WHERE TO PURCHASE FREEZE DRIED STARTER CULTURE & WHICH COMMERCIAL YOGURT TO USE?

The bacteria necessary in a traditional yogurt starter are: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles - Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacteria may also be added. The combination of these probiotic strains makes a culture that will produce a yogurt with a thick, smooth, creamy consistency and a mild tart flavour. In additional to be primary strains other beneficial strains may also be included in a culture.

YOGURT STARTER FOR 'SCD'

The original Specific Carbohydrate Diet, from the book ‘Breaking the Vicious Cycle - Intestinal health through diet’, calls for a yogurt starter that does not contain Bifidus Bifidum bacteria because it can ‘take over’ and cause health problems in some cases. While on the early stages of the diet, it is best to avoid anything that has ‘bifid’ in its name. e.g. Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus Bifidus, Bifidobacterium longum etc

SCD FREEZE DRIED STARTER CULTURE

 

GI PRO START

Sold online via GAPS Australia website

STRAINS: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophiles, Casei
MAKES: 1 bottle makes up to 80 Litres of yogurt
INSTRUCTIONS: Add 1/8 of a teaspoon to 2 litres (or 2 quarts) cow or goat milk.  Alternative milk requires a 1/4 teaspoon to make a non-dairy milk yogurt.
FREE FROM: Dairy, gluten and common allergens.
DAIRY FREE DISCLAIMER: “The highest quality and pure LAB cultures are used in this formula. The yogurt strains are recognized to have exposure to some dairy peptones (broken down molecular structures) during their fermentation. The final culture is filtered and has less then detectable levels of dairy proteins. Considered dairy-free yogurt based on the standards established in the nutritional industry.”
STORAGE: GI ProStart does have to stay refrigerated to keep the bacteria alive but can be left out of the refrigerator for up to 10 days with only a 5% loss of active bacteria, after 10 days the bacteria will die off quickly.  Can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 year.

  

CUSTOM PROBIOTICS FORMULA 1

Sold on their website and Emporio Organico

STRAINS: Acidophilus, Thermophilus, Bulgaricus
INSTRUCTIONS: Scoop size = 0.8 grams. Add half scoop (0.4 gm) to 2-4 quarts of milk at 100 Deg F (38 Deg C). Mix thoroughly and ferment for 9 hours or longer. 150 billion cfu’s per gram of yogurt starter powder.
STORAGE: Keep sealed in the refrigerator to retain maximum potency. Starter can travel for 2-3 weeks without refrigeration. Expires one year from date of manufacture.
FREE FROM: Dairy, sugar, gluten, soy, casein, yeast, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, FOS or any genetically modified or engineered ingredients. 

 

GREEN LIVING AUSTRALIA MILD YOGURT CULTURE

Sold online here

STRAINS: Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophiles
MAKES: Up to 100 one litre batches
INSTRUCTIONS: A few grains on the tip of a pointed knife will make 1 litre of yogurt
STORAGE: Each sachet is supplied with two sterile jars to keep your culture safely in the freezer and allows you to easily pick up just a small amount on the end of a knife. When stored correctly freeze-dried cultures are typically viable long after any date on the pack. Room temp: 1-2 months, Refrigerator: 6-12 months, Freezer: 2-5 years 
DAIRY WARNING: These “cultures are grown on a dairy based medium. At the end of propagation, the starter culture cells are physically separated from this medium, then concentrated and freeze-dried. Very little, if any of the dairy component ends up in the final starter culture. However, because people with allergies to dairy protein can be sensitive to parts per million (ppm) levels, Green Living Australia cannot guarantee that such levels are not present in their cultures, and therefore declares that this yoghurt culture may contain traces of dairy."
FREE FROM: Gluten, peanut, sesame, eggs, celery, mustard, fish or shellfish, sulphites, lupine, soy, and is GMO Free.

 

GREEN LIVING AUSTRALIA TANGY YOGURT CULTURE

Sold online here

STRAINS: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus
MAKES: Up to 100 one litre batches
INSTRUCTIONS: A few grains on the tip of a pointed knife will make 1 litre of yogurt
STORAGE: Each sachet is supplied with two sterile jars to keep your culture safely in the freezer and allows you to easily pick up just a small amount on the end of a knife. When stored correctly freeze-dried cultures are typically viable long after any date on the pack. Room temp: 1-2 months, Refrigerator: 6-12 months, Freezer: 2-5 years
DAIRY WARNING: These “cultures are grown on a dairy based medium. At the end of propagation, the starter culture cells are physically separated from this medium, then concentrated and freeze-dried. Very little, if any of the dairy component ends up in the final starter culture. However, because people with allergies to dairy protein can be sensitive to parts per million (ppm) levels, Green Living Australia cannot guarantee that such levels are not present in their cultures, and therefore declares that this yoghurt culture may contain traces of dairy.
FREE FROM: Gluten, peanut, sesame, eggs, celery, mustard, fish or shellfish, sulphites, lupine, soy, and is GMO Free.

 

YOGOURMET FREEZE-DRIED YOGURT STARTER 

Sold on Amazon and iherb

STRAINS: Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, S thermophilus, L acidophilus
MAKES: Available in boxes of 3. Each envelope makes 2 quarts (or 2 litres) of yogurt.
STORAGE: Envelopes are divided in two sections of 5 grams to allow you to prepare only one quart/litre at a time. Starter is packed in sealed double-layered envelopes for long-lasting quality.
FREE FROM: Additives, maltodextrin, gluten and GMO

 

NATREN - YOGURT STARTER

Sold online via Listen To Your Gut website.

