Community members are invited to learn how to make homemade yogurt at an upcoming Value-Added Foods Workshop with University of Guam Land Grant on Saturday, March 14.

Led by food scientist Dr. Jian Yang, this hands-on workshop will teach participants how to use fermentation to create nutritious, probiotic-rich yogurt at home customized to your taste and texture preference.

“In Guam, yogurt can be relatively expensive due to importation,” Yang said. “Making yogurt at home is not only cheaper, but it produces a healthier alternative that is fresh, lower in sugar, and free from artificial ingredients,” Yang said.

Yogurt is a natural probiotic product made by fermenting milk with the addition of lactic acid bacteria. The lactic acid preserves the milk from spoilage and pathogen growth, while the probiotics deliver a number of health benefits, including improved lactose digestion, improved gastrointestinal health, and enhanced immune system, to name a few.

Participants will learn how to make yogurt using milk, milk powder, and probiotic starter culture as well as the processes of pasteurization and incubation. The finished product is flavorful, versatile, and keeps in the refrigerator for two to three weeks.

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, on the UOG campus in Mangilao.

There is a registration fee of $15. Those interested can register online at https://url.uog.edu/yogurt.