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In anticipation of the long-discussed Food Safety Modernization Act finally becoming enforceable in September, we asked equipment suppliers about the role pumps and valves play in assuring food safety in dairy processing plants. Here’s what they had to say about this subject in our virtual roundtable.

The Food Safety Summit is a solutions-based conference and expo designed to meet the educational and informational needs of the food industry including processors, retailers, distributors and foodservice operators. The annual event, in its 18th year, takes place May 10 through 12, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill.

Tillamook, Ore.-based Tillamook County Creamery Association, introduced a 14-flavor line of gelatos, ice creams and frozen custards.

Humboldt County, California, is a great place to operate an organic dairy farm. The mild temperatures and ample annual rainfall allow cows to be in pasture 200 days or more a year. The county is roughly bounded by the Shasta-Trinity National Forest on the east and Pacific Ocean on the west. Warmed by the ocean currents, Eureka (the county seat) enjoys average temperatures ranging from 41 F (in December and January) to 64 F (in August and September).

Petaluma, Calif.-based Straus Family Creamery, introduced two new organic ice cream flavors — lemon gingersnap (lemon ice cream, blended with gluten-free cookies) and strawberry.

Small-batch ice cream maker Little Baby’s Ice Cream, Philadelphia, Pa., expanded its distribution with a new line of pints in new packaging that is 100% recyclable and contains no plastic.

One of the most attention-grabbing features of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is the conclusion that added sugars should contribute less than 10% of the calories a person takes in on a typical day. Not to be outdone, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a dedicated “added sugars” line on a soon-to-be-updated Nutrition Facts panel.

Modesto-based Foster Farms Dairy, founded in 1941, knows a thing or two about names and brands. In 2007, it acquired Crystal Creamery of Sacramento, which traces its roots to 1901. Two years later, Foster acquired Fortuna-based Humboldt Creamery, which dates to the 1920s.

Elli Quark, owned by P.S. Let’s Eat Inc., Irvine, Calif., is a spoonable, German-style fresh cheese with a creamy texture similar to Greek yogurt.

The world of cultured dairy is a big one and the shelves are crowded. Health experts continue to tout the many benefits of consuming cultured dairy, including gut health and weight management. This past year some interesting trends have emerged that are poised to help grow and diversify the category even more — bold flavor innovation (including savory flavors), a growing interest in drinkable yogurts and an increase in whole-milk cultured dairy products.