Better Aging Through Dairy

There is a global opportunity in dairy ingredients for U.S. processors. Wherever they live, the older population needs good nutrition to live well. Whey powders and milk proteins can help food and beverage manufacturers develop nutritious foods.

Hummus — Dairy proteins, like milk protein concentrate, add substance to a snack or meal, as shown in this hummus prototype, one of many applications U.S. Dairy Export Council featured at this yearâs IFT 2012 in Las Vegas.

The combination of whey protein crisps and permeate provides a good source of protein and less sodium content than most other similar crackers. The U.S. Dairy Export Council showed this application prototype at IFT 2012.

Dairy ingredient solutions

Today’s baby boomers are redefining senior living. Food and beverage manufacturers have a unique opportunity to provide products that fit their needs both for convenience and functional nutrition with the support of dairy ingredients. Beyond muscle wasting, whey protein and other dairy ingredients present solutions to help consumers achieve healthy eating by addressing their top-of-mind health and wellness concerns, including cutting back on salt.

Permeate is a promising sodium substitute for dairy foods, soups, baked goods, dry mixes, confectionary and other foods. For example, only 3 to 4 grams of delactosed permeate or 10 to 11 grams of whey permeate are required to replace 1 gram of salt without compromising the flavor. USDEC has created a butternut squash soup prototype leveraging permeate as a salt substitute, containing 43% less sodium than a similar version on the market.

USDEC and its partners, the Dairy Research Institute, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and National Dairy Council, funded primarily by America’s dairy farmers, provide a number of resources to help the dairy and food and beverage industries tap into the latest science and expertise to improve or develop new products. A number of resources can be found on usdec.org and InnovateWithDairy.com or by emailing TechSupport@InnovateWithDairy.com.

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Kara McDonald is director of marketing and communications for the U.S. Dairy Export Council’s Global Marketing Program. McDonald has worked in the dairy industry for 13 years in various marketing and communications roles. She holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Penn State University, a master’s degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University and a MBA from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.