Beyond the most frequently asked questions (below), we welcome all questions, and will provide supportive scientific studies to support our claims.
Our recipe produces a tart, European-style yogurt, containing friendly bacteria and nutrients linked to the health and longevity of the Bulgarian people. The unique, active bacterial cultures in our yogurt are essential to the yogurt-making process. The primary species is Lactobacillus bulgaricus, discovered by the Bulgarian microbiologist Dr. Stamen Grigorov in 1905. Special strains of this species are used to create Trimona’s distinctive tangy taste and homemade-yogurt aroma.
L. bulgaricus is a beneficial lactic acid bacteria essential to the yogurt making process. It was discovered by the Bulgarian microbiologist Dr. Stamen Grigorov back in 1905 and originates from Bulgaria. It was coined bulgaricus in honor of the country the scientist was born. Trimona tastes just like the original old-time yogurt of the ancient Bulgarians who lived in the Rhodope Mountains. However, not all L. bulgaricus strains of this species are the same. There is a variety of strains currently in use. All yogurts around the globe are using L.bulgaricus.
Greek yogurt is by definition strained yogurt, which means that most of the liquid whey fraction is removed. Trimona Bulgarian yogurt retains it, because this watery part, which a lot of people dump in the sink, is stocked with vitamins and minerals. We need the balance of the two milk proteins which work in symbiosis – whey protein is fast digesting but short lived, and casein lasts for hours and promotes satiety.
Lactose is a naturally occurring sugar in milk which some people have digestive troubles with. Trimona yogurt is easy to digest because its lactose content is diminished substantially during the fermentation process. This is what gives it the distinguished tart and tangy taste, which means less sugar/lactose. Our special bacteria consume most of the lactose and convert it into lactic acid which helps with forming of the curd. In addition, the yogurt bacteria inoculated in ou milk produces lactase, an enzyme which breaks down the lactose. Indeed, many consumers with lactose intolerance have tried our yogurt and don't usually experience any discomfort.
In addition to all that, we produce yogurt from A2A2 milk, meaning that the milk protein found in the other type of milk - A1 is not present in Trimona yogurt. This protein called A1 beta-casein has an active ingredient, named beta-casomorphin-7 or BCM-7 for short. It is an opioid which could slow down waste excretion from human body and may affect lactose intolerant people. The longer the indigested lactose sticks around, the better chance it is given to ferment in the GI tract and cause problems.
Our fermentation process begins with 6-8 hours fast fermentation in incubator followed by approximately 20 hours of slower post fermentation. The total fermentation time is about 30 hours. The acidity level (pH) of our final product is 3.7 – 3.8 and that is considered low as far as yogurt goes. Most yogurts have a pH 4.2 and up. One decimal point makes a big difference. Lower pH means less sugar/lactose which is the goal of our production process. A number of lactose intolerant consumers and SCD (Strict Carbohydrate Diet) watchers have safely consumed Trimona.
Dairy is not a singular thing. A2 cows differ substantially from A1 cows. And cow milk differs from goat/sheep milk. Organic, grass-fed A2 cows make much less milk daily than do A1 cows, so it’s richer, healthier, non-toxic, and free of allergens. The allergy component called by professor Keith Woodford “devil in the milk” is found mostly in conventional dairy breed cows such as Holstein (A1) and appeared way back due to natural mutation (the amino acid proline is converted to histidine) or in cows engineered to mass-produce milk. Its scientific name is BCM-7 (beta-casomorphin-7). It is a group of seven amino acids in the A1 beta casein peptide chain. This dangerous allergen, which has been linked to type 1 diabetes in children and various autoimmune diseases is not present in pure A2 cows which are preferably used to make Trimona yogurt.
BCM-7 also appears to be an opioid. Most opioids have the ability to slow down waste excretion from human body which in turn may affect lactose intolerant people. The longer the indigested lactose sticks around, the better chance it is given to ferment in the GI tract and cause problems.
BCM-7 has shown in research studies to be a potent oxidant of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) which could lead to plaque formation in the artery walls causing heart disease.
The genetic status of a cow is determined by a pair of genes. Each cow and bull carry two copies of the gene. There are also two major alleles - A1 and A2 beta-casein alleles. A2A2 cow means that the passage of the A2 gene to the offspring is guaranteed because the cow and the bull carry only the A2 alleles.
A2 cow may not be a pure A2, meaning that it may carry a copy of A1 and a copy of A2 allele. Farmers that are in the process of converting their herds to A2A2 go through an avearge of 10 years of breeding.
