Expanding the range of low-lactose dairy products, including yoghurts, is a relevant direction and task for the food industry in the context of the growing number of people suffering from lactase deficiency. Research into the technological aspects of the fermentation process was an important step in the development of such products. The main objective of this work was to analyse the technological conditions of the fermentation process in the production of low-lactose yoghurts using whey. The studies used milk mixtures based on buttermilk, normalised for dry matter content and hydrolysed lactose, and starter cultures containing the lactic acid bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus. The effect of fermentation temperature, starter culture dose and fermentation duration on the organoleptic and physicochemical properties of the finished product was investigated. It was established that the rational parameters for obtaining sour milk curd and reducing the lactose content are: fermentation temperature 40-45°C, fermentation agent dose 2.6-2.8 mg/100 g, and fermentation duration 180-240 minutes. The results showed that during fermentation, the lactose content in the finished product decreased by 45%, which allowed it to be classified as a low-lactose dairy product. At the same time, an increase in the concentration of vitamins, in particular B vitamins, indicated an increase in the nutritional value of the product. The resulting low-lactose yoghurt based on buttermilk had a thick consistency, a pleasant sour milk taste and sweetness due to the accumulation of monosaccharides – glucose and galactose – as a result of lactose hydrolysis. The technological parameters of the fermentation process determined in this work can be used in the production of low-lactose yoghurts for people with lactase deficiency and will contribute to the expansion of the range of low-lactose dairy products produced in Ukraine
secondary milk raw materials; lactase deficiency; starter culture; fermentolysis; fermented products; fermented milk drinks; nutritional value