For exhibitor and attendee information, travel arrangements, directions, registration links and more, visit www.cheeseexpo.org.

Seminar and presenter information 

Wednesday, April 13

Attendees can choose to attend one of two concurrent seminars:

“A Converter’s Dream: Cheese Quality for the End User” will provide solutions to the challenges faced by cheese conversion and packaging companies.  Featured topics include:

• Converter’s Conundrum – From Flavor to Machinability; Today’s Inconsistent Quality Issues (Presented by: David Wentz, supply quality manager-dairy, Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis.)
• Impact of Milk Fortification on Cheese Manufacturing (Presented by: John Jaeggi, Cheese Industry and applications coordinator, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.)
• Big Isn’t Always Easy – Issues When Manufacturing 640s (Presented by: Dean Sommer, cheese and food technologist, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.)
• Mozzarella and Provolone Functionality – What Do You Want It to Look Like? (Presented by: Pat Polowsky, sensory coordinator, Cheese Research Group, and Dr. Dana Wolle, assistant coordinator, Cheese Industry and Applications, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.)

The second seminar offering on Wednesday morning— “Meeting the Challenges: Food Safety for Cheese” — will focus on ever-increasing regulatory requirements and the best ways to prevent pathogenic contamination of cheese.  Featured topics and speakers will include: 

FDA’s Food Safety Priorities for the Dairy Industry (Presented by: William Correll, Director, Office of Compliance (CFSAN), U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Washington, D.C.)

Addressing Key Industry Issues – National Cheese Institute Priorities (Presented by: John Allan, vice president, Regulatory Affairs & International Standards, IDFA, Washington, D.C.)

Positive Pathogen Test in Plant or Product – Now What? Addressing Safety Concerns for Raw Milk Cheese (Presented by: Bob Wills, owner, Cedar Grove Cheese and ACS Board Member, Plain, Wis.)

Controlling Listeria in Your Plant – Innovation Center Listeria Guidance Document (Presented by: Edith Wilkin, Vice President, food safety/regulatory compliance, Leprino Foods Co., Denver, Colo.)

Industry Resources to Meet the Food Safety Challenge (Presented by: Marianne Smukowski, dairy safety & quality coordinator, CDR and ACS Board Member, Madison, Wis.)

Thursday, April 14

 ICTE attendees again have a choice of two concurrent seminars.  

“Whey from Vat to Bag: Quality and Marketing” is a must-see for every dairy processor involved in whey production and every end user looking to optimize their use of whey.  It will include the following presentations:

• Whey Handling – Best Practices 101 (Presented by: Dr. Karen Smith, dairy processing technologist, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.)
• Co-Product Utilization – What are Your Options? (Presented by: Dr. Susan Larson, associate researcher, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.)
• Using Dairy Ingredients for a Clean Label (Presented by: KJ Burrington, Dairy Ingredient, beverage and cultured products coordinator, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.)
• Global Market Trends for Dairy Ingredients (Presented by: Vikki Nicholson, senior vice president, Global Marketing, U.S. Dairy Export Council, Arlington, Va.)
• Future Foods — What Are Dairy’s Next Ingredients? (Presented by: Dr. Don Otter, Certificate in Dairy processing program coordinator, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.)

The other Thursday morning seminar option for attendees, “Processing Wastewater for a Clean Environment,” features environmental engineers and experts tackling current issues in wastewater processing, including the following presentations:

• Denitrification of Wastewater in Soil-Based Treatment Systems: Current Research (Presented by: Francisco Arriaga, Professor, and Geoff Siemering, outreach specialist, both of the University of Wisconsin Soil Science Department)
• A Multi-Discharger Variance for Phosphorus Regulations in Wisconsin (Presented by: Amy Garbe, wastewater engineer, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
• A Municipality’s Viewpoint on Wisconsin Phosphorus Limits (Presented by: Tom Sigmund, P.E., executive director, New Water, Green Bay Metropolitan Sewage District)
• Alternative Effluent Limits for Smaller Flow Streams (Presented by: Henry Probst, president, The Probst Group, Brookfield, WI and Jason Knutson, Wastewater Engineer, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
• Air Permit Issues for Wastewater Treatment Systems (Presented by: Todd Palmer, Partner and Chair, Environmental and Energy Group, Michael Best & Friedrich, Madison, Wis.)

New to the ICTE in 2016 is an Artisan Cheesemakers Master Workshop, held on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. This technical seminar, which will be limited to a small number of participants, is tailored to the interests of artisan cheesemakers, with discussions on the following topics:

• Spanish and Portuguese Cheeses: The Art and Science Behind These Regional Classics (Presented by: Marianna Marques de Almeida, senior animal scientist and Cheese Specialist, Ms. J and Co., Monroe, Wis.)
• Rennet Options and Impacts for Artisanal Cheeses (Presented by: Bénédicte Coudé, associate researcher – Cheese Industry and Applications Group, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis. and Marianna Marques de Almeida, Senior Animal Scientist and Cheese Specialist, Ms. J and Co., Monroe, Wis.)
• Techniques and Tools for Smear-Ripened and Washed-Rind Cheese (Presented by: John Jaeggi, Cheese Industry and applications coordinator, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis. and Bénédicte Coudé, associate researcher – Cheese Industry and Applications Group, Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.)
• The Art and Science of Cheese Affinage (Presented by: Thomas Milhoua, technical engineer, Air Quality Process, Artix, France)

The workshop culminates in a hands-on production of a Portuguese-style hard cheese made with 100% sheep’s milk and thistle rennet, as well as a Requesón-style cheese, at nearby Clock Shadow Creamery.  Vat-side discussion of the cheesemaking process will feature presenters and expert cheesemakers, including Bob Wills, head cheesemaker at Clock Shadow Creamery, Gary Grossen, master cheese maker at Babcock Hall Dairy at the University of Wisconsin, and Chris Roelli, Wisconsin master cheese maker at Roelli Cheese.  Participants will then be treated to a cheese tasting and sensory analysis, guided by Patrick Polowsky, sensory coordinator at the CDR.