IFF launches new ingredient to boost the probiotic profile of Chinese ambient yogurt
CHINA – IFF, a leading ingredient provider for the food and beverage industry, has launched a new ingredient aimed at boosting Chinese ambient yogurt with extremely robust live cultures.
IFF says the new ingredient, YO-MIX® ViV, is a lactic acid bacteria culture from natural fermented plant-based food, sourced in China.
According to the company, the live culture allows producers to offer ambient yogurt and other fermented beverages to contain highly stable live cultures throughout the shelf life.
“YO-MIX® ViV provides yogurt producers with the ability to offer consumers who prefer to have live cultures, the sensory experience, texture and nutrition found in fresh yogurts but have been found them inconvenient to consume and with a short shelf life,” said Dr. Susan Jin, regional business leader, HMO’s, Probiotics, Cultures and Dairy Enzymes, Asia Pacific, IFF.
“Dairy manufacturers now have the excellent opportunity to produce ambient yogurt and other long shelf life fermented products with a live culture claim on the label.”
YO-MIX® ViV is coming to market at a time when consumers around the globe are increasingly demanding fermented products.
This is due to increased awareness of that the fact that these products contain probiotics and live cultures have numerous health benefits, particularly gut health and digestibility.
IFF notes that globally, yogurt has become a popular product of choice because it often contains live cultures.
In China, ambient yogurt is a convenient fermented snack, ideal for on-the-go consumption. It is also widely believed to be a source of healthy live cultures, a perception that drives frequent consumption.
According to Kantar’s consumer statistics, by the first half of 2020, 72.3 percent of Chinese urban consumers had consumed ambient yogurt.
Additionally, an internal IFF survey with 1,280 Chinese consumers across China, revealed that 90 percent of consumers in the Asian country say they are ready to try ambient yogurts with live cultures.
Traditionally, there have been limitations to contain live cultures in ambient yogurt and other dairy products throughout shelf life due to the manufacturing process.
With the new YO-MIX® ViV culture, IFF says that producers can now offer ambient yogurt products that deliver the same level of live cultures as fresh yogurt and other fermented foods.
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