# Activia yogurt as a culture?



## lunagardens

Is there anything different about Activia yogurt then other live culture yogurts that would prevent me from getting a successful batch?
I do not want to waste a batch of goat milk on something someone else has tried and could clue me in.
Thank you for any help.


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## freelove

I have used Activia, BUT, I added it to the regular culture that I use. I made it for DH as I cannot eat Activia it plays havoc with my digestion (had the same reaction to the homemade as I do to the commercial). It worked just fine that way.

I did not use goat milk - I didn't have access to any - but I don't know why it wouldn't work as well or better.


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## lunagardens

Thank you for your input. My oldest has problems with cow milk and a neighbor suggested using the activia to help curb some of the issues- she is lactose intolerant and found it helped her. I found that our daughter can enjoy goats milk without any problems like she does with cow milk.
I will be making some with Activia as a culture today then.
Thank you.


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## Guest

Activia is genetically engineered. I won't have it even when I can get it free.


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## GrannyCarol

ladycat said:


> Activia is genetically engineered. I won't have it even when I can get it free.


Can you explain what's genetically engineered in it? I'm curious. 

I did a cow's milk yogurt with partly Activa and partly another starter and it kept turning into curds. It made good cottage cheese, I'm not sure what went wrong, but other starters haven't been doing that. I've been making yogurt in my crock pot.


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## Guest

GrannyCarol said:


> Can you explain what's genetically engineered in it? I'm curious.
> 
> I did a cow's milk yogurt with partly Activa and partly another starter and it kept turning into curds. It made good cottage cheese, I'm not sure what went wrong, but other starters haven't been doing that. I've been making yogurt in my crock pot.


One of the acidophilus strains was altered in a test tube. There's a LONG story around all that, I won't go into it. But the strain was altered enough to get a patent on it (that patent page has disappeared from public view after making the internet rounds for a couple years, I wish I had saved a copy).

ETA: should mention quickly Dannon didn't do the original alteration. They purchased the strain. They ended up getting sued by the original creator but they won the lawsuit and put that strain on the market via their Activia yogurt.


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## GrannyCarol

Thanks, I didn't know that. I'm NOT a fan of genetic engineering at all.


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## Beltane

Thanks Ladycat - I was not aware of that as well. I saw it advertized on TV and was wondering what it was. Off to do some google searches....


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## GrannyCarol

I've spent quite some time doing Google searches and have found nothing to indicate that the acidophilus was genetically modified, just that a strain was selected, given a name and trademarked. So now I'm more curious!


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## highlandview

That makes me curious. When I have stomach upset I take a yogurt pill with live cultures in it. I wonder if any of the strains are genetically engineered. The name brand is Pearls. I eat a homemade yogurt or lifeway kefir daily but I add in the pills pretty often to settle upset stomach.


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