Ymer (dairy product)
Encyclopedia
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 acid bacteria
which convert milk sugar
in the milk into lactic acid
and other substances. Acidity makes the milk thicker, gives it a tart flavor, and increases the shelf life by several days.
Ymer is named after the giant Ymer
from Genesis in Norse mythology
. In 1937, dairy
farmer E. Larsen in Hatting
registered his new soured milk product as ymer; the name was then used by other dairies that began making the product.
Ymer is made with the help of a starter culture, which is added to skimmed milk
(milk whose fat content is typically 0.1% and generally no higher than 0.5%). It is kept at 18° C until the pH
drops to 4.6. The serum is broken down and drained after fermentation, and cream is added.
Unlike other fermented milk products, ymer is drained of its whey. That means that ymer has a higher content of solids, including protein
, while the fat content
stays at 3.5% as in whole milk.
Ymer is used in breakfasts, snacks, desserts, dressings and baking. The traditional breakfast topping is ymerdrys ("ymer sprinkle"), which is a mix of rugbrød
breadcrumbs and brown sugar. 1 deciliter of ymer contains 146 kJ (35 kilocalories).
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
soured milk product
Fermented milk products
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 such as Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, and Leuconostoc...
which has been known since 1930. It is made by fermenting whole milk with the bacterial
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...
culture 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...
. When producing fermented milk products such as yogurt, ymer, filmjölk
Filmjölk
Filmjölk is a Nordic dairy product, similar to yoghurt, but using different bacteria which give a different taste and texture....
, 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...
, qvark
Quark (cheese)
Quark is a type of fresh cheese, also known as tvorog , topfen , biezpiens , and varškė . It is made by warming soured milk until the desired degree of denaturation of milk proteins is met, and then strained...
and A-38
A38 (dairy product)
A38 is a fermented dairy product, a Lactobacillus acidophilus yoghurt, made by Arla Foods. The product is sold in Denmark....
, and also when producing 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....
, one can add 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...
which convert milk sugar
Lactose
Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is found most notably in milk and is formed from galactose and glucose. Lactose makes up around 2~8% of milk , although the amount varies among species and individuals. It is extracted from sweet or sour whey. The name comes from or , the Latin word for milk,...
in the milk into lactic acid
Lactic acid
Lactic acid, also known as milk acid, is a chemical compound that plays a role in various biochemical processes and was first isolated in 1780 by the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Lactic acid is a carboxylic acid with the chemical formula C3H6O3...
and other substances. Acidity makes the milk thicker, gives it a tart flavor, and increases the shelf life by several days.
Ymer is named after the giant Ymer
Ymer
Ymer can mean:* Ymer , a Danish soured milk product* Ymer , a Swedish icebreakerSee also:* Ymir...
from Genesis in Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
. In 1937, dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
farmer E. Larsen in Hatting
Hatting, Denmark
Hatting is a town in Horsens Municipality, Denmark, with a population of 1,528 .-References:...
registered his new soured milk product as ymer; the name was then used by other dairies that began making the product.
Ymer is made with the help of a starter culture, which is added to skimmed milk
Fat content of milk
The fat content of milk is the proportion of milk, by weight,made up by butterfat. The fat content, particularly of cow's milk, is modified to make a variety of products...
(milk whose fat content is typically 0.1% and generally no higher than 0.5%). It is kept at 18° C until the pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
drops to 4.6. The serum is broken down and drained after fermentation, and cream is added.
Unlike other fermented milk products, ymer is drained of its whey. That means that ymer has a higher content of solids, including protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
, while the fat content
Fat content of milk
The fat content of milk is the proportion of milk, by weight,made up by butterfat. The fat content, particularly of cow's milk, is modified to make a variety of products...
stays at 3.5% as in whole milk.
Ymer is used in breakfasts, snacks, desserts, dressings and baking. The traditional breakfast topping is ymerdrys ("ymer sprinkle"), which is a mix of rugbrød
Rugbrød
Rugbrød is a very commonly used bread in Denmark. The common rugbrød usually resembles a long brown rectangle, no more than 12 cm high, and 30–35 cm wide, although shapes and sizes may vary, as well as the ingredients...
breadcrumbs and brown sugar. 1 deciliter of ymer contains 146 kJ (35 kilocalories).