Dairy Foods Columnists - Articles

Taking a look at commercials for dairy foods

As I watched commercials for dairy foods, I critiqued them as if they were Oscar-nominated films. Here are my favorites, along with some stinkers.

March 11, 2013

When I first heard of “Les Miserables,” I thought it was a report detailing the woes of fluid milk processors. Hollywood inspired me to mash up dairy foods and movies. So at my Oscar-watching party last month, refreshments included “Life of Pi à la mode” and “Zero Dark chocolate Thirty-calorie milk.”

Consider alternative fuels for your fleet

Government rules and programs affect dairy processors and their fleets. For example, there is the call to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel efficiency of medium- and heavy-duty trucks beginning in 2017.

Walter Weart

February 19, 2013

By now, we all know that the Mayans weren’t correct. The world did not end on Dec. 21, 2012, but anyone involved in trucking is certainly facing a number of problems and might feel as though the Mayans were onto something.

Deliver the full benefits of cultured dairy

Fermented milk products could arguably be one of the most convenient, tasty, economic and healthy foods we have today.

Phillip S. Tong

February 17, 2013

Consumer’s acceptance of the idea that yogurt, a fermented (cultured) milk, is “good for you” has been so widespread that it has attracted other marketers who are trying to figure out how to capitalize on its popularity.

7 key steps in making great Greek-style frozen yogurt

Handle with care. A properly formulated mix has the right mouth feel, tastes great and delivers the nutrient content consumers seek.

Bruce Tharp

Steven Young

February 16, 2013

Greek-style frozen yogurt is a product that emulates the properties associated with the success of cultured Greek yogurt. Those properties involve primarily protein and acidity (tartness) levels higher than those of conventional yogurt.

New uses for familiar dairy products, cheese and butter

Processors create new usage occasions for cheese and butter.

James Carper

February 12, 2013

Rather than curse the younger generation who are in the dark about how to cook, it’s better to light a candle and show them how to “get ’er done.” That’s the approach taken by two dairy companies, Kraft Foods and Land O Lakes. Dairy Foods honored each with an Editors’ Choice award in our Best New Dairy Products of 2012 program.

The balancing act in making process cheese

When sodium salts are reduced in a cheese product, the pH and moisture content should be adjusted as well.

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

January 19, 2013

The topic of sodium reduction in dairy products continues to garner attention within the dairy industry, whether it is focused on the possible health benefits of a low-sodium product or the safety risks that can come with lower salt levels.

Now is the time to promote a new protein measurement method

There is a new method for measuring protein quality. It is more scientifically valid because it more accurately reflects the ability of the body to utilize essential amino acids.

Sharon Gerdes

January 18, 2013

For nearly 20 years, the world had accepted the PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score) as the gold standard for measuring protein quality. The dairy industry has long argued that this method has flaws and limitations.

Use benchmarks to improve food safety

Establish a dairy product benchmarking system to provide easy-to-understand data that compares key food safety indicators against target food safety goals.

Allen Sayler

January 17, 2013

Everyone in dairy companies, including corporate management, has increased their focus on food safety over the past two years.

Can we get what we need from sustainable packaging?

Mick Jagger told us in song that we can’t always get what we want. But milk jugs and milk crates give us what want and need from a sustainability point of view.

Clay Detlefsen

January 17, 2013

Consumers want sustainable food packaging. Food manufacturers want to use sustainable packaging. Many packaging suppliers are striving to meet marketplace demands. But we live in an imperfect world and we can’t always get what we want. That said improvements are being made and have been made over the years.