Development of Korean Dairy Industry - Fermented milk products -

한국 유가공업의 발전과 전망 - 발효유

Lactic acid bacteria had been widely utilized in fermented foods such as fermented dairy products, traditional sauces, kimchi, fermented sausages, medicines or probiotic feed additives for a long time. LAB are also widely distributed in the mammalian gastrointestinal tracts, oral cavity, vagina, and various foods or soils. The most familiar examples of using LAB would be the fermented milk products, and those had become one of the favorite foods in Korea f3r more than 34 years of history. The main benefits of the fermented milk products were originally the improvement of the balance of intestinal flora to control diarrhea and congestion disorders, and gradually, they were chosen by the consumer preference of the taste. The very beginning of the fermented milk products in Korea was the Yakult type products in 1971, and it was the commencement of the solid foundation of the dairy industry and the understanding beneficial effect of probiotic yogurt. After middle of 80's, stirred type fermented milk products had been firstly produced, and it was the time that the domestic dairy industry took root in Korea. From 90's, functional fermented milk products were produced, and drink type yogurt sales a mount increased drastically, and these products began to be chosen not only with the values of nutrition but also with physiological functions. The health claims are classified into intestinal health, gastric health and hepatic health. The prospects for the Korean market are as follows; The majority of leading products would be the premium functional yogurt products as it was last year. It is because the sales of lower cost products shows slow-down, and industries tend to increase the commercial advertisements of premium functional yogurt products through mass media. These tendencies would make the market situation become more competitive.