Yogurt enriched with live ants? According to the traditional recipe, yes

Following an ancient yogurt recipe that was once common in the Balkans and Turkey, a team of scientists has used live ants to make yogurt and has demonstrated that the acids and bacteria present in these insects accelerate the fermentation of milk. The work, carried out by scientists from the University of Denmark and published in the journal iScience by Cell Press, shows how traditional practices can "inspire new approaches in food science" and bring "creativity" to the kitchen. "Today, yogurts are usually made with just two bacterial strains," says lead author Leonie Jahn from the Technical University of Denmark, but traditional yogurt recipes have a "much greater biodiversity, varying by location, households, and season. This brings more flavors, textures, and personality." Red wood ants (Formica species) can be found in the forests of the Balkans and Turkey, where this yogurt-making technique was popular in the past. To better understand how to use these ants to make yogurt, ...