The dairy industry received good news on the regulatory front in August. The Food and Drug Administration granted enforcement discretion for the use and labeling of ultrafiltered (UF) milk in all standardized cheeses and related cheese products covered by the federal standards of identity.

UF milk is milk that has been filtered to remove some of the water and lactose, which increases the protein content while reducing total fluid volume. The use of UF milk increases efficiency in cheesemaking and enhances cheese yield. It is also responsive to many dairy consumers’ desire for environmentally friendly and sustainable production practices.