View source for Yogurt

{{Short description|Food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk}}
{{other uses}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox food
 | name            = Yogurt
 | image           = File:Joghurt.jpg
 | caption         = A plate of yogurt
 | alternate_name  =
 | course          =
 | country         = Probably Mesopotamia, Central Asia ~5,000 BC and independently in different places
 | type            = [[Fermented dairy product]]
 | served          = Chilled
 | main_ingredient = Milk, bacteria
 | variations      =
 | calories        =
 | other           =
}}

'''Yogurt''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|ˈ|j|ɒ|ɡ|ər|t}}; {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|j|oʊ|ɡ|ər|t}},<ref>{{Cite Cambridge Dictionaries |Yogurt |access-date=17 February 2020}}</ref> from {{Langx|ota|یوغورت}}, {{Langx|tr|yoğurt}};{{efn|Ottoman pronunciation: {{IPA|az|joˈɣuɾt|}}, modern Turkish pronunciation: {{IPA|tr|joˈuɾt|}}, colloquial modern pronunciation: {{IPA|tr|joːɾt|}}}} also spelled '''yoghurt''', '''yogourt''' or '''yoghourt''') is a food produced by bacterial [[Fermentation (food)|fermentation]] of milk.<ref name="fda">{{cite web|title=Yogurt: from Part 131 – Milk and Cream. Subpart B&nbsp;– Requirements for Specific Standardized Milk and Cream, Sec. 131.200 |url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=131.200 |publisher=Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, US Food and Drug Administration|date=1 April 2016}}</ref> Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bacteria produces [[lactic acid]], which acts on [[milk protein]] to give yogurt its [[texture (food)|texture]] and characteristic tart flavor.<ref name=fda/> Cow's milk is most commonly used to make yogurt. Milk from [[water buffalo]], goats, [[sheep|ewes]], [[mare]]s, camels, and [[yak]]s is also used to produce yogurt. The milk used may be [[Milk#Creaming and homogenization|homogenized]] or not. It may be [[pasteurized]] or [[raw milk|raw]]. Each type of milk produces substantially different results.

Yogurt is produced using a culture of [[Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus|''Lactobacillus delbrueckii'' subsp. ''bulgaricus'']] and ''[[Streptococcus thermophilus]]'' bacteria. Other [[Lactobacillus|lactobacilli]] and [[Bifidobacterium|bifidobacteria]] are sometimes added during or after culturing yogurt. Some countries require yogurt to contain a specific amount of [[colony-forming unit]]s (CFU) of bacteria; for example, in China the requirement for the number of lactobacillus bacteria is at least 1 million CFU per milliliter.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Lee YK, etal | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tFjsAuo5WocC&q=%22Product+Standard+GB19302-2010%22&pg=PA712 | chapter = Probiotic Regulation in Asian Countries | veditors = Lahtinen S, etal | date = 2012 | title = Lactic Acid Bacteria: Microbiological and Functional Aspects | edition = Fourth | location = Boca Raton | publisher = CRC Press | isbn = 9780824753320 | page = 712 }}</ref> Some countries also regulate which bacteria can be used: for example, in France,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Décret n°88-1203 du 30 décembre 1988 relatif aux laits fermentés et au yaourt ou yoghourt - Légifrance |url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/LEGITEXT000006066373 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=www.legifrance.gouv.fr}}</ref> a product can only be labeled as "yaourt" or "yoghourt" if it has been fermented exclusively by ''Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus'' and ''Streptococcus thermophilus'', a requirement that aligns with the international definition of yogurt in the [[Codex Alimentarius]] on fermented milk (CXS 243-2003).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Standards {{!}} CODEXALIMENTARIUS FAO-WHO |url=https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/list-standards/en/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=www.fao.org}}</ref>

The bacterial culture is mixed in, and a warm temperature of {{convert|30|–|45|C|F}} is maintained for 4 to 12 hours to allow fermentation to occur, with the higher temperatures working faster but risking a lumpy texture or whey separation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017991-creamy-homemade-yogurt|title=Creamy Homemade Yogurt Recipe|work=NYT Cooking|access-date=19 March 2017|last = Clark | first = Melissa | name-list-style = vanc }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ca.brodandtaylor.com/blogs/recipes/the-science-of-great-yogurt|title=The Science of Great Yogurt|access-date=28 September 2021}}</ref>

==Etymology and spelling==
The word for yogurt is derived from the {{Langx|ota|یوغورت|translit=yoğurt}},<ref name="collins">{{cite web |url=http://www.dictionary.com/browse/yoghurt |title=Yogurt |publisher=Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins |access-date=21 March 2017 |date=2012 |archive-date=5 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005141215/https://www.dictionary.com/browse/yoghurt |url-status=dead }}</ref> and is usually related to the verb {{lang|tr|yoğurmak}}, "to knead", or "to be curdled or coagulated; to thicken".<ref name=collins/> It may be related to {{lang|tr|yoğun}}, meaning thick or dense. The sounds historically represented by the Arabic letter [[ghayn]] in the Turkish language ranging from a [[voiced velar fricative]] to a [[voiced velar plosive]] were traditionally romanized as "gh" prior to the introduction of a [[Atatürk's reforms#New alphabet|new Latin-based Turkish alphabet]] and the letter "ğ" in 1929, thus "yoghurt" spelled with a "gh" is first attested in sources from 1615 to 1625.<ref name=collins/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Redhouse |first=James W. |url=https://archive.org/details/ATurkishAndEnglishLexicon/page/n2235/mode/2up |title=A Turkish and English Lexicon |publication-date=1890 |pages=2215–2216}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=yoğurt |url=https://www.nisanyansozluk.com/kelime/yo%C4%9Furt |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=Nişanyan Sözlük |language=tr}}</ref>

In English, spelling variations include ''yogurt'', ''yoghurt'', and to a lesser extent ''yoghourt'' or ''yogourt''.<ref name=collins/> In the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa the word is usually spelled ''yoghurt'', while in the United States the spelling is ''yogurt''. Canada has its own spelling, ''yogourt'', a minority variant of the French {{lang|fr|yaourt}}, although ''yogurt'' and  ''yoghurt'' are also used.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Canadian Oxford dictionary |date=2004 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0195418166 |page=1807 |edition=2nd}}</ref>

==History==
Analysis of the ''L. delbrueckii'' subsp. ''bulgaricus'' genome indicates that the bacterium may have originated on the surface of a plant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.international.inra.fr/press/lactobacillus_genome_sequence_in_yogurt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060823084528/http://www.international.inra.fr/press/lactobacillus_genome_sequence_in_yogurt|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 August 2006|title=The sequence of the lactobacillus genome in yogurt unveiled|date=16 June 2006|access-date=16 January 2012}}</ref> Milk may have become spontaneously and unintentionally exposed to it through contact with plants, or bacteria may have been transferred from the udder of domestic milk-producing animals.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.livescience.com/10502-yogurt-culture-evolves.html| title=Yogurt Culture Evolves| date=9 June 2006| publisher=livescience.com | access-date=16 January 2012}}</ref> The origins of yogurt are unknown but it was probably discovered first by [[Neolithic]] people in [[Central Asia]] and [[Mesopotamia]] around 5000 BC, when the first milk-producing animals were domesticated.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.courrierinternational.com/article/2015/03/04/le-yaourt-du-lait-qui-a-vu-du-pays |title=Le yaourt, du lait qui a vu du pays |work=Courrier International |date=2 June 2022 |language=fr |access-date=1 May 2025 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> They most likely found out how to [[Fermentation|ferment]] milk by chance and in all likelihood, yogurt was discovered independently in this way in many different places at different times.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20180110-the-country-that-brought-yoghurt-to-the-world |title=The country that brought yoghurt to the world |first=Madhvi |last=Ramani |website=BBC |date=11 January 2018 |access-date=1 May 2025}}</ref><ref>[https://www.danoneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Book-Yogurt-Ancient-Food-2018_en.pdf Yogurt, ancient food in the 21st century page 29]</ref>
[[File:Turkish strained yogurt.jpg|thumb|Unstirred Turkish {{lang|tr|Süzme Yoğurt}} ([[strained yogurt]]), with a 10% fat content]]

