The History of Yoghurt
One of the theories regarding the discovery of yoghurt as a delicious food for humans to make and eat, places the discovery around 10 000 BC, during the Neolithic Period, when man first began to keep and milk animals. It is plausible and likely that a clay vessel of milk by chance happened to get warmed up for several hours as it stood in a corner, and turned into what we now call yoghurt. The warm climate of the Middle East, in conjunction with a lack of sterile conditions, would have been an ideal environment for the relevant strains of bacillus to appear and to multiply naturally.

It is believed that yoghurt subsequently spread from the Middle East to more distant regions as people began both to trade with and wage war with other peoples. There is historical evidence of cultured milk products being produced as food, probably the origin of yoghurt, dating as far back as 4 500 years ago.

Another theory is that the earliest yoghurts were fermented spontaneously by wild bacteria which thrived in the goat skin bags carried by the ancient Bulgars, a nomadic people who began migrating into Europe in the second century, and eventually settled in the Balkans at the end of the seventh century.

The use of yoghurt by nomadic Turks is also recorded in ancient books written in the eleventh century.

Today, yoghurt is produced by the introduction of specific strains of safe, beneficial bacteria into milk. This ferments under controlled temperatures and environmental conditions. The bacteria ingest natural milk sugars and release lactic acid as a waste product. The resultant increased acidity causes milk proteins to tangle into a solid mass. Because of this acidity, the type of bacteria which cause harm to humans cannot survive.

Although many people enjoy the natural flavour of yogurt, for those wanting to lessen the slight sourness, sweetening agents can be added. Yoghurt can be flavoured with fresh fruit, jam, honey, sugar, molasses, and sprinkled with nuts, seeds, and crunchy grains. It is excellent with breakfast cereal instead of milk. In cooking it is used in many recipes, from salads to soups to the meats forming main courses, for which it is usually used as a marinading agent which also serves to tenderise the meat as well as giving it a delicious flavour. This is particularly true of Indian cuisine. It is also used to make popular starters, dips or sauces such as the Greek Tsatziki, Indian Raita, or in salad dressings.

Generally made from cow’s milk, in some countries yoghurt is made from water buffalo, goat’s or ewe’s milk. Delicious Kefalos yoghurts, both natural Greek and Low Fat, and with various delicious added flavours including Strawberry, Berries of the Forest and Vanilla, are made from cow’s milk using live AB cultures, which are highly beneficial to our health. If you are watching your calorie or fat intake, Kefalos Natural Low Fat Yoghurt is specially for you, containing only 1.5% milk fat. Distributed by the Cheeseman, Kefalos Yoghurts add interest and enjoyment to your diet, improve your digestion and all round health and provide your children with a really healthy snack that they’ll enjoy.