Greek yogurt
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Greek Yogurt: Sensory Properties, Quality, and Production Techniques
Sensory Properties and Consumer Preferences
Texture and Flavor Attributes
Greek yogurt, a rapidly growing sector in the dairy industry, exhibits significant variability in sensory properties due to differences in fat content and manufacturing methods. Full-fat Greek yogurts are characterized by firmness and denseness, while low- and non-fat versions often lack these qualities and have lower viscosity after stirring. Fortified Greek yogurts, which include added dairy ingredients, tend to have more surface shine and jiggle but lower denseness compared to traditional strained Greek yogurts. Flavor differences are less pronounced, although fortified versions may exhibit a burnt or beefy flavor not found in traditional Greek yogurts 1.
Consumer Preferences
Consumers generally prefer Greek yogurts with a firm, dense texture, moderate sweet aromatic, milkfat, dairy sour flavors, and a moderate sour taste. Awareness of the increased protein content in Greek yogurts is high, but consumers are often unaware of the differences between strained and fortified Greek yogurts. Both types received high overall liking scores in consumer acceptance testing 1.
Quality and Safety Enhancements
Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)
The addition of probiotic LAB, such as Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17, and Lactobacillus plantarum HY7714, can enhance the quality and safety of Greek yogurt. These probiotics improve physicochemical properties, increase viscosity, and enhance sensory acceptance. Additionally, they effectively reduce the population of harmful bacteria like enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) during storage, making the yogurt safer for consumption 2.
Microbial Hygiene Indicators
The survival and detection of coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae (EB), and gram-negative bacteria in Greek yogurt are crucial for ensuring hygienic quality. Studies indicate that coliform and EB groups, which encompass a broad range of dairy-relevant gram-negative bacteria, are effective microbial hygiene indicators in low-pH fermented dairy products like Greek yogurt 8.
Production Techniques and Innovations
Traditional vs. Fortified Methods
Greek yogurt can be produced through traditional straining methods or by fortifying regular yogurt with additional dairy ingredients. The traditional method involves straining to remove whey, resulting in a thicker, more concentrated product. In contrast, the fortified method involves adding milk protein concentrates or other thickeners to achieve a similar texture and protein content. Both methods have their advantages, but the choice of technique can impact the sensory properties and consumer acceptance of the final product 39.
Fortification with Novel Ingredients
Innovative fortification techniques, such as adding cheese whey-spent coffee ground (CW-SCG) powder, have been explored to enhance the nutritional profile and functional properties of Greek yogurt. While fortification with CW-SCG can decrease water holding capacity and hardness, it also introduces beneficial polyphenol-protein associations that may improve the yogurt's texture and rheological behavior 5.
Impact of Hydrocolloids
The use of hydrocolloids in Greek yogurt production can help minimize acid whey production, a significant by-product of the straining process. Hydrocolloids improve the water retention capacity of yogurt, thereby reducing the volume of acid whey generated. Optimizing processing conditions and incorporating hydrocolloids can enhance the sustainability of Greek yogurt production 7.
Conclusion
Greek yogurt's popularity is driven by its high protein content, appealing texture, and nutritional benefits. Understanding the sensory properties, consumer preferences, and quality enhancements through probiotic additions and microbial hygiene indicators is essential for product development. Additionally, innovative production techniques and fortification methods can further improve the quality and sustainability of Greek yogurt, ensuring its continued success in the dairy market.
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Most relevant research papers on this topic
Sensory properties and drivers of liking for Greek yogurts.
Consumers prefer firm, dense Greek yogurts with moderate sweet, milkfat, and dairy sour flavors, and moderate sour taste, regardless of fat content or manufacturing method.
Observational Study
Highly CitedEffect of Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) on the Quality and Safety of Greek Yogurt
Probiotic lactic acid bacteria enhance the quality and safety of Greek yogurt, with L. gasseri BNR17 and L. plantarum HY7714 enhancing microbial safety and consumer acceptance.
Rigorous JournalConsidering Greek Yogurt for Chronic Kidney Disease
Greek yogurt has the potential to be a valuable addition to the diet of individuals with chronic kidney disease due to its high protein content, lower sodium and sugar content, and easy consumption.
A review of factors influencing the quality and sensory evaluation techniques applied to Greek yogurt
This review explores factors influencing Greek yogurt quality and sensory properties, and evaluates novel sensory evaluation techniques like electronic nose and tongue for potential improvements in the industry.
Literature ReviewRheological, texture, structural, and functional properties of Greek-style yogurt fortified with cheese whey-spent coffee ground powder
Fortifying Greek-style yogurt with cheese whey-spent coffee ground powder (CW-SCG) decreases water holding capacity, firmness, and shear-thinning behavior, while maintaining comparable properties to unfortified yogurt.
The addition of skim milk powder and dairy cream influences the physicochemical properties and the sensory acceptance of concentrated Greek-style yogurt
Adding skim milk powder and dairy cream to concentrated Greek-style yogurt results in high protein content, low-fat content, and better sensory acceptance than traditional yogurts.
Effects of hydrocolloids and processing conditions on acid whey production with reference to Greek yogurt
Hydrocolloids and optimized processing conditions can potentially reduce acid whey production in Greek yogurt by improving water retention capacity and reducing whey acidity.
Highly CitedSurvival and detection of coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, and gram-negative bacteria in Greek yogurt.
Coliform and Enterobacteriaceae groups can survive in low-pH Greek yogurt, supporting their use as microbial hygiene indicators in low-pH fermented dairy products.
Rigorous Journal