Chr. Hansen has launched YoFlex Acidifix, a culture that due to its exceptional pH stability can revolutionize the way yoghurt is produced and significantly reduce cost.
For yogurt manufacturers, obtaining the optimal texture is a costly process, with added texturizers often accounting for 20-25% of the total recipe cost. One strategy to reduce this cost is to preserve the texture built during fermentation, so less texturizers (e.g. protein) are needed. This is achieved by using a gentler yogurt processing method where the yogurt stays warm until filled in the cup to avoid shear and mechanical stress. However, it has previously been impossible to put this technology into use, since no available culture has been pH stable enough to handle it, leading to yogurt that is too acidic.
With YoFlex Acidifix, a pH stable culture that, through the warm filling process, manufacturers can achieve the desired yogurt texture with a protein content that is 0.3 – 0.6% lower than with any other yogurt culture. With protein being one of the more costly texturizers, this corresponds to more than 5% of the recipe cost of a plain yogurt, or approximately USD 1 million for a 50.000 ton per year line.
Karsten Tjener, Marketing Director Fresh Dairy, Chr. Hansen, says: “I believe that this is the future way of making yogurt. With the potential savings that this technology can achieve, the additional equipment investment that it requires will pay off manyfold over time. For yogurt producers, this can significantly add to their bottom line.”
With high pH stability, YoFlex Acidifix also allows for producing very mild yogurt bases that match a greater part of the flavor palette than regular yogurt bases.
Marie Brenoe, Brand Manager Fresh Dairy, Chr. Hansen, says: “We believe that YoFlex Acidifix can help our customers broaden their offering and attract new consumer groups. One could seek inspiration from the ice cream industry, where flavor variety is much greater than for yogurts. This could make yogurt an even more favored snack.”
A third benefit of the high pH stability of YoFlex Acidifix is that it will create a more consistent consumer experience by addressing the issue of continuous acidification during shelf-life, and, given that all other quality requirements are met, provide additional shelf-life.
