Frequently Asked Questions

Balkan Style Yogurts are set-style Yogurts. The body of the Yogurt is firmer which you can “cut” with a spoon. The Yogurt will have a flat, smooth top and it will “stick” to the spoon. At times there may be liquid whey on the top.

Yogurt is a fermented product, resulting from the growth of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus in warm milk. All of our Yogurts including the Astro Balkan style contain these two active cultures.

Yes – the bacterial cultures would be killed by normal cooking temperatures >175C

The proteins in Astro yogurt can react to high temperatures causing them to form clumps. To avoid this try, one of the following methods: use full fat yogurt, temper before adding, add a stabilizer like corn starch, cook at low heats, or add at the end.

We do not recommend freezing Astro yogurt as it can negatively impact the texture and taste.

The liquid that can occasionally be found on top of yogurt is whey. A slight separation of whey from the yogurt is totally natural and nothing to worry about. When that happens you can either stir the whey back in for a smoother yogurt or pour it off. The whey is mainly water but contains some minerals and nutrients including calcium and some whey protein. Astro yogurt can occasionally have this slight separation because in order to keep our ingredients simple and to a minimum, the yogurt may not have any starches or stabilizers that might prevent this type of separation from happening.

We do not recommend eating any products past the Best Before Date in any circumstance, not even for one day difference.

We always recommend storing your Astro products on the middle shelf, towards the back of the refrigerator, to ensure your tub stays fresh for longer.

We offer a general recommendation in consuming any Astro product within 7 days of opening, due to air exposure and temperature fluctuations from being taken in and out of the fridge.

Yes, Astro yogurts and kefir are vegetarian-friendly. They’re made with simple, natural ingredients without any meat or meat-derived ingredients. Always check individual product labels for specific dietary information.

Astro’s smooth, rich texture and distinctive taste make it incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Use it as a substitute for sour cream or heavy cream in recipes, or add it to marinades, dressings, and baked goods. A simple yet delicious way to elevate any dish! Visit our Recipes page to experience Astro’s versatility in 50+ recipes for any part of the day.

Greek yogurt is strained to remove extra water, creating a thicker product with higher protein. Balkan yogurt, like Astro, uses traditional fermentation where the yogurt is set in the container resulting in a creamier texture and milder taste.

Astro fits seamlessly into any meal or snack. Enjoy it plain for breakfast, layer it with granola and fruit, use it as a base for smoothies, or swirl it into desserts. In the kitchen, substitute it for sour cream in dips and dressings, add it to marinades, or use it in baking. Astro is your versatile sidekick for any time of day.

Lactase enzyme is added to break down the lactose into its two root components-glucose and galactose. The majority of people already have this enzyme naturally occurring in their digestive system to help break down lactose. It is the people who don’t produce this enzyme who are lactose intolerant.

There are less than 10 mg of caffeine per serving (115 g) of Astro Cappuccino yogurt.

Caramel colours are made by heating sugars under controlled conditions.

The Sugar in Astro Yogurt is a refined and naturally occurring milk sugar from lactose. However, some Astro flavoured products contain added sugars.

Please refer to the product packaging. All allergens will be identified in the ingredient list.

We have more than one source of whey and there is the possibility that the whey is from a cheese that was produced with an animal enzyme.

Astro products are not certified gluten free, however we do not use gluten containing ingredients or have gluten containing ingredients in the facility.

Agar is a stabilizer and thickener that is transparent, odourless and tasteless and obtained from seaweed.

Yogurt is pasteurized before the bacteria are added. Yogurt must be pasteurized by law in Canada. Yogurt is pasteurized before the bacterial cultures are added to the product. All of our manufacturing facilities are federally registered and regularly inspected by the government for compliance to pasteurization requirements.

Lactase enzyme is produced by fermentation of a selected strain of yeast.

It is a natural component of the milk.

The letter printed on the foil indicates the nozzle number of the filler. The packaging printer prints the nozzle letters A through F on some of the foil lids.

Yogurt is measured by weight, not by volume. While there is variation in filling during production, the average weight of any production lot must always meet or exceed the declared contents. We can assure you that Lactalis follows the mandated regulations.

For the multi-pack format the container material is #6 PS- Polystrene.

Much of our Astro product packaging can be recycled. For more information on how to recycle your specific product – please check the back of the packaging for the How2Recycle logo and check your local recycling guidelines.

We do not use MSG in our Astro yogurts. All ingredients can be seen on the product packaging.

Our Astro Plain 6% is made of just three simple ingredients: milk, cream, & cultures, and time to set. Our flavoured products contain more than 3 ingredients, but simplicity remains the foundation through all of our products, from plain to flavoured.