Antsy About Getting Old? How About Some Ant-Yogurt?

Photos from a research article: Figure 2 The ant holobiont serves as a catalyzing agent for dairy applications (A–C) Photographs of traditional ant yogurt fermentation initiated by Formica rufa ants and their characteristic thatched colonies, taken during field work in Bulgaria. (A) Live ants were added to warmed milk that was then (B) buried within the ant colony and left to ferment overnight. (C) The resulting milk had started to coagulate and acidify, indicative of early stages of yogurt fermentation. (D–F) Culinary applications created by the research and development team of two Michelin-star restaurant, Alchemist, using F. rufa ants: (D) ant yogurt ice cream sandwich, where the top view shows the tuile cookie that sandwiches the ice cream contained below (E) ant “mascarpone-like” cheese, and (F) milk-wash cocktail. Photo credits: A-C by David Zilber, and D-F by Søren Gammelmark and Kåre Knudsen of Alchemist.

Article by Joe Schwarcz. American Council on Science and Health – December 17, 2025. Original article: Office for Science and Society.

A curious old folk practice claimed that contact with ants could transfer their energy and vitality to humans. This belief grew from ideas of sympathetic magic, where traits of animals were thought to pass through touch or consumption. Modern science, however, offers little support—except for the intriguing possibility of ants helping ferment milk into yogurt. […]

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