The cuisine of [[Ancient Greek cuisine|ancient Greece]] included a [[dairy product]] known as [[oxygala]] ({{lang|grc|οξύγαλα}}) which was a form of yogurt.<ref>{{cite book | author-link = Andrew Dalby | vauthors = Dalby A | date = 1996 | title = Siren Feasts: A History of Food and Gastronomy in Greece | location = London | publisher = Routledge | page = 66 | isbn = 0-415-15657-2 }}</ref><ref name="Alcock 2006">{{cite book |title= Food in the Ancient World |last= Alcock |first= Joan Pilsbury | name-list-style = vanc|year= 2006 |publisher= Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=9780313330032 |quote= Curdled milk (oxygala or melca), probably a kind of yogurt, was acceptable because it was easier to digest. Even so, it was still to be mixed with honey or olive oil. Columella gave instructions on how to make sour milk with seasoning into ... |page=83 }}</ref><ref name="Hoffman 2004">{{cite book |title=The Olive and the Caper: Adventures in Greek Cooking |url=https://archive.org/details/olivecaper00susa |url-access=registration |last= Hoffman |first= Susanna | name-list-style = vanc|year= 2004 |publisher= Workman Publishing |isbn=9780761164548 |quote=...something like yogurt was known to Greeks since classical times&nbsp;– a sort of thickened sour milk called Pyriate or oxygala. Oxi meant "sour" or "vinegar"; gala, "milk". Galen says that Oxygala was eaten alone with honey, just as thick Greek yogurt is today. |page= [https://archive.org/details/olivecaper00susa/page/471 471] }}</ref><ref name="Adamson 2008">{{cite book |title= Entertaining from Ancient Rome to the Super Bowl: An Encyclopedia [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia |last= Adamson |first= Melitta Weiss | name-list-style = vanc|year= 2008 |publisher= ABC-CLIO |isbn=9780313086892 |quote= Oxygala, however, a form of yogurt, was eaten and sometimes mixed with honey. Ancient Greek and Roman cuisine did not rely on non-cultured milk products, which can be explained in part because without refrigeration milk becomes sour ... |page= 9 }}</ref> [[Galen]] (AD 129&nbsp;– {{c.|200}}/{{c.|216}}) mentioned that oxygala was consumed with [[honey]], similar to the way thickened Greek yogurt is eaten today.<ref name="Adamson 2008"/><ref name="Hoffman 2004"/> The oldest writings mentioning yogurt are attributed to [[Pliny the Elder]], who remarked that certain "barbarous nations" knew how "to thicken the milk into a substance with an agreeable acidity".<ref>''The Natural History of Pliny'', tr. [[John Bostock (physician)|John Bostock]], [[Henry Thomas Riley]], London: Bell, 1856–93, Volume 3 (book 11, section 239), [https://books.google.com/books?id=A0EMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84 p. 84]: "It is a remarkable circumstance, that the barbarous nations which subsist on milk have been for so many ages either ignorant of the merits of cheese, or else have totally disregarded it; and yet they understand how to thicken milk and form therefrom an acrid kind of milk with a pleasant flavor, as well as a rich butter".</ref> The use of yogurt by medieval [[Turkic peoples|Turks]] is recorded in the books ''[[Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk]]'' by [[Mahmud Kashgari]] and ''[[Kutadgu Bilig]]'' by [[Yusuf Has Hajib]] written in the 11th century.<ref name="toygar">{{cite book |last=Toygar |first=Kamil | name-list-style = vanc|year=1993 |title=Türk Mutfak Kültürü Üzerine Araştırmalar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ai61AAAAIAAJ|publisher=Türk Halk Kültürünü Araştırma ve Tanıtma Vakfı |page=29 |isbn=9789757878001 |access-date=11 August 2009}}</ref><ref name="ogel">{{cite book |last=Ögel |first=Bahaeddin | name-list-style = vanc |year=1978 |title=Türk Kültür Tarihine Giriş: Türklerde Yemek Kültürü |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NuvVUlWbikYC|publisher=Kültür Bakanlığı Yayınları |page=35 |access-date=11 August 2009}}</ref> Both texts mention the word "yogurt" in different sections and describe its use by nomadic Turks.<ref name="toygar" /><ref name="ogel" /> The earliest yogurts were probably spontaneously [[Fermentation (food)|fermented]] by wild bacteria in goat skin bags.<ref>{{cite web| first = Antonello | last = Biancalana | name-list-style = vanc | url=http://www.diwinetaste.com/dwt/en2004107.php |title=Yogurt – Aquavitae |publisher=DiWineTaste |access-date=21 February 2012}}</ref>

Until the 1900s, yogurt was a staple in diets of people in the [[Russian Empire]] (and especially Central Asia and the [[Caucasus]]), Western Asia, [[South Eastern Europe]]/[[Balkans]], Central Europe, and the [[Indian subcontinent]]. [[Stamen Grigorov]] (1878–1945), a Bulgarian student of medicine in [[Geneva]], first examined the microflora of the Bulgarian yogurt. In 1905, he described it as consisting of a spherical and a rod-like lactic acid-producing bacteria. In 1907, the rod-like bacterium was called ''Bacillus bulgaricus'' (now [[Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus|''Lactobacillus delbrueckii'' subsp. ''bulgaricus'']]). The Russian [[biologist]] and [[Nobel laureate]] [[Ilya Mechnikov]], from the [[Institut Pasteur]] in Paris, was influenced by Grigorov's work and hypothesized that regular consumption of yogurt was responsible for the unusually long lifespans of [[Bulgarians|Bulgarian]] peasants.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Brown AC, Valiere A | title = Probiotics and medical nutrition therapy | journal = Nutrition in Clinical Care | volume = 7 | issue = 2 | pages = 56–68 | date = 1 January 2004 | pmid = 15481739 | pmc = 1482314 }}</ref> Believing ''[[Lactobacillus]]'' to be essential for good health, Mechnikov worked to popularize yogurt as a foodstuff throughout Europe.

