Fermented milk products - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Fermented milk products, also known as cultured dairy foods, cultured dairy products, or cultured milk products, are dairy foods that have been fermented with lactic acid bacteria

Lactic acid bacteria

The lactic acid bacteria comprise a clade of Gram-positive, low-GC, acid-tolerant, generally non-sporulating, non-respiring rod or cocci that are associated by their common metabolic and physiological characteristics. These bacteria, usually found in decomposing plants and lactic products, produce...

such as Lactobacillus
Lactobacillus
Lactobacillus is a genus of Gram-positive facultative anaerobic or microaerophilic rod-shaped bacteria. They are a major part of the lactic acid bacteria group, named as such because most of its members convert lactose and other sugars to lactic acid. They are common and usually benign...

, Lactococcus
Lactococcus
Lactococcus is a genus of lactic acid bacteria that were formerly included in the genus Streptococcus Group N1. They are known as homofermentors meaning that they produce a single product, lactic acid in this case, as the major or only product of glucose fermentation...

, and Leuconostoc
Leuconostoc
Leuconostoc is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria, placed within the family of Leuconostocaceae. They are generally ovoid cocci often forming chains. Leuconostoc spp. are intrinsically resistant to vancomycin and are catalase-negative . All species within this genus are heterofermentative and are...

. The fermentation process increases the shelf-life of the product, as well as adds to the taste and improves the digestibility of milk. There is evidence that fermented milk products have been produced since around 10,000 BC. A range of different Lactobacilli strains has been grown in laboratories allowing for a wide range of cultured milk products with different tastes.

