Does Frozen Yogurt Have Probiotics? What Survives Freezing

Short answer: often, but not always. Freezing does not kill most yogurt cultures, it puts them to sleep. Whether a cup of frozen yogurt actually has live cultures depends on how the mix was made and handled. Here is what to look for, whether you are eating froyo or serving it.

What is frozen yogurt?

Yogurt is milk fermented by two bacteria, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Many makers add more cultures, such as L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium. Frozen yogurt starts from a yogurt or yogurt-based mix, which is sweetened, chilled and churned in a soft-serve machine or freezer, the same way ice cream is.

The difference from ice cream is the cultured yogurt. That gives froyo its tang, and it is also where any live cultures come from.

Does freezing kill the live cultures in yogurt?

Mostly no. Cold slows bacteria down rather than killing them. When yogurt freezes, the cultures go dormant. Some are lost to ice crystals and long storage, but a good share survive, and they become active again once they warm up after you eat them.

That is why the Live and Active Cultures seal for yogurt has a separate, lower standard for frozen yogurt: at least 10 million cultures per gram when it is made, compared with 100 million per gram for refrigerated yogurt.

Why some frozen yogurt has no live cultures

The thing that kills cultures is heat, not cold. Some frozen yogurt mixes are pasteurized or heat-treated after the yogurt is cultured, to extend shelf life. That step wipes out most of the bacteria. Other "frozen yogurt" products contain very little yogurt at all.

Because the US has no federal standard for frozen yogurt, two cups that look the same can be very different. One can be full of live cultures and the other can have almost none.

How to tell if your froyo has live cultures

• Read the label. Look for "contains live and active cultures" and the names of the strains.
• Look for the seal. The Live and Active Cultures seal means the product met the minimum count when it was made.
• Ask the shop. Shop staff can tell you which mix they use. Most mix brands list cultures on the bag.
• Taste it. A real yogurt tang is a good sign, though not proof.

Does frozen Greek yogurt have probiotics?

Greek yogurt is strained regular yogurt, so it starts with the same cultures. Frozen Greek yogurt keeps them as long as it is not heat-treated after culturing. The same label check applies.

For shop owners: serving frozen yogurt with live cultures

If you run a frozen yogurt shop, cafe or smoothie bar, the mix you choose decides whether you can honestly tell customers your froyo has live cultures.

Pumjil Original is a shelf-stable frozen yogurt mix powder made with real dehydrated Greek yogurt and 14 live and active cultures, 67 billion per bag. You mix it cold with milk and water, with no cooking step in your shop, and pour it straight into any soft-serve machine.

• 40 lb case (10 bags), about 60–65 five-ounce servings per bag
• Classic tart flavor; add your own fruit, syrups or toppings
• Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free and fat-free
• Stored dry at room temperature, so there is no fresh yogurt to spoil
• Made in the USA. Free samples, free shipping, private label available

See the wholesale frozen yogurt mix Request pricing and a free sample

FAQ

Is frozen yogurt a probiotic?

It can be. Frozen yogurt made from a cultured mix that was not heat-treated afterward still carries live cultures. Check the label for "live and active cultures."

Does frozen yogurt have as many cultures as regular yogurt?

Usually fewer. Some cultures are lost in freezing and storage, which is why the Live and Active Cultures standard for frozen yogurt is lower than for refrigerated yogurt.

If I freeze my yogurt at home, will it kill the cultures?

No. Freezing makes them dormant. Most survive, although the texture changes when it thaws.

Does frozen yogurt have active cultures like L. acidophilus?

Only if the maker added them. L. acidophilus is an extra culture, not one of the two that make yogurt, so look for it by name on the label.