Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Dairy-free ice cream? Infidels!?!

Bear with us, if you're one of those folks who think soy (me!) and coconut milk aren't "milk" at all...

This is a tale of two food scientists. One was developing a new soy yogurt and the other a new coconut milk ice cream.

Together, almost by accident, they created something completely new: coconut milk yogurt. Their creation, So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt, is being launched this summer by Turtle Mountain, makers of America’s most popular dairy-free ice creams and frozen desserts.

The new yogurt is made by adding beneficial bacteria cultures to organic coconut milk. Six live and active cultures turn the naturally sweet coconut milk into a thick and creamy yogurt.

The two scientists, Ken Viscidi and Dolly Mok, were working on their separate products when they decided to mix things up by adding the yogurt culture to the coconut milk. The results surprised and excited them and they knew immediately they had created something special.

“Even after the first try it tasted great. We knew we were on to something,” says Ken. The new yogurt is 100% soy and dairy free and fortified to be an excellent source of calcium, magnesium and vitamin B12, an essential vitamin many vegetarians have trouble getting enough of. Since it’s made with coconut milk, the yogurt contains medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) such as lauric acid which are known to boost the immune system and thyroid function.

So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt is available in six flavors: Plain, Blueberry, Raspberry, Vanilla, Strawberry Banana and Passionate Mango. The suggested retail price is $1.89 for a 6-ounce container and it will be available at Whole Foods Markets and other select grocery stores nationwide in early July.

Turtle Mountain is based in Eugene, Ore., since 1990. All products are 100% plant-based and contain no artificial sweeteners, trans-fats or hydrogenated oils. Most are made with certified organic ingredients.

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