Dairy Foods Columnists - Articles

A smarter approach to food traceability

Concerned that an FDA proposed rule would result in burdensome recordkeeping requirements, IDFA is advocating for an outcome-focused standard.

John T. Allan III, MS

April 23, 2021

The dairy industry, along with the broad food industry, is on its way toward a more traceable supply chain. The FDA's New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint outlines a goal for the food industry to track and trace foods from farm to fork with the help of computer-based technology. The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) has supported the blueprint since its release in July 2020.

Should you fortify yogurt with dairy or plant protein?

Plant proteins struggle to match dairy protein’s sensory and nutrition quality.

Sharon Gerdes

April 21, 2021

The first higher-protein yogurt appeared on U.S. shelves in 2001. Twenty years later, higher-protein products dominate the yogurt aisle.

Hispanic cheeses present opportunities, challenges

The growing category encompasses a range of cheeses.

John A. Lucey Ph.D., Director, Center for Dairy Research

March 29, 2021

Production and consumption of Hispanic cheeses have grown significantly in the United States. In 2019, the United States manufactured about 333 million pounds of Hispanic cheeses versus only 206 million pounds in 2009.

Consider inclusions’ influence on ice cream’s shelf life

In nearly all cases, inclusions of any type/amount will directly, or indirectly, reduce a defined textural shelf life of any ice cream.

Steven Young

Bill Sipple

March 22, 2021

In nearly all cases, inclusions of any type/amount will directly, or indirectly, reduce a defined textural shelf life of any ice cream.

Lactose-free dairy category matures

Technology improvements boost growth of lactose-free dairy products.

Sharon Gerdes

March 19, 2021

If you think that plant-based is the hot category in dairy, think again. Sales of lactose-free milk grew twice as fast as sales of plant-based beverages in 2019.

Dairy stands to benefit from popularity of the keto diet

Full-fat and grass-fed dairy products are featured in the diet.

Sharon Gerdes

March 9, 2021

According to the International Food Information Council, as many as 8% of Americans were on the ketogenic (keto) diet in 2020. Many use the diet for a short while to shed a few excess pounds, while others have adopted keto as a long-term lifestyle.

Dairy has a superior protein profile

Amidst a crowded protein market, dairy delivers powerful nutrition for a healthy, active life.

Terri Rexroat

March 5, 2021

When guided by science, many options are available to achieve a healthy diet. While eating both animal- and plant-based foods is important for consumers to achieve a balanced diet that is both tasty and easy to enjoy, protein quality is an important factor to consider.

Higher feed costs will ripple through dairy markets

The elevated feed costs raise the floor for dairy prices.

Nate Donnay

March 4, 2021

With all 10,000 of our lakes here in Minnesota currently frozen solid, this may be a strange analogy, but dairy prices move like the waves rippling out from a rock thrown in the water.

New Dietary Guidelines for Americans show science reigns

Dairy’s contributions to a healthy diet were again validated.

Gregory Miller

March 3, 2021

The objective of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) is to promote health and prevent disease in the United States through advice based on sound science. National Dairy Council (NDC) has led a decades-long mission to build science-based evidence on dairy’s health and nutrition benefits, which has aligned with the outcomes of each DGA update.

Top-of-mind policy issues for dairy processors

IDFA’s legislative affairs team will be working on a number of policy-related priorities for 2021.

J. David Carlin

February 23, 2021

With a new administration and Congress now in place, policymakers at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue are beginning to focus on policy issues important to the dairy industry.