Yogurt: dead or alive? - Stomach Health - benefits of live cultures in yogurt; labeling regulations - Brief Article

Men's Fitness, May, 2002

Would it surprise you to learn that the best yogurt is still alive when you eat it? The term "live and active cultures" on a yogurt label refers to Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermaophilus, living organisms used to ferment pasteurized milk into yogurt (some yogurts also contain Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidus and other cultures). These tiny critters break down milk lactose, giving the lactose-intolerant among us a better chance of getting the nutritional benefits of a milk product without suffering the side effects.

However, some yogurt is heat-treated to extend shelf life or reduce tartness, a process that kills the cultures (the Food and Drug Administration requires that makers indicate on the label if yogurt is heat-treated). Next time you buy refrigerated or frozen yogurt, check whether it has the "live and active cultures" seal on the label. The designation from the National Yogurt Association is available to makers of refrigerated yogurt with at least 100 million cultures per gram when made, and to makers of frozen yogurt with at least 10 million cultures per gram when made. The labeling is voluntary, so a container of yogurt could have live cultures but not show the seal. But according to the NYA, it's "the industry validation of the presence and activity of significant levels of live cultures." For more, go to the group's Web site at www.aboutyogurt.com.