Industrialization of yogurt production is credited to [[Isaac Carasso]], who, in 1919, started a small yogurt business in [[Barcelona]], Spain, naming the business [[Groupe Danone|Danone]] ("little Daniel") after his son.<ref name="bramen">{{cite magazine |author1=Lisa Bramen |title=Yogurt pioneer dies at 103 |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/yogurt-pioneer-dies-at-103-59385521/ |magazine=Smithsonian Magazine |access-date=7 January 2024 |date=26 May 2009}}</ref> The brand later expanded to the United States under an Americanized version of the name, [[Dannon]].<ref name=bramen/> Yogurt with added fruit [[jam]] was patented in 1933 by the Radlická Mlékárna dairy in [[Prague]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ekonomika.idnes.cz/test.asp?r=test&c=A020723_103620_test_jan|title=První ovocný jogurt se narodil u Vltavy|date=23 July 2002| publisher=ekonomika.idnes.cz | access-date=27 April 2009|language=cs }}</ref>

Yogurt was introduced to the United States in the first decade of the twentieth century, influenced by [[Élie Metchnikoff]]'s ''The Prolongation of Life; Optimistic Studies'' (1908); it was available in tablet form for those with digestive intolerance and for home culturing.<ref>{{cite report| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uuJIAAAAMAAJ&q=yogurt&pg=PA206|  title=Annual report of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Wisconsin| pages=29, 197, 205–206 |volume= 25–26 |edition=1907–09}}</ref> It was popularized by [[John Harvey Kellogg]] at the [[Battle Creek Sanitarium]], where it was used both orally and in [[enemas]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dr. John Harvey Kellogg|url=http://www.museumofquackery.com/amquacks/kellogg.htm|date=20 April 2010|access-date=2023-01-02|website=www.museumofquackery.com}}</ref> and later by [[Armenians|Armenian]] immigrants Sarkis and Rose Colombosian, who started "Colombo and Sons Creamery" in [[Andover, Massachusetts]], in 1929.<ref name="urlThe Massachusetts Historical Society | Object of the Month">{{cite web |url=http://www.masshist.org/objects/2004june.cfm |title=Object of the Month |website=The Massachusetts Historical Society |date=June 2004 }}</ref><ref name=urlColombo>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Colombo+Yogurt+-+First+U.S.+Yogurt+Brand+-+Celebrates+75+Years%3B...-a0116520624|title=Colombo Yogurt&nbsp;– First U.S. Yogurt Brand – Celebrates 75 Years|website=Business Wire|date=13 May 2004|access-date=24 February 2009|archive-date=4 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004231744/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Colombo+Yogurt+-+First+U.S.+Yogurt+Brand+-+Celebrates+75+Years%3B...-a0116520624|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Colombo Yogurt was originally delivered around New England in a horse-drawn wagon inscribed with the Armenian word "[[Matzoon|madzoon]]" which was later changed to "yogurt", the [[Turkish language]] name of the product, as Turkish was the [[lingua franca]] between immigrants of the various [[Near East]]ern ethnicities who were the main consumers at that time. Yogurt's popularity in the United States was enhanced in the 1950s and 1960s, when it was presented as a [[health food]] by scientists like Hungarian-born bacteriologist [[Stephen A. Gaymont]].<ref name="Oxford">{{cite book | last = Smith | first = Andrew | date = 2013 | title = The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America | volume = 2 | page = 644 | publisher = Oxford University Press | isbn = 9780199739226 }}</ref> Plain yogurt still proved too sour for the American palate and in 1966 Colombo Yogurt sweetened the yogurt and added fruit preserves, creating "fruit on the bottom" style yogurt. This was successful and company sales soon exceeded $1&nbsp;million per year.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Denker |first1=Joel | name-list-style = vanc|title=The World on a Plate: A Tour Through the History of America's Ethnic Cuisine |date=2003 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S_x6nrkcoUkC&pg=PA36|isbn=0803260148 }}</ref> By the late 20th century, yogurt had become a common American food item and Colombo Yogurt was sold in 1993 to [[General Mills]], which discontinued the brand in 2010.<ref>{{cite news | title=General Mills to discontinue producing Colombo Yogurt | date=29 January 2010 | url=http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x338297210/General-Mills-to-discontinue-producing-Colombo-Yogurt | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528053724/http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x338297210/General-Mills-to-discontinue-producing-Colombo-Yogurt | url-status=dead | archive-date=28 May 2011 | work=Eagle-Tribune | access-date=29 April 2010 }}</ref>

==Nutrition==
{{Infobox nutritional value
| name=Yogurt, Greek, plain (unsweetened), whole milk (daily value)
| kJ=406
| protein=9.0 g
| fat=5.0 g
| carbs=3.98 g
| fiber=0 g
| sugars=4.0 g
| calcium_mg=100
| iron_mg=0
| magnesium_mg=11
| phosphorus_mg=135
| potassium_mg=141
| sodium_mg=35
| zinc_mg=0.52
| manganese_mg=0.009
| opt1n=Selenium
| opt1v=9.7 µg
| betacarotene_ug=26
| lutein_ug=22
| vitC_mg=0
| thiamin_mg=0.023
| riboflavin_mg=0.278
| niacin_mg=0.208
| pantothenic_mg=0.331
| vitB6_mg=0.063
| folate_ug=5
| vitB12_ug=0.75
| choline_mg=15.1
| opt2n=Water
| opt2v=81.3 g
| note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171304/nutrients Link to Full Report from USDA Database]
}}

Yogurt (plain yogurt from whole milk) is 81% water, 9% [[protein]], 5% fat, and 4% [[carbohydrates]], including 4% sugars (table). A 100-gram amount provides {{convert|406|kJ|kcal}} of dietary energy. As a proportion of the [[Daily Value]] (DV), a serving of yogurt is a rich source of [[vitamin B12|vitamin B<sub>12</sub>]] (31% DV) and [[riboflavin]] (23% DV), with moderate content of protein, [[phosphorus]], and [[selenium]] (14 to 19% DV; table).

{| class="wikitable" style="border-spacing: 5px; margin:auto;"

|+ Comparison of whole milk and plain yogurt from whole milk, one cup (245 g) each
|-
! scope="col" style="width:150px;"| Property

! scope="col" style="width:100px;"| Milk<ref>{{cite web|title=Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat|url=http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/69/2|website=Self Nutrition Data, know what you eat|publisher=Conde Nast|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref>

! scope="col" style="width:100px;"| Yogurt<ref>{{cite web|title=Yogurt, plain, whole milk, 8 grams protein per 8 oz|url=http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/104/2|website=Self Nutrition Data, know what you eat|publisher=Conde Nast|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref>

|-
|-
| [[Food energy|Energy]] ||  {{cvt|146|kcal|order=flip}} || {{cvt|149|kcal|order=flip}}
|-
| Total [[carbohydrates]]  ||  12.8 g || 12 g
|-
| Total fat ||  7.9 g || 8.5 g
|-
| [[Cholesterol]] || 24&nbsp;mg ||  32&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Protein]]  || 7.9 g ||  9 g
|-
| [[Calcium in biology#Humans|Calcium]] || 276&nbsp;mg || 296&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Phosphorus]] || 222&nbsp;mg || 233&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Potassium in biology#Humans|Potassium]] || 349&nbsp;mg || 380&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Sodium in biology#Humans|Sodium]] ||  98&nbsp;mg || 113&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Vitamin A]] ||  249 IU || 243 IU
|-
| [[Vitamin C]] ||  0.0&nbsp;mg || 1.2&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Vitamin D]] ||  96.5 IU || ~
|-
| [[Vitamin E]] || 0.1&nbsp;mg || 0.1&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Vitamin K]] ||  0.5 μg || 0.5 μg
|-
| [[Thiamine]] ||  0.1&nbsp;mg || 0.1&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Riboflavin]] ||  0.3&nbsp;mg || 0.3&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Niacin (nutrient)|Niacin]] ||  0.3&nbsp;mg || 0.2&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Vitamin B6]] ||  0.1&nbsp;mg || 0.1&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Folate]] ||  12.2 μg || 17.2 μg
|-
| [[Vitamin B12]] ||  1.1 μg || 0.9 μg
|-
| [[Choline]] ||  34.9&nbsp;mg || 37.2&nbsp;mg
|-
| [[Betaine]] ||  1.5&nbsp;mg ||  ~
|-
| Water ||  215 g ||  215 g
|-
| [[Ash (analytical chemistry)|Ash]] ||  1.7 g ||  1.8 g
|-
|} 
Tilde (~) represents missing or incomplete data.
The above shows little difference exists between whole milk and yogurt made from whole milk with respect to the listed nutritional constituents.

