If we consider the daily diet of a modern person, then it should be noted that fermented milk products occupy a leading place, are almost an obligatory food product, along with bread, vegetables, meat products... There are no people on Earth who did not know, did not meet, did not eat such products that are offered by the modern food industry around the world.

This feature is not some new trend or fashion, it has always been so, the entire history of the existence of man and mankind, as evidenced by numerous historical documents, some of which date back to millennia before the birth of Christ.

To understand why this happened, it is necessary to consider in detail what kind of products they are, what they are made of, what is their usefulness for people.

What are fermented milk products

The simplest answer to this question is given by the etymology of the word fermented milk, one of the roots of which is the word lactic, from the word milk... This is a product somehow associated with milk, which is oxidized, as evidenced by the second word.

Indeed, all products in this group are made from milk. For this, any milk of cattle is taken - cow, sheep, horse milk and even buffalo and camel milk. The specific, sour, qualities of such products are obtained due to the introduction of lactic acid bacteria or yeast into milk to change its original properties (they are made from mushrooms useful for digestion). This process is called fermentation, and the bacteria used (regardless of their type) is called sourdough.

Technologically, there are two types of fermentation in the preparation of all fermented milk products:

1. fermented milk (one or more types of lactic acid bacteria are used to ferment milk)
2. mixed (yeast, sugar, sometimes beneficial bacteria of the non-lactic acid group, enzymes are used).

Milk is for such bacteria natural environment a habitat. First of all, because of the polysaccharide it contains - lactose, which bacteria feed on. After the digestion of milk sugars, bacteria release by-substances - lactic acid, which gives a specific sour taste, carbon dioxide, water. Modern manufacturers add other additives that become a breeding ground for the vital activity of bacteria.

Variety of fermented milk products and their main types

The types of fermented milk and other bacteria, additional ingredients, types of this or that milk used in production, determine their huge variety. Dairy production technologists regularly improve production and offer new types of milk-based products. products.

The main types of k.-mol. products:

The list of types of fermented milk products is not limited to this, there are only thousands of types of cheese and it is prepared from different types of milk. On the diversity and ubiquity of types k.-mol. the drinks are evidenced by the multitude of local, common in a particular geographic area, with local production characteristics. So, among the peoples of the Caucasus, kumis became widespread, in Central Asia - ayran, in Tataria, a local k.-mol. drink suzma and kort, in Bashkiria - orot and kaymak. Residents of Armenia prefer tan and machun, residents of Georgia produce yogurt, Ukrainians cook varenets. National k.-mol. the drink of the Egyptians is leben, and the inhabitants of Iceland use skyr.

How are fermented milk products useful?

Their use is in direct proportion to the usefulness of the main raw material for their production - milk. Despite the processes of fermentation, fermentation, most nutrients milk does not undergo any changes, and, one might say, is inherited by k.-pier. products.

Almost all proteins and amino acids, animal fat, vitamins of groups A, B, D, PP, E, micro- and macroelements (calcium, magnesium, potassium, chlorides, selenium, iron, copper) of milk are "inherited". Carbohydrates, mainly lactose (milk sugar), are broken down by bacteria to glucose and galactose. Substances of the vital activity of lactic bacteria also turn out to be useful for human nutrition.

The main benefit is that they can be eaten by people who have problems with intolerance to proteins and carbohydrates in pure milk. So, people with hypolactasia (intolerance milk sugar- lactose) can be consumed by almost all c. products, since they contain almost no lactose, even in fresh they contain it in a minimum amount.

Patients with allergic reactions to pure milk proteins (for example, caseinogen) can use their fermented types in cheeses, cottage cheese, in which the protein structure changes to casein.

The amount of so-called "bad cholesterol" contained in pure milk is significantly reduced under the influence of bacteria. The structure of polyunsaturated animal fats changes, which makes milk fat less harmful.

Fermented milk proteins are easier and faster to digest and absorb by the body. Carbohydrates do not require additional forces of the body to break down, since they are already broken down by bacteria to monosaccharides, which are the main building blocks for body tissues and cells.

Bacteria and their waste products are very useful for the normal functioning of the intestines, normalize metabolic processes, eliminate inflammation of the mucous membranes, and destroy most of the putrefactive bacteria. Especially useful in this sense are probiotics and lactobacilli, which are found in yoghurts. They are almost the only remedy that restores the intestinal microflora in the initial forms of dysbacteriosis of a different nature. This property of yoghurts gives an unambiguously positive answer to the frequently discussed question: do yoghurts relate to k.-mol. or not?

High-fat products (sour cream, fermented baked milk, varenets) and containing a large amount of protein (cottage cheese, cheeses) are recommended by doctors during the rehabilitation period after severe surgical interventions, underweight, dystrophy, and lack of muscle mass.

Low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, yoghurts, due to their low calorie content, are an obligatory part of some diets and weight loss programs.

Why are fermented milk products harmful?

The harm of fermented milk products is also due to the peculiarities of the harm from drinking milk.

Due to the high content of organic lactic acid, it is not recommended to use k.-mol. drinks for the sufferer peptic ulcer stomach, gastritis with high acidity.

Patients with milk protein allergy are advised to refrain from taking any dairy products until the allergen is accurately identified.

People with high cholesterol are offered to use only fat-free milk products. products.

Only a lazy person does not know about the benefits of milk and kefir. For example, a glass of hot milk with honey is recommended for better sleep, kefir - again at night, especially if there is a lot of meat in the diet. Despite the fact that both products belong to the dairy group, useful components they are different, and each person perceives them in his own way. Statistics generally indicate that about 40% of people do not consume milk, because after drinking it, they feel heaviness in the stomach. This is due to the low activity of the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar. People who have this inherent should include fermented milk products in their diet - milk sugar has already been broken down in them.

The following facts also testify in favor of kefir, fermented baked milk, and other fermented milk products:
high saturation;
alcohol accumulating over several days (if the proportion is not more than 0.6 g / 100 ml) stimulates the digestive processes;
assimilation of proteins contained in fermented milk products is faster and better;
the presence of natural, absolutely harmless antibiotics has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora;
the diuretic process is more pronounced due to the enrichment of fermented milk products with potassium, which makes kefir, fermented baked milk and yogurt irreplaceable in case of weight loss and getting rid of edema.

What are fermented milk products and how is the process of their production
The basis is whole cow, goat, mare's milk, sheep's milk (the most common animals are listed). Derivatives can also be used as the main ingredient - cream, skim milk, whey.

The peculiarity of the manufacture of fermented milk products is that fermentation is achieved by adding yeast or lactic acid bacteria. To destroy and prevent the development of harmful microorganisms in milk, it is often pasteurized or boiled before sourdough. At the output, the result of all these processes is a consistency that already has a smell and taste inherent in finished products.

By the nature of fermentation, fermented milk products can be divided into two categories:
- obtained as a result of lactic acid fermentation - yoghurt, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, acidophilus and acidophilus milk;
- obtained as a result of lactic acid and alcoholic fermentation: kefir, kurunga, kumis and others.

What are the benefits of fermented milk products in general?

They are assimilated three times faster than milk... They contain more lactase than lactose, therefore they are easily tolerated by the body, help the intestines to return to normal after various kinds of infections, therefore, relieve diarrhea.

Fermented milk products are the main suppliers of protein and calcium, which are simply indispensable for growth. They also contain in an optimal ratio phosphorus and other trace elements that contribute to the assimilation of calcium, which is so necessary, especially for children. The absence of the latter leads to serious disorders in the development of the body. This is not only a delay in growth, formation of bones, teeth, but also increased nervous excitability, blood pressure and bleeding of blood vessels, the appearance of caries, and malfunctioning of the heart.

Whatever preventive properties are cited as arguments for the usefulness of fermented milk products, the main among them is the suppression of the growth and development of harmful microorganisms - breeding grounds of diseases. Microbes poison the human body with fermentation and decay products, as a result of which the intestine ceases to be a barrier for toxins and foreign microbes. Thus, the body is gradually poisoned, the functioning of the liver and kidneys is disrupted, age-related diseases are activated.

Fermented milk products in just a couple of weeks contribute to the return of the intestinal microflora to a normal state, the disappearance of phenol and indole from urine, as a result of which physiological functions and biochemical processes are restored.

