Yogurt is gradually losing its significance in the dairy industry with cheese hogging all the lime light. However, the probiotic credentials of yogurt are increasingly being recognised all over the world, thereby heightening the importance of  yogurt-based products in the global market. Active bacterial cultures present in yogurt have a protective effect on the gastrointestinal tract and prevents many diseases. Yogurt is also known to be good for gums and prevents bad breath.  

Making of yogurt in the modern world

Yogurt has a history of 4500 years and its value as a protective food item comes mainly from proteins, calcium, riboflavin, pyridoxine and vitamin B12 present in optimally fermented yogurt. Micro-organisms such as streptococcus thermophilus, lactobacillus bulgaricus, lactobacillus acidophilus and lactobacillus bifidus are used in the production of yogurt by the dairy industry. Refrigerated yogurt must contain at least 100 million live cells per gram (gm) and frozen yogurt should have 10 million live cells per gm to be eligible for being branding as a probiotic product.

Yogurt production and marketing pose great challenges to food technologists because of the rapid changes in texture and taste that can occur if not properly processed. Especially in warm climates, there are critical issues such as lack of cold chain facility, frequent exposure to increased heat and unpredictable behaviour of the active cultures if not properly developed.

If yogurt is to become a popular processed product for consumers, newer approaches are imperative. Improved cultures to speed-up fermentation without compromising on mildness and stability of acidity, improving viscosity and creaminess and stability under warm conditions are prerequisites for expanding yogurt production all over the world. Developments on these lines are underway in Europe and special cultures are now available to produce yogurts that can resist organoleptic changes under the prevailing marketing conditions in Asia, the Middle East, South America and Eastern Europe where yogurt is increasingly becoming popular.

Increasing demand of yogurt

The global market for yogurt currently stands at 20 million tonnes and the annual growth rate is estimated at 4-6%. In the US alone, the per capita consumption of yogurt increased from 1.1 kg per year to 3.3 kg within a span of two decades.

In India, only 2% of the milk produced is used for yogurt, that too mostly at the household level, with the organised dairies having very little presence in the market. Indians are now demanding fresh non-fat yogurt, frozen yogurt and live culture yogurt, as the growing populace is getting increasingly conscious about health food. The dairy industry in India is in the process of coming up with improved machineries and equipments to manufacture high quality yogurt to meet consumer demand.

Considering the importance of yogurt as a health food, its growth is expected to be dramatic in the coming years with improved infrastructure in the dairy industry.

Dr V.H. Potty, Food Technologist, Deputy Director(Rtd), Former Chairman, Technology Application Division, CFTRI and currently Chairman, Diversified Food Technologies (India), Mysore, India