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

Brian Yaun: Microbiology byaun@vt.edu           Phone: (540) 231-8697

Updates at Virginia Tech

Dairy Processors’ Occupational Safety and VA Dairy Quality Control Conference

Just a reminder that the OSHA session and the Quality Control Conference will be held on September 9^th and 10^th at The German Club Manor in Blacksburg.   You should have received the program agenda and registration form by now.  If you haven’t, and would like to attend, contact us at (540) 231-6806 or fax (540) 231-9293.   This year’s program should be very informative with many interesting speakers lined up to share their knowledge of current topics of interest to the dairy industry.   We look forward to seeing you at The German Club!

HOT TOPICS AND DAIRY ISSUES

Development of ‘Extreme Cheese’ has Kid Appeal

Rosemont, IL—Research scientists funded by America’s dairy farmers and managed in part by Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) have developed a new process to create cheese in almost any flavor imaginable—coffee, wine, sour apple, bubblegum.  And they can color it to match, offering consumers a complete sensory experience. 

In a taste test at a Chicago-area elementary school, kids ages 10-12 had the opportunity to be one of the first to try blueberry and sour apple-flavored cheese.  These kids voted blueberry their favorite and described the flavored cheese as “fantastic”, giving it a thumbs-up rating as a snack option they would enjoy.  They listed other flavors that might make flavored cheese a hit with kids, including chocolate, peanut butter, watermelon and cotton candy.

“I think this idea is really cool,” said a sixth grader.  Apparently his classmates agreed.  There were more children clamoring to taste the product than there were samples available. 

“Marketers know that kids are attracted to intense colors and flavors,” said Amy Skovsende, director of technology marketing with the Extraordinary Dairyâ program for DMI.  “Now food manufacturers or cheese processors have another ‘extreme’ product option to attract a growing youth market.  They can offer cheese in any flavor that might appeal to this audience, from bubble gum to sour fruit flavors. 

Another feature of the process used to make this cheese even more appealing to consumers is the capability for the manufacturer to add extra vitamins as well as adding flavor and color.  “Cheese is a good snack alternative for kids,” says Skovsende, “and this process can turn it into an even more attractive option.”

This cheese injection technology, developed by Carl Brothersen, associate professor at Utah State University, shoots a narrow, high-pressure stream of liquid into young, mild-flavored cheese such as Monterey jack or muenster, before the curds knit.  As the cheese matures, the added flavor or color spreads through the block of cheese to help create a custom product.  The system is adjustable depending on the intensity of the flavor or color desired.

“It operates on the same type of system used at a paint store,” said Brothersen.  “Just as they keep the white paint on the shelf and mix in colors according to customer request, cheese manufacturers can utilize this system to achieve that same purpose, without maintaining a large inventory.”

“DMI is eager to provide support to dairy processors in the use of this new cheese-making technique to bring unique flavors, exciting colors and added vitamins to the cheese section of the consumer marketplace,” says Skovsende.  

USDA Extends 2002 Support Prices for Milk and Milk Products Through 2007

Washington, DC-In May, the 2002 Farm Bill (Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002) was signed into law by President George Bush.  He said, “It’s good for farmers and it’s good for America”. Gary Hanman, DFA president and chief executive officer, and Herman Brubaker, dairy farmer chairman of the board of directors, credited dairy producers and their organizations for unification, and House and Senate leaders for crafting a “more balanced” piece of legislation than the previous farm bill. The 2002 dairy title provides dairy farm families, over the next six years, with a safety net to adjust to a changing marketplace.  The Milk Price Support Program was extended through December 31, 2007, at the current milk support price of $9.90 per hundredweight for 3.67% butterfat.  The purchase prices for these manufactured dairy products remain as follows: butter, $0.8548 per pound; block cheese, $1.1314 per pound; barrel cheese, $1.1014 per pound; and nonfat dry milk, $0.9000 per pound. The 2002 Farm Bill also contains language indicating the baseline for future dairy legislation will extend another 4 years after that.  Hanman stated that DFA members will be pleased with the counter-cyclical payment program, which will provide directs monies to dairy farmers when market prices drop below a target price.  This payment program will provide 45% of the difference between a target price of $16.94/hundredweight, and the monthly Boston Class I price.  The payments will be based on up to 2.4 million pounds of annual milk productions, and will be retroactive to Dec. 1, 2001.  The payment program will run through Sept. 2005, and will provide the same rate to all farmers nationwide.  The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 permits the Secretary of Agriculture to adjust the balance between the purchase prices of butter and nonfat dry milk twice each calendar year. On May 1, 2002, USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation had an uncommitted inventory of approximately 979.7 million pounds of nonfat dry milk.

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