COMO se HACE el YOGURT industrialđ„| Como se PRODUCE el YOGURT Danone en las FĂBRICAS
The Yogurt Production Process
This section introduces the process of yogurt production, highlighting the role of bacteria in creating this popular dairy product.
Yogurt Origins and Ingredients
- Yogurt has been consumed for thousands of years, originating in Central Asia and the Middle East. Tribes stored milk in animal skins, leading to natural fermentation and yogurt production.
- Key ingredients for yogurt include pasteurized skimmed milk and billions of healthy bacteria cultivated in laboratory conditions.
Danone's Role in Yogurt Production
- Danone is a major player in the yogurt market with factories worldwide, including three in the United States.
- The company produces a significant portion of yogurt consumed in the U.S., with one factory alone generating a million boxes of yogurt daily.
Milk Quality Control and Processing
- Danone uses over 1,300 kg of milk daily from nearby farms, subjecting it to rigorous quality checks upon arrival at the factory.
- Fresh milk undergoes various tests for antibiotics, acidity levels, microbiological analysis, and overall quality before storage in refrigerated tanks.
Pasteurization and Homogenization
- Milk is processed by mixing powdered dairy products with cream before pasteurization at 80°C for half a minute to ensure safety and extend shelf life.
- Homogenization follows to blend milk and cream uniformly by breaking down fat globules under high pressure.
Fermentation Process and Flavor Addition
This section delves into how fermentation transforms milk into yogurt through bacterial activity and discusses flavor addition processes.
Bacterial Fermentation
- Live bacterial cultures are added to milk at 45°C to initiate fermentation crucial for converting lactose into lactic acid, giving yogurt its distinctive taste and texture.
- During fermentation, operators monitor pH levels continuously to ensure effective bacterial activity over 6 to 20 hours based on desired yogurt type.
Fruit Flavor Infusion
- Once fermentation achieves desired consistency and taste, rapid cooling halts bacterial activity. For fruit-flavored yogurts, fruits undergo inspection before processing to remove unwanted parts.
How Yogurt is Made
The process of making yogurt involves several steps, including preparing the fruit for flavoring, adding stabilizers and colorants to achieve consistency and appearance, heating and mixing the ingredients, packaging the yogurt in containers, and ensuring quality control measures throughout.
Preparing Ingredients
- Fruit is processed into jam before being added to yogurt for texture and flavor.
- Ingredients like water, artificial and natural flavorings, stabilizers are carefully measured before mixing.
Mixing Process
- The mixture is heated to dissolve dry ingredients, with continuous expulsion and absorption for uniformity.
- Additional colorants are added along with fruit, followed by heating to kill harmful bacteria.
Packaging
- Yogurt mixed with strawberry jam is filled into containers with precise measurements for consistency.
- Strict air filtration maintains product hygiene during filling; containers are sealed to prevent contamination.
Quality Control Measures
Quality control processes involve sealing containers hermetically after filling them with the correct amount of yogurt. This step ensures freshness, hygiene, and prevents external microbial contamination.
Sealing Process
- Each container is capped and heat-sealed before labeling with expiration dates.
- Hermetic sealing safeguards product freshness and quality by preventing external microorganism entry.
Final Steps: Fermentation & Cooling
After packaging, yogurt containers are grouped into boxes for easy handling. The yogurt then undergoes fermentation within individual jars before being cooled to inhibit further bacterial growth.
Fermentation & Cooling
- Yogurt ferments inside jars for up to 10 hours in a heated room post-packaging.