==Health research==

Because it may contain live cultures, yogurt is often associated with [[probiotic]]s, which have been postulated as having positive effects on [[immune system|immune]], [[cardiovascular]] or [[metabolic disorder|metabolic]] health.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = El-Abbadi NH, Dao MC, Meydani SN | title = Yogurt: role in healthy and active aging | journal = The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | volume = 99 | issue = 5 Suppl | pages = 1263S–1270S | date = May 2014 | pmid = 24695886 | pmc = 6410895 | doi = 10.3945/ajcn.113.073957  | issn = 0002-9165 }}</ref><ref name="astrup">{{cite journal | vauthors = Astrup A | title = Yogurt and dairy product consumption to prevent cardiometabolic diseases: epidemiologic and experimental studies | journal = The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | volume = 99 | issue = 5 Suppl | pages = 1235S–1242S | date = May 2014 | pmid = 24695891 | doi = 10.3945/ajcn.113.073015 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name=gij/>

A 2011 review stated that high-quality clinical evidence was insufficient to conclude that consuming yogurt lowers the risk of diseases or otherwise improves health.<ref name=bridging>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rijkers GT, de Vos WM, Brummer RJ, Morelli L, Corthier G, Marteau P | title = Health benefits and health claims of probiotics: bridging science and marketing | journal = The British Journal of Nutrition | volume = 106 | issue = 9 | pages = 1291–1296 | date = November 2011 | pmid = 21861940 | doi = 10.1017/S000711451100287X | doi-access = free }}</ref> [[meta-analysis|Meta-analyses]] found that consuming 80 grams per day of low-fat yogurt was associated with a lower risk of developing [[type 2 diabetes]]<ref name="gij">{{cite journal | last1=Gijsbers | first1=Lieke | last2=Ding | first2=Eric L | last3=Malik | first3=Vasanti S | last4=de Goede | first4=Janette | last5=Geleijnse | first5=Johanna M | last6=Soedamah-Muthu | first6=Sabita S | title=Consumption of dairy foods and diabetes incidence: a dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies | journal=The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | volume=103 | issue=4 | date=24 February 2016 | issn=0002-9165 | pmid=26912494 | doi=10.3945/ajcn.115.123216 | pages=1111–1124| doi-access=free }}</ref> and a lower incidence of [[hip fracture]] in [[Menopause|post-menopausal]] women.<ref name="Ong">{{cite journal | last1=Ong | first1=Angel M | last2=Kang | first2=Kai | last3=Weiler | first3=Hope A | last4=Morin | first4=Suzanne N | title=Fermented Milk Products and Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials, Prospective Cohorts, and Case-Control Studies | journal=Advances in Nutrition | volume=11 | issue=2 | date=11 October 2019 | issn=2161-8313 | pmid=31603185 | pmc=7442363 | doi=10.1093/advances/nmz108 | pages=251–65}}</ref> A 2021 review found a [[causality|cause-and-effect]] relationship between yogurt consumption and improved lactose tolerance and digestion, and that potential associations exist between yogurt consumption and improving bone health, as well as lowering the risk of some diseases, including cancers and [[metabolic syndrome]].<ref name="Savaiano">{{cite journal | last1=Savaiano | first1=Dennis A | last2=Hutkins | first2=Robert W | title=Yogurt, cultured fermented milk, and health: a systematic review | journal=Nutrition Reviews | volume=79 | issue=5 | date=23 May 2020 | issn=0029-6643 | pmid=32447398 | pmc=8579104 | doi=10.1093/nutrit/nuaa013 | pages=599–614}}</ref> Daily intake of 50&nbsp;grams of yogurt has been shown to reduce risk of overweight or obesity by 13%, and reduce risk of [[type 2 diabetes]] by 7%.<ref name="pmid36047956">{{cite journal | vauthors = Feng Y, Zhao Y, Zhang M  | title = Consumption of Dairy Products and the Risk of Overweight or Obesity, Hypertension, and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Cohort Studies | journal = [[Advances in Nutrition]] | volume = 13 | issue = 6 | pages = 2165-2179 | date = 2022 | pmid = 36047956 | pmc=9776648 | doi = 10.1093/advances/nmac096 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Yogurt consumption has been associated with reduced risk of [[cardiovascular disease]],<ref name="pmid36349966">{{cite journal | vauthors =Tutunchi H, Naghshi S, Esmaillzadeh A  | title = Yogurt consumption and risk of mortality from all causes, CVD and cancer: a comprehensive systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies | journal = [[Public Health Nutrition]] | volume = 26 | issue = 6 | pages = 1196-1209 | date = 2023 | pmid = 36349966 | pmc=10346031 | doi = 10.1017/S1368980022002385 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="pmid35092209">{{cite journal | vauthors = Nestel PJ, Mori TA | title =Dietary patterns, dietary nutrients and cardiovascular disease | journal = Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine | volume = 23| issue = 1 | pages = 17 | date = 2022 | pmid = 35092209 | doi = 10.31083/j.rcm2301017 }}</ref> and [[insulin resistance]].<ref name="pmid30452699">{{cite journal | vauthors = Kok CR, Hutkins R | title =Yogurt and other fermented foods as sources of health-promoting bacteria | journal = [[Nutrition Reviews]] | volume = 76 | issue = Suppl 1 | pages = 4-15 | date = 2018 | pmid = 30452699 | doi = 10.1093/nutrit/nuy056 }}</ref> Some of the benefits were somewhat better for the lower fat yogurts.<ref name="pmid36047956" /><ref name="pmid35092209" /> Many commercial yogurt products are supplemented with extra [[probiotic]] bacteria.<ref name="pmid30452699" />

==Safety==
Yogurt made with [[raw milk]] can be contaminated with bacteria that can cause significant illness and even result in death, including ''[[Listeria]]'', ''[[Cryptosporidium]]'', ''[[Campylobacter]]'', ''[[Brucella]]'', ''[[Escherichia coli]]'' and ''[[Salmonella]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The risks of raw milk |website=CDC |date=September 2017 |url=https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/foods/raw-milk.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk/raw-milk-questions-and-answers.html}}</ref> Yogurts can also be contaminated with [[aflatoxin]]-producing ''[[Aspergillus flavus]]'', ''[[Aspergillus parasiticus]]'' and ''[[Aspergillus nomius]]''.<ref name=homayouni>{{cite journal |last=Rad |first=Aziz Homayouni |title=The safety perspective of probiotic and non-probiotic yoghurts: a review |journal=Food Quality and Safety |volume=3 |issue=1 |date=2019 |pages=9–14 |doi=10.1093/fqsafe/fyz006 |url=https://academic.oup.com/fqs/article/3/1/9/5443868|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Contamination occurs in traditionally prepared yogurts more often than industrially processed ones, but may affect the latter as well if manufacturing and packaging practices are suboptimal.<ref name=homayouni/>

