Common food raw materials – Yogurt

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the mass: All the yogurts (150 products) used milk as the main ingredient: Whole (70 product), Semi skimmed (19), and Skimmed (97)
• In preparations and syrups: 1 product use powder milk.

WHAT IS and the REASONS to use MILK:

Whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed (liquid, powdered, reconstituted pasteurized or UHT) cow milk and some products are made with milk or other animals (sheep, goat, etc.). It is the traditional yogurt base, having excellent quality and nutritional density, it is a source of calcium and other minerals, such as phosphor and potassium, and it also contains vitamins. It has proteins and fats of a high biological value and is a source of energy, as it contains about 5% of lactose.

Notes

Milk is marketed in powder or in the liquid form, original or reconstituted from the powder, being pasteurized or UHT. As for the fat content, it can be whole (with a minimum of 3% of fat), semi-skimmed (from 0.6 to 2.9%) and skimmed (up to 0.5%). Milk and its by-products (yogurt, cheese, butter, cream, etc.) are very versatile, being present in a great variety of products.

In the sample of and 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the mass: All the products use the milk yeasts.
• In preparations and syrups: No products use the ingredient.

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use MILK YEASTS:

They are lactic bacteria used by the dairy industry to make yogurts, cheese, and other fermented products, which change the lactose present in the milk into milk acid, which precipitates casein (milk protein) and let the product with a jelly texture.

Notes

In the case of yogurts, milk yeast is composed of the bacterias Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrüeckii subsp. Bulgaricus, which have an excellent growth temperature from 40 to 45 °C.

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the dough: milk cream is used in 37 products.
• In preparations and syrups: no product uses the ingredient.

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use MILK FATS:

The milk-based fat or milk cream is constituted of triglycerides, composed of fatty acids bound to glycerol. The fraction of milk fat serves as a vehicle for fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), cholesterol and other substances soluble in fat, such as carotenoids (pro-vitamin A), that give the milk its yellowish-creamy color.  Used to increase the product’s fat content; to contribute with the sensory characteristics (texture, flavor, and creaminess)

Notes

Only milk-origin fat is allowed in yogurts. Another fatty acid present in the milk is the linoleic acid, an unsaturated chain compound, that has a family of isomers with the name of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), to which functional properties are attributed.

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the mass: 75 products use sugar (liquid, sugar syrup,)
• In preparations and syrups: 62 products use crystal, brown, liquid sugar, syrup or inverted sugar.

WHAT IS and the REASONS to use SUGAR:

Sugar refers to sucrose, extracted from sugarcane and beetroot and marketed in liquid and solid forms. They are single carbohydrates (mono or disaccharides), being source of energy for the organisms. Used to sweeten the product, but also to give other characteristics to the product, such as, to aggregate structure, flavor and aroma.

Notes

The most used sugar in the food industry is sucrose, isolated from sugarcane or beetroot.

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the mass: 1 product uses honey.
• In preparations and syrups: 16 products have honey added.

WHAT IS and the REASONS to use HONEY:

Honey is a food products produced by honey bees. Used to sweeten the product, replacing or or reducing the sugar.

Notes

Glucose and fructose sugar are mostly present in honey.

In the samples of 150 yogurt analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the dough, no product uses the ingredients.
• In the preparations and syrups: 85 products use fruits, other vegetables and by-products as optional ingredients: fruits, fruits cut in cubes or slices (45 products), fruit pulp (36), fruit juice (23), carrot (2), cocoa (2), raisin (1), ginger (1).

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use FRUIT, VEGETABLES, AND BY-PRODUCT:

Fruits (strawberry, coconut, papaya, plum, peach, passion fruit, blueberry, etc)  and vegetables (carrot) used in many forms (grated, shopped, in pieces, pulp, juice, etc.) as an alternative to produce different types, flavors and textures of yogurts; to enrich yogurts; to incorporate fibers and nutrients.

Notes.

Fruits and vegetables are natural sources of dietetic fibers, mineral salts and vitamins, and contain little fat.

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the dough, no product uses the Ingredients.
• In the preparations and syrups: 13 products use cereals and by-products as optional ingredients: rice, barley and wheat flours and brans, (6 products), oat, wheat, and barley flakes (3), corn and wheat fiber (4), rye (2), linseed in grains (2), rice-based cereal (1).

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use CEREALS/GRAINS:

Grains are (rye, rice, corn, oat, soybean, buckwheat, durum wheat, amaranth wheat, etc.) used in many forms (bran, flocks, starch, fibers, wheat, etc.) as an alternative to produce different types of flavors, textures or yogurt, such as multi-grains, and to enrich and to incorporate fibers and nutrients.

Notes

Cereal grains contain carbohydrates, proteins, fat, fibers, mineral salts and vitamins. Carbohydrates vary from 78 to 83%, but are used in relatively shall quantities in yogurts.

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the mass: No products use the ingredient.
• In preparations and syrups: 4 products use seeds.

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use SEEDS:

Chia, linseed, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, etc, used in various forms (bran, flocks, starch, fibers, wheat, etc.) as an alternative to produce different types of flavors, textures or yogurt, such as multi-grains, and to enrich and to incorporate fibers and nutrients.

Notes

Seeds are a natural source of fibers, mineral salts, vitamins, and unsaturated fats. Some are also rich in proteins.

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the dough, no product uses the Ingredients.
• In the preparations and syrups: 2 products use almonds and chestnuts, 1 product uses peanut.

WHAT the REASONS to use ALMONDS AND CHESTNUTS:

They are oilseeds, seeds rich in oil (nuts, chestnut, hazelnut, peanut, almond, macadamia, pistachio, among others), used as an alternative to produce different types of flavors, textures or yogurt, such as multi-grains, and to enrich and to incorporate fibers and nutrients.

Notes

Chestnuts and almonds contain unsaturated fat, proteins, fibers, vitamins, especially E and complex B vitamins, antioxidants and minerals such as zinc, potassium, manganese, iron, copper, and selenium.

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the dough, no product uses the Ingredients.
• In the preparations and syrups: 2 products use cocoa.

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use COCOA, CHOCOLATE, AND BY-PRODUCTS: Notes

Cocoa is marketed in different forms (powder, butter, cocoa, cocoa mass, cocoa liquor). Different types of chocolate are produced form cocoa, and marketed in many forms (powder, chocolate nibs). Used as an alternative to produce different types of yogurt and to enrich and incorporate fibers and nutrients.

Notes

Cocoa has a high content of polyphenols also called phenolic compounds; these compounds have antioxidant properties and many benefits to the health are attributed to them.

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the dough, no product uses the Ingredients.
• In the preparations and syrups: 1 product uses caramel syrup.

WHAT IS and the REASONS to use CARAMEL SYRUP:

Syrup formed by heating the mixture of water and sucrose, used to give the desired color, flavor and texture to the yogurt preparation/syrup.

Notes

In the process to obtain the caramel syrup, as the sugar melts, there are many chemical reactions that take to the production of compounds that give it the characteristic caramel color and flavor.

In the sample of 150 yogurts analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• In the mass: 3 products are added with water or apple juice.
• In preparations and syrups: 89 products are added with water.

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use OTHER INGREDIENTS

Water and apple juice are used. Water is added in order to rehydrate powdered milky products when used to replace liquids or to adjust the solids content. Apple juice is used to reduce the content sugar added or to increase the content of solids.