Making Yogurt in Factory (Term Paper Sample)

Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date How Yogurt is Made in Factory Yogurt Yogurt is a Turkish word that means tart, thick milk. It is a sour, semisolid food made from fermented milk. This food has been in existence since the ancient times. Usually, it has been most popular among communities that kept cattle. The Functions of Yogurt The health benefits of yogurt are many. It contains probiotics which help in adjusting the natural balance of organisms in the intestines, and this helps in digestion. Due to presence of active cultures, it may help curb some gastrointestinal conditions like constipation, diarrhea, colon cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease (Shah 29). Moreover, yogurt with active cultures may help discourage vaginal infections. A study showed that diabetic women suffering from Candida vaginal infection had a drop in severity of the disease after eating 6 ounces of yogurt daily for 3 months. Also, it may help reduce the risk of getting high blood pressure. The research done showed that people who take 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy milk a day had lower chances of developing high blood pressure compared to those who did not (Chandan and Kilara 75). Materials Used in Making Yogurt The following ingredients are used in making yogurt: milk, sugars, fruits, flavors, stabilizers, and bacterial cultures. During fermentation, bacteria interact with milk and convert it into a curd (Soukoulis et al. 21). The bacteria also change flavor of the milk giving it the yogurt taste. The yogurt cultures help produce different types of flavors and textures. Sugar or artificial sweeteners like saccharin are added to make yogurt sweeter while shelf stability is achieved by adding stabilizers like gelatin, guar, and pectin. Moreover, flavors and fruits like bananas, strawberries, and peaches are added to improve taste. Meanwhile, in the recent past, manufacturers have come up with other flavorings such as vanilla, chocolate, and mint. The Manufacturing Process At the factory, the process of making yogurt is modifying the composition of the milk, pasteurizing it, fermenting, then cooling, and finally adding ingredients. Modifying Milk Composition. After milk arrives at the factory, the fat content is reduced while the total solids are increased to about 16% through a process called centrifugation. Thereafter, it is placed in storage tanks. Pasteurization and Homogenization. After adjusting the solids composition, stabilizers are added and the milk is pasteurized by heating to 1850 F and then left for 30 minute (De Brabandere and De Baerdemaeker 14). The process is important for three reasons. Firstly, it destroys microorganisms in the milk. Secondly, it denatures milk proteins to give yogurt a better body, and finally, it helps release compounds of the milk which will stimulate the growth of the starter culture. Pasteurization is followed by homogenization, a process where the fat globules are broken down into smaller particles to give uniform end products that do not separate. Fermentation. After the above processes, milk is cooled to about 1100 F and the fermentation culture is added. It is maintained at this temperature for three to four hours. When the desired level of lactic acid is reached, it is cooled, modified, and dispense...