[Dairy Ingredients] Vol. 23 No. 5 Sept/Oct 2013

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ww By Bill Graves, Contributing Editor

As consumers increasingly look for products to improve their health and wellness, food and beverage companies can leverage the natural wholesomeness of cultured dairy products to provide flavorful, innovative solutions that support their active lifestyle or meet their needs for convenience. Unique innovations are already driving incredible growth in the cultured dairy segment, including an explosion of new Greek yogurt products, kefir drinks (a fermented product containing a much larger amount of probiotics and yeasts compared with yogurt), healthy yogurt-based smoothies and more portable, convenient packaging that appeals to today’s on-the-go consumer. In fact, 2012 category sales for yogurt alone were $50.9 billion worldwide. “We know consumers are increasingly seeking products that offer multiple benefits or fusions of benefits, and they are less willing to compromise in their choices," says Alan Reed, executive vice president of strategy, insights and planning, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, Rosemont, IL. "Innovation in the yogurt category has allowed the consumer to meet several needs—nutrition, digestion, flavor, variety and more—with a single product.” For your health Nutritional benefits of cultured dairy products abound and find great appeal with today’s label-conscious consumer. Active adults, kids and an aging population all can benefit from the good source of protein found in cultured dairy, as well as other important nutrients in dairy, including potassium and calcium. Starting off the day with a protein-packed breakfast can help build a higher-protein diet, which in turn can help promote satiety. All yogurts, by regulation, must be fermented by the starter microorganisms Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Yogurt products also may contain probiotics, which are live microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, can provide health benefits. A growing body of science indicates that individual probiotics can affect certain aspects of health, including digestive health. Probiotic cultures that are often added to yogurts are strains of L. acidophilus, Bifidobacteria and L. casei. “Research has shown that cultured dairy is one of the most effective ways to deliver probiotics for digestive health benefits. Consuming probiotics with dairy products, for example, can increase the chance they will survive digestion,” says Greg Miller, Ph.D., president, Dairy Research Institute. In addition, cultured dairy products are often easier for those with lactose intolerance to digest because the starter cultures contain the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose into its respective monosaccharides.

Cultured Dairy Opportunities

[Dairy Ingredients] Vol. 23 No. 5 Sept/Oct 2013

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Opportunities for innovation Growing consumer interest in healthy, portable, convenient food and beverages has played an important role in the growth of cultured dairy. On-the-go liquid breakfasts are rapidly growing in popularity. These products are convenient and appeal to a wide range of consumers, providing a fast and easy breakfast without sacrificing nutrition. Food and beverage product developers can look at the numerous innovations in Europe for inspiration. Western Europe’s popular quark is made by warming soured milk until the desired degree of denaturation of milk proteins is met, and then strained. It has a smooth texture with a tangy taste similar to cottage cheese. In Iceland, skyr is a fresh, skim-milk cheese product, similar to strained yogurt, but contains no fat. Because it is strained to such a density, it requires more milk to produce than yogurt and the end product has higher levels of protein and calcium. In France, fromage frais is growing in popularity. This creamy soft cheese is made with whole or skim milk and cream. It has the consistency of cream cheese but is lower in calories and cholesterol. In the U.S. dairy market, yogurt drinks containing fruit juice or cereal are growing in popularity. These types of beverages have long been consumed in Europe for breakfast or for snacking. Products such as skyr, fromage frais and quark are similar to Greek yogurt for people looking for thick and creamy yogurts. Eating yogurt as a dessert is also a growing trend for those looking for healthy dessert options. Delivering cultured dairy in different formats, such as on sticks, bars and in different shapes, appeals to children as well as adults. Also, experimenting with different textures by adding cereals, fruits, herbs or seeds has a promising future in cultured dairy products. Cultured dairy remains a wide-open field of opportunity for product developers to formulate new innovations to meet the needs of today’s consumers. Advances in technology, processes and packaging, as well as investments in research and development, can benefit food and beverage companies as they continue to identify opportunities for product development. Bill Graves is senior vice president, product research, Dairy Research Institute, and is responsible for all aspects of product research. He provides technical expertise and counsel in the areas of dairy product, ingredient and packaging technology, along with dairy product quality and safety. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy offers consumer insights, and the Dairy Research Institute—with support from the National Dairy Foods Research Centers—provides food and beverage companies with research and technical insights, as well as access to pilot lab facilities. For assistance with developing new innovative products, contact dairy technical support at techsupport@innovatewithdairy.com.

Yogurt U.S. Standards of Identity Yogurt

Fat – not less than 3.25 % Milk Solids Not Fat – not less than 8.25 % Lowfat Yogurt Fat – not less than 0.5 % or more than 2 % Milk Solids Not Fat – not less than 8.25 % Nonfat Yogurt Fat – not more than 0.5 % Milk Solids Not Fat – not less than 8.25 % Source: FDA’s Standard of Identity for Yogurt (21 CFR Part 131.200), Lowfat Yogurt (21 CFR Part 131.203) or Nonfat Yogurt (21 CFR Part 131.206).