Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

UPDATES AT VIRGINIA TECH

  Spring Banquet

The Food Science Club will host the annual Spring Luncheon and Departmental Awards Banquet on Friday, April 21st, 2006. The event will be held from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Owens Banquet Hall on the campus of VA Tech. The invitation is open to anyone, and Departmental members would enjoy having industry personnel (especially the students and graduating seniors!), alumni and other ‘outside' individuals in attendance. If you are interested in coming, please RSVP by Monday, April 10 th to Jennifer Carr at phone, 540-231-6806; fax, 540-231-9293; email, jjc@vt.edu. Dress is casual.

FST Staff Member Judges Cheese Contest

Walter Hartman acted as judge at the 2006 World Championship Cheese Contest, held March 21-23 in Madison , WI . There were 1,793 cheese entries from 18 different countries. The entries were divided into 51 classes and evaluated by 16 judges from South Africa , Canada , Denmark , France , Japan , The Netherlands, New Zealand , Puerto Rico , Australia , and the U.S. During the contest, the best cheese in each class is selected, and on the final day of judging, one of these entries is chosen to be the best cheese in the world. This year, the world champion was a 200-pound wheel of nutty Emmentaler Switzerland Premier Cru made by Christian Wuthrich.

A Monroe , WI cheese factory, Klondike Cheese Co., won three gold medals, the most gold medals awarded to a single cheese company in the nearly 50-year history of the competition. Their golds were for havarti, brick and peppered feta cheese. Wisconsin led the U.S. with 17 gold medals.

Walter is FST's dairy pilot plant manager. Congratulations Walter for being invited to judge the contest!

  HOT TOPICS AND DAIRY ISSUES

  Greek Researchers Isolate New Probiotics

Researchers from the Agricultural University of Athens found three strains of bacteria from dairy sources that have desirable probiotic properties and could be applied in the food industry. They screened 29 different strains of Lactobacillus from diverse dairy sources, such as raw cow's milk, feta cheese and brine, cheddar cheese and sour milk. The in vitro studies, published in the March issue of the International Dairy Journal (Vol. 16, pp. 189-199), tested the stability and resistance of the strains to low pH (acidic conditions), bile salt hydrolysis, and antibiotics. The tests followed guidelines from the FAO/WHO selection criteria for candidate probiotics.

“For the selection of highly potent probiotic strains, safety and functionality properties such as antibiotic resistance, adhesion to intestinal cell lines, antimicrobial activity and inhibition of pathogenic adhesion, as well as immunomodulation potential, are highly important and should be studied using reliable in vitro screening methods,” explained lead author Petros Maragkoudoudakis.

All 29 strains survived at pH 3 but only six kept their viability after one hour at pH 1. Although this appeared to limit the list of potentials, most probiotic bacteria are consumed along with milk proteins, which are said to protect the bacteria against the acidity found in the human stomach.

Adhesion of the bacteria to the intestinal wall has been claimed to be essential for positive probiotic action. The greatest adhesion (25.5%) was found for the strain L. plantarum ACA-DC 146 extracted from feta brine. Adhesion is also important because it stops pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella from adhering to the intestinal walls and colonizing. The L. plantarum strain inhibited E. coli adhesion by 40%, but inhibited Salmonella typhimurium by only 14%. The best strain overall was L. paracasei subspecies tolerans ACA-DC 4037 which inhibited E. coli and Salmonella by 35 and 28%, respectively.

When taken altogether, the data show that L. plantarum ACA-DC 146 and L. paracasei subspecies tolerans ACA-DC 4037 (extracted from Kaseri cheese), along with L. casei Shirota ACA-DC 6002 from Yakult possess desirable probiotic properties.

The next step will be to use these strains in in vivo studies to assess their potential health benefits and food industry applications.

Prison Profits from Goat Dairy

With 250 nanny goats and another 350 on the way, the Colorado Department of Corrections in Canon City has the largest goat dairy operation in the state. Each goat produces 2 gallons of milk a day which means solid profits and plenty of work for the inmates. Steve Smith, the Correctional Industries Ag Division Manager traveled to Pennsylvania to procure La Manch-Nubian-Kenah crosses that are dubbed by the Amish to be the perfect breed. They produce milk and kids year round, and the milk is high in butter fat and worth more money because it's good for cheese making. The buyer has pledged to purchase all the goat milk the program can produce.

The goat dairy is located at the East Canon Prison Complex, adjacent to the tilapia fish operation and the cage-free chicken egg operation, all three of which are making use of old buildings. The milking parlor is in an old garage and has 60 milking stations.

Correctional Industries agricultural programs are as far ranging as the agricultural industry has to offer. Programs include Boer goat, pheasant, wild horse, dairy cows, catfish, honey, grape vineyards, worms, greenhouses, produce, dog training and knitting. Several of the programs have grown and moved to other prisons throughout the state, and Smith keeps thinking up new ways to make a profit with inmate labor.

New Dairy Flavors Tap Organic Market

Chr Hansen, a Danish-based ingredient firm, believes that ingredients should allow food makers to create foods labeled ‘organic' or ‘made with organic ingredients'. The company believes that organic food manufacturers are looking for low-cost ways to expand their current product range and to develop products that are distinctive. Chr Hansen's ingredient portfolio includes butter, cheese, cream, ethnic, fermented, and Italian profiles for use in process cheese, sauces, dips, snacks, microwave foods, and dressings.

The organic segment is expanding at an annual rate of about 16% globally, and now includes manufactured foods such as snacks and ready-to-eat meals. Last year, dressings and snacks represented nearly 20% or organic new product launches, according to Mintel's Global New Products Database (GNPD).

Chr Hansen's cheddar cheese flavor can be added to a dressing to be used as a sauce, or an ethnic flavor can be added to spice up an existing tomato-based product.