How It's Made Yogurt

Summary

The process of making fruit-flavored yogurt begins with carefully inspecting and preparing the fruit, which is then turned into jam with added flavorings, sugars, and colorings. After pasteurization, the jam is mixed with yogurt, which is made by blending milk, cream, and live bacterial cultures. The yogurt is fermented, sealed in plastic containers, and labeled. Throughout the process, hygiene and temperature control are crucial, ensuring both taste and safety. The signature flavor of yogurt comes from 'good' bacteria that produce acetaldehyde, giving it its distinct tangy taste.

Takeaways

• 😀 Fruit is first inspected, with workers discarding any skin, pits, or bruised pieces before it's processed into jam.
• 😀 The fruit jam undergoes careful ingredient weighing and mixing, including water, flavorings, stabilizers, and artificial coloring.
• 😀 Two types of sugar, fructose and sucrose, are added to the jam, and it is heated to 60°C to dissolve the dry ingredients.
• 😀 The jam is reheated and mixed for additional consistency, then brought to 80°C to kill harmful bacteria.
• 😀 For yogurt production, powdered milk products are blended with milk and cream, or fat-free milk for low-fat options.
• 😀 The milk and cream mixture is heated to 80°C or higher for 30 seconds to pasteurize and eliminate bacteria.
• 😀 Homogenization is done to prevent the milk and cream from separating, with fat lobules crushed for smoother consistency.
• 😀 Live bacterial cultures are added to the pasteurized milk mixture, and fermentation occurs for 6 to 20 hours depending on yogurt style.
• 😀 The factory manufactures yogurt containers directly on the packaging line, using heated plastic to mold the containers and apply labels.
• 😀 The yogurt containers are filled with a combination of yogurt and fruit jam, with controlled air to prevent contamination.
• 😀 The yogurt’s distinctive flavor is created by good bacteria, which produce acetaldehyde during fermentation.
• 😀 Electronic sensors ensure proper fill levels, and aluminum covers are heat-sealed onto containers before packaging.

Q & A

What is the first step in making fruit-flavored yogurt?

The first step is to inspect the fruit, discarding any skin, pits, or pieces that are discolored or bruised.

How is the fruit prepared before being added to the yogurt?

The fruit is turned into jam to give it the right texture and taste before being added to the yogurt.

What ingredients are added to the jam to achieve the desired consistency?

Water, artificial and natural flavoring, stabilizers, and coloring are added to the jam mixture.

Why are artificial colorings sometimes added to the fruit jam?

Artificial colorings are added to ensure the jam has an appealing color, as certain fruits may not be colorful enough on their own.

What sugars are used in making the jam?

Both fructose and sucrose are used as sugars in the jam.

What is the purpose of heating the jam to 60°C and then further to 80°C?

Heating the jam helps dissolve dry ingredients and ensures any harmful bacteria are killed off during the second heating process.

How is the yogurt base prepared?

The yogurt base is made by blending powdered milk products with milk and cream. For low-fat yogurt, fat-free milk is used, and the cream is omitted.

What is the significance of the homogenization step in yogurt production?

Homogenization ensures the milk and cream, which naturally separate, blend together by crushing the fat lobules to create a uniform mixture.

What happens during the fermentation process of yogurt?

During fermentation, live bacteria are added to the mixture, and the yogurt is left to ferment for 6 to 20 hours, depending on the style of yogurt.

How are the yogurt containers prepared in the factory?

The yogurt containers are made from plastic sheets that are heated and molded into containers, then labeled automatically by a machine.

What role do good bacteria play in yogurt?

Good bacteria in yogurt produce acetaldehyde, which is responsible for yogurt's distinctive flavor.

How is the yogurt protected from contamination during packaging?

The air around the yogurt during packaging is strictly controlled and filtered to prevent contamination.