Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation

Abstract

<h2>Summary</h2> Milk fermentation has a rich history in which food culture, the environment, and microbes intersect. However, traditional practices and their associated microbes have largely been replaced by industrial processes. We investigate a historical fermentation originating from Turkey and Bulgaria – ant yogurt. By examining the traditional practice, gastronomic applications, and experimentally derived yogurts, we uncover that the red wood ant holobiont facilitates fermentation. Bacteria hosted by the ants can proliferate in the milk. Specifically, live ants contribute lactic and acetic acid bacteria, including <i>Frutilactobacillus sanfranciscensis,</i> normally related to sourdough. Consequently, the bacterial community introduces lactic and acetic acid, while the ants provide f