"Overly sour yogurt is a sign of inconsistent inoculation" - What is inoculation?
From here: https://cooking.stackexchange.com/a/13533/6168
Overly sour yogurt is a sign of inconsistent inoculation
From: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/inoculation
The act or an instance of inoculating, especially the introduction of an antigenic substance or vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease.
What is that quote talking about? How can "inconsistent inoculation" be prevented?
Best Answer
In this case, inoculation refers to the introduction of yoghurt bacteria (lactic acid bacteria) that transform the milk into yoghurt.
If anything goes wrong - from unclean conditions that let other bacteria grow to unfavourable temperatures that inhibit the proper growth of your desired lactobacillae - you speak of improper inoculation.
The effects on taste and possibly food-safety have been discussed in your linked posts.
So work in a clean environment, use a good strain of bacteria and maintain the recommended temperature range to prevent this.
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What does it mean when yogurt is sour?
According to Scientific American magazine, the bacteria's job is to break down, or ferment, the lactose sugars in the milk and turn them into lactic acid in a process known as fermentation. Lactic acid is what gives yogurt its sour taste.What bacteria makes yogurt sour?
Lactic acid bacteria can rapidly consume large amounts of lactose in a short period of time and left long enough most lactose will replaced with lactic acid producing sour yogurt.What types of bacteria can contaminate the yogurt?
coli O157:H7. The use of pasteurized milk is a key barrier to foodborne pathogen transmission in yogurt products. Raw milk can contain pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter jejuni. The acidity of yogurt is another barrier to foodborne illness.What might you see in yogurt that may be signs of contamination?
Mold produces a sour or gritty taste in contaminated products, while yeast is known for tangy, or alcohol-like flavors.Yogurt Is More Unhealthy Than You Think
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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