Fermented milk products or fermented dairy products, also known as cultured dairy foods, cultured dairy products, or cultured milk products, are dairy foods that have been made by fermenting milk with lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, and Leuconostoc. The process of culturing increases the shelf life of the product, while enhancing its taste and improving digestibility by the fermentation breakdown of the milk sugar, lactose.
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Although milk is high in nutrients, fat, and sugars, it can spoil quickly. In general, fermentation by yeasts and bacteria metabolizes the lactose in dairy products into acidic breakdown products, such as lactic acid, acting to preserve the product. These cultures inhibit potentially harmful microbes that may cause food spoilage.
With a longer and more complete fermentation process, a reduced amount of lactose remains. Less-fermented products, such as yogurts or soft cheeses, contain more lactose when compared to matured hard cheeses.
High levels of lactose in food are linked to poor digestion in people of Africa and Far East Asia where dairy farming is uncommon, and in people who have lactose intolerance. This condition occurs from the loss of lactase production an enzyme present in infant mammals to digest milk.
Many different types of cultured milk products can be found around the world, including milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir, sour cream, buttermilk, and more.
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Streptococcus lactis has been renamed to Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis