Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Susan Duncan, Dairy and Sensory Evaluation

Bill Eigel,                Food Biochemistry

Joe Marcy:               Food Processing

Merle Pierson: Food Microbiology

 Sean O’Keefe: Food Chemistry

Susan Sumner:   Food Safety

Walter Hartman:    Dairy Plant Manager whartman@vt.edu

Kim Waterman:  Dairy Chemistry    kwater@vt.edu

UPDATES AT VIRGINIA TECH

Spring Luncheon and Award Ceremony

The annual Food Science spring luncheon and award recognition ceremony was held April 27 th at VA Tech's Alphin-Stuart Arena. After a delicious, catered lunch, the following awards were presented:

Departmental awards: Vanessa Brown received the Carolina-Virginia Dairy Products Association Academic Achievement Award. Scott Valentine (Kaestner Co.) presented the Dairy Products Evaluation Award to Tameshia Ballard, Brian Stanek and Noelle Todd. Brian Stanek received the Virginia Dare Award; Sommar Nettles was presented the W.F. Collins Scholarship; Paul Mullen accepted the Paul Large – Most Improved Student Award and Joseph Mize received the Boyd-Arline Scholarship. Renee Raiden and Janet Webster shared the Faculty Award for Outstanding Graduate Student.

Nation and regional awards: Janet Webster received the National Food Processors Association Graduate Student Scholarship and the V. Duane Rath Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Katie Robbins received the John Pratt Scholarship and the VA Food & Beverage Association Award. Brian Stanek will attend the Cornell University Food Science Summer Scholars Program. Joseph Mize is the Alpha Zeta Outstanding Senior for FST. Ritesh Mahna won the Italian Packaging Technology Awards Paper Writing Competition and will receive a 15-day trip to Italy .

Faculty awards: Dr. William Eigel received the University Outstanding Advising Award. Dr. Joseph Marcy received the College of Ag and Life Sciences Excellence in Research Award. Dr. George Flick received the Elizabeth Flemming Stier Award for service. Dr. Michael Jahncke accepted the Mid-Atlantic Sea Grant Extension Award. Dr. Susan Duncan and Dr. Bruce Zoecklein each were recognized as VA Tech Faculty Scholars of the Week.

Alumni awards: Marcella Arline received the Alumni Distinguished Service Award.

HOT TOPICS AND DAIRY ISSUES

Product Development at Dreyer's

Industry-wide ice cream sales have flattened in recent years. As a result, ice cream processors such as Dreyer's are developing new hit products and flavors that could boost revenue.

Chicago-based market research firm, Mintel, stated that there were 284 new ice cream flavors and frozen treats introduced in 1998. In 2004, that figure had increased to 673 (a 137% increase).

Adjusting the mix of candy, nuts and chocolate is commonplace. William Dreyer, Dreyer's founder, blended almonds, marshmallows and chocolate ice cream to create Rocky Road . However, the recent explosion of ice cream flavors and formats is pressuring producers to search far and wide for the next big hit. Some travel to Europe , where they spend weeks sampling German streusels, Italian gelati and French crème brûlée. Others visit ethnic enclaves in American cities like Miami 's Little Havana, where they try the coffees, pastries, tropical fruits and mojitos. Chinatowns in New York and San Francisco present green teas and Asian-inspired ideas.

Dreyer's senior product scientist, Michael Poorman, said R&D scientists participate in about a dozen brainstorming sessions each year. Not all ideas make it. One was a line of savory ice creams that featured flavors like meat and potatoes. Other ideas incorporated more than flavor, with a product that practically yelled at you when you bit into it, like Dreyer's short-lived Hot Chilly Chili. There was also the pickles and ice cream flavor (designed for pregnant women) that never made it out of testing.

At a recent trade show, ingredient makers put forward baklava ice cream (mix of honey, phyllo dough and pistachio toffee), and a Latin-themed blend of cinnamon- and sugar-covered tortilla chips with ribbons of caramel.

Dreyer's expects to complete a $100 million expansion at its Bakersfield , CA plant this month. The overhaul will yield 5 new research labs and a brand new pilot plant, and the company's entire R&D team will be centralized there. The expansion will increase the plant from 800 to 1110 employees.

Despite boosting total sales, the company lost nearly $82 million in 2004 as it dealt with large expenses linked to its June 2003 merger with Nestlé S.A. Increased cream costs also hurt the company.

Group Touts Benefits of Raw Milk

Just Dairy is a group that provides a distribution network for raw milk. This Massachusetts group is working to increase the availability of raw milk to consumers and to raise awareness of what members see as its benefits: Higher vitamin content, increased beneficial enzymes and bacteria, and promoting local dairy farmers and environmentally friendly farming practices.

The 80 families who make up Just Dairy participate in an elaborate carpooling program, taking turns driving four hours round trip to 2 licensed raw milk dairies in Western Massachusetts . They purchase their milk for $5 a gallon from Chase Hill Farm and Rocky Acres Farms. These dairies were selected because the group wants its milk to come from pasture-fed cows as opposed to the grain-fed cows in confinement dairies and because of the farms' cleanliness. Sanitary requirements are stricter for raw milk which confirms to group members that the farms are cleaner and have better milk-handling procedures. State regulations say raw milk intended for pasteurization cannot exceed bacterial counts of 100,000/ml, while raw milk intended for consumption has a more stringent limit of 20,000/ml.

Just Dairy receives nearly a dozen inquiries each week from people interested in raw milk. Chase Hill Farm sold an average of 35 to 40 gallons of raw milk a week in previous years, but in 2004 sales increased to 100 to 125 gallons a week.

In New England, raw milk sales are permitted in some form in every state but Rhode Island . In Massachusetts , many local boards of health have prohibited raw milk sales in retail stores, but cannot prohibit its sale on farms, known as “gate sales”.

Alfred DeMaria, director of communicable disease control for the Massachusetts Department of Health, outlined the risks of raw milk consumption. “Pastuerization was invented because milk was a real source of human disease up until the 20 th century. The reason we don't see TB and typhoid outbreaks anymore is because most milk is pasteurized.” Just last month, Berkshire Blue Cheese, a raw milk cheese made by Berkshire Cheese Makers, was recalled when Listeria was discovered during routine FDA sampling. All wheels of Berkshire Blue have since been recovered and no one became ill. Twice in 1998, the Massachusetts DPH issued raw milk advisories. One stemmed from a farm where nearly 60 people were exposed to rabies after drinking raw milk from an infected cow. The second incident occurred when several children contracted Salmonella after drinking raw milk from a dairy while on a farm visit.