Saturation of useful and nutritious substances, bioactive products is another function that dairy products perform. Vitamins, peptides, amino acids and other necessary trace elements enter the body precisely thanks to kefir, yoghurts, cottage cheese and other products of this group. While taking antibiotics, sour milk neutralizes their destructive effect on the intestinal microflora. The use of fermented milk products increases immunity, the body's ability to resist infections, and has an anti-allergenic effect.

Types of fermented milk products in the countries of the world and their healing properties

Milk is just a healthy food product, while fermented milk products have healing properties and prolong life. Thanks to this, they have gained incredible popularity, which is increasing every year.
They are distributed all over the world. V different countries are called in their own way. So, kumis is popular in Kazakhstan, leben is an Egyptian fermented milk product, burial milk is available in Norway, they are consonant in name - matsoni and matsun - in Georgia and Armenia, respectively. The more familiar name is ryazhenka, the country of origin of which is Ukraine. Chal, ayran, katyk - these are all varieties of fermented milk products. Enriched by adding bifidobacteria to them, they receive the prefix "bio" or "beefi" and become more useful for the body several times over.

The most popular, which means they are consumed, are kefir, fermented baked milk, less often - acidophilus. Very few people think about such products as buttermilk or whey. Meanwhile, these products are simply irreplaceable to quickly recover from various kinds of injuries; to maintain muscle mass; people suffering from atherosclerosis; as well as those who have reached the age of 50. Common in all of the above cases is the leaching of calcium from the body, which makes the bones fragile. Whey and buttermilk contain high amounts of vitamins and calcium, as well as proteins and lecithin, which protect our blood vessels from cholesterol, while being low in fat. Both products are the result of processing other dairy products: whey - after cooking curd, buttermilk - churning butter.

The benefits of yoghurt say a lot, but not all of them are equally useful. The most valuable for the body are low-fat, without heat treatment. When choosing yogurt in a store, you should definitely pay attention to the storage conditions and check the expiration date. The presence of bifidobacteria in the product (they are also probiotics) contributes to the suppression of pathogens in the intestine, the synthesis of vitamins, the absorption of proteins, and also destroys toxins arising in the process of metabolism. It has been proven through scientific research that probiotics are an excellent prevention of intestinal infections and cancer. There are many varieties of yoghurts, therefore, the recommendations for use are different: natural ones are suitable not only as a second breakfast, afternoon snack or dinner, but also perfectly replace sour cream for dressing salads, and sweet ones will become a wonderful dessert - tasty and healthy. It is recommended to drink organic yoghurt in small sips, slowly.

Another product contains a lot of protein - cheese. But there are disadvantages in it - high-calorie content and the presence a large number fat. It is better to refuse to use it for people who are overweight. An alternative is low-fat cottage cheese. But it is not worth writing off cheese from the diet, especially for people suffering from diseases of the liver, intestines, gall bladder, stomach, insufficient production of pancreatic enzymes, with pancreatitis. The milk fat of the cheese is broken down independently, without the participation of bile and the enzyme of the pancreas - lipase.

Also, the benefits of cheese include the presence of a complete set of fat-soluble vitamins in the product. Calcium and phosphorus are concentrated in it to a greater extent than in cottage cheese - the amount of vitamin B increases sharply, 150 times during cheese ripening. For better assimilation, it is recommended to use grated cheese rather than sliced ​​cheese. But in any case, calcium will be absorbed completely.

In the vastness of Central and North Asia, the most common product is kurunga made from cow's milk. Its healing properties are as follows:
strengthening of the secretory-motor function of the digestive glands;
improvement of redox processes;
improved blood composition;
increasing immunobiological properties, body reactivity;
enrichment with vitamins and proteins;
kills putrefactive processes developing in the intestines.

Plant milk: what is it and what is it eaten with?
The nutritional value of plant milk and ordinary milk are equal. The advantage of the first is the absence of cholesterol, a harmful share of health, as well as the prevalence of healthy monounsaturated fats over saturated ones that harm the body.
There is soy milk, nut milk, grain milk.
Soy milk is made from different varieties soybeans, so it will taste different. The most optimal option would be a product made from organic soybeans, since when soybeans are grown in the usual way, a lot of pesticides accumulate in it. Soy milk, due to the presence of plant estrogens - isoflafones - reduces the risk of heart and vascular diseases. It is the fattest among all plant types of milk.

Peanut butter made from almonds has been known since the Middle Ages. Almonds are displaced with water, sweetener is added. The resulting mixture is low in calories. Calcium and vitamins are often added to it.

For the basis of grain milk taken rice, oats, a mixture of cereals - rye, wheat, barley, tretikale, amaranth, spelled. Rice is the sweetest of all, as rice syrup is added to it. Oatmeal differs in the amount of fiber - a glass of such milk contains 10% of its daily allowance... The composition includes, in addition to oats, pea flour and powder of several types of cereals and seeds.
Vegetable milk can be ordinary, chocolate, vanilla.
Despite all the benefits, there are side effects... For example, the presence of isoflavones in soy milk increases the risk of cancer - breast cancer. But the negative consequences are more than offset by the utility.
When buying plant milk, pay attention to the presence in them of the same substances that are characteristic of cow's milk: calcium, riboflavin, B12. Eat plant-based drinks with added sugar or sweeteners as little as possible. Remember that they cannot be used as a substitute for normal feeding for newborns.
Most often, vegetable milk is used only as an additive. For example, in breakfast cereals, muesli, coffee. But do not limit the use only in this way. The cocktails are very tasty, they can easily replace ordinary milk in other dishes. Experiment, try, and find your taste.

Milk and fermented milk products have been used in food for more than one millennium. Their benefits have been proven more than once, so doubt is gone. Bon appetit and good health.

Christina Firsova

Video about the benefits of fermented milk products:

produced on the basis of lactic acid fermentation. Fermented milk products have dietary and medicinal properties, which are due to the content of lactic acid, which suppresses the development of putrefactive bacteria in the human body, a rich vitamin composition, since many vitamins are synthesized by the microflora of the starter culture. Fermented milk products are easier to digest than milk due to the partial breakdown of the main components (proteins, lactose) during lactic acid fermentation, as well as the active effect of lactic acid on the secretory activity of the digestive tract.

Classification fermented milk products are carried out depending on the type of starter culture used for milk fermentation, as well as on the nature of the biochemical processes occurring during fermentation. Pure or mixed cultures can be used as a starter culture. lactic acid bacteria(mesophilic lactic acid streptococci having an optimum growth at a temperature of 25-35 ° C, thermophilic lactic acid streptococci having an optimum growth at a temperature of 40-45 ° C, Bulgarian bacillus, acidophilic bacillus, aroma bacteria, bifidobacteria, etc.), as well as yeast, kefir fungus, which is a symbiotic starter culture. In the production of cottage cheese and curd products, in addition to the starter culture, rennet (renin) is used, which has a high coagulating ability.

Depending on the nature of the biochemical processes occurring during fermentation, fermented milk products are divided into:

• products of homofermentative fermentation (during their manufacture only one type of fermentation takes place - lactic acid): curdled milk, yoghurts, acidophilic products, sour cream, cottage cheese and curd products;
• products of heteroenzymatic (mixed) fermentation (during their manufacture, 2 types of fermentation occur simultaneously - lactic acid and alcohol): kefir, kumis.
• Sour milk is produced in different types depending on the composition of the bacterial starter culture and production technology:
• ordinary sour milk is produced from whole or skim milk fermented with pure cultures of lactic acid streptococci;
• Mechnikovskaya curdled milk - from milk or milk mixture fermented with pure cultures of lactic acid streptococci and Bulgarian bacillus;
• acidophilic - from milk fermented with pure cultures of lactic acid streptococci and acidophilus bacillus;
• Yuzhnaya - from milk fermented with pure cultures of thermophilic lactic acid streptococci and Bulgarian bacillus with the addition of yeast fermenting lactose;
• fermented baked milk - from a mixture of milk and cream, exposed for 3-4 hours at 95 ° C and fermented with pure cultures of thermophilic streptococcus with the addition of Bulgarian bacillus;
• varenets - from sterilized milk or milk subjected to high-temperature processing, fermented with pure cultures of thermophilic streptococcus with or without the addition of lactic acid bacillus;
• other common and national species (matsun, matsoni, ayran, kurunga, etc.).