Soured milk

Origin	Product(s)
	acidophilus milk
	cheese Cheese Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
	buttermilk Buttermilk Buttermilk refers to a number of dairy drinks. Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream. It also refers to a range of fermented milk drinks, common in warm climates where unrefrigerated fresh milk otherwise sours quickly...
	yoghurt Yoghurt Yoghurt, yogurt or yogourt is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yoghurt are known as "yoghurt cultures"...
Bretagne	laezh-ribod
Kingdom of Bulgaria	kiselo mlyako
Caucasus Caucasus The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...	kefir Kefir Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with shepherds of the North Caucasus region, who discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage...
Central Asia Central Asia Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...	chal Chal Chal, or shubat , is a Turkic beverage of fermented camel milk, sparkling white with a sour flavor, popular in Central Asia — particularly in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. In Kazakhstan the drink is known as shubat, and is a staple summer food. Due to preparation requirements and perishable... & kumis Kumis Kumis, also spelled kumiss or koumiss in English is a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare's milk. The drink remains important to the peoples of the Central Asian steppes, of Turkic and Mongol origin: Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Yakuts, Mongols and Kalmyks...
Denmark	kærnemælk, tykmælk, and ymer Ymer (dairy product) Ymer is a Danish soured milk product which has been known since 1930. It is made by fermenting whole milk with the bacterial culture Lactococcus lactis. When producing fermented milk products such as yogurt, ymer, filmjölk, skyr, qvark and A-38, and also when producing cheese, one can add lactic...
Estonia	hapupiim and kefir Kefir Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with shepherds of the North Caucasus region, who discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage...
Finland	piimä and viili Viili Viili is a type of yoghurt that originated in the Nordic countries. It has a ropey, gelatinous consistency and a pleasantly mild taste resulting from lactic acid...
Georgia (country)	matsoni Matsoni Matzoon is a fermented milk product found in Caucasian cuisine, armenian origin. It is very similar to yogurt....
Germany	Sauermilch or Dickmilch
Greece	Xynogalo or Xynogala
Iceland	skyr Skyr Skyr is an Icelandic cultured dairy product, similar to strained yogurt. Technically it is a very soft cheese. It is very popular in Icelandic cuisine. Skyr was originally discovered by accident. A group of farmers in Iceland in the early settlement days poured skim milk over barrels of meat to... and súrmjólk Súrmjólk Súrmjólk is an Icelandic cultured milk product, or a type of yoghurt. It is made from either whole or semi-skimmed milk and various flavorings are sometimes added....
India	Lassi Lassi Lassi is a popular and traditional yogurt-based drink of the Indian Subcontinent. It is made by blending yogurt with water and Indian spices...
Indonesia	dadiah Dadiah Dadih , a traditional fermented milk of West Sumatra, Indonesia, is made by pouring fresh raw unheated buffalo milk into a bamboo tube capped with a banana leaf, and allowing it to ferment spontaneously at room temperature for two days....
Iran	doogh Doogh Doogh is a yogurt-based beverage. Popular in Iran and also found in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, as well as the Balkans, it is sometimes carbonated. Outside of Iran and Afghanistan it is known by different names.-History:...
Israel	leben
Japan	Calpis Calpis is a Japanese uncarbonated soft drink, manufactured by , headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo.The beverage has a light, somewhat milky, and slightly acidic flavor, similar to plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt or Yakult...
Kazakhstan	kumis Kumis Kumis, also spelled kumiss or koumiss in English is a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare's milk. The drink remains important to the peoples of the Central Asian steppes, of Turkic and Mongol origin: Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Yakuts, Mongols and Kalmyks...
Republic of Macedonia	kiselo mleko
Netherlands	karnemelk (buttermilk Buttermilk Buttermilk refers to a number of dairy drinks. Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream. It also refers to a range of fermented milk drinks, common in warm climates where unrefrigerated fresh milk otherwise sours quickly... )
Norway	surmelk or kulturmelk, kefir Kefir Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with shepherds of the North Caucasus region, who discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage... , and tjukkmjølk
Pakistan	Lassi Lassi Lassi is a popular and traditional yogurt-based drink of the Indian Subcontinent. It is made by blending yogurt with water and Indian spices...
Poland	kwaśne mleko or zsiadłe mleko
Kingdom of Romania	lapte bătut and lapte acru
Russia	kefir Kefir Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with shepherds of the North Caucasus region, who discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage... , ryazhenka and prostokvasha
Kingdom of Scotland	blaand Blaand Blaand is a fermented milk product made from whey. It is similar in alcohol content to wine.-History:Blaand was introduced to Scotland by Vikings....
Serbia	kiselo mleko
Slovakia	kefir Kefir Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with shepherds of the North Caucasus region, who discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage... or acidofilne mlieko
South Africa	amasi Amasi thumb\|Amasi.Amasi is the common word for fermented milk that tastes like cottage cheese or plain yogurt. It is very popular in South Africa. Amasi is traditionally prepared by storing unpasteurised cow's milk in a calabash container or hide sack to allow it to ferment... ("maas" in Afrikaans)
Sweden	filmjölk Filmjölk Filmjölk is a Nordic dairy product, similar to yoghurt, but using different bacteria which give a different taste and texture.... , långfil and A-fil (fil Fil FIL or Fil may refer to:* Functional Imaging Laboratory, the colloquial name for the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging.* International Luge Federation, the international governing body for the sport of luge.... is the short form of filmjölk)
United States	clabber Clabber (food) Clabber is a food produced by allowing unpasteurized milk to turn sour at a specific humidity and temperature. Over time, the milk thickens or curdles into a yoghurt-like substance with a strong, sour flavor. In rural areas of the Southern United States, it was commonly eaten for breakfast with...
Bosnia and Herzegovina	kiselo mlijeko and kefir Kefir Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with shepherds of the North Caucasus region, who discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage...

