Milk products prepared by lactic acid fermentation (eg. yoghurt) or a combination of this and yeast fermentation (eg. kefir) are called fermented or cultured milks.
Fermented milk products can go by many names and come in many different varieties. What they all have in common, though, is the process by which they are produced. Examples of such products are:
- Cultured milk products, such as Ymer, Laban and Kefir
- Cultured cream products, such as Crème fraiche and Breakfast Cream
The generic name of fermented milk is due to the fact that the milk used for the product is inoculated with a starter culture converting part of the lactose into lactic acid - ie. a fermentation takes place. Carbon dioxide, acetic acid, diacetyl, acetaldehyde and several other substances are formed in the course of the fermentation process, giving the products their characteristic fresh taste and aroma.
In addition to flavour and aroma, correct appearance and consistency are important product features determined by the applied processing parameters. Adequate heat treatment and homogenisation of the milk, combined with methods to increase the MSNF content, such as fortification or membrane filtration, are essential processing steps in order to achieve a correct and consistent appearance and consistency in the final product.
GEA Liquid Processing specializes in the design of processing systems for all kinds of fermented milk products. As a member of GEA Group we can provide a comprehensive range of processing components developed and designed for the liquid processing industry. Our product know-how, combined with our strong process engineering and design expertise, ensures correct plant design and hygienic solutions for all types of fermented milk products.
For more detailed processing information about a number of fermented products please follow the links below: