Milk

The milk we use daily comes from dairy cows, which have been selectively bred for high milk production from Bos primigenius (Cattle).

Acidophilus milk

Milk fermented with cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus, used to improve gut functioning by modifying the bacterial flora in the intestine.

Traditional buttermilk

The liquid left behind from churning butter from cream. Traditionally, the cream was obtained from skimming it off milk and after a few days of accumulating cream, it was churned into butter. By this time, the cream had fermented slightly, so traditional buttermilk is likely to have undergone fermentation by lactic acid bacteria.

Cultured buttermilk

The buttermilk bought in stores is made from pasteurized, homogenized, low-fat milk that has been inoculated with Lactococcis lactis and Leuconostoc citrovorum bacteria, thus simulating traditionally produced buttermilk but with a final product that has a thicker consistency.

Kefir

A popular fermented, slightly alcoholic, milk drink in Eastern Europe, Northern Europe and Russia. It is the result of fermentation of milk with kefir grains the latter containing fermenting bacteria and yeasts. Kefir grains grow during fermentation and are passed on from one kefir producer to another - so you can't produce them easily from scratch. Kefir is produced commercially by fermentation of milk with bacterial and yeast cultures.

Soured milk

Milk that has coagulated through the addition of an acid such as citric acid or acetic acid. Soured milk can also be produced through bacterial fermentation with cultured buttermilk and acidophilus milk being forms of this. Milk that has gone sour by itself is likely to contain toxins from fermentation by the wrong bacteria and should not be consumed.

Yoghurt

Yoghurt is usually made by first heating milk to about 80°C to kill undesirable bacteria and to break down milk proteins so that they set together rather than forming curds. It is cooled to a temperature of 45°C and a culture (a small sample of yoghurt made previously will do) of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria is then added. The milk is left for 4-7 hours, maintained at 45°C, during which time fermentation takes place. Other bacterial strains are sometimes added during or after the culturing process.