Soured cream

Origin	Product(s)
	cheese Cheese Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
	sour cream Sour cream Sour cream is a dairy product rich in fats obtained by fermenting a regular cream by certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, which is introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream. Its name stems from the production of lactic acid by bacterial...
Central & Eastern Europe	smetana
Independent State of Croatia	mileram/kiselo vrhnje
Finland	kermaviili
Early Modern France	crème fraîche Crème fraîche Crème fraîche is a soured cream containing about 28% butterfat and with a pH of around 4.5. It is soured with bacterial culture, but is less sour than sour cream. It has a comparatively high viscosity and a higher fat content....
Iceland	sýrður rjómi
Mexico	crema Crema -Other uses:* Crema , a thin layer of foam at the top of a cup of espresso* Crema Mexicana, or Mexican fresh cream, akin to crème fraîche... /cream espesa
Norway	rømme
Serbia	kisela pavlaka
Sweden	gräddfil

Comparison chart

Product	Alternative names	Typical milkfat content	Typical shelf life at 4°C	Fermentation agent	Description
Cheese Cheese Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....		1-75%	varies	a variety of bacteria Bacteria Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals... and/or mold Mold Molds are fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. Molds are not considered to be microbes but microscopic fungi that grow as single cells called yeasts...	Any number of solid fermented milk products.
Crème fraîche Crème fraîche Crème fraîche is a soured cream containing about 28% butterfat and with a pH of around 4.5. It is soured with bacterial culture, but is less sour than sour cream. It has a comparatively high viscosity and a higher fat content....	creme fraiche	30-40%	10 days	naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria Lactic acid bacteria The lactic acid bacteria comprise a clade of Gram-positive, low-GC, acid-tolerant, generally non-sporulating, non-respiring rod or cocci that are associated by their common metabolic and physiological characteristics. These bacteria, usually found in decomposing plants and lactic products, produce... in cream	Mesophilic fermented cream, originally from France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... ; higher-fat variant of sour cream Sour cream Sour cream is a dairy product rich in fats obtained by fermenting a regular cream by certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, which is introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream. Its name stems from the production of lactic acid by bacterial... .
Cultured sour cream Sour cream Sour cream is a dairy product rich in fats obtained by fermenting a regular cream by certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, which is introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream. Its name stems from the production of lactic acid by bacterial...	sour cream	14–18%	4 weeks	Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis is a Gram-positive bacterium used extensively in the production of buttermilk and cheese, but has recently also become famous as the first genetically modified organism to be used alive for the treatment of human disease. L... subsp. lactis*	Mesophilic fermented pasteurized cream with an acidity of at least 0.5%. Rennet extract may be added to make a thicker product. Lower fat variant of crème fraîche Crème fraîche Crème fraîche is a soured cream containing about 28% butterfat and with a pH of around 4.5. It is soured with bacterial culture, but is less sour than sour cream. It has a comparatively high viscosity and a higher fat content.... .
Filmjölk Filmjölk Filmjölk is a Nordic dairy product, similar to yoghurt, but using different bacteria which give a different taste and texture....	fil	0.1-4.5%	10–14 days	Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis is a Gram-positive bacterium used extensively in the production of buttermilk and cheese, but has recently also become famous as the first genetically modified organism to be used alive for the treatment of human disease. L... * and Leuconostoc Leuconostoc Leuconostoc is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria, placed within the family of Leuconostocaceae. They are generally ovoid cocci often forming chains. Leuconostoc spp. are intrinsically resistant to vancomycin and are catalase-negative . All species within this genus are heterofermentative and are...	Mesophilic fermented milk, originally from Scandinavia Scandinavia Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,... .
Yogurt	yoghurt, yoghourt, yogourt, yogurt	0.5–4%	35–40 days	Lactobacillus bulgaricus Lactobacillus bulgaricus Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus is one of several bacteria used for the production of yogurt. It is also found in other naturally fermented products... and Streptococcus thermophilus	Thermophilic fermented milk, cultured with Lactobacillus bulgaricus Lactobacillus bulgaricus Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus is one of several bacteria used for the production of yogurt. It is also found in other naturally fermented products... and Streptococcus thermophilus.
