Soy yogurt

Soy yogurt
Alternative namesSoya yogurt, soygurt, yofu
TypeYogurt
Main ingredientsSoy milk, culture
Soy yogurt served with blueberries

Soy yogurt, also referred to as soya yogurt, soygurt or yofu (a portmanteau of yogurt and tofu), is a yogurt-like product made with soy milk.

Composition

Soy yogurt may have a slight beany soy taste when made directly from freshly prepared soy milk, but this is less pronounced in shop-bought soy yogurt and in soy yogurt made from commercial soy milk.[citation needed]

Soy yogurt is similar in protein content to dairy yogurt, lower in sugar, and higher in fat.[citation needed] If not fortified, soy yogurt does not contain vitamin B12 or vitamin D.[1][better source needed]

Plant-based milks have different structures and components than dairy milk. Though they can be used to make many products similar to those made from dairy, there are differences in taste and texture. For example, "soy, almond, [and] coconut yogurts do not have the same delicate and smooth structure that conventional yogurts have."[2] Since plant-based milks do not contain lactose (the food of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus), plant-based yogurts usually contain different bacterial strains than a dairy yogurt, such as Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium bifidum.[3] Plant-based yogurts also vary considerably in their nutrition and ingredients, and may contain gums, stabilizers, high-intensity sweeteners, and artificial colors.[3]

Regulation of word "yogurt"

In Europe, companies may not market their plant-based products using the word "yogurt" since that term is reserved for products of animal origin only — per European Union regulation 1308/2013 and a 2017 ruling in the Court of Justice of the European Union.[4][5]

In the US, according to the FDA's Standard of Identity regulations, the word "yogurt" has been reserved for a product made from lactations. In 2018, the FDA issued a formal request for information on the subject.[6] In 2021, the FDA issued a final rule that amends yogurt's standard of identity (which remains a product of "milk-derived ingredients"), and is expecting to issue industry guidance on "Labeling of Plant-based Milk Alternatives" in 2022.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ Lightowler, Helen; Davies, Jill (1 January 1998). "The vegan dairy". Nutrition & Food Science. 98 (3): 153–157. doi:10.1108/00346659810208305. ISSN 0034-6659.
  2. ^ McClements, David Julian; Newman, Emily; McClements, Isobelle Farrell (February 12, 2019). "Plant-based Milks: A Review of the Science Underpinning Their Design, Fabrication, and Performance". Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 18 (6): 2047–2067. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12505. PMID 33336952. S2CID 208556034.
  3. ^ a b Densie Webb (2018). "The Scoop on Vegan Yogurts - Today's Dietitian Magazine". www.todaysdietitian.com.
  4. ^ Cornall, Jim (June 13, 2017). "European Court of Justice says purely plant-based products can't use dairy names". dairyreporter.com.
  5. ^ "European Court Prohibits Use of Dairy Names for NonDairy Products" (PDF) (PDF). USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. July 11, 2017. In its June 14 ruling, the ECJ concluded that for marketing and advertising purposes, in principle, the designations "milk", "cream", "butter", "cheese" and "yogurt" are reserved under EU law for products of animal origin only. The ECJ ruling prohibits the use of dairy names in association with purely plantbased products unless the names are included in an EU list of exceptions. The ECJ also clarifies that this prohibition applies even when the plant origin of the product concerned is provided because the addition of descriptive and explanatory terms cannot completely rule out consumer confusion.
  6. ^ Gottlieb, Scott (September 27, 2018). "Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on modernizing standards of identity and the use of dairy names for plant-based substitutes". FDA.
  7. ^ "Milk and Cream Products and Yogurt Products; Final Rule To Revoke the Standards for Lowfat Yogurt and Nonfat Yogurt and To Amend the Standard for Yogurt". Food and Drug Administration. June 11, 2021 – via Federal Register.
  8. ^ "Yogurt Rule May Aid Consumer Win on Fake Milk – If FDA Follows Through". National Milk Producers Federation. July 12, 2021.