New Products, New Uses, New Markets, New Future
by Rusty Bishop, Director, Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research

Consumers' food preferences are ever-changing. In the past, we've seen nutrition trends focus on low-cholesterol or low-fat eating habits, but today, most water-cooler conversations center around the Atkin's or South Beach diets. With each change in dietary recommendations or change in consumer preferences, the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research (CDR) works to include dairy ingredients whenever and however possible in new food products.

Since its establishment on the UW-Madison campus in 1986, CDR has developed a solid record of helping Wisconsin food processors and manufacturers solve production challenges and develop new products that meet consumer demands. Dairy producers, through the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB), served as a catalyst to help create the Center – the first of its kind in the United States – and continues to provide support and guidance for its operation today.

The Center's programs continue to focus on partnering with both the state and national dairy industries to create improved food products based on the latest research findings in milk production, milk processing and dairy economics.

By combining new food technology with data about current and future consumer trends, CDR is helping Wisconsin take advantage of new product opportunities that can include a wide array of dairy ingredients. The key to every successful product launch is having the right product at the right time to capitalize on market demands. CDR's in-depth knowledge of dairy ingredient functionality combined with its staff of technical experts are a near-perfect fit for helping Wisconsin's dairy companies develop full-flavored products that meet the needs of specific consumer groups.

Today's consumers are seeking nutritional supplements, convenience foods, ethnic products and cuisine with “pizzazz," such as new and unique specialty cheeses. Here are some examples of how CDR's expertise is helping to find uses for the milk and milk components that are produced on Wisconsin dairy farms.

Consumer desires for improved health and wellness has led CDR to develop technology that boasts enhanced nutritional value in food products. These products can vary from yogurt containing probiotic cultures to a yogurt-cheese variety. Reduced-fat cheeses developed by the Center are particularly well-suited for health-conscious consumers because they taste good and have a natural texture. Keep in mind that aged cheeses are some of the best foods for consumers who are using the Atkin's Diet to limit carbohydrate intake.

Whey components offer many nutritional benefits in the health arena, too. Collectively, whey proteins contain all the essential amino acids the body requires, making them an exceptional ingredient when used in foods and beverages. Including whey ingredients in sports drinks, meal replacement and food supplement beverages appears to be an area of tremendous market growth. Dairy producers, through CDR, have been leaders in finding ways to include whey ingredients in this new wave of food and beverage products.

CDR is also involved with a UW-Madison task force that is working to incorporate an individual protein found in whey into food products for persons suffering from the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU). PKU restricts a person's ability to consume protein containing the amino acid phenylalanine. There is only one natural protein that does not contain that specific amino acid, and that protein is found in whey. CDR's contribution to this break-through research involves formulating good tasting food products that use purified whey protein. This type of product innovation not only expands the food choices available for those suffering from PKU, it also opens exciting new doors for use of dairy ingredients.

CDR is also working on new cheese product applications that meet consumer demands for increased taste, functionality and convenience. Today’s consumers crave cheeses that are rich in flavor, perform well in a variety of menu items and are convenient. A significant part of CDR's contribution to Wisconsin's dairy industry is the technical support its team of experts provides to cheese manufacturers and marketers as they improve existing products and develop new ones for the marketplace, especially within the growing foodservice and food processing areas. CDR’s applied technical support uses a broad base of research in basic cheese chemistry to enhance flavor and functionality. Examples include:

• Enhanced cheese flavor for specific products like accelerated ripened Parmesan, carry-through Cheddar flavor, or yogurt cheese
• Tailored product performance including restricted melt capabilities, stretch, shredding and slicing
• Full-flavored “commodity” cheeses such as aged Cheddar or aged Swiss
• Specialty cheeses like Juustolepia, Feta, Havarti, aged Gouda and other international cheese varieties
• Ethnic cheeses such as Queso fresco, Queso blanco, Tico, Panela and Ranchero
• Specialty process cheeses with enhanced functionality
• Cheese snacks for kids

With the support from dairy producers through WMMB, CDR is helping Wisconsin's dairy industry compete and win in the marketplace with new and improved dairy products. By continuing to develop technical advances that yield new products, improve performance in existing products, create new uses for dairy ingredients and open markets for Wisconsin milk, CDR is helping to keep our dairy industry a world leader.

Adapted with permission from a column appearing in the April 16 issue of Cheese Market News.

Rusty Bishop is the director of the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research and a professor of Food Science at UW-Madison. The Center serves as a national leader in research that improves the competitive position of the dairy industry. WMMB's long-standing relationship with CDR enables cheese companies to work with some of the top specialists in cheese technology, safety and quality. For more information, visit www.cdr.wisc.edu.