Yogurt

Yogurt or yoghurt or yoghourt (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English">/</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English">ˈjoʊɡərt</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English">/</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English">/</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English">ˈjɒɡərt</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English">/</a>; other spellings listed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt#spellings">below</a>) is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermented_milk_product" title="Fermented milk product" class="mw-redirect">fermented milk product</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_milk" title="Soy milk">soy milk</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_milk" title="Plant milk">nut milks</a> such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond_milk" title="Almond milk">almond milk</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk" title="Coconut milk">coconut milk</a> can also be used) produced by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria" title="Bacteria">bacterial</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation%28food%29" title="Fermentation (food)" class="mw-redirect">fermentation</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk" title="Milk">milk</a>. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as "yogurt cultures". Fermentation of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose" title="Lactose">lactose</a> by these bacteria produces <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactic_acid" title="Lactic acid">lactic acid</a>, which acts on milk <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein" title="Protein">protein</a> to give yogurt its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texture%28food%29" title="Texture (food)" class="mw-redirect">texture</a> and its characteristic tang.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt#cite_note-1">[1]</a>

Worldwide, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow%27s_milk" title="Cow's milk" class="mw-redirect">cow's milk</a>, the protein of which mainly comprises <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casein" title="Casein">casein</a>, is most commonly used to make yogurt, but milk from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_buffalo" title="Water buffalo">water buffalo</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goat" title="Goat">goats</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheep" title="Sheep">ewes</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare" title="Mare">mares</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel" title="Camel">camels</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yak" title="Yak">yaks</a> is also used in various parts of the world.

Dairy yogurt is produced using a culture of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus_delbrueckii_subsp._bulgaricus" title="Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus">Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streptococcus_thermophilus" title="Streptococcus thermophilus">Streptococcus thermophilus</a> bacteria. In addition, other <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus" title="Lactobacillus">lactobacilli</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifidobacterium" title="Bifidobacterium">bifidobacteria</a> are also sometimes added during or after culturing yogurt. Some countries require yogurt to contain a certain amount of colony-forming units of microorganisms.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt#cite_note-2">[2]</a>

In Western culture, the milk is first heated to about 80 °C (176 °F) to kill any undesirable bacteria and to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denaturation_%28biochemistry%29" title="Denaturation (biochemistry)">denature</a> the milk proteins so that they set together rather than form curds. In some places, such as parts of India, curds are a desired component and milk is not pasteurized but boiled. The milk is then cooled to about 45 °C (112 °F).<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt#cite_note-3">[3]</a> The bacterial culture is added, and the temperature is maintained for 4 to 7 hours to allow fermentation.

Yogurt

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