Strained yogurt

Strained yogurt,GreekorGreek-style yogurt,yogurt cheese,sack yogurt,kerned yogurtorlabnehisyogurtthat has been strained to remove most of itswhey, resulting in a thicker consistency than normal unstrained yogurt, while still preserving the distinctivesourtaste of yogurt. Like many types, strained yogurt is often made frommilkenriched by boiling off some water content, or by adding extrabutterfatandpowdered milk. In Europe and North America, it is often made from low-fat or fat-free cow's milk. In Iceland a similar product namedskyris made.
Strained yogurt is usually marketed in North America as "Greek yogurt" and in the United Kingdom as "Greek-style yoghurt",though strained yogurt is also widely eaten inLevantine,Eastern Mediterranean,Middle Eastern,Central Asian,South Asian, andEastern Europeancuisines, where it is often used in cooking, as itcurdlesless readily when cooked. It is used in a variety of dishes, cooked or not, savory or sweet. Straining makes even non-fat yogurt varieties thicker, richer, and creamier than unstrained. Since straining removes the whey, more milk is required to make strained yogurt, increasing the production cost. In Western Europe and the United States, strained yogurt has increased in popularity compared to unstrained yogurt. Since the straining process removes some of thelactose, strained yogurt is lower in sugar than unstrained yogurt.
It was reported in 2012 that most of the growth in theUS$4.1 billion American yogurt industry came from the strained yogurt sub-segment, typically marketed as "Greek yogurt".In the US, there is no legal or standard definition of Greek yogurt, and yogurt thickened with thickening agents, typicallypectin,locust bean gum, starches orguar gum, may also be sold as "Greek yogurt".
In English, strained yogurt only became well known outside of immigrant communities in the 1980s,when it was imported into theUnited Kingdomby the Greek companyFage, under the brand name "Total". Starting in the 1980s, essentially all yogurt in the UK called "Greek yogurt" was strained yogurt made in Greece.
In the cuisines of manyIranianandTurkicpeople (e.g. inAfghan,Tatar,Tajik,Uzbek, and otherCentral Asian cuisines), a type of strained yogurt calledchak(k)aorsuzmais consumed. It is obtained by drainingqatiq, a local yogurt variety. By further drying it, one obtainsqurut, a kind of dry fresh cheese.
Strained yogurt is made by straining the liquid out of yogurt until it takes on a consistency similar to a soft cheese. Strained yogurt is known aslabneh or labaneh(labna,labni, labne,lebni, orlabani; Arabic:لبنة, Hebrew: לאבנה) in the countries of theLevant,Armenia,Egypt, and theArabian Peninsula.Labaneh bil zayit, "labaneh in oil", consists of small balls of dry labneh, sometimes covered with herbs or spices, kept inolive oil, where it can be preserved for over a year. As it ages it turns more sour.
The flavor depends largely on the sort of milk used: labneh fromcow's milkhas a rather mild flavor. Also the quality of olive oil topping influences the taste of labneh. Milk from camels and other animals is used in labneh production in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries.
Labneh is a popularmezzedish andsandwichingredient, especially in the Levantine countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. A common sandwich in the Middle East is one of labneh, mint,zaatar, and olive on flatbread.
It is a common breakfast dip.It is usually eaten  spread on a plate and drizzled with olive oil, and often dried mint. It is also often paired as a dip with the mixed herb blend za'atar.
Bedouinalso produce a dry, hard labneh (labaneh malboudeh, similar to Central Asianqurut) that can be stored: strained labneh is pressed in cheese cloth between two heavy stones and later sun-dried. Dry labneh may be mixed withkhubz(Arabic bread), water, animal fat, and salt, and rolled into balls.
Labneh is the main ingredient injameed, which is  used inmansaf, the national dish ofJordan.
In Egypt, it is eaten with savory accompaniments such as olives and oil, and also with a sweetener such as honey, as a snack or breakfast food. Areesh cheese (or arish,Arabic:جبنة قريش) is a type of cheese that originated inEgypt. Arish cheese is made from yogurt heated slowly until it curdles and separates, then placed in cheesecloth to drain. It is similar in taste toricotta.The protein content of Areesh cheese is 17.6%.Shanklish, a fermented cheese, is made from areesh cheese.
As in Greece, strained yogurt is widely used inCypriot cuisineboth as an ingredient in recipes as well as on its own or as a supplement to a dish. In Cyprus, strained yogurt is usually made from sheep's milk.
Strained yogurt inIranis calledmâst chekideand is usually used for making dips, or served as a side dish. 
InNorthern Iran,mâst chekideis a variety ofkefirwith a distinct sour taste. It is usually mixed with fresh herbs in apesto-likepurée calleddelal.
