Creamy, fruity or even firm… On a daily basis, yogurt comes in multiple flavors and is becoming increasingly healthy. But what will the yogurt of tomorrow look like? Two Danone experts enlighten us.
Yogurt, a story of taste and well-being
Creamy, melting or slightly tangy, yogurt has the rare power to please all generations. Spooned or drunk, plain or fruity, it has been a welcome addition to every table for over a century. However, behind this familiar gesture lies a real quest for taste and balance.
In Bailleul, in the North, the Danone factory is busy day and night. Three million pots of natural yogurt are produced there every day – or 150,000 tonnes per year. This know-how, born with Isaac Carasso, has never stopped evolving, without losing sight of health. “We want to remain competitive by being innovative, by finding the tastes that excite consumers, while also providing what Danone has always done: health through food. We are therefore working on the ferments, on the yogurt formulas, in short on what we can bring to the consumer on a daily basis.“, confides Antoine de Saint-Affrique, general director of the Danone group.
Behind each pot, there is a promise: that of authentic pleasure, supported by scientific standards. And if yogurt has survived the decades without losing its place in hearts – and fridges – it is undoubtedly because it combines what the French are looking for today: taste, simplicity and a little extra health.
Behind the scenes of research: the science of the perfect potty
Yogurt is a living product, literally. It all starts with carefully selected milk, free of antibiotics. Then come the ferments, these invisible micro-organisms which give life to the texture and aroma. Depending on the strain used, the result varies: firm, mixed, fluid or slightly stringy. A real work of art carried out by the research teams.
“Here, research adapts to the concrete needs of consumers – such as athletes, looking for products rich in protein. To do this, our teams explore the “source library” in order to identify the most suitable ferments. This is how innovations like HIPRO and SKYR in 2019“, explains Cécile Lorenzo, Research & Innovation Director Danone France.
These creations are not the result of chance. They are the result of years of experimentation and careful balancing work (Ipro, 5-10 years; Activia Bifidus, 25 years of research). “The higher the protein content of yogurt, for example, the more acidic it becomes – and therefore difficult to consume. The challenge therefore consists of finding the ‘right’ ferments for each product.“, she explains.
And the research doesn’t stop at proteins. “We also work around vitamin D and fiber, two nutrients that the French are sorely lacking in. On a daily basis, they consume barely a third of the fibers recommended. This is why we have developed yoghurts enriched with fiber – by integrating cereals – in accordance with public health recommendations“, adds the researcher.
Each innovation takes time: 12 to 18 months for a simple project, sometimes several decades for a complex development. Patient and precise work, which aims for a perfect balance between taste pleasure and nutritional benefit.
The yogurt of the future: more personalized, less sweet, sometimes salty
Yogurt has always been able to adapt to the times. Tomorrow he will do it even more. For Cécile Lorenzo, the key will be personalization. “It will adapt to the specific needs of consumers: elderly women, menopausal women, athletes, etc. This trend towards personalization will increase. Everyone will probably turn to a brand that meets their expectations“, she confides.
This vision is accompanied by another strong movement: sugar reduction. “We are all looking to consume less, and if we can offer a product that is both tasty and less sweet, we will gladly do so.“, continues the expert. Danone has already changed its recipes: “We recently reduced the sugar level in Danette – by exactly 2 grams – by finding less bitter cocoa. We’ve been working on this for three years, and we hope to make this recipe even better.“.
But the future of yogurt is not limited to sugar. “Savory yogurt, already present in certain countries, could also develop, particularly at aperitif time.anticipates Cécile Lorenzo. An idea that fits perfectly with new culinary habits: yogurt now serves as the basis for sauces, quiches or homemade gratins. “With a Skyr, you can prepare a very good quiche while benefiting from 10 grams of additional protein and reducing the dose of fat (10 grams less)“, she emphasizes.
Yogurt thus becomes an everyday ingredient, a health ally as well as a culinary pleasure. And according to the scientist, its virtues are real: “The proteins contained in yogurt contribute to a lasting feeling of satiety, therefore limiting snacking. The live cultures in yogurt can also promote microbiota balance, playing a key role in weight regulation. Finally, calcium could reduce the absorption of fats at the intestinal level“.
The little white pot in our fridges has not said its last word. In the years to come, it could well become one of the most innovative and adaptive products in our diet – at the crossroads of pleasure, science and health.