Annual Product Development Outlook

Dairy Foods, March, 2001 by Donna Berry

Trends in ingredients and laboratory supplies

This past month, I had to personally invest in an en tire new home computer system. Disinterested in many of the sound and visual enhancements that come with pre-assembled systems (I wasn't planning to pirate music or break any solitaire records), I went to the nearby Gateway store. I was familiar with the Holstein logo associated with this made-to-order, delivered-to-your-door computer company, but once inside the store, I knew there must be a story behind the logo. The dairy farm theme was very prominent.

I soon learned that this $9.7 billion Future 250 company was launched in an Iowa dairy barn by the son of a fourth-generation cattleman. With a $10,000 loan from grandma, founder Ted Waitt had a vision that his farm could be used for more than milk.

Hence, my message: More than milk can come from a farm. Embrace the technologies. Make some investments. Be an innovator not a copycat.

The goal of this special product development feature is to provide you with insight to current and anticipated technologies for dairy processing. Because space is limited, you can look forward to an update on flavors in the April Ingredient Technology feature. The April issue will also provide an udpate on the calcium-inulin connection. If I've missed something, please drop me a note so that I can keep readers up-to-date. After all, one of Dairy Foods' missions is to continuously update readers on the most recent advancements available to the dairy manufacturing industry.

The spotlight is on dairy foods these days. Not only are dairy foods inherently nutritious, they also are the perfect carrier for many good-for-you ingredients.

* Calcium

Calcium is a nutrient we all know. The question is whether consumers are get ting enough of this bone building mineral. One fact is for sure. Consumers do equate calcium with dairy foods.

A recent consumer survey, funded by America's dairy farmers and conducted for Dairy Management Inc., indicated that 90% of respondents agree with the statement that products with dairy ingredients are good for you. And 56% of this same group of consumers indicated they turn to milk as their primary source of calcium.

When it comes to adding even more calcium to dairy foods, one of the most natural ways to do so is with dairy ingredients like nonfat dry milk and whey products. However, adding more calcium is not the only way to improve the calcium profile of dairy foods. The prebiotic oligosaccharide inulin has been shown to significantly increase calcium absorption.

"Our studies reveal that an intake of an additional eight grams of inulin per day increased calcium absorption among teenage girls by an average of 20%," says Ian Griffin, assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Tex. "These preliminary studies show inulin to be an encouraging and promising avenue for not only increasing calcium and calcium absorption, but for making a difference in the life long development of healthy bones."

Look to next month's Dairy Foods magazine for more on the calcium-inulin connection.

* Potassium

On October 31, FDA approved the health claim: Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. This claim can be used for foods containing at least 350mg of potassium, which is 10% of the Daily Value, and 140mg or less of sodium. In addition, qualifying foods must have less than 3g fat, 1g or less saturated fat and 20mg or less of cholesterol.

Petition originator Tropicana North America, Bradenton, Fla., plans to use this claim on its juice products. While citrus juices are very good sources of potassium, dairy foods are just as good. An 8-oz glass of orange juice contains about 500mg. The same serving size of nonfat milk has about 400mg.

Many fluid milk processors also manufacture juice. This is a claim that should be considered for all of a dairy's milk and citrus beverage lines. The dairy industry cannot afford to let the citrus giants take ownership of the claim. They are still giving us a run for calcium content. Let's move quickly on potassium.

* Vitamin E

Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is an essential fat-soluble antioxidant. Its primary function in the body is to protect lipids and other vulnerable cellular components and membranes from oxidation. Unlike other vitamins that have specific metabolic functions,(i.e., vitamin K assists in blood clotting) vitamin E's claims to fame include its role in combating aging, inflammatory disease and other conditions that result from oxidative processes, such as some forms of cancer and various neurological disorders. Vitamin E was originally discovered for its role in infertility, as well as virility.

With all these functional benefits and the lack of evidence documenting any toxicity up to 1,000 IU per day, the vitamin E supplement business is booming. Interestingly, recent research suggests that dairy foods are the best delivery system for getting vitamin E into the body.