Trimona yogurt is made with milk from A2A2 Jersey cows which have been genetically tested and have a record on file.
One serving of 3/4 cup of our plain yogurt has only 6g. This is a naturallaly occuring milk sugar. There is no added sugar in our plain yogurt.
Yes. Gluten does not naturally occur in milk. Gluten is a protein found in grain, not in dairy, unless is added to it. We don’t have additives, artificial preservatives, sweeteners, or gluten thickeners added to our yogurt therefore we are gluten free.
There are 6 beneficial bacteria in our yogurt: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacilus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus paracasei and Bifidobacterium. Our manufacturing process guarantees eleven weeks of shelf life for these species and their count is in the billions even at the end of the product's shelf life.
The protein content in Trimona yogurt is what is natural from unadulterated dairy. Six grams per serving is a healthy shot of protein, especially when whey is part of it. It’s important to get enough protein every day but as far as yogurt is concerned the ballance of the two major proteins - whey protein and casein is essential.
Not all protein is the same. Whey protein and casein are exceptional sources of amino acids and we need both of them. Whey is fast-digesting and is quickly broken down (15-20 minutes after consumption) to amino acids. Casein is a slow-digesting protein which slowly releases amino acids into blood circulation, promoting satiety and blocking protein breakdown. Both work in perfect symbiosis - whey has higher levels of leucine, a potent amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis. Protein quality trumps quantity any day. That’s the promise of Trimona yogurt.
Trimona is a whole dairy product that retains all the healthy fat and the fact that is grass-fed and organic makes a profound difference in nutrition. Yogurt made with milk from cows grazing on pastures has the optimum ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA). EFAs help in the formation of cell membranes and improve the brain function. The milk fat contains about five times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than cows fed with corn and grain. CLA is another healthy fat found primarily in whole, grass-fed cow milk that may promote body fat loss, improve immunity and body composition.The well balanced saturated and polyunsaturated fats Omega-3 and Omega-6 are necessary in the diet to maintain a healthy brain, hair and skin, and to stimulate energy and weight loss. Organic milk contains 62% more Omega-3s than conventional milk. Grass feeding makes the milk richer in Omega-s, vitamin A, and CLA– an immune boosting essential fatty acid. The legendary hardiness of the Bulgarian people is a testament to good fat.
The cholesterol in Trimona yogurt is similar to that in any whole milk dairy product. But dietary cholesterol is not the problem. The cholesterol we consume with food is not the cholesterol showing in the lipid panel of our blood test. This type of cholesterol, called chylomicron is esterified, it’s bigger in size and barely passes through the enterocyte wall of the small intestine (aka our “gut”). Most of the cholesterol that’s in our body is made by our cells and the liver.
Cholesterol is an integral part of the human body, and is not a bad thing until it becomes damaged by poor diets, lack of freshness, overcooking, lack of antioxidants and nutrients, high-carb, low-fiber, etc. Scientists consider cholesterol from foods a minor component of blood cholesterol. Plus, it comes packaged with an abundance of healthy fats in our yogurt that far outweigh any ill effect. In fact, grass-fed yogurt is one of the very few foods shown in clinical trials to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. On March 1, 2024 the FDA announced qualified health claim for yogurt and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Yes. Raw milk is good for you but it’s rarely available in stores. Government agencies in many states require pasteurization of dairy products for public safety. Pasteurization kills all the unwanted pathogens and milk spoilers. The live active cultures in yogurt are added afterwards to provide the digestive, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory benefits that have been appreciated for millennia by eastern European people. Pasteurization provides a nonantagonistic environment for the inoculated bacterial yogurt cultures to grow without competition.
No. We use only WHOLE MILK from GRASS-FED, A2A2 organic cows. Fats from whole, grass-fed milk are beginning to be appreciated for their health benefits. We can provide many supportive documents and links to trusted sources upon request.
Goat and sheep milk are healthy alternatives to cow milk, and avoid allergies experienced by a quarter of the population. However, those allergies come from Holstein (A1) cows, while brown (A2A2) cow milk–used exclusively in Trimona yogurt does not contain the BCM7 (casein toxin). Plus, grass-fed cow’s milk has close to 5 times more CLA than corn and grain fed cows. CLA, a good fat called "conjugated linoleic acid" is a special immune-boosting nutrient, and powerful anticarcinogen.
Just like goat and sheep milk are alternatives to cow milk, Trimona yogurt is an alternative to conventional cow milk yogurt.