ANIMAL HUSBANDRY INFORMATION

PROCESSING AND VALUE ADDITION

Fermented Milk Products

The starter cultures used for preparation of fermented dairy products are available from NCDC, Dairy microbiology division, NDRI, Karnal, Haryana.

Dahi

It is the most important fermented milk product used in India since time immemorial.

Method of preparation:

The production of dahi is mostly carried out on a small scale, in every household. The household milk is boiled, cooled to room temperature (37 oC), inoculated with 0.5-1 percent starter which usually is the previous day’s dahi or butter-milk, and then allowed to set overnight. The starter culture used is the Lactic acid bacteria.

In cooler weather the dahi setting vessel is usually wrapped in a cloth to maintain warmth. In shops, the method is more or less the same except that milk is concentrated somewhat before inoculation and the dahi is usually set in a shallow circular earthen pot, which helps in the absorption of any whey that may ooze out.

Yoghurt

Yoghurt is considered as the western counterpart of the Dahi. Scientists attribute many health benefits for consuming yoghurt.

Method of preparation:

Whole fresh clean milk has to be used in the preparation of yoghurt. To this, required quantity of skim milk powder is added so that the solid not fat is increased to 12 per cent. Sugar may be added at the rate of 5-8 per cent. The mix is heated and later homogenized followed by pasteurization. The mix is cooled and later inoculated with a 1:1 mixture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus at the rate of 2 per cent. The yoghurt mix is then packed and incubated at 41- 42oC for three hours so that the acidity reaches around 0.75 % of lactic acid. The container is removed from the incubator and stored at 5oC.

Chakka

It is a fermented product, which is marble white in colour having a closely-knit structure with an acidic diacetyl aroma. It is the base material for the preparation of shrikhand. It is prepared by draining the whey from dahi.

Shrikhand

This is a speciality prepared from chakka having plastic body and smooth texture. Traditionally, sugar, saffron, cardamom and dry fruits are added to chakka and is kneaded to smooth consistency.

Last updated: 1-3-2007