DSM has extended its yogurt culture portfolio to include DelvoFresh YS-042 for clean label applications with increased efficiency. The culture enables manufacturers to create stirred yogurt that stays “extra mild, creamy and thick throughout its shelf life,” without the need for extra texturizers. 

“Manufacturers can reduce the number of thickening agents and added proteins needed to create a creamy and thick stirred yogurt with the DelvoFresh YS-042 culture,” says Karoline Kjaerulff, global business manager, fermented milk products at DSM.

This creates an indulgent yogurt experience that also aligns with the preferences of today’s label-conscious consumers. DelvoFresh YS-042 is listed simply as a culture on the label. 

Industrial trials with yogurt manufacturers are currently underway and the company expects the first products with the new culture to be on shelves by the end of 2021.

Tapping into texture 
Taste and texture remain an important purchasing driver, with DSM noting that 91 percent of global consumers like food with a creamy consistency.

“Consumers are unwilling to compromise on the sensory properties of their yogurt products, with indulgent flavors and creamy textures topping the list of favorites,” affirms Kjaerulff. 

The new culture addition follows continued growth in the stirred yogurt category, propelled by the rise in people working and staying at home who are turning to yogurt as a healthy and convenient snack between mealtimes, notes the company. 

During uncertain times, indulgent flavors and creamy textures have become a way for consumers to take comfort and find a moment of guilt-free escapism. 

At the same time, demand is also rising for dairy with shorter, more recognizable ingredient lists.

“It can be difficult to achieve this eating experience, however, without using additional ingredients that are often not attractive to today’s health- and label-conscious consumers,” says Kjaerulff. 

For stirred yogurt producers, the launch presents an opportunity to create products that align with these preferences and differentiate their offerings in this fast-growing and competitive space.

Optimizing efficiencies 
Due to its fast and consistent fermentation time, the innovation is also touted for facilitating cost-effective and streamlined yogurt production. 

The latest addition has a stable pH during yogurt filling, providing manufacturers with a flexible production time and cost efficiencies. 

With a low post-acidification, the culture maintains a stable pH until the end of shelf life (30 days), even under challenging conditions, resulting in a consistent taste and texture. 

DelvoFresh YS-042 comes as a highly concentrated one-bag DVC culture solution for direct inoculation into milk. 

Robust yogurt portfolio
DelvoFresh YS-042 complements DSM’s “one-stop-shop” portfolio of cultures, probiotics, protective cultures, lactases, vitamins, nutritional premixes, hydrocolloids and antibiotic residue tests for yogurt and fresh fermented mesophilic applications.

“DSM has set specific development teams the task of researching solutions that tackle the issues for the modern yogurt industry. The development process has so far focused on texture, mildness, acidification profile and cost efficiency,” details Kjaerulff. 

In 2018, DSM introduced DelvoFresh YS-140, which creates premium, creamy yogurts with a mild taste and indulgent texture. 

More recently, the company featured its DelvoFresh FV-122 yogurt culture along with the DelvoPro L26 Lactobacillus casei probiotic strain in a prototype drink for immunity.