Yoghurts Are fermented milk products with a high content of dry fat-free substances, which are obtained by fermenting milk or milk mixture with pure cultures of thermophilic lactic acid streptococci and Bulgarian bacillus. Bio-yoghurts containing active bifidobacteria are also produced. Distinguish between yoghurts depending on the fat content ( dairy - 1%, 1.4%, 1.5%, 2.5%; creamy - 4.7%, 8%, 10%), heat treatment mode ("live" yoghurts - not subjected to hard heat treatment and containing living cells of microorganisms, and "non-living" - subjected to severe heat treatment, in which the microflora of the starter culture dies), as well as from the type of flavoring and aromatic additives(fruit, berry, etc.).

Feature acidophilic products is the use of acidophilus bacillus in the starter culture, which has high antibiotic activity. Acidophilic products include acidophilic milk, acidophilus, acidophilic yeast milk (with the addition of yeast). These products have a specific taste, a viscous consistency and have pronounced medicinal properties (used to treat tuberculosis, furunculosis and other diseases).

In production sour cream cream is fermented with pure cultures of lactic acid and aroma-forming bacteria. Sour cream differs from other fermented milk products in its high fat content - from 10 to 40%, and accordingly high calorie content... Depending on the mass fraction of fat, sour cream is distinguished with 10% fat content ("dietary"), 15, 20, 25% fat content and 30% fat content (higher and I grades).

Curd and curd products are distinguished by a high content of proteins (up to 20%), calcium and phosphorus, which are in a favorable ratio for assimilation. Curd is obtained by fermenting pasteurized milk with subsequent removal of whey from the curd. For fermentation, use pure cultures of lactic acid bacteria with or without the addition of calcium chloride, rennet or pepsin. They produce fatty cottage cheese (18% fat), bold (9% fat), low-fat, soft dietary (4 and 11% fat), soft dietary fruit and berry (11% fat), peasant (5 % fat), etc.

Curd products is produced from cottage cheese (different fat content) with the addition of cream, yoghurts, butter, various flavoring and aromatic fillers (cocoa powder, candied fruits, raisins, fresh fruits and berries, etc.). Curd products include curd masses, curds (glazed and unglazed), curd cakes and creams, curd spreads, semi-finished products and other products.

Kefir- a product of mixed fermentation (lactic acid and alcoholic), which is obtained by fermenting pasteurized milk with a sourdough based on kefir fungus. The specific sharp, refreshing taste of kefir is due to the combination of lactic acid accumulated as a result of lactic acid fermentation, alcohol and carbon dioxide accumulated as a result of alcoholic fermentation. Kefir has dietary and medicinal properties: low-fat kefir helps to remove fluid from the body (useful for diseases of the kidneys, heart, diabetes mellitus), one-day and two-day kefir has a laxative effect on the intestines. New types of bio-kefirs ("Bifidok", "Bifilin", "Biomax", "Bifilife", etc.) contain different kinds bifidobacteria, have increased therapeutic and prophylactic properties: they normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract, prevent dysbacteriosis and allergies, and enhance immunity. Kefir is produced 1; 2.5; 3.2% fat, low fat, Tallinn (1% and low fat), fruit (1 and 2.5% fat), bio-kefirs (1%, 3.2% fat, containing bifidobacteria) and dr.

Koumiss produced from mare's milk using a special kumis starter culture, which includes lactic acid sticks of the Bulgarian type and milk yeast with high antibiotic activity. Kumis is used to treat tuberculosis and some gastrointestinal diseases. Due to the increased lactose content in mare's milk, yeast develops more actively, and up to 2.5% alcohol accumulates in kumis. According to the ripening time from the moment of fermentation, kumis is divided into weak (one-day - 1% alcohol), medium (two-day - 1.75% alcohol) and strong (three-day - up to 2.5% alcohol).

Quality control fermented milk products are carried out according to organoleptic and physicochemical indicators. TO organoleptic indicators have the following requirements:

• taste and smell should be clean, sour milk, without foreign tastes and odors;
• color - milky white or slightly creamy, or with a tint of the introduced fillers, evenly distributed throughout the mass;
• the consistency for most fermented milk products is homogeneous, viscous, moderately thick, with a broken or undisturbed clot; for fermented milk products, the leaven of which includes yeast, gas formation in the form of separate eyes, caused by normal microflora, is allowed; separation of whey for curdled milk is allowed - no more than 3% by volume, for kefir - no more than 2%; the consistency of cottage cheese and curd products is soft, heterogeneous is allowed, for products with a low fat content or low-fat products - crumbly, with a slight separation of whey.

