Yogurt Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Cultured milk products have been produced as food for at least 8000 years. Yoghurt, or mediumacid fermented milk, is a smooth, viscous gel with a pleasant flavor. The product is obtained
through the lactic formation of specific bacteria. The earliest recorded information about yoghurt
can be found in two books dating back to the eleventh century. Diwan Lughat al-Turk and Kutadgu
Bilig describe the use of yoghurt by nomadic Turks. These Turks first sent yoghurt to France as
medicine for King Francis I. Many scholars believe that the Turks were also responsible for the
spread of yoghurt into Asia and Africa. Marco Polo even wrote that yoghurt was eaten by the
Chinese. It has also long been believed that the consumption of yoghurt and other fermented milk
products provide various health benefits. According to recent research studies, yoghurt has been
found to protect health and prevent disease. People living in the Caucasus, Balkans, and in
Turkey consume a lot of yoghurt and live long lives. Yoghurt is a nutrient-dense food that is an
excellent source of high-quality protein, calcium, and other minerals and vitamins. Yoghurt has
been present in Turkish cuisine since ancient times. Many different types of yoghurt are available
in Turkey: plain yoghurt, low-fat yoghurt, non-fat yoghurt, Turkish-type creamy yoghurt, filtered
yoghurt, sac yoghurt, Silivri yoghurt, winter yoghurt, and salted yoghurt. It is a basic food product
that is dried, filtered, diluted, or mixed with other foods into many different products. There are
many traditional foods and drinks—such as kurut, tarhana, ayran, cacik and various appetizers,
soups, and desserts—produced with yoghurt in Turkish cuisine. Gourmand tourists prefer regional
cuisine and local dishes, and are heartily interested in good food and drink. They are travelers
whose chief focal point and purpose is for a culinary tourist experience. Restaurants in Turkey
offer many traditional dishes made with yoghurt to gourmand tourists during their visits. Chefs of
these restaurants are committed to serve genuine Turkish dining experience with varied menu
selections produced with yoghurt and other Turkish flavors. The variety of Turkish cuisine plays
an important role within the gourmand tourism experience. The aim of this study is to explain the
importance of yoghurt in Turkish cuisine and its importance within the gourmand tourism
experience. This paper relies on qualitative research to track the history of yoghurt, its nutritional
value and health benefits, its production methods, and its role in Turkish cuisine. A literature
review and expert interviews are used as a research methodology.