Ingredients for Dairy Processors

RSS

Consumers are demanding more information about how their food is produced so they can make informed choices about what to eat and what to feed their families. Top of mind for some consumers is whether the food or its ingredients were derived from bioengineered (BE) crops, also known as genetically engineered or genetically modified (GM) crops.

The science behind the health benefits of probiotics grows each day. Probiotics can benefit digestive health, heart health, mental health, weight management and the immune system. But formulating probiotics into fermented dairy foods and translating health benefits into appropriate claims can be tricky.

Dairy processors that understand and optimize different dairy and plant based proteins will boost their odds for success.

As I strolled the aisles at the Institute of Food Technologists' most recent food expo (IFT18: A Matter of Science + Food, which took place in July at Chicago's McCormick Place), it didn't take long to discern which food and beverage trends ingredient suppliers were betting on to remain top of mind with consumers. And all of them have a place in the dairy industry.

New equipment and ingredients from DSM, Pentair, Ampco, and more!

New sweeteners from Beneo, Cargill, GLG Life Tech, plus more!

Skim through any list of food and beverage megatrends and you’ll likely run across a mention of 1) probiotics, 2) digestive health, 3) the human microbiome or 4) some combination thereof. That's because the more consumers learn about how the goings-on in their guts reverberate throughout their bodies, the more they want to know about the "good gut bugs" at the center of it all.

What type of milk is best? Is fat in or out, and what about sugar? These are questions swirling in the minds of many consumers. By providing people with information about the fat, sugar and calories in cow"s milk options in the marketplace, the dairy community can help people choose the right dairy foods to meet their needs.

Anti-inflammatory diets are trendy, and some of my friends are avoiding dairy because they've heard that it causes inflammation. According to Greg Miller, chief science officer for National Dairy Council, "The current scientific evidence suggests that the opposite may be true."