Abstract
The article presents the results of a study on the technological parameters of the fermentation process of a combined dairy mixture using buttermilk concentrate. The relevance of the research is determined by the growing interest in the utilization of secondary dairy resources with high nutritional and biological value, as well as by the need to develop scientifically grounded technologies to produce functional fermented dairy products. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of various starter cultures under different fermentation temperature regimes of a combined dairy mixture. The object of the study was a dairy mixture consisting of skimmed cow’s milk, goat’s milk, and buttermilk. The influence of starter culture composition and fermentation temperature on physicochemical parameters, acidification dynamics, and curd structure formation was investigated. It was established that the combination of mesophilic and thermophilic lactic acid microorganisms significantly affects fermentation intensity, titratable acidity, and structural stability of the product. The results demonstrated that an optimal fermentation temperature promotes the formation of a homogeneous curd with improved physicochemical and sensory characteristics, whereas deviations from optimal conditions lead to structural defects and deterioration of product quality. The results obtained confirm the feasibility of a comprehensive selection of starter cultures and fermentation temperature regimes in the production of fermented dairy products based on combined dairy mixtures using buttermilk concentrate.