The most important physicochemical indicators of the quality of fermented milk products are the mass fraction of fat (in%, not less) and acidity (in Turner's degrees). Safety indicators are the same as for milk and cream (clause 9.2).

Storage conditions and periods... Fermented milk products are stored at a temperature not higher than 8 ° C: yogurt, fermented baked milk, kefir, cottage cheese for 36 hours from the end technological process, kumis - from 48 to 72 hours, sour cream - within 72 hours, "live" ("short") yoghurts - from 72 hours to 30 days, "lifeless" ("long") - up to 6 months.

If you at least occasionally consume fermented milk products, it is important to understand that each of them has distinctive properties and different characteristics. In this article, we will understand what the main types of fermented milk products are, and in which cases each of them is recommended.

First of all, fermented milk products are divided depending on the type of fermentation.

• Products that are obtained as a result of lactic acid fermentation: cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, yogurt, fermented baked milk. In this case, bacteria break down milk sugar to form lactic acid, under the influence of which the casein of the milk is curtailed. As a result, the digestibility of fermented milk products is higher in comparison with milk. The taste of these products is sour milk, the consistency is dense and homogeneous.
• In mixed fermentation products (kefir, koumiss, kuranga, shubat, ayran), together with lactic acid, alcohol, carbon dioxide and other substances are formed from milk sugar, which also increase the digestibility of products. The taste of mixed fermentation products is sour-milk, a little tingling, the consistency is heterogeneous, more tender.

Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is a fermented milk product that is distinguished by a high content of protein, B vitamins, healthy fats, as well as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, etc. Cottage cheese is distinguished by the level of fat content - from low fat to 18%. Cottage cheese 0% fat is classified as a dietary product. When losing weight, it is recommended to eat cottage cheese in the evening: it helps reduce morning hunger, speeds up metabolism, increases energy expenditure at rest and even improves sleep.

For children, fermented milk cheese of special "children's" brands can be given from the age of 6 months.

Sour cream

Sour cream, familiar to all of us, is a healthy fermented milk product that is obtained as a result of cream fermentation under the influence of starter organisms (mesophilic and / or thermophilic streptococci plus aroma-forming bacteria). It contains vitamins E, B, C and PP, as well as biotin (which is called the vitamin of youth), calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, etc. Like other fermented milk products, sour cream is produced in different levels of fat content - from 10% and more. It is recommended to consume sour cream with caution for people who have diseases of the digestive system, problems with the liver and gallbladder (in this case, you should consult a specialist). If you are on a diet, give preference to low-fat types of sour cream.

For women, sour cream is especially useful, since this product has a good effect on hormonal levels, and also contains vitamin H, known as the vitamin of youth and beauty. Children can be given sour cream no earlier than three years old.

Yogurt

Yogurt is the most useful product for health and wellness. It contains a record amount of nutrients and vitamins. Yoghurt is made from milk by fermenting thermophilic streptococci and Bulgarian bacillus. It improves digestion and helps to lose weight, is good for bones and joints, has a good effect on the state of the immune system, and serves as an excellent source of vitamin B12. Consuming yoghurt regularly is recommended for those who keep fit and play sports (like a snack after the gym).

Fruit and vegetable yoghurts of special "baby" brands can be given to children from the age of 8 months. It is preferable that fruits and vegetables be "native" for Ukraine - blueberries, raspberries, apples, peaches, carrots, watermelons. The exception is banana - firstly, this fruit does not cause allergies, and secondly, it is excellent as the first food for babies.

Yogurt

Sour milk is obtained as a result of fermentation of whole or skim milk by various cultures (acidophilus and Bulgarian bacillus, lactic acid streptococci, etc.). Depending on the types of crops, there are different types of yogurt: Ukrainian, southern, acidophilic, Mechnikovskaya, ordinary. Sour milk is useful for some diseases of the digestive system (especially with low acidity), obesity, and atherosclerosis. It can be of different fat content - from 2.5%.

Ryazhenka

Fermented baked milk is prepared from baked milk by lactic acid fermentation. For fermentation, thermophilic lactic acid streptococci and pure cultures of the Bulgarian bacillus are used. It can be of different fat content - from 2.5%.

