By Cell Press, October 11, 2025
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-rediscover-a-nearly-forgotten-yogurt-recipe-with-a-surprising-ingredient/
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-rediscover-a-nearly-forgotten-yogurt-recipe-with-a-surprising-ingredient/
Scientists in Denmark have revived an old Balkan yogurt recipe that relies on live red wood ants to start fermentation. Their research reveals that the acids, enzymes, and bacteria in ants can transform milk into a richly flavored yogurt. (Artist’s concept).
Credit: Shutterstock
Scientists recreated ant-based yogurt and revealed how insect microbes enable fermentation.
Researchers have revived a nearly forgotten yogurt-making tradition that was once widespread across the Balkans and Turkey, using ants as the key ingredient. In a study published in the Cell Press journal iScience, the team demonstrated that the bacteria, acids, and enzymes found in ants can trigger milk fermentation, transforming it into yogurt.
Their findings show how rediscovering traditional food techniques can inspire innovative directions in modern food science and add a creative touch to gastronomy.
“Today’s yogurts are typically made with just two bacterial strains,” says senior author Leonie Jahn from the Technical University of Denmark. “If you look at traditional yogurt, you have much bigger biodiversity, varying based on location, households, and season. That brings more flavors, textures, and personality.”
Researchers bury a jar of milk covered in cheesecloth and placed in a red wood ant colony to incubate, following a traditional method where ants and their microbes help ferment dairy into yogurt.
Credit: David Zilber
When the team sampled the yogurt, they described its flavor as tangy and herbaceous, with subtle notes reminiscent of grass-fed dairy fat.
When the team sampled the yogurt, they described its flavor as tangy and herbaceous, with subtle notes reminiscent of grass-fed dairy fat.
Understanding the microbiology of fermentation
Back in Denmark, the researchers analyzed the biological process behind ant yogurt. They discovered that ants naturally contain lactic and acetic acid bacteria. The acids released by these bacteria help the milk thicken and set. One of the bacterial types was found to be closely related to that used in commercial sourdough.
The insects themselves also help in the yogurt-making process. Formic acid, which is part of the ant’s natural chemical defense system, acidifies the milk, affects its texture, and likely creates an environment for yogurt’s acid-loving microbes to thrive, say the researchers. Enzymes from the ant and the microbes work in tandem to break down milk proteins and turn milk into yogurt.
Back in Denmark, the researchers analyzed the biological process behind ant yogurt. They discovered that ants naturally contain lactic and acetic acid bacteria. The acids released by these bacteria help the milk thicken and set. One of the bacterial types was found to be closely related to that used in commercial sourdough.
The insects themselves also help in the yogurt-making process. Formic acid, which is part of the ant’s natural chemical defense system, acidifies the milk, affects its texture, and likely creates an environment for yogurt’s acid-loving microbes to thrive, say the researchers. Enzymes from the ant and the microbes work in tandem to break down milk proteins and turn milk into yogurt.
Researchers tasted the first trials of ant yogurt, where the milk had begun to coagulate and acidify, which are signs of early yogurt fermentation.
Credit: David Zilber
The researchers compared yogurts made with live, frozen, and dehydrated ants. Only live ants seeded the right microbial community, meaning they are best suited for yogurt making. However, the team found that caution was necessary to make sure the ant products were safe to consume: live ants can harbor parasites, and freezing or dehydrating ants can sometimes allow harmful bacteria to flourish.
The researchers compared yogurts made with live, frozen, and dehydrated ants. Only live ants seeded the right microbial community, meaning they are best suited for yogurt making. However, the team found that caution was necessary to make sure the ant products were safe to consume: live ants can harbor parasites, and freezing or dehydrating ants can sometimes allow harmful bacteria to flourish.
Bringing ancient flavors to modern cuisine
To test out the contemporary culinary possibilities of ant yogurt, the team then partnered with chefs at Alchemist, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark, who gave the traditional yogurt a modern twist. They served guests several concoctions, including yogurt ice-cream sandwiches shaped like an ant, mascarpone-like cheeses with a pungent tang, and cocktails clarified with a milk wash—all inspired by ant yogurt and using the insect as a key ingredient.
Sample collected from ant yogurt fieldwork in Bulgaria, including yogurt and local forest ants.
Credit: David Zilber
“Giving scientific evidence that these traditions have a deep meaning and purpose, even though they might seem strange or more like a myth, I think that’s really beautiful,” says Jahn.
“I hope people recognize the importance of community and maybe listen a little closer when their grandmother shares a recipe or memory that seems unusual,” says Sinotte. “Learning from these practices and creating space for biocultural heritage in our foodways is important.”
“I hope people recognize the importance of community and maybe listen a little closer when their grandmother shares a recipe or memory that seems unusual,” says Sinotte. “Learning from these practices and creating space for biocultural heritage in our foodways is important.”
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