What is acidophilus milk and how is it made?
Acidophilus milk is milk containing Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures. Commercial sweet acidophilus milk is sold as regular drinking milk with added cultures, while the cultured home version is made by heating milk, cooling it to about 104 to 113 degrees F and incubating it with a starter for 12 to 24 hours until it thickens and turns tangy.
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What is acidophilus milk?
It is milk with Lactobacillus acidophilus, a lactic acid bacterium, added. The name covers two kinds of products. Sweet acidophilus milk is sold in cartons like ordinary milk; for example, Purity Dairies markets a fat-free milk with added acidophilus and bifidum cultures. The cultured version is fermented, thicker and tangier, and can be used like a yogurt alternative.
How is cultured acidophilus milk made at home?
Utah State University Extension gives this method for one liter of whole milk:
- Heat the milk to 185 degrees F and hold for 10 to 20 minutes, stirring.
- Cool to 104 to 113 degrees F.
- Stir in one packet of acidophilus starter culture.
- Pour into clean jars and hold at 104 to 113 degrees F for 12 to 24 hours, until the pH falls below 4.6.
- Refrigerate, then use within one week. Save about 1 cup each week to start the next batch.
USU’s directions for later batches use 1 cup of the saved culture per gallon of milk and 5 to 8 hours of incubation.
How is it different from yogurt and kefir?
| Product | Typical culture |
|---|---|
| Acidophilus milk | Lactobacillus acidophilus |
| Yogurt | Usually Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus |
| Kefir | Kefir grains or culture, a mix of bacteria and yeasts |
Is it a health food?
Probiotic effects are strain-specific, and official bodies say the best strains and doses are not known for many uses. Treat it as a milk or cultured dairy product, not a treatment. People with weakened immunity should ask a health care provider first.
People also ask
Is acidophilus milk the same as yogurt?
No. Yogurt usually uses different cultures, and sweet acidophilus milk is sold as a drinking milk.
Does acidophilus milk taste sour?
The cultured home version is tangy. Sweet acidophilus milk is sold like ordinary milk, so check the label.
How long does homemade acidophilus milk keep?
USU advises using the re-cultured milk within one week in the refrigerator.
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