Let’s go on a journey of discovery to find out how yoghurt is made – from milk and cultures to a tasty & nutritious dairy product!

Yoghurt is a great way to get one of your serves of dairy nutrition with high quality protein, essential vitamins and minerals, and good bacteria. Yoghurt has been enjoyed by many cultures for centuries.

What ingredients are needed to make yoghurt?

• In its simplest form, only two ingredients are required to make delicious and natural yoghurt – milk and cultures.
•  It all starts by separating milk into cream and skim milk.
•  Cream and skim milk are then mixed in precise ratios depending on the type of yoghurt being made (For example a low fat yoghurt or an indulgent, creamy full fat yoghurt).

How does milk turn into yoghurt?

• The milk is homogenised to mix the cream droplets evenly throughout the milk and stop the cream from rising to the top of the tank.
• The milk is then pasteurised. Pasteurisation involves heating the milk to kill any harmful bacteria that may be present
• After pasteurisation, the milk is cooled to 30-45°C before the cultures are added. Starter cultures contain a mix of good bacteria - commonly using Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.
• The milk is kept warm during fermentation to allow the cultures to ferment lactose (the naturally occurring sugar in milk) into lactic acid. The lactic acid produced increases the acidity of the milk, and causing the milk to gel or curdle over a period of time up to 12 hours

What other ingredients can be used in yoghurt?

• Other ingredients can be added to create a wide range of different yoghurts to suit different tastes and occasions.
• Fruit preparations and sauces can be added and mixed through the yoghurt, swirled throughout or even layered within the yoghurt.
• Ingredients like pectin (found in fruit, the reason why jam goes thick!) can be used to provide a thicker yoghurt.
• Some yoghurts even have extras like grains and other toppings to surprise your taste buds!

Filling, packing & storing the yoghurt.

• After fermentation, the yoghurt is stirred gently and pumped through a cooler into a holding tank ready for filling.
• Finally, the yoghurt is packed into pouches, pottles or tubs. These are then boxed up and stored at 4°C before they are sent out to stores for you to buy.

Great ways to enjoy yoghurt

• Yoghurt is a nutritious & versatile snack for any occasion. Whether you choose the most simple, natural yoghurt or something a bit more exciting – the choice is yours.

• And don’t forget yoghurt is a delicious addition to cooking or baking! Check out our delicious recipes here