Cheese lovers who scream "More cheese, please!" will find that lower-fat cheeses provide a great way to indulge in more cheese and still meet personal dietary goals. Food manufacturers and foodservice formulators can use lower-fat cheese to develop products and menu items that appeal to the calorie conscious.

I thought I had heard them all-that is, all the reasons for choosing organic dairy foods.

Obesity has risen significantly in the United States and is predicted to become the most prevalent public health problem in the United States. Thirty percent of American adults aged 20 - 74-more than 60 million people-are obese. The number of children and teens who are overweight has tripled since 1980. Sixteen percent of children 6 - 19 years-more than 9 million-are considered overweight. If weight gain continues at its present rate, 39% of Americans are estimated to be obese in 2008.

When I was asked to write on "Aspects of Shelf-life," I was uncertain how to proceed. The factors that limit shelf-life and means to extend shelf-life are at once complex and simple. So, I will begin and end this piece with the same advice: "To maximize shelf-life, pay close attention to the quality of the incoming milk and other ingredients, product formulation, the selection of starter culture, the sanitation program in your plant and maintain the appropriate low-storage temperature."

Dairy foods have historically served as ideal vehicles for fruits and nuts. The motive for adding fruits and nuts to dairy was to enhance flavor and color. Today, this has expanded to include boosting nutritional profiles.

Research suggests that consumers are seeking foods and beverages with added value in terms of increased nutrition, so fruity and nutty dairy foods can have "real" appeal.

So why is it important to know what flavors are popular half way around the world? The answer is simple-the Great American Melting Pot is no longer homogenous.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the United States has the worst maternity leave income plan among industrialized countries. It has none. In fact, out of 168 nations in a 2004 Harvard University study, 163 had some form of paid maternity leave, leaving the United States in the company of Lesotho, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland. (August 1, 2005)

Sleep. It's something which at one point in my life I would nearly go without to leave more time for work and play. Sleep. It's something I now crave and something I need more and more of to function effectively.

Remember the Seinfeld episode where the characters gain weight eating what is suppose to be low-calorie frozen yogurt? Well, a few years ago, this sit-com scenario was reality for New Yorkers when the CremaLita chain of frozen dessert shops was charged by the Big Apple's Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) with allegedly deceptive and misleading trade practices. The labeling issue arose in 2002 when The New York Times analyzed CremaLita ice cream and found that some of the products had two to four times as many calories as advertised.

To effectively manage costs, it is easiest and best to consider sources of costs, quantify the opportunities, and deal with cost management based on specific priority considerations. Priorities can be determined by total cost saving, convenience, need and/or speed. Priorities vary from organization to organization and even within a single organization, so care is necessary when applying an appropriate priority to a cost savings opportunity.