Strained yogurt

Strained yogurt
Strained yogurt with olive oil
Alternative namesGreek yogurt, chak(k)a, labneh, suzma, yogurt cheese
TypeFermented dairy product
Region or stateLevant, West, South, and Central Asia; Middle East, Caucasus, Southeastern Europe, Eastern Europe
Serving temperaturecold
Main ingredientsYogurt
Food energy
(per 100 g serving)
133 kcal (557 kJ)[1]

Strained yogurt, Greek yogurt,[2] yogurt cheese, sack yogurt or kerned yogurt is yogurt that has been strained to remove most of its whey, resulting in a thicker consistency than normal unstrained yogurt, while still preserving the distinctive sour taste of yogurt. Like many types, strained yogurt is often made from milk enriched by boiling off some water content, or by adding extra butterfat and powdered milk. In Europe and North America, it is often made from low-fat or fat-free cow's milk. In Iceland, a similar product named skyr is made.[3][4]

Strained yogurt is generally marketed in North America as "Greek yogurt" and in the United Kingdom as "Greek-style yogurt",[5] though strained yogurt is also widely eaten in Levantine, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, South Asian, and Eastern European cuisines, where it is often used in cooking, as it curdles less readily when cooked. It is used in a variety of dishes, cooked or raw, savory or sweet. Straining makes even nonfat varieties thicker, richer, and creamier than unstrained. Since straining removes the whey, more milk is required to make strained yogurt, increasing the production cost. Thickeners such as pectin, locust bean gum, starches or guar gum may also be used to thicken yogurts. In Western Europe and the United States, strained yogurt has increased in popularity compared to unstrained yogurt. Since the straining process removes some of the lactose, strained yogurt is lower in sugar than unstrained yogurt.[6]

It was reported in 2012 that most of the growth in the $4.1 billion American yogurt industry came from the strained yogurt sub-segment, typically marketed as "Greek yogurt".[7][8] In the US, there is no legal or standard definition of Greek yogurt, and yogurt thickened with thickening agents may also be sold as "Greek yogurt".[9]

  1. ^ "Top 10 health benefits of Greek yogurt". BBC Good Food. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. ^ Davidson, Alan (2014). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. p. 239. ISBN 9780191040726. Sheep's or goat's milk yoghurt, or strained yoghurt often called 'Greek', are more stable than plain yoghurt.
  3. ^ "Modern Icelandic dictionary". Modern Icelandic Dictionary.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ BBC:'Greek' yoghurt Chobani firm loses legal battle, 29 January 2014. In Britain the name "Greek" may only be applied to yogurt made in Greece
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference mother was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Greek yogurt on a marathon-like growth spur". The Wall Street Journal. Associated Press. 22 January 2012. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  8. ^ Neuman, William (12 January 2012). "Greek Yogurt a Boon for New York State". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "High-Tech Shortcut To Greek Yogurt Leaves Purists Fuming". NPR. Retrieved 19 March 2023.

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