When mold forms on yogurt it can not be scraped away. The consistency of yogurt allows the mold to penetrate deeply under the surface where it spreads.<ref name=touzalin>{{cite news |last=Touzalin |first=Jane |title=Some molds you can eat. This one, you shouldn't. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/some-molds-you-can-eat-this-one-you-shouldnt/2016/02/17/7e4850c4-d508-11e5-9823-02b905009f99_story.html}}</ref>

==Varieties and presentation==
[[File:Tzatziki Greek meze or appetizer, also used as a sauce.jpg|thumb|''[[Tzatziki]]'' or {{lang|tr|cacık}} is a [[meze]] made with yogurt, cucumber, olive oil and fresh mint or dill.]]

''[[Dahi (curd)|Dahi]]'' is a yogurt from the [[Indian subcontinent]], known for its characteristic taste and consistency. The word ''dahi'' seems to be derived from the [[Sanskrit]] word ''dadhi'' ("sour milk"), one of the five elixirs, or [[panchamrita]], often used in Hindu ritual. Sweetened dahi (''[[mishti doi]]'' or ''meethi dahi'') is common in eastern parts of India, made by fermenting sweetened milk. While cow's milk is currently the primary ingredient for yogurt, goat and buffalo milk were widely used in the past, and valued for the fat content (see [[Dahi (curd)#Buffalo curd|buffalo curd]]).

[[Dadiah]] or dadih is a traditional West [[Sumatra]]n yogurt made from [[Domestic buffalo|water buffalo]] milk, fermented in [[bamboo]] tubes.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Surono IS | title = Traditional Indonesian dairy foods | journal = Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition | volume = 24 | pages = S26–S30 | date = 1 January 2015 | issue =   Suppl 1| pmid = 26715081 | doi = 10.6133/apjcn.2015.24.s1.05 }}</ref> Yogurt is common in [[Nepal]], where it is served as both an appetizer and dessert. Locally called ''dahi'', it is a part of the Nepali culture, used in local festivals, marriage ceremonies, parties, religious occasions, family gatherings, and so on. One Nepalese yogurt is called ''[[Dhau|juju dhau]]'', originating from the city of [[Bhaktapur]]. In [[Tibet]], yak milk (technically dri milk, as the word yak refers to the male animal) is made into yogurt (and butter and cheese) and consumed.

In [[Northern Iran]], ''Mâst Chekide'' is a variety of [[kefir]] yogurt with a distinct sour taste. It is usually mixed with a [[pesto]]-like water and fresh herb purée called [[Delal sauce|delal]]. Common appetizers are [[spinach]] or [[eggplant]] [[borani]], ''Mâst-o-Khiâr'' with cucumber, spring onions and herbs, and ''Mâst-Musir'' with wild [[shallot]]s. In the summertime, yogurt and ice cubes are mixed together with cucumbers, [[raisin]]s, salt, pepper and onions and topped with some croutons made of Persian traditional bread and served as a cold soup. [[Ashe-Mâst]] is a warm [[yogurt soup]] with fresh herbs, spinach and lentils. Even the leftover water extracted when [[strained yogurt|straining yogurt]] is cooked to make a sour cream sauce called [[kashk]], which is usually used as a topping on soups and stews.

[[Matsoni]] is a [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]] yogurt in the [[Caucasus]] and Russia. [[Tarator]] and {{lang|tr|[[cacık]]}} are cold soups made from yogurt during summertime in eastern Europe. They are made with [[ayran]], [[cucumber]]s, [[dill]], salt, [[olive]] oil, and optionally garlic and ground [[walnut]]s. [[Tzatziki]] in Greece and [[milk salad]] in Bulgaria are thick yogurt-based salads similar to tarator.

[[Khyar w Laban]] (cucumber and yogurt salad) is a dish in Lebanon and Syria. Also, a wide variety of local Lebanese and Syrian dishes are cooked with yogurt like "Kibbi bi Laban" [[Rahmjoghurt]], a creamy yogurt with much higher fat content (10%) than many yogurts offered in English-speaking countries. [[Dovga]], a yogurt soup cooked with a variety of herbs and rice, is served warm in winter or refreshingly cold in summer. [[Jameed]], yogurt salted and dried to preserve it, is consumed in [[Jordan]]. [[Zabadi]] is the type of yogurt made in Egypt, usually from the milk of the [[Water Buffalo#Egypt|Egyptian water buffalo]]. It is particularly associated with [[Ramadan]] fasting, as it is thought to prevent thirst during all-day fasting.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The technology of traditional milk products in developing countries II. Acidified Milks|url=https://www.fao.org/3/t0251e/T0251E14.htm|access-date=2023-01-02|website=www.fao.org}}</ref>

===Sweetened and flavored===
{{more citations needed|section|date=January 2020}}
To offset its natural [[sour]]ness, yogurt is also sold sweetened, sweetened and flavored or in containers with fruit or fruit jam on the bottom.<ref name="moore18">{{cite journal | vauthors = Moore JB, Horti A, Fielding BA | title = Evaluation of the nutrient content of yogurts: a comprehensive survey of yogurt products in the major UK supermarkets | journal = BMJ Open | volume = 8 | issue = 8 | pages = e021387 | date = September 2018 | pmid = 30228100 | pmc = 6144340 | doi = 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021387 | url = }}</ref> The two styles of yogurt commonly found in the grocery store are set-style yogurt and Swiss-style yogurt. Set-style yogurt is poured into individual containers to set, while Swiss-style yogurt is stirred prior to packaging. Either may have fruit added to increase sweetness.<ref name=moore18/>

[[Lassi]] is a common Indian beverage made from stirred liquified yogurt that is either salted or sweetened with sugar commonly, less commonly honey and combined with fruit pulp to create flavored lassi.<ref name="cloake">{{cite news |first = Felicity | last = Cloake | name-list-style = vanc |title=How to make the perfect mango lassi |url= https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2015/may/21/how-to-make-perfect-mango-lassi-recipe |access-date=8 January 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=21 May 2015}}</ref> Consistency can vary widely, with urban and commercial lassis having uniform texture through being processed, whereas rural and rustic lassi has discernible curds or fruit pulp.<ref name=cloake/>