Yogurt is a side dish to manyIranian meals. Strained yogurt is used as dips and various appetizers with multitudes of ingredients: cucumbers, onions, shallots, fresh herbs (dill, spearmint, parsley, cilantro), spinach, walnuts,zereshk, garlic, etc. The most popular appetizers arespinachoreggplantborani, ‘'Mâst-o-Khiâr'’ with cucumber, spring onions and herbs, or ‘'Mâst-Musir'’ with wildshallots.
Strained yogurt in Balochistan is calledsheelanchand is used for making dips served with dates, or served as a side dish.
InTurkey, strained yogurt is known assüzme yoğurt("strained yogurt") orkese yoğurdu("bag yogurt").Water is sometimes added to it in the preparation ofcacık, when this is not eaten as amezebut consumed as a beverage. Strained yogurt is used in Turkish mezzes and dips such ashaydari.
In Turkish markets, labne is also a popular dairy product but it is different from strained yogurt; it is yogurt-based creamy cheese without salt, and is used likemascarpone.
InArmenia, strained yogurt is calledkamatsmatzoon. Traditionally, it was produced for long-term preservation by draining matzoon in cloth sacks.
In South Asia, regular unstrained yogurt (curd), made from cow or water buffalo milk, is often sold in disposable clay bowls calledkulhar. Kept for a couple of hours in itsclaypot, some of the water evaporates through the unglazed clay's pores. It also cools the curd due to evaporation.
But true strained yogurt,chakka, is made by draining the yogurt in a (preferably muslin) cloth.It is hung for 12 to 18 hours to allow some of the whey to drain off. This technique is popular inIndiaandPakistan.Shrikhandis a dish made with chakka, sugar,saffron,cardamom, pureed or diced fruit and nuts mixed in; it is often eaten withpoori. It is particularly popular in the states ofGujaratandMaharashtra, where dairy producers market shrikhand in containers.
Chakkais also eaten inPashtun-dominated regions of Pakistan with rice and meat dishes.
Strained yogurt (Greek:στραγγιστό γιαούρτι,romanized:strangistó giaoúrti) is used inGreek foodmostly as the base fortzatzikidip and as a dessert, withhoney,sour cherry syrup, orspoon sweetsoften served on top. A few savory Greek dishes also use strained yogurt. In Greece, strained yogurt, like yogurt in general, is traditionally made from sheep milk.Fage International S.A.began straining cow milk yogurt for industrial production in Greece in 1975, which is when it launched its brand "Total".
InAlbania, strained yogurt is called "salcë kosi" (yogurt sauce). Yogurt is drained in a cloth sack from few hours to overnight. The water released from this process is called "hirrë" and can be used to preserve cheese or as a drink.
InBulgaria, where yogurt is considered to be an integral part of the national cuisine, strained yogurt is called "Cedeno kiselo mljako" (Bulgarian:цедено кисело мляко), and is used in a variety of salads and dressings.
A variety of strained yogurt called "basa" is a traditional variety of cheese from the region ofLikain Croatia. In Serbia and North Macedonia, it is also known as kiselo mleko (кисело млеко).
A type of strained yogurt namedymeris available in Denmark. In contrast to the Greek and Turkish variety, only a minor amount ofwheyis drained off in the production process.Ymer is traditionally consumed with the addition ofymerdrys(lit.: ymer-sprinkle), a mixture of roastedbread crumbsofrugbrødrye bread mixed withbrown sugar. Like other types of soured dairy products, ymer is often consumed at breakfast. Strained yogurt topped withmuesliandmaple syrupis often served atbrunchin cafés in Denmark.
Strained yogurt is known ashangop, literally meaning 'hang up' in the Netherlands. It is a traditional dessert.Hangopmay also be made using buttermilk.
In March 2020, it was reported that strained yogurt makes up 28% of the value of the "natural yogurt" category in the United Kingdom.In the UK, strained yogurt can only be marketed as "Greek" if made in Greece. Strained cow-milk yogurt not made in Greece is typically sold as "Greek style" or "Greek recipe" for marketing reasons, typically at lower prices than yogurt made in Greece. Among "Greek style" yogurts, there is no distinction between those thickened by straining and those thickened through additives.However, if the yogurt contains anything other than lactic products, food enzymes and micro-organism cultures a list of ingredients is required on packaging.Strained yogurt with added fruit, honey, etc., and yogurt with reduced or no fat content, may be described as Greek-style.
In September 2012, Chobani UK began to sell yogurt made in the United States as "Greek yogurt".FAGE, a company that manufactures yogurt in Greece and sells it in the United Kingdom, filed apassing-offclaim against Chobani in theUK High Court, claiming that UK consumers understood "Greek" to refer to the country of origin (similar to "Belgian beer"); Chobani's position was that consumers understood "Greek" to refer to a preparation (similar to "French toast"). Both companies relied on surveys to prove their point; FAGE also relied on the previous industry practice of UK yogurt makers not to label their yogurt as "Greek yogurt".  UltimatelyMr Justice Briggsfound in favor of FAGE and granted aninjunctionpreventing Chobani from using the name "Greek yogurt".In February 2014, this decision was upheld onappeal.Greece may now seek to protect the marketing term, "Greek yogurt", across the entire EU underprotected designation of originrules.
