What is a yogurt containing Bifidus?

Bifidus, also known as Bifidobacterium, is a useful species of bacteria which was first discovered in the 1980s in the intestinal flora of newborn babies. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus appeared to be the most predominant bacteria in an infant’s gut.

Since then, scientists have gone on to discover many other different species of Bifidobacterium such as B. infantis, B. animalis, B. bifidum and B. longum. Fermented foods like yogurt can contain this species of bacteria, making it simple to incorporate into your lifestyle.

Today, Activia, from the house of Danone dairy, is enjoyed by millions around the world as a uniquely mild and creamy yogurt packed with Bifidus and billions of exclusive yogurt cultures. Let’s dive deeper into Bifidus and how you can make it part of your daily diet.

Bacteria, in general, can be used for food fermentation. Let’s look at bread for instance. We wouldn’t have bread without the fermentation of flour with certain species of bacteria and yeast. It’s very similar for products such as soy sauce and yogurts, all of which go through a fermentation process to achieve their unique flavours and characteristics.

When the bacteria Bifidus is involved in fermentation, it produces lactic acid and is therefore is part of the family of ‘lactic acid bacteria’. Thanks to the lactic acid released into the food, the flavour is often improved and can be preserved for longer.

Bifidus rarely occurs naturally in food, but the good news is that it can be added to food such as yogurt. Yogurts, by default, contain yogurt cultures. But it’s important to realize that other strains, such as Bifidus, can also be added to yogurts and fermented milk. Once added, Bifidus can interact with the other strains, bringing the yogurt its specific creamy taste and texture.

Activia is a great example of a yogurt that contains a mix of different exclusive cultures – 5 strains to be precise! These bacterial strains are what ultimately convert the milk into the much-loved yogurt. One of the 5 cultures is a particular strain of Bifidus that Danone scientists have been working with for over 30 years now. Their perfect balance of the right temperature and time keeps the yogurt cultures growing and the Bifidus multiplying.

There are over four billion Bifidus bacteria in every pot of Activia. Amazingly, this crafted Bifidus strain in Activia is proven to stay alive all the way from your mouth to your gut. So, each time you reach for a pot of gut-loving(1). Activia, you are really reaching for billions of exclusive cultures such as our Bifidus and the gut-loving yogurt cultures*. If you’re looking for exclusive cultures and bifidus, Activia is just the right yogurt for you. Not to mention that, on top of it all, this deliciously creamy yogurt benefits your health too as it’s a tasty source of calcium that contributes to normal function of digestive enzymes.

As mentioned earlier, Bifidus rarely occurs naturally in food, but that’s not to say it doesn’t happen; you just need to know which foods to eat. And of course there’s always Activia and its billions of exclusive Bifidus cultures that you can enjoy as part of your balanced diet every day! Love what’s inside – easy peasy lemon squeezy!