STRAINS: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophiles
FREE FROM: preservatives, artificial colors or flavors.

 

MI BIO DEFENCE PROBIOTIC CULTURE STARTER

Sold on their website and Emporio Organico

STRAINS: Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus
MAKES: Dry weight in one sachet is 1 gram, which can be used to ferment 1-3 litres of milk. The finished product can be used as a starter to make a new batch of yogurt. 
STORAGE: Shelf life - 12 months at a temperature of 0 to 6°С (fridge), 24 months at a temperature of -18° to -1°С (freezer).

 

COMMERCIAL YOGURT AS A STARTER FOR SCD

The following commercial yogurts are only to be used as starters and are not otherwise legal foods. It is imperative to check the ingredients labels carefully. Some yogurts that are used as a starter may contain sucrose, cream and lactose however these are consumed over the 24-hour fermentation.

In Australia these brands are SCD legal:

In New Zealand these brands are SCD legal:

  

YOGURT STARTER FOR THE 'GAPS' DIET

The GAPS diet allows Bifidus Bifidum bacteria in a starter but is not a requirement, so all of the above listed SCD starter cultures may be used to make GAPS 24 hour yogurt.

CUSTOM PROBIOTICS FORMULA 2

Sold online at their website , or online at Emporio Organico or the GAPS Australia online shop.

STRAINS: Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Streptococcus Thermophilus, Lactobacilus Acidophilus, Lactobacilus Lactis, Bifidobacterium Lactis
INSTRUCTIONS: Scoop size = 0.8 grams. Add half scoop (0.4 gm) to 2-4 quarts of milk at 100 Deg F (38 Deg C). Mix thoroughly and ferment for 9 hours or longer. 150 billion cfu’s per gram of yogurt starter powder.
STORAGE: Keep sealed in the refrigerator to retain maximum potency. Starter can travel for 2-3 weeks without refrigeration. Expires one year from date of manufacture.
FREE FROM: Dairy, sugar, gluten, soy, casein, yeast, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, FOS or any genetically modified or engineered ingredients. 

 

MI BIO DEFENCE FITNESS YOGURT STARTER

Sold on their website and Emporio Organico

STRAINS: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus
MAKES: Dry weight in one sachet is 1 gram, which can be used to ferment 1-3 litres of milk. The finished product can be used as a starter to make a new batch of yogurt. 
STORAGE: Shelf life - 12 months at a temperature of 0 to 6°С (fridge), 24 months at a temperature of -18° to -1°С (freezer).

 

MI BIO DEFENCE SYMBIOTIC YOGURT STARTER

Sold on their website and Emporio Organico

STRAINS: Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus,  Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Propionibacterium freudenreichii
MAKES: Dry weight in one sachet is 1 gram, which can be used to ferment 1-3 litres of milk. The finished product can be used as a starter to make a new batch of yogurt. 
STORAGE: Shelf life - 12 months at a temperature of 0 to 6°С (fridge), 24 months at a temperature of -18° to -1°С (freezer).

 

MI BIO DEFENCE BIFIDO COMPLEX YOGURT STARTER

Sold on their website and Emporio Organico

STRAINS: Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus salivarius subsp.thermophilus.
MAKES: Dry weight in one sachet is 1 gram, which can be used to ferment 1-3 litres of milk. The finished product can be used as a starter to make a new batch of yogurt. 
STORAGE: Shelf life - 12 months at a temperature of 0 to 6°С (fridge), 24 months at a temperature of -18° to -1°С (freezer).

 

GREEN LIVING AUSTRALIA NON-DAIRY YOGURT CULTURE

Sold online here

STRAINS: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and the probiotics Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis & Lactobacillus acidophilus
MAKES: Up to 100 one litre batches of coconut or nut milk yogurt
INSTRUCTIONS: A few grains on the tip of a pointed knife will make 1 litre of yogurt
STORAGE: Each sachet is supplied with two sterile jars to keep your culture safely in the freezer and allows you to easily pick up just a small amount on the end of a knife. When stored correctly freeze-dried cultures are typically viable long after any date on the pack. Room temp: 1-2 months, Refrigerator: 6-12 months, Freezer: 2-5 years 
FREE FROM: This culture has been specifically grown on a non-dairy & non-soy based growth medium. Free from dairy, gluten, peanut, sesame, eggs, celery, mustard, fish or shellfish, sulphites, lupine, soy, and is GMO Free.

  

COMMERCIAL YOGURT AS A STARTER FOR GAPS

The following commercial yogurts are only to be used as starters and are not otherwise GAPS legal foods. It is imperative to check the ingredients labels carefully to avoid sugar, fruit juice or other additives or gelling agents.

Australia: In addition to the commercial yogurt starters listed for SCD above, these brands may be used. 

New Zealand: In addition to the commercial yogurt starters listed for SCD above, these brands may be used. 

For more on yogurt starter cultures click here.
For a list of SCD & GAPS starter cultures in the US click here
For a list of SCD & GAPS starter cultures in UK click here
For a list of SCD & GAPS starter cultures in Europe click here

If you know a starter culture or commercial yogurt that should be listed here, please contact support@luvele.com.au so we can include it in this post.