Large amounts of sugar – or other [[sweetener]]s for low-energy yogurts – are often used in commercial yogurt.<ref name=moore18/><ref name="berry">{{cite web | first = Donna | last = Berry | name-list-style = vanc |title=Building a better yogurt |url=https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/4191-building-a-better-yogurt |publisher=Food Business News, Sosland Publishing |access-date=8 January 2020 |date=20 May 2014}}</ref> Some yogurts contain added [[modified starch]],<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Food Hydrocolloids|volume=23|issue=3|pages=980–987|doi=10.1016/j.foodhyd.2008.07.011|title=Improved creaminess of low-fat yogurt: The impact of amylomaltase-treated starch domains|year=2009|last1=Alting|first1=Arno C|last2=Fred Van De Velde|last3=Kanning|first3=Marja W|last4=Burgering|first4=Maurits|last5=Mulleners|first5=Leo|last6=Sein|first6=Arjen|last7=Buwalda|first7=Piet | name-list-style = vanc}}</ref> [[pectin]] (found naturally in fruit) or [[gelatin]] to create thickness and creaminess. This type of yogurt may be marketed under the name Swiss-style, although it is unrelated to conventional Swiss yogurt. Some yogurts, often called "cream line", are made with whole milk which has not been homogenized so the cream rises to the top. In many countries, sweetened, flavored yogurt is common, typically sold in [[single-use|single-serving]] [[plastic cup]]s.<ref name=moore18/> Common flavors may include [[vanilla]], [[honey]], and [[toffee]], and various fruits.<ref name=moore18/><ref name=berry/> In the early 21st century, yogurt flavors inspired by desserts, such as chocolate or cheesecake, became common.<ref name=berry/> There is concern about the [[#Nutrition|health effects of sweetened yogurt]] due to its high sugar content,<ref name=moore18/> although research indicates that use of sugar in yogurt manufacturing has decreased since 2016 in response to [[World Health Organization|WHO]] and government initiatives to combat [[obesity]].<ref name=moore18/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Moore |first1=J. Bernadette |last2=Sutton |first2=Eiméar H. |last3=Hancock |first3=Neil | name-list-style = vanc |date=8 January 2020 |title=Sugar reduction in yogurt products sold in the UK between 2016 and 2019 |journal=Nutrients |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=171 |doi=10.3390/nu12010171 |pmid=31936185 |pmc=7019219 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Straining===
{{main|Strained yogurt}}
[[File:StrainYogurt.jpg|thumb|A coffee filter used to strain yogurt in a home refrigerator]]
Strained yogurt has been strained through a filter, traditionally made of [[muslin]] and more recently of paper or non-muslin cloth. This removes the [[whey]], giving a much thicker consistency. Strained yogurt is made at home, especially if using skimmed milk which results in a thinner consistency.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Oxford Companion to Food |last= Davidson |first= Alan | name-list-style = vanc|year= 2014 |publisher= Oxford University Press |isbn=9780191040726}}</ref> Yogurt that has been strained to filter or remove the whey is known as [[Labneh]] in Middle Eastern countries. It has a consistency between that of yogurt and cheese. It may be used for [[sandwich]]es in Middle Eastern countries. Olive oil, cucumber slices, olives, and various green herbs may be added. It can be thickened further and rolled into balls, preserved in olive oil, and fermented for a few more weeks. It is sometimes used with onions, meat, and nuts as a stuffing for a variety of pies or [[kibbeh]] balls.

Some types of strained yogurts are boiled in open vats first, so that the liquid content is reduced. The East Indian dessert, a variation of traditional dahi called [[mishti doi|mishti dahi]], offers a thicker, more custard-like consistency, and is usually sweeter than western yogurts.<ref>{{cite book |editor=Ramesh C. Chandan |editor2=Charles H. White |editor3=Arun Kilara, Y. H. |title=Manufacturing yogurt and fermented milks|year=2006|publisher=Blackwell|location=Ames, IA |isbn=9780813823041|pages=364|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IroZmON2tHsC}}</ref> In western Indian (Marathi and Gujarati) cuisine, strained yogurt is macerated with sugar and spices such as saffron, cardamom and nutmeg to make the dessert "shrikhand". Strained yogurt is also enjoyed in Greece and is the main component of ''[[tzatziki]]'' (from Turkish "{{lang|tr|[[cacık]]}}"), a well-known accompaniment to [[Gyro (food)|gyros]] and [[souvlaki]] pita sandwiches: it is a yogurt sauce or dip made with the addition of grated [[cucumber]], [[olive oil]], salt and, optionally, mashed garlic. [[Srikhand]], a dessert in India, is made from strained yogurt, [[saffron]], [[cardamom]], [[nutmeg]] and sugar and sometimes fruits such as [[mango]] or [[pineapple]].

In North America, strained yogurt is commonly called "Greek yogurt". Powdered milk is sometimes added in lieu of straining to achieve thickness. In Britain, the name "Greek" may only be applied to yogurt made in Greece.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2014-01-29|title='Greek' yoghurt Chobani firm loses legal battle|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-25954228|access-date=2023-01-02}}</ref>

===Beverages===
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2024}}
Ayran, [[doogh]] ("dawghe" in [[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic|Neo-Aramaic]]) or dhallë is a yogurt-based, salty drink. It is made by mixing yogurt with water and (sometimes) salt.

[[Borhani]] (or burhani) is a spicy yogurt drink from [[Bangladesh]]. It is usually served with kacchi [[biryani]] at weddings and special feasts. Key ingredients are yogurt blended with mint leaves ([[mentha]]), [[mustard seeds]] and black rock salt ([[Kala Namak]]). Ground roasted [[cumin]], ground [[white pepper]], green [[chili pepper]] paste and sugar are often added.

[[Lassi]] is a yogurt-based beverage that is usually slightly salty or sweet, and may be commercially flavored with [[rosewater]], [[mango]] or other fruit juice. Salty lassi is usually flavored with ground, roasted cumin and [[chili pepper|red chilies]], and may be made with [[buttermilk]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Melissa |date=2014-05-16 |title=Yogurt Drinks, Not Too Smooth |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/21/dining/yogurt-drinks-not-too-smooth.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027123945/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/21/dining/yogurt-drinks-not-too-smooth.html |archive-date=2022-10-27 |access-date=2024-10-20 |work=[[New York Times]]}}</ref>

An unsweetened and unsalted yogurt drink usually called simply ''jogurt'' is consumed with ''[[burek]]'' and other baked goods in the [[Balkans]]. Sweetened yogurt drinks are the usual form in Europe (including the UK) and the US, containing fruit and added sweeteners. These are typically called "drinkable yogurt". Also available are "yogurt smoothies", which contain a higher proportion of fruit and are more like [[smoothie]]s.

[[File:Drinkable Yogurt.png|thumb|Yogurt drinks on sale]]

==Production==
[[File:Joghurtgerät.JPG|thumb|right|Commercially available home yogurt maker]]
Yogurt production involves preparing warm milk to a temperature ({{convert|30|–|45|C|F}}) that will not kill the live [[microorganism]]s that turn the milk into yogurt, inoculating certain bacteria ([[starter culture]]), usually ''[[Streptococcus thermophilus]]'' and ''[[Lactobacillus bulgaricus]]'', into the milk, and finally keeping it warm for several hours (4–12 hours).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-17 |title=How to Make Homemade Yogurt (Easy, Step-by-Step) |url=https://downshiftology.com/recipes/how-to-make-homemade-yogurt/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Downshiftology |language=en-US}}</ref>

Milk with a higher concentration of solids than normal milk may be used; the higher solids content produces a firmer yogurt. Solids can be increased by adding dried milk.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://elkhorn.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=525| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060823235858/http://elkhorn.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=525| archive-date = 23 August 2006| title = Making Yogurt at Home | access-date = 8 January 2013 | last = Hutkins | first = Robert | name-list-style = vanc | website= Univ. of Nebraska}}</ref> The yogurt-making process provides two significant barriers to [[pathogen]] growth, heat and acidity (low pH). Both are necessary to ensure a safe product. Acidity alone has been questioned by recent outbreaks of food poisoning by ''[[E. coli O157:H7]]'' that is acid-tolerant. ''E. coli O157:H7'' is easily destroyed by pasteurization (heating); the initial heating of the milk kills pathogens as well as denaturing proteins.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/yogurt.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111124043228/http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/yogurt.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 24 November 2011 | title = Fermenting Yogurt at Home | access-date = 8 January 2013 | last = Nummer | first = Brian A. | name-list-style = vanc | publisher = National Center for Home Food Preservation }}</ref> The microorganisms that turn milk into yogurt can tolerate higher temperatures than most pathogens, so that a suitable temperature not only encourages the formation of yogurt, but inhibits pathogenic microorganisms. Once the yogurt has formed it can, if desired, be [[Strained yogurt|strained]] to reduce the whey content and thicken it.

