"Bulgarian yogurt comes under the general category of yogurts which contain live bacteria. For yogurt to be considered of the Bulgarian variety, it needs to be made with two specific starter bacteria, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus and Streptococcus Salivarius."
There is hardly a person in the world who does not know that Bulgaria is the homeland of the yogurt. For Bulgarians, consuming yogurt has been known to be beneficial for many centuries, but the unique qualities of the Bulgarian yogurt garnered a worldwide attention in the end of 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
The well-known Russian scientist Ilya Metchnikoff - one of the founders of modern immunology - linked the longevity of the Bulgarian people to the consumption of yoghurt.
Metchnikoff even reported that the special kind of Lactobacilli in samples of Bulgarian yogurt was the only bacterium that had never damaged the human organism anyhow. Even though he made that discovery, Professor Metchnikoff was not aware who the real founder of that special bacillus was. The answer to his question dates back to 1905 when the Bulgarian Dr. Stamen Grigorov, discovered a special kind of Lactobacilli and called them Lactobacillus Bulgaricus.
The B. lactis bulgaricus is one of a widely distributed group of lactic acid-producing organisms which do not proliferate in laboratory media. Scientists believe that these bacilli modify the intestinal flora, thus limiting auto-intoxication and its train of arteriosclerotic changes which lead to premature senility.
Nowadays, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus is used to sour milk (produce yogurt), given as a remedy, used in treatments, etc. The administration of yogurt products is very beneficial and it gradually taking the place of protein food for improving nutrition. LB can also be taken in tablet form although the best way to benefit from its qualities is through yogurt consumption.