Gerolakt

Gerolakt is a new fermented milk product for the Ukrainian market, created according to the recipes for longevity of the inhabitants of mountainous Abkhazia. Gerolact differs from other fermented milk drinks in composition, in particular, in the presence of the bacteria Streptococcus thermophiles and the probiotic Enterococcus faecium.

Kefir

Kefir is a fermented milk drink that is produced using a special kefir fungus, as a result of the interaction of more than 20 types of pure cultures. Kefir is good for the intestines, well absorbed by the body. There are different types of kefir in terms of fat content, in composition, including fortified kefir, kefir for children. Kefir and sourdough should not be confused - these are completely different products, with different contents of milk microorganisms and taste.

Ayran

Ayran is a fermented milk drink with the addition of water, salt and spices. Ayran is prepared on the basis of milk, with the addition of Bulgarian sticks. The drink comes from Tatarstan and Azerbaijan. It is low in calories, lowers cholesterol and helps in weight loss.

Good health and wellness at all ages is based on adherence to the principles proper nutrition... It is important not only to follow the diet, to exclude unhealthy food from the diet, but also not to forget to eat healthy and varied foods. It must be remembered that one of the essential components of a proper healthy diet is fermented milk products.

Fermented milk products production

fermented milk products photos

Fermented milk products are products produced by fermentation from whole cow's milk, as well as milk from goats, sheep, mares, etc. and its derivatives: whey, skim milk, cream. They have long been known for their dietary and medicinal properties as well as a rich vitamin composition. Due to the presence of lactic acid in them, they are able to suppress the development of putrefactive bacteria in the human body.

All fermented milk products have a common feature of the production technology, namely: fermentation by introducing yeast (sourdough or self-brew) or lactic acid bacteria into them. Often, before adding a starter culture for fermented milk products, preliminary boiling or pasteurization of milk raw materials is carried out in order to avoid the development of various microorganisms in it that can harm human health.

Beneficial features

fermented milk products are very healthy

Firstly, the benefits of fermented milk products are the easy digestibility of the nutrients they contain. Lacto- and bifidobacteria, which are part of their composition, in the process of life, give the milk protein a fine structure, splitting it. That is why the human body easily assimilates such food. If whole milk in the gastrointestinal tract is digested in one hour by only 32%, then kefir does the same by 91%.

Thanks to bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, lactose and complex milk sugar are better absorbed. For those who suffer from intolerance to whole milk due to the lack of the necessary enzyme (lactase) in the body, such food is a real salvation. Its components (such as lactic acid, carbon dioxide, a small percentage of alcohol in kefir and koumiss) become an excellent stimulator for the work of the digestive glands, creating conditions for comfortable and complete digestion.

Secondly, the property of lactic acid formed in finished products, prevent the development of putrefactive microflora, helps to increase the number of beneficial bacteria that protect the intestinal walls from various infections. They also contain components that can resist pathogens of serious diseases, such as Koch's bacillus, which causes tuberculosis.

The third useful property is expressed in the fact that when eating this kind of food rich in fatty organic acids, the motor function of the intestine normalizes in a person, and the formation of gases decreases.

Fermentation of whole milk entails an increase in the amount of B-group vitamins in the product (especially for B2), vitamins E, D, A, and other easily digestible elements (these include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus salts), which normalize metabolic reactions. Fermented products contain seven to ten times more essential amino acids than fresh ones.

The fifth thing to note is the fact that calcium, which is so necessary for life, better penetrates the intestinal mucosa. This is because the acidic environment converts this important element into a soluble state. In childhood and adolescence, the regular use of fermented milk products in food becomes a decisive factor in strengthening the bone skeleton and preventing the development of osteoporosis.

Classification

fermented milk products are divided into those that are obtained as a result of milk fermentation and mixed

All products under consideration are divided into two types. The first group includes the one that is obtained as a result of exclusively lactic acid fermentation. These are sour cream, fermented baked milk, acidophilus, yogurt, cottage cheese, yogurt. Their consistency is quite dense and homogeneous, the taste is sour-lactic due to the accumulation of lactic acid.

The second group includes other fermented milk products: the list includes kefir, koumiss, etc., that is, obtained as a result of mixed lactic acid and alcoholic fermentation. They have a refreshing, sour-milky, slightly stinging taste, since carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol are present. The consistency is more delicate, permeated with small bubbles of carbon dioxide, it breaks easily when shaken and becomes liquid and homogeneous, which is why they are called drinks.