== Microstructure==
Yogurt is characterized as a viscous, shear-thinning, [[non-Newtonian fluid]] that forms when milk, a [[Newtonian fluid]], is fermented, causing protein aggregation and subsequent [[gelation]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Sözeri Atik |first=Didem |last2=Öztürk |first2=Hale İnci |last3=Akın |first3=Nihat |date=2024-04-01 |title=Perspectives on the yogurt rheology |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141813024012315 |journal=International Journal of Biological Macromolecules |volume=263 |pages=130428 |doi=10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130428 |issn=0141-8130}}</ref> The result is a soft solid that can be modeled via the interactions of the casein proteins.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Lee |first=W. J. |last2=Lucey |first2=J. A. |date=2010-08-20 |title=Formation and Physical Properties of Yogurt |url=https://www.animbiosci.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.5713/ajas.2010.r.05 |journal=Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences |language=English |volume=23 |issue=9 |pages=1127–1136 |doi=10.5713/ajas.2010.r.05 |issn=2765-0189}}</ref> The [[microstructure]] of yogurt is affected by both the fat and protein content and the processing conditions of the yogurt. In low-fat formulations, the microstructure is a network of casein protein globules joined via clusters and strands that encapsulate pores: these pores house the aqueous phase and the bacterial cultures of the yogurt.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Sandoval-Castilla |first=O. |last2=Lobato-Calleros |first2=C. |last3=Aguirre-Mandujano |first3=E. |last4=Vernon-Carter |first4=E. J. |date=2004-02-01 |title=Microstructure and texture of yogurt as influenced by fat replacers |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694603001663 |journal=International Dairy Journal |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=151–159 |doi=10.1016/S0958-6946(03)00166-3 |issn=0958-6946}}</ref> 

Stirred yogurt formulations have a coarser distribution of loosely associated casein particulates due to the [[shear forces]] and resulting particle-particle collisions induced during the mixing process. After stirring, yogurt is more accurately defined as a weak gel.<ref name=":1" />

===Rheology ===
The mechanical properties of yogurt are typically assessed using [[rheometry]], which quantifies the deformation and flow response of soft materials subject to shear forces. As is central in [[materials science]], the rheological properties of yogurt are dictated by a variety of processing factors, including the ratios of dry and wet matter, thermal treatments, milk origin, starter cultures, and yogurt type.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Le Ba |first=Thong |last2=Dam |first2=Mai Sao |last3=Nguyen |first3=Lien Le Phuong |last4=Baranyai |first4=László |last5=Kaszab |first5=Tímea |date=2025 |title=A Review of Processing Techniques and Rheological Properties of Yogurts |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jtxs.70006 |journal=Journal of Texture Studies |language=en |volume=56 |issue=1 |pages=e70006 |doi=10.1111/jtxs.70006 |issn=1745-4603 |pmc=11798767 |pmid=39909732}}</ref> 

Although cow milk is a common choice for yogurt production, other milks, such as goat, sheep, and camel, produce different rheologies. Goat milk yogurt has a low viscosity and a thinner texture when compared to cow milk yogurt.<ref name=":3" /> Conversely, sheep milk, having higher content of solids, has a higher viscosity and thicker texture when compared to cow milk yogurt.<ref name=":3" />

Yogurt can further be characterized as "set" versus stirred, wherein set yogurts are processed and sold in the same container, and stirred yogurts are mixed prior to packaging in a secondary container.<ref name=":0" />

==Commerce==

Two types of yogurt are supported by the [[Codex Alimentarius]] for import and export.<ref name="FAO Codex">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2085e/i2085e00.pdf|title=Milk and milk products, 2nd Ed. Codex Alimentarius|publisher=UN Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization|date=2011}}</ref>
* Pasteurized yogurt ("heat treated fermented milk")<ref name="FAO Codex" /> is yogurt pasteurized to kill bacteria.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ray |first1=Ramesh |last2=Didier |first2=Montet | name-list-style = vanc |title =Microorganisms and Fermentation of Traditional Foods |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qJlBBAAAQBAJ |publisher=CRC press |isbn=9781482223088 |date=2014 }}</ref>
* Probiotic yogurt (labeled as "live yogurt" or "active yogurt") is yogurt pasteurized to kill bacteria, with ''[[Lactobacillus]]'' added in measured units before packaging.{{dubious|date=April 2020}}
* Yogurt probiotic drink is a drinkable yogurt pasteurized to kill bacteria, with ''Lactobacillus'' added before packaging.

Under US [[Food and Drug Administration]] regulations, milk must be pasteurized ''before'' it is cultured, and may optionally be heat treated after culturing to increase shelf life.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=131.200|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050116035455/http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=131.200|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 January 2005|title=Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Sec. 131.200 Yogurt|publisher=US Food and Drug Administration|date=1 April 2017}}</ref> Most commercial yogurts in the United States are not heat treated after culturing, and contain live cultures.

Yogurt with live cultures<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Maisonneuve S, Ouriet MF, Duval-Iflah Y | title = Comparison of yoghurt, heat treated yoghurt, milk and lactose effects on plasmid dissemination in gnotobiotic mice | journal = Antonie van Leeuwenhoek | volume = 79 | issue = 2 | pages = 199–207 | date = June 2001 | pmid = 11520006 | doi = 10.1023/A:1010246401056 | s2cid = 11673881 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1080/08910600310019336|title=Assessment of the Benefits of Live Yogurt: Methods and Markers forin vivo ''Studies'' of the Physiological Effects of Yogurt Cultures|journal=Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease|volume=15|issue=2–3|pages=79–87|year=2009|last1=Piaia|first1=Martine|last2=Antoine|first2=Jean-Michel|last3=Mateos-Guardia|first3=José-Antonio|last4=Leplingard|first4=Antony|last5=Lenoir-Wijnkoop|first5=Irene |s2cid=218565763| name-list-style = vanc |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kalantzopoulos G | title = Fermented products with probiotic qualities | journal = Anaerobe | volume = 3 | issue = 2–3 | pages = 185–190 | year = 1997 | pmid = 16887587 | doi = 10.1006/anae.1997.0099 }}</ref> is more beneficial than pasteurized yogurt for people with lactose malabsorption.<ref name=efsa/>

