found in buttermilk) and alcohol (from yeasts in kefir), as well as butyric acid (which causes bitter or rancid flavours).
Cultured buttermilk, sour cream, and yogurt are among the most common fermented dairy products in the Western world. Other, lesser-known products include kefir, koumiss, acidophilus milk, and new yogurts containing Bifidobacteria. Cultured dairy foods provide numerous potential health benefits to the human diet. These foods are excellent sources of calcium and protein. In addition, they may help to establish and maintain beneficial intestinal bacterial flora and reduce lactose intolerance.
Buttermilk
Because of its name, most people assume buttermilk is high in fat. Actually, the name refers to the fact that buttermilk was once the watery end-product of butter making. Modern buttermilk is made from low-fat or skim milk and has less than 2 percent fat and sometimes none. Its correct name in many jurisdictions is “cultured low-fat milk” or “cultured nonfat milk.”
The starting ingredient for buttermilk is skim or low-fat milk. The milk is pasteurized at 82 to 88 °C (180 to 190 °F) for 30 minutes, or at 90 °C (195 °F) for two to three minutes. This heating process is done to destroy all naturally occurring bacteria and to denature the protein in order to minimize wheying off (separation of liquid from solids).
The milk is then cooled to 22 °C (72 °F), and starter cultures of desirable bacteria, such as Streptococcus lactis, S. cremoris, Leuconostoc citrovorum, and L. dextranicum, are added to develop buttermilk’s acidity and unique flavour. These organisms may be used singly or in combination to obtain the desired flavour.
The ripening process takes about 12 to 14 hours (overnight). At the correct stage of acid and flavour, the product is gently stirred to break the curd, and it is cooled to 7.2 °C (45 °F) in order to halt fermentation. It is then packaged and refrigerated.
Sour cream
Sour cream is made according to the same temperature and culture methods as used for buttermilk. The main difference is the starting material—sour cream starts with light 18 percent cream.
Yogurt
Yogurt is made in a similar fashion to buttermilk and sour cream, but it requires different bacteria and temperatures. Whole, low-fat, or skim milk is fortified with nonfat dry milk or fresh condensed skim milk, in order to raise the total solids to 14 to 16 percent. The mixture is heat-treated as for buttermilk and then cooled to 45.6 to 46.7 °C (114 to 116 °F). At this point a culture of equal parts Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus is added to the warm milk, followed by one of two processing methods. For set, or sundae-style, yogurt (fruit on the bottom), the cultured mixture is poured into cups containing the fruit, held in a warm room until the milk coagulates (usually about four hours), and then moved to a refrigerated room. For blended (Swiss- or French-style) yogurt, the milk is allowed to incubate in large heated tanks. After coagulation occurs, the mixture is cooled, fruit or other flavours are added, and the product is placed in containers and immediately made ready for sale.
Many yogurt manufacturers have added Lactobacillus acidophilus to their bacterial cultures. L. acidophilus has possible health benefits in easing yeast infections and restoring normal bacterial balance to the intestinal tract of humans after antibiotic treatment.