As demand for dairy proteins and specialized ingredients continues to grow, processors are increasingly looking for ways to maximize production capacity while extracting greater value from existing milk streams. At the upcoming Membrane Technology Forum in Minneapolis, the dairy breakout track will examine how membrane technologies are evolving to help processors address these pressing operational and product development challenges. 

The dairy breakout track will feature six presentations focused on advancements in membrane technologies and their impact on dairy operations. Sessions will examine opportunities to improve reverse osmosis performance, optimize ultrafiltration performance and increase processing capacity through additional water removal ahead of spray drying.

Jie Song, Ph.D., lead research scientist at DuPont, says attendees of his session will learn how recent advancements in reverse osmosis technology can deliver operational gains. “In this session, attendees will discover how DuPont’s next-generation RO technology can boost productivity by up to 50% or reduce energy demand by half, which drives higher yields, lower operating costs and more sustainable dairy processing without sacrificing quality,” Song says.

Additional presentations will explore membrane applications within cheddar cheese manufacturing and whey processing, highlighting opportunities to optimize fat and protein utilization throughout production. Attendees will also learn about membrane technologies designed to support production of fermented dairy products, including yogurt, skyr and kefir.

The track will also address the future of dairy membrane processing through discussions on commercialization of novel membrane technologies, advancements in membrane functionality and approaches to improving separation performance and enrichment specificity. Other sessions will examine how membrane selection, element design and process optimization can support throughput, selectivity and targeted protein enrichment.

The dairy breakout track includes the following sessions:

• Advancements in RO for Dairy Processing by Jie Song, Ph.D., lead research scientist, DuPont
• Filtration Technologies in the Production of Aged Cheddar Cheese by Satyendrasinh Mahida, senior principal process engineer, Great Lakes Cheese
• Breaking the Practical Solids Limit in Dairy UF Systems to Unlock Dryer Capacity by Jason Bell, chief application scientist, SmartFlow Technologies
• Commercialization of Novel Membrane Technologies for Dairy by Jeff Campbell, owner, founder and CEO, Campbell Membrane Cos.
• Factors Affecting UF Performance and Pathways for Optimization in Dairy by Alexis Sanchez, applications engineer, Mann+Hummel
• Fermented Milk – Exploring Plate and Frame Membrane Technology by Klaus Christensen, business manager, Alfa Laval

About the Membrane Technology Forum

The annual Membrane Technology Forum, hosted by Dairy Foods magazine and the American Dairy Products Institute, is the premier live event in the commercial membrane and membrane technology sector. This event covers key concepts and innovations for the sector, from the fundamentals of membrane technology, fouling and cleaning, to emerging technologies and applications with real-world case studies that highlight challenges, proposed solutions and results. 

The Membrane Technology Forum serves processors, plant managers, engineers, chemists, equipment manufacturers, research and development, sales and marketing specialists, technicians and other industry professionals.

The program features a series of two dedicated educational tracks, each with short, informative technical sessions covering current topics and emerging trends. Attendees will gain fresh ideas, trusted data and proactive solutions to help their companies evolve with changing trends in membrane technology.

The Membrane Technology Forum also features a select group of innovative and forward-thinking suppliers on hand to demonstrate their new technologies and products designed to improve processing operations.

The 2026 Forum will take place June 15–17 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington – Minneapolis South in Minneapolis, Minn.

Learn more and register at dairyfoods.com/membrane-forum