Course:FNH200/Assignments/2025/Activia Yogurt Vanilla - Regular vs Fat Free

Introduction

Activia Yogurt - Regular Vanilla vs. Fat Free Vanilla (0% Fat)

Activia is a probiotic yogurt brand by Danone, available widely in Canadian grocery stores. Our group compared two variations of Activia Vanilla yogurt: the Regular version containing cream and added sugar, and the Fat Free version featuring sugar substitutes and added stabilizers.

Our goal is to analyze how fat and sugar substitutes are used in these products, their functional roles, and whether the products meet Canadian food labeling regulations.

Product Images

Activia Regular Vanilla Yogurt	Activia Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt
Image 1: Activia Regular Vanilla Yogurt	Image 2: Activia Fat Free Vanilla 0% Yogurt
Image 3: Activia Vanilla Yogurt Nutrition Facts	Image 4: Nutrition Facts of Activia Fat Free Yogurt
Image 5: Activia Vanilla Yogurt Ingredients	Image 6: Activia Fat Free Yogurt Ingredients

Ingredient lists

1. Ingredients:

Activia Regular Vanilla Yogurt:

Skim milk, Ultrafiltered milk, Cream, Sugars [sugar, caramel, fruit juice (for colour)], Water, Modified corn starch, Gelatin, Natural flavour, Active probiotic culture (Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494) and active bacterial cultures, Vitamin D3, Annatto (for colour), Malic acid.

Activia Fat Free Vanilla 0% Yogurt:

Skim milk, Ultrafiltered milk, Water, Cane sugar, Modified corn starch, Gelatin, Natural flavour, Pectin, Active probiotic culture (Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494) and active bacterial cultures, Stevia extract, Locust bean gum, Sodium citrate, Malic acid, Calcium lactate, Vitamin A palmitate, Vitamin D3.

2. Substitutes and Additives:

Category	Regular	Fat Free 0%
Sugar Substitutes	None	Stevia extract
Fat Substitutes	None (uses cream)	Pectin, Locust bean gum
Additives	Modified corn starch, Gelatin, Annatto, Malic acid	Modified corn starch, Gelatin, Pectin, Locust bean gum, Sodium citrate, Calcium lactate, Malic acid

3. Functional Roles of Substitutes and Additives:

• Stevia Extract (Fat Free) A natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. While it is 250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, it has almost no calories. In Activia Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt, stevia is used to replace sugar to lower the caloric content while maintaining the sweetness of the yogurt. Stevia helps mitigate the impact of sugar on blood glucose levels. It is heat-stable, making it suitable for processed foods.
• Pectin (Fat Free) It is commonly used as a fat mimetic in dairy products like yogurt. It helps create the creamy texture that is found in full-fat versions by binding water and forming a light gel structure, which increases viscosity without adding extra calories. It also helps prevent liquid separation during storage, keeping the product smooth and stable over time.
• Locust Bean Gum (Fat Free) Also known as carob gum, this galactomannan is extracted from the seeds of the carob tree. It hydrates in cold water to enhance viscosity and texture. It also synergizes strongly with small amounts of other gums like xanthan or pectin. In fat-free yogurt, locust bean gum helps compensate for the creaminess and texture lost caused by the removal of milk fat, keeping the probiotic cultures evenly mixed.
• Modified Corn Starch (Both) Corn starch that has been physically, enzymatically, or chemically modified to improve its stability under heat, acid, and shear. In both Regular and Fat Free Activia Vanilla Yogurt, modified corn starch is used as a thickening, stabilizing, and smoothing agent. Unlike natural starch, it resists breakdown during pasteurization and storage, maintaining the yogurt's texture and quality from production to consumption.
• Gelatin (Both) A protein derived from breaking down collagen from animal skins and bones. It forms thermo-reversible gels that melt in the mouth. In yogurt, it acts as a thickening, gelling, and stabilizing agent. It creates a smooth, creamy feel to the yogurt and prevents separation during processing and storage.
• Annatto (Regular) A natural food colouring obtained from the seeds of the Bixa orellana tree. It is rich in carotenoid pigments (primarily bixin), which provides a warm yellow to orange colour to food. In Regular Activia Vanilla Yogurt, annatto gives the plain yogurt a rich, creamy look that appeals to consumers without relying on synthetic dyes. It is approved by Health Canada under the Food and Drug Regulations.
• Sodium Citrate (Fat Free) Used along with citric acid to act as a "green" extraction agent, preserving pectin's structure and forming gel during the processing stage. In yogurt, sodium citrate controls pH within the optimal range during production and storage. It also helps with enhancing the texture and stabilizing the yogurt. In fat-free versions, It works with pectin to prevent separation and to maintain a smooth, creamy feel of the yogurt.
• Calcium Lactate (Fat Free) A calcium salt of lactic acid that serves as a stabilizer and a firming agent. In fat-free yogurt, adding calcium lactate increases the nutritional calcium content which is crucial when cream is removed. It helps strengthen the gel structure and reduce separation during storage. Calcium Lactate also helps regulate acidity and dissolves readily at yogurt pH.