Varieties of products

the variety of fermented milk products includes sour cream, cream, milk, etc.

Everyone's favorite cottage cheese is a fermented milk product with a high protein content. It is made by milk fermentation. The serum released during this process is removed. Cottage cheese is classified according to the fat content. A fat product is a product with a fat content of at least 18%, a bold product - 9%, a non-fat product - up to 3% fat from the total volume of the product. Cottage cheese with 0% fat content is called dietary. A special type of cottage cheese is also produced - grained, with a low fat content. When making it, add fresh cream and some salt.

The famous sour cream is a fermented milk product obtained by fermenting cream under the influence of starter organisms. The fat content of sour cream is 10-58%. Until the moment, until industrial production was launched, the samokvass method was used for its manufacture. Whole cow's milk fermented for several days, then the top layer of the liberated sour cream was removed (swept away). V industrial production cream of at least 32% fat is taken as a raw material, to which a pre-prepared sourdough is added.

Sour milk is obtained by fermenting whole milk with pure cultures: acidophilus and Bulgarian bacillus, lactic acid streptococci, etc. From which strains are used, it turns out different types: ordinary, acidophilic, Mechnikovskaya, Ukrainian (Varenets), southern. For varenets, sterilized milk is taken as raw material, and baked milk is used to prepare fermented baked milk. Sour milk is fatty (from 3.2% to 6% fat from the total volume of the product) and low-fat. Sour milk is very useful for liver diseases, low acidity of gastric juice (when fermented milk products are prescribed for gastritis), for obesity, as well as for atherosclerosis.

To prepare acidophilus, milk is mowed with an acidophilus stick and a mixture of microcultures from the composition of kefir fungus and lactic acid streptococcus. Fermentation of this mixture takes place within 10-12 hours at a temperature of 32 ° C. Acidophilus is effective for vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, boils, sunburn, ulcers, insomnia, lethargy, kidney and liver diseases (when doctors recommend fermented milk products for pancreatitis).

In the production of yoghurts, a proto-symbiotic mixture of lactic acid bacteria (Bulgarian bacillus and thermophilic streptococcus) is used. After fermentation, a curd is obtained, into which, to improve the consistency and taste, natural flavors made from vanilla and fruits are added and safe nutritional supplements... Yogurt contains more minerals and proteins than milk itself, which is used in the diets of people suffering from atrophic gastritis, protein deficiency, and motor disorders.

Bioyogurt is a separate type of yoghurt enriched with bifidobacteria, acidophilus bacillus and various other probiotic cultures (in addition to lactobacilli).

Popular kefir is obtained as a result of fermented milk and alcoholic fermentation. The cooking technology is based on the use of "kefir fungus", the so-called several strains of microorganisms interacting in symbiosis. In this mixture, there are over twenty types of pure crops. These are lactic acid sticks, and streptococci, and vinegar bacteria, and yeast, etc.

Kefir drink is a unique microflora. The differences in kefir of different ages in the composition and consequences of the impact on the drink of the living microorganisms present in it are quite significant. Kefir normalizes bowel function, helps to get rid of extra pounds... It is good for eyesight and is well absorbed, enriching the body with protein and calcium.

National products

in the Caucasus, the most popular fermented milk drink is ayran

In Kazakhstan and Mongolia, the most popular drink is kumis. It is made from mare's milk by alcohol and milk fermentation with the addition of acidophilus and Bulgarian bacillus, as well as yeast.

Caucasian, Balkan and Turkic peoples one of national dishes ayran drink is considered. It is prepared on the basis of kefir or katyk. The finished product depends on the peculiarities of life and preferences of a particular people. Nomadic peoples make it, achieving the consistency of sour cream (for ease of transportation). This is achieved by adding water, kumis, or milk. People with a sedentary lifestyle prefer to cook liquid ayran. Liquid ayran is an excellent thirst quencher.

Katyk is widespread in Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. For its production, boiled (less often baked) milk and sourdough from a Bulgarian stick are used. Katyk is similar to Russian curdled milk, but it is thicker. There are different types of katyk: suzma, kurt and kaymak.