==Lactose intolerance==

[[Lactose intolerance]] is a condition in which people have symptoms due to the decreased ability to digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy products. In 2010, the [[European Food Safety Authority]] (EFSA) determined that lactose intolerance can be alleviated by ingesting live yogurt cultures (lactobacilli) that are able to digest the lactose in other dairy products.<ref name="efsa">{{cite journal |doi=10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1763 |title=Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to live yogurt cultures and improved lactose digestion (ID 1143, 2976) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 |journal=EFSA Journal |volume=8 |issue=10 |year=2010|quote=Live yogurt cultures in yogurt improve digestion of lactose in yogurt in individuals with lactose maldigestion |doi-access=free }}</ref> The scientific review by EFSA enabled yogurt manufacturers to use a [[health claim]] on product labels, provided that the "yogurt should contain at least 10<sup>8</sup> CFU live starter microorganisms (''Lactobacillus delbrueckii'' subsp. ''bulgaricus'' and ''Streptococcus thermophilus'') per gram. The target population is individuals with lactose maldigestion".<ref name=efsa/> A 2021 review found that yogurt consumption could improve lactose tolerance and digestion.<ref name="Savaiano"/>

==Plant-based products==
A variety of plant-based yogurt alternatives appeared in the 2000s, using [[soy milk]], [[rice milk]], and nut milks such as [[almond milk]] and [[coconut milk]] fermented with cultures. These products may be suitable for people with [[lactose intolerance]] and those who prefer plant-based foods, such as vegetarians and [[Veganism|vegans]].<ref name="barnes">{{cite magazine |last1=Barnes |first1=Amy | name-list-style = vanc |title=Choosing Dairy-Free In 2019: Chobani Disrupting Yogurt Market With Plant-Based Product |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/amybarnes/2019/01/17/going-dairy-free-in-2019-chobani-disrupting-yogurt-market-with-plant-based-product/#1756803b73ca |magazine=Forbes |access-date=30 March 2019 |date=17 January 2019}}</ref> [[Plant milk|Plant-based milks]] have different structures and components than [[dairy milk]]. Though they can be used to make many products similar to those made from dairy, there are differences in taste and texture, and some consumers may feel that they lack the "delicate and smooth structure" of "conventional yogurts".<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Plant-based Milks: A Review of the Science Underpinning Their Design, Fabrication, and Performance|first1=David Julian|last1=McClements|first2=Emily|last2=Newman|first3=Isobelle Farrell|last3=McClements|date=12 February 2019|journal=Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety|volume=18|issue=6|pages=2047–2067|doi=10.1111/1541-4337.12505|pmid=33336952|s2cid=208556034|doi-access=free}}</ref> Since plant-based milks do not contain [[lactose]] (the food of ''[[Streptococcus thermophilus]]'' and ''[[Lactobacillus bulgaricus]]''), plant-based products usually contain different bacterial strains than yogurt, such as ''[[Lactobacillus casei]]'', ''[[Lactobacillus rhamnosus]]'', and ''[[Bifidobacterium bifidum]]''.<ref name=webb>{{Cite web|url=https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/1218p28.shtml|title=The Scoop on Vegan Yogurts – Today's Dietitian Magazine|website=www.todaysdietitian.com|date=2018|author=Densie Webb}}</ref> Plant-based products also vary considerably in their nutrition and ingredients and may contain gums, stabilizers, high-intensity sweeteners, and artificial colors.<ref name=webb />

In Europe, companies may not market their plant-based products using the word ''yogurt'' since that term is reserved for products of animal origin only – per [[European Union regulation]] 1308/2013 and a 2017 ruling in the [[Court of Justice of the European Union]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dairyreporter.com/Article/2017/06/14/Plant-based-products-can-t-use-dairy-names-European-Court-of-Justice|title=European Court of Justice says purely plant-based products can't use dairy names|website=dairyreporter.com|first=Jim|last=Cornall|date=13 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/report/downloadreportbyfilename?filename=european%20court%20prohibits%20use%20of%20dairy%20names%20for%20non-dairy%20products_brussels%20useu_eu-28_7-11-2017.pdf|type=PDF|title=European Court Prohibits Use of Dairy Names for NonDairy Products|date=11 July 2017|publisher=USDA [[Foreign Agricultural Service]]|quote=In its June 14 ruling, the ECJ concluded that for marketing and advertising purposes, in principle, the designations "milk", "cream", "butter", "cheese" and "yogurt" are reserved under EU law for products of animal origin only. The ECJ ruling prohibits the use of dairy names in association with purely plantbased products unless the names are included in an EU list of exceptions. The ECJ also clarifies that this prohibition applies even when the plant origin of the product concerned is provided because the addition of descriptive and explanatory terms cannot completely rule out consumer confusion.}}</ref> Reaffirmed in 2021, per the US [[Food and Drug Administration|FDA]]'s [[Standards of identity for food|Standard of Identity]] regulations, the word ''yogurt'' has been reserved for a product made from [[lactation]] and is a product of "milk-derived ingredients".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-fda-commissioner-scott-gottlieb-md-modernizing-standards-identity-and-use-dairy-names|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604001036/https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-fda-commissioner-scott-gottlieb-md-modernizing-standards-identity-and-use-dairy-names|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 June 2019|title=Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on modernizing standards of identity and the use of dairy names for plant-based substitutes|first=Scott|last=Gottlieb|author-link=Scott Gottlieb|date=27 September 2018|website=FDA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/06/11/2021-12220/milk-and-cream-products-and-yogurt-products-final-rule-to-revoke-the-standards-for-lowfat-yogurt-and|title=Milk and Cream Products and Yogurt Products; Final Rule To Revoke the Standards for Lowfat Yogurt and Nonfat Yogurt and To Amend the Standard for Yogurt|publisher=[[Food and Drug Administration]]|via=[[Federal Register]]|date=11 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nmpf.org/yogurt-rule-may-aid-consumer-win-on-fake-milk-if-fda-follows-through/|title=Yogurt Rule May Aid Consumer Win on Fake Milk – If FDA Follows Through|date=12 July 2021|website=National Milk Producers Federation}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=160>
File:Yoghurt_for_sale.jpg| [[Misti doi|Sweet yoghurt]], made and contained in pots of clay are kept for sale, [[Bangladesh]].
File:Fresh ayran.jpg|''[[Ayran]]'' is a savory yogurt-based beverage, traditionally served cold and is sometimes carbonated and seasoned with mint and salt.
File:Skyr.is með vanillu.jpg|''[[Skyr]]'' is an [[Icelandic cuisine|Icelandic]] cultured dairy product, similar to strained yogurt traditionally served cold with milk and a topping of sugar.
File:Raita with cucumber and mint.jpg|''[[Raita]]'' is a condiment made with yogurt in the [[Indian subcontinent]].
File:Dadiah2.jpg|[[Dadiah]] in a market
File:Homemade yogurt maker - 01.jpg|Homemade yogurt incubator
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Food}}
* [[Fermented milk products]]
* [[Frozen yogurt]]
* [[List of dairy products]]
* [[Probiotic]]
* [[List of yogurt-based dishes and beverages]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Wiktionary-inline}}
* {{Cookbook-inline}}

{{Yogurts}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Yogurts| ]]
[[Category:Ancient dishes]]
[[Category:Fermented dairy products]]
[[Category:Desserts]]
[[Category:Sour foods]]
[[Category:Central Asian cuisine]]
[[Category:Iraqi cuisine]]
[[Category:Turkish words and phrases]]
[[Category:Convenience foods]]
[[Category:Snack foods]]
[[Category:Creamy dishes]]