MAYA (Майя).  Bulgarian name, perhaps meaning "leaven."  Also see Roman Maia.

    In an article communicated in 1910 to the Daily Telegraph, Sir Ray Lankester quotes Dr. George Herschell to this effect:  "We are undoubtedly indebted to Metchnikoff for the brilliant conception that the daily use of yoghourt (the Bulgarian sour milk), or its equivalent, could be utilised in the treatment of disease, and that by means of it, or preferably by the use of a pure culture of the principal bacillus, we might assist the colon bacilli to inhibit abnormal putrefaction in the intestines."
    Mr. Loudon M. Douglas tells us, in his volume already mentioned, that amongst the Eastern peasantry at the present day, "soured milk is known as yoghourt, a word which is spelt differently according to the locality in which it is used."  And he quotes from a Varna correspondent, who says, "The culture which is used for the preparation of yoghourt is known as maya, or as Bulgarian maya."  The milk which is to be converted into yoghourt must first be freed from all bacteria by boiling and being allowed to cool to the temperature of 45° C.; it is then inoculated with maya and maintained at an even 45° C. during several hours.  There are two kinds of maya or ferment, one known as sour and the other as sweet maya.  This maya is simply the name of the "culture"—the "leaven"—of the bacillus with which these Eastern peoples inoculate their milk to make it sour, all in primitive style. (Dairying, Sheldon, 1912)