A bizarre rumor has resurfaced on social media claiming that Yakult, the well-known probiotic milk drink, is made from cow sperm. We investigated this claim and determined it is false.
Social Media Posts
Social media users shared a claim that “Yakult is made up of sperm of the cow.” across various platforms.
Fact-Check
To verify the claim, we first examined the publicly available ingredient list and Yakult’s manufacturing process.
Yakult’s Real Ingredients
Yakult is a fermented probiotic milk beverage made using the following ingredients:
- Water
- Skimmed milk powder (from cow’s milk)
- Glucose-fructose syrup
- Sucrose (table sugar)
- Natural flavors (e.g., citrus)
- Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota (probiotic bacteria)
None of these are remotely related to animal reproductive fluids. The sole cow-derived ingredient is skimmed milk powder, a standard dairy product used widely in yogurts and probiotic drinks. Yakult’s ingredients and production process are documented by the company itself across global subsidiaries and verified by independent sources. (Source)
The Manufacturing Process
Yakult’s production is a controlled, food-grade process that includes the following steps:
- Mixing: Skimmed milk powder is dissolved in hot, filtered water.
- Sterilization: The solution is heated to eliminate all contaminants.
- Fermentation: A pure culture of L. paracasei Shirota is added and incubated at controlled temperatures.
- Flavoring: The fermented mixture is blended with sugar syrup and natural flavors.
- Bottling: The final product is packaged under strict hygiene controls and refrigerated.
Each 65ml bottle of Yakult contains over 20 billion live probiotic bacteria (measured as CFUs or colony-forming units). According to official documentation, Yakult’s manufacturing process uses only food-grade ingredients including water, skimmed milk powder, sugar, and bacterial cultures. The production process is standardized across all Yakult manufacturing facilities worldwide, including those in Japan, Southeast Asia, the United States, and Europe. (Source)
Scientific Context
The claim that Yakult contains cow sperm makes no scientific sense. Here’s why:
Yakult is made through fermentation. This involves adding beneficial bacteria (Lacticaseibacillus casei Shirota) to milk, allowing these bacteria to grow by consuming the sugars in the milk. This process has nothing to do with animal reproduction. (Source)
Cow semen is only used for breeding cattle. It contains cells and compounds designed for fertilization, not food production. Using it in food would violate safety regulations worldwide and serve no useful purpose in fermentation, as the bacteria need plant or milk sugars to grow. (Source: Frontiers, Nature)
Yakult’s production involves heating milk to high temperatures before adding bacteria. These temperatures would destroy any sperm cells if they were present. The claim mistakenly connects animal breeding practices with food manufacturing, ignoring the completely different ingredients, processes, and regulations involved in each industry. (Source)
Food Safety Regulations
Yakult is manufactured and sold in over 40 countries, which means its ingredients and production processes must comply with international and national food safety laws. These laws strictly regulate what can and cannot go into food products—especially dairy-based beverages like Yakult.
1. Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO International Food Standards)
Yakult’s core ingredient, fermented skimmed milk, falls under the Codex category of fermented milks, governed by the Codex Standard for Fermented Milks (CODEX STAN 243-2003). According to these standards, only food-grade dairy ingredients, starter cultures, sugars, and permitted additives are allowed, while non-food substances, including any form of animal reproductive material, are prohibited. Additionally, ingredients must be declared transparently on labels. See Codex Standard here.
2. U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
In the United States, Yakult is regulated as a cultured milk product and must follow FDA’s 21 CFR §131.112 – Cultured milk standards, GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) Ingredient List, and Labeling and food safety manufacturing rules (21 CFR Part 110 and Part 117). All ingredients must be GRAS or approved food additives, with bovine semen being not GRAS and not permitted in any food product. Products must be truthfully labeled and subject to inspection, traceability, and recall protocols. FDA CFR database here.
3. EFSA and EU Food Law
In the European Union, Yakult must comply with Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 – General Food Law, Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 – Food Additives, and Regulation (EC) No. 1334/2008 – Flavorings and Certain Food Ingredients. Under these regulations, food must be safe, traceable, and free from non-authorized ingredients. Any new substance must undergo EFSA safety evaluation and be listed on the EU Community Register of Food Additives, with no authorization or precedent for using any form of animal reproductive material in dairy or probiotic beverages. Yakult Europe confirms its compliance with these EU standards and clearly lists all ingredients, none of which are unusual or undeclared. EFSA summary of food laws available here.
Official Statement from Yakult
Yakult has officially denied the claim that their probiotic drink contains cow sperm. According to Carlo Magsino from the Public Relations and Science Department of Yakult Philippines:
“Our Yakult probiotic drink contains 8 billion live lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, water, skimmed milk powder, glucose, essence or flavor and syrup.”
He further clarified that cattle sperm is not among the ingredients of the beverage. This information is consistent with the ingredient list available on Yakult Philippines’ official website. At no point in Yakult’s history or in any of its official documentation has cow sperm been used as an ingredient in their products. (Source: Verafiles)
Origin of the Claim
The claim about Yakult containing cow sperm appears to have originated from a Facebook page named “DYK,” which identified itself as a “Just For Fun” page, in a post published on July 31, 2020. This post contained a screenshot of a Google Search result claiming that Yakult is “made up of sperm of the cow.” The page was reportedly deactivated after the post gained widespread attention. (Source)
Conclusion
The claim that Yakult is made from cow sperm is entirely false. Yakult is a probiotic milk beverage made through a well-documented process involving cow’s milk, water, sugars, flavorings, and beneficial bacteria, with no involvement of reproductive materials at any stage.
