Dairy Promotion Showcases Value of Dairy Ingredients

Six prototype products featuring dairy ingredients that will help meet consumer demand for healthy, indulgent and convenient foods were showcased at the 2007 Institute of Food Technology (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo held in Chicago. The prototypes, developed at producer-funded dairy research centers across the country, demonstrate innovative ways dairy ingredients can meet today’s consumer lifestyles and will help food manufacturers provide products that meet the needs of consumers.

“By working with industry partners to develop new products or improve existing products using dairy ingredients, we’re helping meet consumer needs and increasing sales for U.S.-produced dairy ingredients,” said Paul Rovey, Arizona dairy producer and chairman of Dairy Management Inc.TM (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff. “Our investment today in ingredient marketing will help ensure demand into the future.”

In an effort to increase demand for U.S.-produced dairy products and ingredients and spur innovation in the food and beverage industry, dairy promotion staff met with key food and beverage manufacturers, dairy ingredient suppliers and dairy processors, and also sponsored three educational symposiums about dairy protein at the meeting.

Market research indicates that a vast majority of Americans say they consume or want to consume foods for health and wellness benefits, and even more agree that dairy products are part of a healthy lifestyle. At IFT, DMI demonstrated three prototypes with health and wellness benefits:

• A mango-flavored green tea fortified with whey protein provides 5 grams of protein per 8-ounce serving
• A yogurt-coated caramel granola meal replacement bar includes 8 grams of whey protein and provides 40 percent of the daily value for calcium
• A creamy peach yogurt smoothie that is made with milk protein concentrate and low-fat milk provides 9 grams of protein per serving