Reference

A sourced reference table of fermentation times by culture, from 4-hour yogurt starters to 24- to 48-hour probiotic and kefir ferments.

How long homemade yogurt keeps, what happens to its live cultures in the fridge and freezer, and how to re-culture a starter.

Incubation temperatures for 19 yogurt and probiotic cultures, from heat-loving S. thermophilus to room-temperature Lactococcus.

How whole, skim, goat, sheep, raw, ultra-pasteurized and plant milks change yogurt texture, with USDA protein and fat numbers.

Protein in yogurt by milk type and straining method, from USDA and lab data, plus a simple way to estimate your own strained batch.

How much lactose is left in yogurt after 8, 12, 24 and 36 hours, what has been measured, and why long ferments never reach zero.

How wattage and thermostats affect yogurt maker temperature, why it drifts, and a simple water test to check your own machine.

The pH and acidity benchmarks for yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi and kombucha, how to measure them, and when to toss a batch.

Inulin, FOS, GOS and resistant starch compared for home culturing: what each is, whether cultures use it, and how it changes yogurt.

Seven home checks, from set and tang to pH and re-culturing, that show whether your yogurt cultured, and which ones you can trust.