How Long Does Yogurt Last (And Why)?

How Long Does Yogurt Last (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 5-7 Days

The term yogurt is also known as curd, which is prepared with the process of bacterial fermentation of the milk which is used to produce food items. The bacteria which are used to prepare yogurt are known as bacteria cultures. The bacteria in the milk produces lactic acid after the fermentation of sugar in the milk. The bacteria during fermentation act with the milk protein in the milk to give a suitable texture to yogurt, and characteristics to give the tart flavor to the yogurt.

The most common type of milk is used to prepare yogurt. The other types of milk used for the yogurt preparation are water buffalo, mares, ewes, goats, yaks, camels, pant milk, and any other type of milk. The milk used for the fermentation can be pasteurized or raw milk. The different types of milk used for yogurt production give different results and different qualities.

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How Long Does Yogurt Last?

There are many different types of bacteria used for the fermentation of yogurts like streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactobacillus bacteria, and many other types of bacteria. Some people add lactobacilli bacteria during or after the culturing of the yogurt. There are many countries that prepare the yogurt at a certain amount of the colony-forming units also called CFU of bacteria.

Preparation of the yogurt is not a long or tough process. The milk should be firstly heated at a certain temperature of about 85 degrees Celcius. The heating of the milk helps to denature the milk protein so that it does not form curd. When the milk is heated, the second step is to cool the milk at a certain temperature of 45 degrees Celcius for further processing.

The third step in the yogurt preparation is adding bacterial culture at the warm temperature of about 30-45 degrees Celcius, and should be kept for at least 4 to 12 hours for the fermentation process. If the yogurt is kept at a high temperature the process of the fermentation becomes faster giving it a lumpy texture, and whey separation. Yogurt is produced and sold globally at a high level in the market.

Yogurt has a good taste and is a good source of nutrition like if the yogurt is been prepared from whole milk they are a good source. The yogurt has water contain for about 81%, protein for about 9%, fat contains about 5%, carbohydrates for about 4%, and sugar content for about 4%. The yogurt has 406 kilojoules of food energy. They have some daily value contents like vitamin B12 for about 31%, riboflavin for about 23%, phosphorus for about 14%, selenium for about 19%, and some moderate amount of protein also.

PackagingDuration
Sealed1-2 Weeks
Unsealed5-7 Days

Why Does Yogurt Last That Long?

The yogurt needs to be prepared properly with proper precaution. The yogurt which is prepared with raw milk is considered to be dangerous, as it can get easily contaminated with bacteria. The bacteria can be dangerous causing illness, and death in some severe conditions. The major illness they cause is Listeria, Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, Brucella, Salmonella, and E. Coli.

The yogurt can also be contaminated with some other types of organisms like Aflatoxin. This Aflatoxin produces some harmful products like Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus Nomius, Aspergillus parasitics, and many more. The yogurt which is prepared at homes in the traditional way gets contaminated after then the yogurt which is prepared in industry.

Conclusion

Yogurt is the major milk product, and some people are lactose intolerant. People who are lactose intolerant need to avoid milk or dairy products because they can’t digest the lactose which is sugar content in the milk. They are allergic to milk, and milk products. The milk products which are made prepared at home are more prone to get contaminated in a short duration of time. People should be very careful before consuming any food item whether they are packed or unpacked.

The yogurt prepared with cow milk is considered to be the best and recommended by doctors, and dietitians.

References

  1. http://www.animbiosci.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.5713/ajas.2010.r.05

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