The company says it work on a continuous basis to develop new cultures that meet the quality, safety, uniformity and flexibility demands of modern yogurt production.
The new additions are based on the direct vat concept, used instead of traditional bulk starters.
Called YoFlex Express, YoFlex Advance and YoFlex Harmony, they differ from Chr Hansen’s earlier in “delivering the maxium texture in the yoghurt and keeping the mildness,” said Morten Boesen, marketing manager, fermented milk cultures at Chr Hansen.
“The yoghurt cultures deliver much more texture thanks to the exopolysaccharide bacteria. This is most noticeable in the Advance culture.”
YoFlex Advance is said to improve the viscosity and creaminess of the finished product, which allows for better quality low- and full-fat yoghurt. Moreover, stabilisers and/or milk protein content can be significantly reduced, which can make for better cost efficiency and clean label solutions.
The Express is intended to speed up fermentation without affecting mildness, quality or acid stability; the Harmony, meanwhile, is geared to addressing the challenges of sub-optimal storage conditions.
“The new yoghurt cultures keep the PH stable – particularly the Express and the Harmony,” Boesen said. This protects their quality in hot climates if there is a break in the cold chain distribution.
Development
The ingredients company developed the range at its research centres in Denmark and France at in cooperation with certain customers, by selecting and characterising lactic acid bacteria.
“Composing of unique cultures has been the backbone in the development of the new range,” it said.
As for using them, Boesen said: “The company forges partnerships with local labs, pilot scale production plants to make trials under customers’ conditions with local milk.”
The cultures remain the same but the yoghurt products can be custom made to requirements based on the milk base, the type of equipment being used and the process of production.