Acidophilic milk: what is it and how to cook at home?

Sour milk drinks are extremely popular. They quench thirst well, have many useful properties, are suitable for all age groups. One of these useful products is acidophilic milk.You can cook it yourself at home.

Acidophilic milk is a type of fermented milk drink. It has a viscous consistency and a specific taste that resembles the taste of kefir or yogurt. But acidophilic milk differs from them in composition and production method. Like any milk product, the drink is made from pasteurized milk. Milk is fermented by adding an acidophilus stick into it, at a temperature of 31-35 degrees for 6-8 hours. Kefir fungi and pure lactococcal cultures are also included in the leaven.

Sourdough is placed in milk and create optimal conditions for the development of microorganisms. During the lactic acid fermentation process, the milk proteins swell and form a dense uniform consistency. At the end of the process, the protein clot needs to be mixed and cooled to a temperature of 7-9 degrees. In industry, a product often referred to as acidophilin is produced either by a reservoir or by a thermostat method. In case of thermostat maturation occurs in separate packages, and in reservoir use one large capacity.

All stages of production are subject to GOST. GOST determines the requirements for raw materials, composition and nutritional value of the resulting product, storage conditions and shelf life. Acidophilic acid corresponding to GOST should have a clean, sour-milk taste and smell. Its taste should be slightly spicy, refreshing, with the assumption of a yeast flavor. The color of the drink should be white and milky, evenly colored throughout the volume.

The drink in appearance should be moderately viscous, homogeneous, the clot can be either broken or undisturbed. GOST admits the presence of a slightly viscous consistency and gas formation in the form of individual bubbles, which causes normal microflora. According to GOST, in a product with a fat content up to 3.9%, there should be 2.8% of proteins, and with a fat content of 4% and higher - 2.6%.

Home-made acidophilus milk can be stored for up to a week in cool conditions, and it can be commercially prepared for a little longer. The shelf life is due to the fact that fermentation continues in the product. By the end of the shelf life, acidophilus milk may change its texture, color or smell. It becomes unfit for consumption.

On the basis of acidophilus milk, manufacturers produce other beverages by adding fruit juices to it. Children do not always like the sour taste of the drink, so at home you can add sugar, jam, vanilla, cinnamon, honey.

Like all dairy products, acidophilus milk has many beneficial properties. First of all, it is an excellent dietary product, suitable for people who want to normalize their weight. Its caloric content is 40-83 kcal per 100 g of the product, depending on the fat content. The milk protein contained in the product has the ability to give a quick and long-lasting feeling of satiety, therefore, the use of acidophilic milk instead of dinner is quite appropriate.

It will be useful to drink acidophilus milk after the holiday feasts, when they consume rich and fatty foods, as the product helps to improve digestion. The product is completely absorbed by the body and is suitable for people who can not use milk because of lactose intolerance. Milk is also suitable for therapeutic nutrition, since it contains a high content of bacteria that suppress the activity of microorganisms that cause putrefactive processes in the body.

Acidophilic milk has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora, restores the balance of beneficial bacteria in it, therefore it is recommended for people who have been treated with antibiotics. The drink reduces the level of harmful cholesterol and increases the absorption of nutrients by the body.Due to the rich chemical composition, which includes many vitamins and microelements, regular use of the product improves immunity, improves overall body tone, stimulates metabolic processes.

Since the product has a tonic effect, it is recommended for exhaustion and anemia. Acidophilic milk is a hypoallergenic product, doctors recommend giving it to even very young children. The drink contains a lot of B vitamins, so it has a positive effect on the state of the central nervous system. The product is useful in many pathological conditions. It can be used by people suffering from diabetes, liver and kidney diseases, and infectious diseases.

In some cases, when drinking acidophilus milk, excessive gas formation and bloating may occur, however, these phenomena quickly pass. With care to drink it is necessary to approach people suffering from gastric diseases (gastritis, ulcers, increased acidity).

Acidophilic drink is quite simple to prepare at home. This will require regular milk and acidophilus ferment. Sourdough can be searched in supermarkets or in a pharmacy. On the package, as a rule, there is an indication of how much ferment is required per 1 liter of milk. If there is no indication, usually take 50 ml per 1 l of milk. If it was not possible to find the starter, you can use store acidophilin or even plain kefir for cooking.

First, boil the milk, and then let it cool to a temperature of 34-36 degrees. Sourdough is added to cooled milk and mixed well. To make the mixing happen more evenly, it is possible to dissolve the starter in a mug of milk, and then pour its contents into the rest of the milk and mix. Fermentation should be done in a yogurt maker or in a thermos, where the mixture is placed for 12-15 hours. You can use the slow cooker in the "yogurt" mode. In this case, it will take 8 hours.

Willingness can be determined by the appearance of the mixture: the visible formation of a clot, a slight separation of serum. The resulting product is ready for use. To ferment the next batch to acquire an acidophilic culture is optional, you can use some amount of cooked milk. Cooked product Be sure to store in the refrigerator.

The fact that such an "acidophilus" and how it is done, see the next video.