iScience October 2025 PMID 41169514

Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation.

Veronica M Sinotte, Verónica Ramos-Viana, Diego Prado Vásquez, Sevgi Mutlu Sirakova, Nabila Rodríguez Valerón, Ana Cuesta-Maté, Shannara K Taylor Parkins, Julia Giecko, Esther Merino Velasco, David Zilber, Rasmus Munk, Sandra B Andersen, Robert R Dunn, Leonie J Jahn

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Mentions

187

Peak: 15 in Oct 2025

across 6 sources since Sep 2024

Extended reach

106,724

potential audience

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Video views

2,693

Mentions per month

Sep 2024 – Oct 2025

Where it's discussed

News155 articles
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AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions demonstrate a balanced mix of support and curiosity, with posts sharing insights into traditional methods involving ants and their microbiomes, referencing bacteria and acids as key to fermentation. The tone and word choices suggest an appreciation for the scientific discovery and its cultural relevance, reflecting a moderate but meaningful engagement that hints at potential influence on food science and cultural practices.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions show support or curiosity about the research, indicating a general agreement with its significance.

InterestModerate interest

Participants express moderate interest by highlighting traditional practices and scientific findings, though some seem casual or curious.

EngagementModerate engagement

Conversations involve referencing specific details like bacteria, acids, and fermentation processes, reflecting medium levels of detailed engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

The discussions suggest the publication could influence traditional food practices and scientific understanding, indicating a moderate level of impact.

Abstract in brief

The study explores how traditional Turkish and Bulgarian ant yogurt fermentation involves red wood ants, whose associated bacteria help ferment milk by producing acids that cause it to sour and coagulate.
Live ants contribute lactic, acetic, and formic acids, which aid in yogurt acidification, showcasing a symbiotic relationship between ants and bacteria in food production.
Researchers identified bacteria and enzymes from ants that may influence yogurt texture and flavor, emphasizing the importance of combining traditional practices with biological science to understand fermented foods better.]

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All mentions

Innovative Use of Ant Holobiont in Yogurt Fermentation

This study investigates how traditional Bulgarian and Turkish ant yogurt fermentation involves red wood ants whose bacteria facilitate milk fermentation by producing acids that sour and coagulate the milk. It highlights…

KBI Indonesia · Oct 27, 2025 2,120 views

Ant-Driven Yogurt Fermentation Reveals Unique Microbial Processes

Researchers recreated ancient Bulgarian yogurt-making with live ants, uncovering microbes, acids, and enzymes that naturally ferment milk. The study highlights the symbiotic relationship between ants and bacteria in…

ANT ERTAIN · Oct 25, 2025 573 views

やまだ@腸活×アンチエイジング

@tarou_ymd_ · X

Oct 14, 2025 · 6 likes · 7,047 followers View post →

小坪遊　Yu Kotsubo

@SciKotz · X

原著はこちら。 Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation: iScience https://t.co/yFSIVQSlWU

Oct 13, 2025 · 2 likes · 9,249 followers View post →

PF (Patricia/Pat) Anderson

@pfatech · X

Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation: iScience https://t.co/zR9kV7eY5o

Oct 11, 2025 · 619 followers View post →

ACSH

@ACSHorg · X

RT @sminaev2015: Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation: iScience https://t.co/9O…

Oct 10, 2025 · 1 share · 6,790 followers View post →

Astropierre

@astropierre.com · Bluesky

2/2 Le papier "Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation" : www.cell.com/iscience/ful...

Oct 7, 2025 · 22 likes · 2 shares View post →

Tuğba

@TubaKes73224993 · X

Eskiden yapılan her şey zekâ dolu bir işçiliğin ürünü. ‘Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation’ makalesine göre eski Türkler ve Balkanlar yoğurdu karıncayla mayalıyorlarmış. Yani sen karıncada laktik asit ve asetik asit ++

Oct 7, 2025 · 155 followers View post →

Sergey Minaev

@sminaev2015 · X

Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation: iScience https://t.co/9O8AVQNSJ7

Oct 6, 2025 · 4 likes · 1 share · 31,507 followers View post →

oekakimaestro@家庭教師・塾講師・勉強会のお仕事承ります

@oekakimaestro · X

RT @benkyo_todo: @nikkei Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation: iScience https:/…

Oct 6, 2025 · 2 shares · 3,772 followers View post →

蟲喰ロトワ (むしくろとわ)@TAKEO株式会社CSO

@Mushi_Kurotowa · X

RT @benkyo_todo: @nikkei Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation: iScience https:/…

Oct 5, 2025 · 2 shares · 16,613 followers View post →

MAKOTO YOSHIDA　11/16虫フェス、12/13パンディット

@houtoubot · X

元論文はこちら https://t.co/LlKlKxa9MF

Oct 5, 2025 · 4 likes · 839 followers View post →

Hmmm...

@HmmmNiceee · X

Bacteria, acids, and enzymes in ants can kickstart the fermentation process that turns milk into yogurt, say researchers who add ants to their yogurt making recipe. https://t.co/0k7RitojUV

Oct 5, 2025 · 338 followers View post →

トドスケ

@benkyo_todo · X

@nikkei Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation: iScience https://t.co/22yh88escZ

Oct 5, 2025 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 193 followers View post →

Andy_Weeble_Weaver

@AndrewW66619812 · X

The paper in "iScience" the above "Guardian" article is based upon, & links to: “Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation” 2/ https://t.co/n9jbWs8yJz

Oct 3, 2025 · 4,337 followers View post →

metabarpapers

@metabar_papers · X

Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation https://t.co/JZ0XpCjOSn https://t.co/1U5iy4Z93C

Sep 17, 2024 · 1,614 followers View post →

bioRxiv Microbiology

@biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · Bluesky

Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.16.613207v1

Sep 17, 2024 · 2 likes · 1 share View post →

bioRxivpreprint

@biorxivpreprint.bsky.social · Bluesky

Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.16.613207v1

Sep 17, 2024 · 1 like View post →

bioRxiv Microbiology

@biorxiv_micrbio · X

Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation https://t.co/6bOJdRfijy #biorxiv_micrbio

Sep 17, 2024 · 2 likes · 1 share · 20,935 followers View post →