Comparison of some characteristics of homemade, local and national brands yoghurts

In the study, some physicochemical, viscosity, rheological properties, benzoic and sorbic acid contents of a total of 96 yoghurt samples (consisting of homemade, local and national) collected from different provinces of Turkey were investigated. It was determined that national yoghurt samples had the highest average dry matter (13.8%) and the lowest syneresis values (35.8%). Homemade yoghurts had the lowest average viscosity (at 20 rpm, 4079 cP; 50 rpm, 2142 cP), consistency coefficient values (44.4). It was determined that the flow behavior index values of all yoghurt samples were between 0 and 1 and showed pseudoplastic behavior. It was found that the national commercial yoghurt samples were higher than the homemade and regional samples in terms of dry matter, syneresis, viscosity and consistency coefficient. Although the mean benzoic acid values were detected between 5.43 and 31.9 mg kg(-1), sorbic acid was found in only one sample (local brand yoghurt sample).