yogurt - bacteria question?

Question

If you leave yogurt that you buy in a refrigerated section out on a counter for a few hours or a day or whatever, do the bacteria cultures in it grow? Or do they die?

Is it healthy for them to be more cultivated? Or does it become dangerous? And after how long does it become dangerous?

I am curious BECAUSE, abroad in Italy, I have seen yogurt go unrefrigerated.... and surely, if lots of people are eating it, they can't be dying from sickness??

I am just very curious! :) Thanks!

Answer 1

Part of that would probably depend on how long it's unrefrigerated, and how cold or hot the environment is that it's in.

Those bacteria will continue to grow even in a refrigerator, just *much* more slowly... if they get too hot however, they'll die and can't be resuscitated (over about 120 degrees F or so).

Many people would also eat up their yogurt in a day or two, and yogurt can be fermented normally for 24 hrs at least (but will be very sour).

You also may be seeing "kefir" instead of regular yogurt, which does stay out.

I think that *all* the bacteria in the yogurt would continue to grow, not just the probiotics, but not sure.

And P.S.... most commercial yogurts do "contain" plenty of live bacteria.... some yogurts however simply say (on the outside somewhere) that they were "made with" live cultures and in those, the bacteria are all dead becuase of the type of processing they were put through --they're basically just pudding at that point.

Diane B.

Answer 2

The only way the bacteria will grow in room temp yogurt is if the yogurt contains LIVE cultures. Some brands do not contain live, but killed, cultures.

More cultures are not necessarily healthy for you. They give the yogurt a stronger flavor, for sure, but can hasten spoilage. It could be the ones you saw out at room temp in Italy were being turned from milk into yogurt; once it became yogurt, it was either refrigerated or eaten quickly.

Answer 3

The bacteria will actually die. A yogurt eaten with died bacteria is less beneficial, not dangerous (of course I'm talking about hours, not days :)

Edit: in Italy by law a food called "yogurt" can be sold only if it contains live culture, otherwise they have to call it in another way, like "dessert", for instance.

Answer 4

Some people claim the more active cultures the better - probiotic effect. In fact, I've read websites that claim commercial yogurt doesn't contain enough live, active cultures.

To be honest, my personal opinion is there is no such thing as too much being dangerous. May be unappetizing (too sour) but not dangerous.

Answer 5

I dont think so because one bacteria takes awhile to culture an the conditions wouldnt be right for bacteria frim your mouth to grow in. Two even if that was true the bacteria would be quickly killed by your stomache acids. Only acidophiles(meaning they like acids) would be able to survive and those bacteria are in your digestive tract not your mouth. And three the same would go for the yougurt in a cup cause your constantly licking the spoon and dipping it back in the yougurt and it wouldnt matter if you switch cups cause you still back wash eveb with a different cup.