Global business director for the new range, Sonia Huppert, told FoodNavigator-Asia that the Yo-Mix cultures range will be available in a freeze-dried format.
The format was chosen due to the challenging cold chain and storage conditions within the Indian subcontinent, Huppert said.
She added: “The cultures can be stored for up to 18 months in a regular fridge at +4°C which is a clear advantage for customers versus alternative culture solutions, providing flexibility of use and cost optimisation for customer.”
Sales manager for Danisco India, Pavan Kumar, said: “Heat and humidity can be a challenge considering the high temperature in the region (above 45°c during summer) for live cultures that are needed to make dahi.”
He added that Danisco’s freeze-dried Yo-Mix cultures are very resistant to variations in temperature and humidity.
Health and nutrition demand in India
Regional director for Asia Pacific BioActives, Bram van Hulsen said there is also opportunity for Danisco’s health and nutrition ingredients in India, with increasing customer demand from the subcontinent and Asia Pacific.
Danisco has a range of value-added ingredients that it believes is well suited to the needs and health issues in India.
Its line includes natural vitamin ActivK MK-7 for bone health, PinVita phytosterols for heart health and Litesse polydextrose for increased fibre and prebiotic benefits.
The company said the ingredients can be used with the new cultures range.
However under Indian regulation, the product could then not be referred to as dahi, rather a fermented milk or yogurt type.
With the industrial yogurt market in India set to double over the next few years to 958,000MT according to Euromonitor data, Hulsen said there is opportunity.
He said: “Our health and nutrition ingredients are not restricted to the dairy industry but coupled with Yo-Mix cultures they present an incredibly enticing, region specific opportunity for the local dairy industry.”
What the customer wants
Huppert said: “The new range of Yo-Mix cultures for dahi has been designed as a direct response to customer demands… to create a homemade style of dahi with authentic taste and texture profiles.”
She added that care has also gone into developing cultures that have stable post-acidification throughout shelf life, ensuring sustained mildness benefits.
The cultures are available in different packaging sizes, allowing the use of one sachet per batch of milk, which should improve the success of the range, the company said.
Danisco will launch its new cultures range at FI India on October 3.