Kefir Kefir Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with shepherds of the North Caucasus region, who discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage...	kephir, kewra, talai, mudu kekiya, milkkefir, búlgaros	0-4%	10–14 days	Kefir grains, a mixture of bacteria Bacteria Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals... and yeasts	A fermented beverage, originally from the Caucasus Caucasus The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea... region, made with kefir grains. Can be made with any sugary liquid, such as milk from mammals, soy milk, or fruit juices.
Kumis Kumis Kumis, also spelled kumiss or koumiss in English is a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare's milk. The drink remains important to the peoples of the Central Asian steppes, of Turkic and Mongol origin: Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Yakuts, Mongols and Kalmyks...	koumiss, kumiss, kymys, kymyz, airag, chigee	4%?	10–14 days	Lactobacilli and yeasts	A carbonated fermented milk beverage traditionally made from horse milk.
Viili Viili Viili is a type of yoghurt that originated in the Nordic countries. It has a ropey, gelatinous consistency and a pleasantly mild taste resulting from lactic acid...	filbunke	0.1-3.5%	14 days	Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis is a Gram-positive bacterium used extensively in the production of buttermilk and cheese, but has recently also become famous as the first genetically modified organism to be used alive for the treatment of human disease. L... subsp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis* biovar. diacetylactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris and Geotrichum candidum Geotrichum candidum Geotrichum candidum is a Fungi or mold that can act as a plant pathogen causing sour rot on peach, nectarine, tomato and carrot. It is also widely used in the production of many dairy products including many natural rind cheeses such as Camembert and other bloomy rind cheese, Saint-Nectaire, Tomme...	Mesophilic fermented milk that may or may not contain fungus on the surface. Originally from Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... but today is a Finnish Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... specialty.
Cultured buttermilk		1–2%	10 days	Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis is a Gram-positive bacterium used extensively in the production of buttermilk and cheese, but has recently also become famous as the first genetically modified organism to be used alive for the treatment of human disease. L... * (Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis is a Gram-positive bacterium used extensively in the production of buttermilk and cheese, but has recently also become famous as the first genetically modified organism to be used alive for the treatment of human disease. L... subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis is a Gram-positive bacterium used extensively in the production of buttermilk and cheese, but has recently also become famous as the first genetically modified organism to be used alive for the treatment of human disease. L... subsp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis Lactococcus lactis is a Gram-positive bacterium used extensively in the production of buttermilk and cheese, but has recently also become famous as the first genetically modified organism to be used alive for the treatment of human disease. L... biovar. diacetylactis* and Leuconostoc mesenteroides Leuconostoc mesenteroides Leuconostoc mesenteroides is a species of bacteria sometimes associated with fermentation, under conditions of salinity and low temperatures.-External links:... subsp. cremoris*)	Mesophilic fermented pasteurized milk.
Acidophilus milk	acidophilus cultured milk	0.5-2%	2 weeks	Lactobacillus acidophilus Lactobacillus acidophilus Lactobacillus acidophilus is a species in the genus Lactobacillus. L. acidophilus is a homofermentative species, fermenting sugars into lactic acid, which grows readily at rather low pH values and has an optimum growth temperature of 37 °C . L...	Thermophilic fermented milk, often lowfat (2%, 1.5%) or nonfat (0.5%), cultured with Lactobacillus acidophilus Lactobacillus acidophilus Lactobacillus acidophilus is a species in the genus Lactobacillus. L. acidophilus is a homofermentative species, fermenting sugars into lactic acid, which grows readily at rather low pH values and has an optimum growth temperature of 37 °C . L... .

* Streptococcus lactis has been renamed to Lactococcus lactis
Lactococcus lactis
Lactococcus lactis is a Gram-positive bacterium used extensively in the production of buttermilk and cheese, but has recently also become famous as the first genetically modified organism to be used alive for the treatment of human disease. L...

subsp. lactis

Soured milk

Soured cream

Comparison chart

See also