In addition, satiety from the protein in yogurt became another important benefit, especially for people busy working from home. In the days ahead, the perceived immunity benefits associated with yogurt’s probiotics may be what drives additional growth in yogurt sales.
#Essential Workers Ramp Up Yogurt Production
With food and agriculture declared “essential critical infrastructure” by the government, those working in the dairy supply chain became #essential workers overnight. From dairy farmers to production workers to quality assurance technicians, #essential workers continued to come to work to keep the supply chain strong and keep American families fed.
#Essential workers in yogurt manufacturing quickly faced new challenges. Keeping themselves protected while on the job meant things like modified schedules, reconfigured workstations, social distancing, and wearing face coverings. On top of this, demand for yogurt shot up, making them busier than ever.
Making Yogurt
It takes a number of steps for #essential workers to turn milk into yogurt. The first step in yogurt production is receiving raw milk. The milk must meet certain specifications, such as microbiological, sensory, and nutritional criteria, before it can be received into the processing facility. Then, the milk is pasteurized, which inactivates pathogenic microorganisms along with any microorganisms that might compete with the starter cultures. Afterward, the milk is homogenized to ensure a stable emulsion and prevent separation of the milkfat.
Next, the pasteurized milk is cooled, and starter cultures are added. Yogurt starter cultures include the lactic acid-producing bacteria Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. After inoculation with these bacteria, the mixture is incubated to keep it slightly warm—the perfect conditions for the starter cultures to grow.
