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

17^th Annual Dairy Quality Control Conference

      The 17^th Annual Dairy Quality Control Conference, held on September 9^th at Virginia Tech’s German Club Manor, was well attended.  Thanks to all who attended and participated in the event!

 State Fair of Virginia

      This annual festival will be held from September 25^th through October 5^th at the Richmond Raceway Complex.  If you plan to attend, drop by the Virginia Ag World building. It’s the Quonset with the big pumpkins in front.  The milk booth, sponsored by the Virginia State Dairymen’s Association, will be selling cups of chocolate and regular milk for 25¢.  Bottles of milk, “Got Milk” t-shirts and posters can also be purchased.  The Association sponsors the booth every year in order to promote the dairy industry in Virginia. 

HOT TOPICS AND DAIRY ISSUES

 Natural versus GMO Milk Study

      Researchers at the University of Wisconsin –Madison recently concluded a 5-year study of milk purchasing habits of consumers in twelve metropolitan areas.  Many consumers were found to be willing to spend up to $1.50 per gallon more for dairy products marketed as rBST-free and up to $3.00 per gallon more for milk labeled “organic” or “natural”.  Organic milk accounts for less than a 1% share of the U.S. milk market, but its use is increasing.

     When standard brand milk increased in cost by a small amount, buyers tended to switch to milk with specialty labels such as these.  Once they switched to the higher priced brands, they seldom returned to standard brands.   Introduction of premium dairy labeling increased market competition, leading to a 2¢ per gallon decrease in price of standard milk brands.  This translates to around a $130 million per year benefit to consumers just because organic or rBST-free milk exists, even if they don’t buy it.

      Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) was approved by the FDA in 1993 for administration to lactating dairy cows.       BST is a hormone that is produced in the pituitary gland that stimulates milk production.  During the approval process for use of rBST in dairy cattle, FDA determined that the genetically engineered form of BST was virtually identical to cows’ natural somatotropin.  Because no significant difference could be found between milk from treated and untreated cows, no special labeling for milk and dairy products from rBST-treated cows was required.  However, many people disapprove of genetically modified foods and have found natural or organic alternatives.

      In July of this year, Monsanto, the company that produces genetically modified BST, filed a case against a Maine dairy whose labels read “rBST-free”.  Monsanto claims the labels imply that rBST is potentially harmful.  FDA stated that manufacturers who do not use milk from cows treated with rBST are allowed to voluntarily inform consumers of this fact on their product labels.  However, this month, FDA warned four manufacturers of milk and ice cream to remove “hormone free” claims from their dairy product labels.  FDA stated that the products were misbranded because the labels contained the false statements, “no hormones” or “hormone free”.  All milk naturally contains hormones, and there is no method for processing milk that renders it free of hormones.   

Initial Somatic Cell Count Influences Shelf-life of Pasteurized Fluid Milk

       Research published in the Journal of Dairy Science last month investigated how much the shelf-life of pasteurized milk could be extended through reducing initial somatic cell counts (SCC) in the raw milk. 

       They measured how long it would take fluid milk with different initial SCC to begin exhibiting off-flavors due to enzymatic degradation.  Raw milk containing two SCC levels (<100,000 or >1,000,000 cells/ml) was standardized to 2% milkfat, pasteurized, homogenized, and subsequently stored at 0.5 or 6°C for 61 days.  Previous work demonstrated that off-flavors could be detected by 50% of sensory panelists after 4.76% of the casein in the sample was destroyed by proteolysis.  It also had been previously established that 34% of panelists could detect off-flavor in milk due to lipolysis once the free fatty acid concentration reached 0.25 meq/kg.  Based on this data, it was estimated that the milk with low initial SCC would develop off-flavors long after 61 days of storage, and milk with high initial SCC would develop detectable off-flavors at about 54 and 19 days at 0.5 and 6°C, respectively. The combination of a low SCC in raw milk, a low storage temperature (<6°C) and processing technologies that would produce very low initial bacteria in fluid milk could maintain flavor quality for more than 61 days of storage.   New marketing strategies and improved economic benefits could be realized if processors achieve a longer shelf-life in their fluid milk. 

   Source:  Santos, M.V., Y. Ma and D.M. Barbano. 2003. Effect of somatic cell count on proteolysis and lipolysis in pasteurized fluid milk during shelf-life storage.  J. Dairy Sci.  86:2491-2503. 

Dairy Products Low in Trans Fat

      FDA’s new rule that food labels will have to include nutritional information on trans fat content should not have a significant impact on dairy processors.  Most dairy foods contain very low levels of naturally occurring trans fats, so the majority of dairy products will fall below the FDA’s threshold and can be labeled “zero grams”.  If a product contains less than 0.5 grams of total fat and makes no claim about fat, fatty acids or cholesterol, the food is exempt, and the nutrition facts panel needs only to include a “not a significant source” line.  Dairy processors will still have to test all their products in order to determine the exact levels of trans fats.  Deadline for appearance of trans fat information on nutritional labeling is January 1, 2006.

 Nestlè Aquires Dreyer’s

       After a full 12 months of discussions and negotiations, primarily with the Federal Trade Commission, Nestlè has purchased Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream for $2.8 billion.  By combining Dreyer’s and its own Ice Cream Partners, Inc., Nestlè is a clear leader in the U.S. ice cream market. 

       The two emerging entities have been ready to finalize the deal for some time.  The FTC stalled the deal in March, expressing concerns that the merger could hurt competition and boost prices for premium Nestlè brands.  In order to gain FTC approval, Dreyer’s sold its Dreamery, Godiva and Whole Fruit brands to CoolBrands International, which will also receive Nestlè’s distribution assets.