In May 2020, British dairy companyYeo Valleyentered the market with an organic product called "Super Thick Kerned Yogurt.The "kerned yogurt" label was the first of its kind, coined in reference to an archaic Somerset term meaning "thickened", which is predominantly used in relation to dairy products.
A product called "Lindahls Kvarg" was launched in the UK byNestléin 2018, and described as "Sweden's No. 1 Quark".Quarkis a type of high-protein strained curd cheese widely used in Swedish cooking. The company Bio-tiful launched itskefir-quark blend, containing live cultures and protein.
Since 2015, Arla has sold its ownskyrproduct marketed as "Icelandic style yogurt".
In Mexico, the thick yogurtjocoque secowas popularized bylocal producers of Lebanese originand is widely available.
Strained yogurt typically marketed as "Greek yogurt" has become popular in the United States and Canada,where it is often used as a lower-calorie substitute forsour creamorcrème fraîche.Celebrity chefGraham Kerrbecame an early adopter of strained yogurt as an ingredient, frequently featuring it (and demonstrating how to strain plain yogurt through a coffee filter) on his eponymous 1990 cooking show, as frequently as he had featured clarified butter onThe Galloping Gourmetin the late 1960s. In 2015, food market research firm Packaged Facts reported that Greek yogurt has a 50 percent share of the yogurt market in the United States.
There are numerous "Greek yogurt" brands in North America.Fage began importing its Greek products in 1998 and opened a domestic production plant in Johnstown, New York, in 2008.Chobani, based in New Berlin, New York, began marketing its Greek-style yogurt in 2007. The Voskos brand entered the US market in 2009 with imported Greek yogurt products at 10%, 2%, and 0% milkfat.Stonyfield Farms, owned byGroupe Danone, introduced Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt in 2007; Danone began marketing a non-organic Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt in 2011 and also produced a now discontinued blended Greek-style yogurt under the Activia Selects brand;Dannon Light & Fit Greek nonfat yogurt was introduced in 2012,and Activia Greek yogurt was re-introduced in 2013.General Millsintroduced a Greek-style yogurt under the Yoplait brand name in early 2010, which was discontinued and replaced by Yoplait Greek 100 in August 2012.Activia Greek yogurt was re-introduced in 2013, and in July 2012 took over US distribution and sales of Canadian Liberté's Greek brands. In Canada, Yoplait was launched in January 2013, and is packaged with toppings.
While yogurt may legally be described as "strained", modern commercial production does not usually reduce the liquid content by passing the yogurt through a filter under gravity, the usual definition of straining. The characteristic thick texture and high protein content are achieved through either or both of two processing steps. The milk may be concentrated by ultrafiltration to remove a portion of the water before addition of yogurt cultures.Alternatively, after culturing, the yogurt may be centrifuged or membrane-filtered to removewhey, in a process analogous to the traditional straining step. Brands described as "strained" yogurt, including Activia Greek, Chobani, Dannon Light & Fit Greek, Dannon Oikos, FAGE, Stonyfield Organic Oikos, Trader Joe's, and Yoplait have undergone the second process. Process details are highly guardedtrade secrets. Other brands of Greek-style yogurt, including Yoplait and some store brands, are made by adding milk protein concentrate and thickenersto standard yogurt to boost the protein content and modify the texture.
The liquid resulting from straining yogurt is called "acidwhey" and is composed of water, yogurt cultures, protein, a slight amount oflactose, andlactic acid. It is costly to dispose of.Farmers have used the whey to mix with animal feed and fertilizer. Usinganaerobic digesters, it can be a source ofmethanethat can be used to produce electricity.
Strained yogurt is a good source ofprotein,calcium,iodine, andvitamin B12.The straining process, which removes liquidwheyand lactose, yields higher protein content.TheFAOstandard requires yogurt to have at least 5.6% protein content if strained, otherwise 2.7%.Strained yogurt has less sugar content than other yogurts.
Yogurt is a rich source ofdietary minerals, withcalcium,magnesium,potassium,phosphorus, andzinchigher in content than in milk.One negative aspect of strained yogurt is that there is greater vitamin loss through the straining process than typical yogurt;in particular, the water-soluble vitamins:vitamin C,thiamin,riboflavin,niacin,pantothenic acid,biotin,folic acid, and vitamin B12 as well asvitamin Ain itsbeta-caroteneform can be lost through the straining of liquid whey from yogurt.
There are no standard regulations in the market to monitor or control the composition of concentrated yogurts.Carbohydrate,fatandproteincontents in strained yogurts varied from 1–12, 0–20, and 3.3–11 grams per 100 grams.Concentrated yogurts contain higher final total solid content than regular yogurts, possibly prolongingshelf lifecompared to regular yogurts.