Sour milk

Sour milk is prepared from whole milk via fermentation by Lactobacillus bacteria. It is similar to yoghurt and kephir, but the different kind of bacteria give a different taste. The American buttermilk is similar, but sour milk has a thicker consistency. It is of the cuisine of Sweden and Finland, and of Germany. In German, it is known as sauermilch or buttermilch; in Swedish, filmjölk; in Finnish, piimä.

Sour milk is usually sold in 1-litre packages. Sour milk may be used in the same way as yoghurt, that is, from a bowl using a spoon (with cereals, muesli or corn flakes) or from a glass. Flavor may be added with fruits or berries, for instance strawberries, or by adding sugar. Most people who yoghurt usually like sour milk too. A range of different Lactobacilli strains have been grown in the laboratories, providing a whole range of different kinds of sour milk, with different tastes.

There is a variety of sour milk, which has a consistency thick enough to be gelatinous. It is sourer, and can be called an acquired taste. In Swedish, this is known as fil; in Finnish, viili. Its usage is very much like that of yogurt, but as it is very sour, it is not pre-mixed with anything. Instead, the muesli, berries etc. are added into it immediately preceding eating.

As is the case with most yoghurts and kephirs, the Lactobacilli, which are a part of healthy intestinal flora, are alive in the vendible product. Consequently, sour milk has a stabilising effect on the intestinal flora. Some reports suggest that it contains peptides (casokinins and lactokinins) that act as naturally occurring ACE inhibitors and hence have an antihypertensive effect (Seppo et al 2003).

Reference

• Seppo L, Jauhiainen T, Poussa T, Korpela R. A fermented milk high in bioactive peptides has a blood pressure-lowering effect in hypertensive subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;77:326–30. Fulltext. PMID 12540390.

See also

• Cuisine of Sweden