How Is Sour Cream Made With Bacteria?
Fermentation Sour cream starts out its life as regular, high fat cream skimmed from the top of cow milk. In order to sour it, the cream is exposed to a bacterial culture and partially fermented in warming vats in a sterile environment in much the same way that yogurt is made. Making sour cream requires a specific type of bacterial culture, specifically, a type of lactic acid bacteria. Taste Lactic acid bacteria are a type of bacteria that assist in the fermentation of the cream. As with all fermentation, carbohydrates (in this case, lactose) are consumed by the bacteria, which then excrete an acid or alcohol. In this case, the acid is lactic acid, a sour substance which is also naturally produced in the human body during the muscle building. The sour cream loses much of its natural sweetness during this process and the lactic acid provides the condiment’s trademark sourness. The thickened texture of the sour cream is also a result of the lactic acid, which affects the proteins in the m
