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It's the Microbiome Stupid
The texture is based on curdling, right? If memory is good, curdling is a function of proteins cooking (by heat or by chemistry). As they cook they curl around each other the way wool fibers curl and tangle when washed in hot water.
Quote from Joe2 on March 12, 2026, 6:13 pmThe texture is based on curdling, right? If memory is good, curdling is a function of proteins cooking (by heat or by chemistry). As they cook they curl around each other the way wool fibers curl and tangle when washed in hot water.
Probably. I've been saying for years that heating the milk up before cooling it back down and adding the culture makes it much thicker.
Quote from Robert on March 13, 2026, 12:02 pmQuote from Joe2 on March 12, 2026, 6:13 pmThe texture is based on curdling, right? If memory is good, curdling is a function of proteins cooking (by heat or by chemistry). As they cook they curl around each other the way wool fibers curl and tangle when washed in hot water.
Probably. I've been saying for years that heating the milk up before cooling it back down and adding the culture makes it much thicker.
I think the heating before adding biotics does 2 things. First it kills much of the biotics that were already there including pathogens. Second it warms enough for the next batch of added biotics to more easily take hold and flourish. Might be that both processes enhance the terrain for the new biotics and this is what gives the enhanced thickening?
Have heated milk to boil and let it cool with almost zero noticeable curdling. Making paneer I heated it then as it cooled added lemon juice. Did this with skim, 2% and whole milk. Most if not all the carbohydrates then poured off in clear sweat liquid. Think that is the whey. What remained is the curdled milk.
When done with skim, that curdle is dang near same as egg white. Flavor texture everything. Not very pleasant and in need of salt. Think that is protein.
When done with whole milk, it is like eating egg white with a bit of butter. Much more palatable and still needing salt. Think that is protein and fat.
My chemistry teacher had us believing that the lemon juice is chemically cooking the protein. Maybe faster than just boiling it does? I think the process is the same as making meringue from scratch. Trickling lemon juice into the egg white stiffens and stabilizes it. Imagine boiling milk long enough would curdle up the protein and thicken it.
In terms of fat vs no fat, imagine the acidity curdles the protein and if there is fat present it emulsifies the fat as is done in mayonnaise from scratch.
It has mostly to do with the protein and little to do with the fat. I think the specific bacteria are more relevant than the milk fat.
updating again: A couple of the jars from the latest batch were filled to the bottom edge of the neck of the quart mason jar, which is about where it should be when canning things. Those tasted cheesy while the ones filled more tasted like they have the past few batches (ie good). Lesson learned: the lactobacillus by itself doesnt do well with oxygen and something in the normal yogurt cultures must be eating the oxygen.