• Malic Acid (Both) An organic dicarboxylic acid naturally found in fruits (especially apples). Malic acid contributes to fruit acidity. In both Regular and Fat Free Activia Vanilla Yogurt, malic acid is used at low levels to enhance the yogurt’s tartness, regulate pH, and balance sweetness.

4. Comparison:

Similarities

• Base Dairy Ingredients: Both are based on skim milk and ultrafiltered skim milk.
• Starch & Gelatin: Both use modified corn starch and gelatin to help build texture.
• Probiotics & Cultures: Both contains the same active probiotic culture, Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494, plus other starter bacteria.
• Natural Flavour & Fortification: Both list “natural flavour,” include added vitamin D₃, and are made with vitamin D–fortified skim milk.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ingredients and Nutrition Facts are listed bilingually and per 115 g serving, in accordance with Canadian Food and Drug Regulations.
• Serving & Flavor: Both are vanilla-flavoured, with a standard 115 g serving size.

Differences

• Fat source:
  • Regular version uses cream, contributing 3g of total fat per 115g of serving.
  • Fat Free version contains no cream or fat, relying instead on gums and stabilizers like locust bean gum.
• Sweetener:
  • Regular version uses added sugar like sucrose, contributing 11g of sugar per 115g of serving.
  • Fat Free version uses stevia extract and cane sugar, contributing 7g of total sugar per 115g of serving, while still maintaining sweetness.
• Thickeners/Stabilizers:
  • Regular version relies primarily on modified corn starch and gelatin for thickness and viscosity.
  • In addition to modified corn starch and gelatin, the Fat Free version adds pectin, locust bean gum, and sodium citrate to replicate the creamy texture normally provided by fat.
• Additional functional additives:
  • Regular version contains annatto for colouring.
  • Fat Free version includes sodium citrate to control acidity and calcium lactate to boost calcium content and gel strength, neither of which appear in the Regular version.
• Nutritional profile:
  • Regular version has 90 Calories, 3g fat, 11g sugars, and 4g protein per 115g of serving.
  • Fat Free version has 60 Calories, 0g fat, 7g sugars, and 5g protein, plus added vitamins A.
• Milk Fat Declaration:
  • Regular version has 2.2% M.F. declared.
  • Fat Free version has 0% M.F. declared.
• Protein:
  • Regular version contains 4g of protein per 115g of serving.
  • Fat Free version contains 5g per 115g of serving.
• Vitamin Fortification:
  • Regular version uses Vitamin D₃.
  • Fat Free version uses Vitamin A and Vitamin D₃.

Labels

1. Detailed description of the information found on the labels:

Product Identity:

• Brand Name: Activia®
• Product Description: Vanilla-flavoured probiotic yogurt
• Milk Fat Declaration:
  • Regular Vanilla Version: “2.2 % M.F.”
  • Fat-Free Vanilla Version: “0 % M.F.”
• Flavour and Form: “Vanilla” and “Yogurt” clearly stated

Common Name:

• Simply “Yogurt” (the FDR-mandated standardized name)

Bilingualism:

• All mandatory text in English and French (Images 3–6)

Country of Origin:

• Danone Inc., Boucherville, Québec, Canada (Images 3 & 4)

