An ancient and nearly forgotten tradition has been brought back to life: yogurt made with ants.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), in collaboration with the Michelin-starred restaurant The Alchemist, have recreated a curious recipe once common in parts of Turkey and the Balkans.

The recipe is simple: four live wood ants in warm milk, left overnight in an anthill – and by the next day, the milk has turned into yogurt.

But how does it work? According to a new study published in iScience, the ants carry lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria that trigger the fermentation process. At the same time, the ants’ own formic acid contributes to the yogurt’s characteristic tanginess and creates the right conditions for the bacteria to thrive.

• It’s the interaction between the ants and their bacteria that causes the milk to turn into yogurt – a unique biological synergy, explains Veronica Sinotte, Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen and lead author of the study.

The researchers also discovered that one of the bacteria, F. sanfranciscensis, is the same species found in sourdough – suggesting that ants may in fact have been the original source of the popular bread tradition.

The collaboration with The Alchemist has already led to new experiments such as ant ice cream and ant mascarpone. The researchers hope that the microbes found in ants can inspire the development of future sustainable foods.

• The yogurt you buy in supermarkets today is typically made with only two bacterial strains. But as we work towards a more sustainable food system, it makes perfect sense to explore the vast diversity of remarkable microbes used in traditional foods like ant yogurt. They can add both flavor and texture to the development of new food products, says Veronica Sinotte.
• Ultimately, ant yogurt is an example of how traditional practices connect humans to nature, she adds.

Read the full press release from KU FOOD HERE

Photo: Maksim Shutov, Unsplash
By LWM