Starter temperature + consistency

1

Hi,

I am new to yoghourt making. Tried 2 batches so far using a yoghourt maker but didn’t manage to get thickened yoghourt…

1/ I live in a tropical country with average daily temperatures of 30+ C
I kept my freeze dried bacteria in a drawer, not knowing that they have a temperature limit.
Will this harm ?
When I open the packs I get a mix of white and brownish stuff.

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2/ I read difference on mixing the starters with the lukewarm cooled-down 44C milk. Do you use just a spoon to mix or an electric mixer?

3/ what is the consistency of the yoghourt after fermentation (when shifting it to the fridge)? What do you see?

4/ in the yoghourt maker: with or without lid (of the yars)

Thanks!

2

Hi Annelies,
See the answers below and some suggestions.

  1. The freeze-dried starters are generally stable at high temperatures away from sunlight and direct heat. However, the hight temperature will decrease shelf life. If the starters you have been made during the last yeas you should not worry that much. However, if the heat is continuously hight - better store them at a cool, dry place. White and brownish stuff sounds OK as they frequently look white brownish after productions(this vary from batch to batch). If the colour is similar to NESCAFÉ Classic, then something is not right. The stuff you actually see is a sugar. The bacteria are not visible without a microscope.
  2. You need to mix a sachet with 1L of milk, and you could stir the mix with a spoon. The sugar might dissolve immediately or not, but the purpose is to distribute bacteria to all corners of the jar. The mixer is not needed at any point of the yogurt production.
  3. The consistency before the fridge stage needs to be thick as the fridge stage need to stop fermentation.
  4. The yogurt maker needs to be with a lid. The jars can be without the lid as this speed up the fermentation especially when making the first batch which requires more time

Please find below some useful info and videos from our blog, YouTube channel and website:
Milk and importance of boiling it:
Incubation Times
How to use the yogurtmaker
How to make yogurt
YouTube Videos
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