The taste and beneficial properties of yogurt make it a favorite product all over the world. Recipes for its fermentation are numerous and are being developed in different countries and regions. However, we could hardly have imagined that a way could be created to produce yogurt with the help of… ants. This is exactly what scientists from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark have done, who studied a traditional fermentation method involving wood ants and warm milk originating from Turkey and the Balkan Peninsula, DPA reports.
Don’t do this at home!
The researchers advise people not to try this method at home. The scientific team traveled to Bulgaria, where relatives of co-author and anthropologist Sevgi Mutlu Sirakova are presenting the tradition, according to an article published in the iScience publication and cited by DPA.
Veronica Sinnott from the University of Copenhagen explained that they added four whole ants to a glass of warm milk, following the instructions of Sevgi Sirakova’s uncle. The glass was left overnight, creating the right conditions for fermentation. The next day, the milk was thick and sour, resembling the early stages of the food product’s production, DPA reported.
Not so traditional
Leoni Jan, the head of the study from the Technical University of Denmark, explained that while the ants can be eaten, this is not traditionally done, as those from the first batch are also used for subsequent products, DPA noted.
The wood ants carry lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria that help the milk coagulate. The ants’ natural chemical defense system acidifies the milk, creating a favorable environment for microbes that love an acidic environment, DPA reported.
The taste
The researchers note that the resulting yogurt is slightly spicy. According to Jan, traditional yogurts have a greater species diversity compared to commercial ones, which affects the taste and consistency.
Experiments show that live ants work best for fermentation, as frozen or dried ants do not create a suitable bacterial culture, the publication also says.
However, the scientific team warns people not to use this method due to the potential infection with parasites in live ants, BTA adds. Earlier, chefs from the Michelin-starred Alchemist restaurant in Copenhagen developed yogurt products in the production of which ants also participate, including a cheese similar to mascarpone, a special cocktail and others, DPA adds.
Иллустратиже Photo by Syed Rajeeb: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-ants-928276/