Durable Life Date:

• “Best before” date on container, format YYYY/MM/DD

Storage Instructions:

• “Keep Refrigerated” (Images 3 & 4)

Net Quantity:

• 650 g (metric) on the front panel (Images 1 & 2)

Nutrition Facts Table (NFT):

• Standard bilingual NFT on side panel, per 115 g: Energy (kCal), Fat (incl. Saturated & Trans), Carbohydrate (incl. Fibre & Sugars), Protein, Cholesterol, Sodium, Calcium, plus any declared vitamins/minerals

Ingredient List:

• Regular Vanilla Yogurt:
  1. Skim milk, ultrafiltered skim milk and/or milk protein concentrate
  2. Cream
  3. Sugars (sucrose; caramel for colour)
  4. Water
  5. Natural flavour
  6. Modified corn starch
  7. Gelatin
  8. Active probiotic culture (Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494 and bacterial starters)
  9. Vitamin D₃
• Fat-Free Vanilla Yogurt:
  1. Skim milk, ultrafiltered skim milk and/or milk protein concentrate
  2. Water
  3. Cane sugar
  4. Stevia extract
  5. Natural flavour
  6. Modified corn starch
  7. Gelatin
  8. Pectin
  9. Locust bean gum
  10. Sodium citrate
  11. Malic acid
  12. Calcium lactate
  13. Active probiotic culture (Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494 and bacterial starters)
  14. Vitamin A palmitate and Vitamin D₃

Allergens (milk, gelatin) are declared.

Company Information:

• Manufacturer’s name and principal place of business (Danone Inc., Boucherville, QC)

2. Compliance with Lesson 04: Food Standards, Regulations and Guides – Food Additives

• Bilingual Labelling: Meets FDR B.01.012 and SFCR requirements—English & French on all mandatory elements.
• Common Name & Identity: Uses “Yogurt” per FDR B.08.071 for cultured milk products.
• Milk Fat Declaration: Front-panel “x % M.F.” as required by FDR B.08.002.3.
• Additives & Functional Ingredients: All listed additives (stevia, pectin, locust bean gum, sodium citrate, malic acid, calcium lactate) appear on Health Canada’s permitted-additives Division 16 lists and are used within allowable limits.
• Allergen Declaration: Priority allergens (milk, gelatin) are clearly identified per FDR B.01.010.1.

3. Summary Table: Comparison of Label Information

Feature	Activia Regular Vanilla Yogurt	Activia Fat-Free Vanilla Yogurt (0 % Fat)
Brand Name	Activia®	Activia®
Product Description	Vanilla-flavoured probiotic yogurt	Vanilla-flavoured probiotic yogurt
Fat Declaration	“2.2 % M.F.”	“0 % M.F.”
Flavour	Vanilla	Vanilla
Common Name	Yogurt	Yogurt
Bilingual Labelling	English & French	English & French
Country of Origin	Danone Inc., Boucherville, QC, Canada	Danone Inc., Boucherville, QC, Canada
Best Before Date	YYYY/MM/DD	YYYY/MM/DD
Storage	Keep Refrigerated	Keep Refrigerated
Net Quantity	650 g	650 g
Nutrition Facts Table	Standard bilingual NFT (per 115 g)	Standard bilingual NFT (per 115 g)
Ingredient List	Skim milk, Ultrafiltered milk, Cream, Sugars [sugar, caramel, fruit juice (for colour)], Water, Modified corn starch, Gelatin, Natural flavour, Active probiotic culture (Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494) and active bacterial cultures, Vitamin D3, Annatto (for colour), Malic acid.	Skim milk, Ultrafiltered milk, Water, Cane sugar, Modified corn starch, Gelatin, Natural flavour, Pectin, Active probiotic culture (Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494) and active bacterial cultures, Stevia extract, Locust bean gum, Sodium citrate, Malic acid, Calcium lactate, Vitamin A palmitate, Vitamin D3.
Allergens	Milk, gelatin	Milk, gelatin
Company Info	Manufacturer name & address	Manufacturer name & address
Regulatory Compliance	Meets FDR & SFCR	Meets FDR & SFCR

References

This Food Science resource was created by Course:FNH200.