Enterococcus faecium

The History of Fermented Foods 7
this product appeared in the eighth century as “yoghurut” and was subsequently
changed in the eleventh century to its present spelling. One legend tells that an angel
brought down a pot that contained the first yogurt, while another source claims that
the ancient Turks, who were Buddhists, used to offer yogurt to the angels and stars
who protected them. 13 According to Chomakow 14 and others, yogurt originates from
the Balkans. The inhabitants of Thrace used to make soured milks called prokish
from sheep’s milk, which later became yogurt. In the Bible, it is recorded that when
the Patriarch Abraham entertained three angels, he put before them soured and sweet
milk (Genesis VIII, 8). The ancient Greeks and Romans were also acquainted with
preparations of soured milks. The bibliography of Roman Emperor Elagabalum (204
to 222 A.D.) mentions two recipes for soured milk.
Ancient physicians of the Near and Middle East prescribed yogurt or related
soured milks for curing disorders of the stomach, intestines, and liver and for stimulation
of the appetite. 13 Records also exist of the use of soured milks, particularly
yogurt, for preservation of meat against spoilage during the summer. 15 Earlier writers
of the Middle East mention the use of soured milks as cosmetics for Persian women.
However, systematic studies on the therapeutic properties of fermented milks started
after the publication of the book Prolongation of Life by Metchnikoff. 16 In this book,
Metchnikoff attributed the long life of Bulgarian people to the consumption of large
quantities of Bulgarian milk containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Later, it was found
that Lb. bulgaricus cannot be implanted in the intestines. In the search for another
milk-souring organism, Moro in 1900 described Lb. acidophilus, which was isolated
from the faeces of infants and is a normal inhabitant of human intestines. This
organism could be implanted in the intestinal tract and hence was selected as a more
suitable candidate for making fermented milk with a higher therapeutic value.
One of the first industrial productions of yogurt in Europe was undertaken by
Danone in 1922 in Madrid. 13 After World War II, and particularly since 1950, the
technology of yogurt and understanding its properties have advanced rapidly. The
yogurt made in the United States for many years was a soft-curd product quite different
from the custard-like yogurt prepared in the Middle East. 4 The organisms
involved in this first commercial yogurt were Lb. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.
Fermentation was carried out at a lower temperature than those prevalent
in the Middle East. This product resembled the soft-curd product commonly used
in northern areas of Europe. The method of preparation varied considerably, but the
basic process, using high acid-producing lactic acid bacteria, was the same.
New criteria have been introduced for culture selection in yogurt production. Supplementing
yogurt flora with Lb. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus for the purpose
of increasing the product’s health-promoting value resulted in new cultured milks
variously called ACO-yogurt, acidophilus-bifidus yogurt, Bioghurt, and Biogarde.
(See Chapters 5 and 7 for more details on the production and health properties
of yogurt.)
1.2.5 Cheese
According to an ancient legend, cheese was accidentally made by an Arabian merchant
when he put his supply of milk into a pouch made of a sheep’s stomach when