Moving Forward with Functionals

Dairy Foods, May, 2001

It's easy for the dairy industry to recognize and discuss the functional as pects of its products. It's more difficult to identify and develop effective messages that tell consumers how dairy contributes to optimal health.

In spring 1999, the Dairy Council of California (DCC), recognizing that dairy foods are a critical element of the functional foods movement, held the first meeting of its newly formed Functional Foods Task Force. This task force is comprised of dairy ex perts from academia, and industry and the trade.

"We view the Functional Foods Task Force as a key component of our industry participation and feedback efforts," explains DCC CEO Peggy Biltz. "Emerging research offers opportunities for broadening health professional and consumer perceptions of the beneficial components dairy foods contribute to the diet."

That first meeting prompted Lori Hoolihan, DCC's project mgr. and task force coordinator, to publish an article on probiotics in the February 2001 is sue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The task force met again in February and "offered strong support for our efforts to begin a multi-year campaign to build knowledge and subsequent positive behavior change," Biltz adds. "The message that dairy foods contribute to bone health, and in addition supply unique protective health benefits, make dairy foods central to the functional food movement."

DCC's "dairy as functional food campaign" kicks off at a half-day session at the Institute of Food Technologists meeting in June.