Greek-style yogurt has become a rising star in the dairy products market. In the U.S. Greek yogurt has outpaced sales for traditional yogurt, and those in the international market are watching closely to see if this trend will continue globally.

Greek yogurt captured 35% of U.S. yogurt category sales in 2012 after accounting for only 1% in 2007, according to data from Nielsen.
 
To give dairy manufacturers a simple, more efficient and consistent way to culture America’s best-selling yogurt, DuPont Nutrition & Health has introduced YO-MIXGreek — a five-species yogurt culture blend from the DuPont Danisco range. By offering all five species in one blend, DuPont strives to ensure consistency of culture delivery and to eliminate plant mixing and measuring of starters.
 
“American consumers quickly embraced Greek-style yogurt because of its thick, creamy texture, high protein and non-fat content,” explained Sonia Huppert, global product director, thermophilic cultures, DuPont Nutrition & Health. “For dairy manufacturers, the challenge has been not only to keep up with market demand, but to deliver a consistent product with every batch. Thanks to our significant global cultures expertise, with YO-MIXGreek, we’re offering yogurt makers a one-step culture solution.” YO-MIXGreek gives manufacturers five commonly used species in one blend, in one package in order to simplify the culturing process and reduces potential mixing and formulation errors during production.
 
The YO-MIXGreek five-species culture blend was designed specifically for use in the development of Greek yogurts. In addition to streamlining the production process, the balanced blend is designed to deliver a mild dairy flavor over the shelf life of the yogurt. “U.S. consumers prefer a mild tasting yogurt with less tang,” said Jeff Lambeseder, cultures product manager, DuPont Nutrition & Health. “So we designed our culture blend to create a mild, less acidic flavor, and our sensory research demonstrates that it consistently delivers a mild taste throughout its shelf life.”
 
YO-MIX Greek cultures and all DuPont Danisco cultures are supported through a global network of food scientists and technologists with unique know-how and experience across the dairy industry. This gives dairy manufacturers the ability to deliver unparalleled customer value to the marketplace with their yogurt products. No matter which yogurt process is being used by dairy manufacturers, DuPont has the right combination of skills, expertise and ingredients to deliver a complete solution for Greek-style yogurt. The DuPont Daniscorange of quality cultures includes HOLDBACprotective cultures and HOWARUfunctional cultures. In addition to cultures, the DuPont Danisco portfolio also offers ingredients to add value to Greek-style yogurt, including lactose-free solutions, pectin fruit preparations, soy-based protein, stabilizer solutions and vitamin K2, enabling dairy manufacturers to differentiate their end consumer product.
 
For more information: www.danisco.com/greek.