A proliferation of Bulgarian bacteria is relatively promoted, and growth of Thermophilus bacteria is relatively inhibited.SOLUTION: The process for producing fermented milk according to the present invention comprises a sterilization step of sterilizing raw milk, a cooling step of cooling the raw milk after the heat sterilization step, a step of feeding raw milk during a cooling step or a cooling step to Bulgaria A starter adding step of adding a lactic acid bacteria starter containing bacteria and thermophilus bacteria to obtain a fermented dairy base material, a low temperature holding step of keeping the fermented dairy base material after the starter addition step at a temperature lower than the fermentation acceleration temperature, A heating step of heating the fermented dairy base material after the step to a fermentation acceleration temperature and a fermentation step of fermenting the raw milk after the heating step to obtain fermented milk.(FIG.【解決課題】 ブルガリア菌の増殖を相対的に促進し,サーモフィルス菌の増殖を相対的に抑制する。【解決手段】 本発明に係る発酵乳の製造方法は,原料乳を殺菌する殺菌工程と,加熱殺菌工程後の原料乳を冷却する冷却工程と,冷却工程中又は冷却工程後の原料乳にブルガリア菌及びサーモフィルス菌を含む乳酸菌スタータを添加して発酵乳基材を得るスタータ添加工程と,スタータ添加工程後の発酵乳基材を発酵促進温度よりも低温で保持する低温保持工程と,低温保持工程後の発酵乳基材を発酵促進温度まで加温する加温工程と,加温工程後の原料乳を発酵させて発酵乳を得る発酵工程と,を含む。【選択図】図1
