Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University |
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| Faculty:
Susan Duncan, Dairy and Sensory Evaluation Expertise Areas: Dairy product processing and quality, sensory evaluation Phone: (540) 231-8675 Fax: (540) 231-9293 Email:duncans@vt.edu
Bill Eigel, Food Biochemistry Expertise Areas: Laboratory quality control, lab analytical techniques (non-microbial) Phone: (540) 231-6877 Fax: (540) 231-9293 Email: weigel@vt.edu
Joe Marcy, Food Processing Expertise Areas: Juice processing, packaging and aseptics Phone: (540) 231-7850 Fax: (540) 231-9293 Email: jmarcy@vt.edu Sean
O’Keefe:
Food Chemistry Expertise
Areas: Product
development Fax: (540) 231-9293
Susan Sumner: Food Safety Expertise Areas: Dairy microbiology, food safety, lactic acid bacteria, shelf-life and HACCP Phone: (540) 231-5280 Fax: (540) 231-9293 Email: sumners@vt.edu
Dairy Staff: Walter Hartman: Dairy Plant Manager Phone: (540) 231-3037 Kim Waterman: Dairy Chemistry Phone: (540) 231-6325 Joell Eifert: Microbiology Phone: (540) 231-8697
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UPDATES AT VIRGINIA TECH Spring Luncheon and Awards Ceremony FST's annual luncheon and awards recognition ceremony was held on April 21 st at Owens Banquet Hall. Following the meal, departmental, college, state and national awards were presented. The 2005 Dairy Products Evaluation Team and the 2006 College Bowl Team were recognized for their efforts, and the Food Science Club inducted officers for 2006-2007. Departmental and Industry Awards: Katie Robbins received the Boyd-Arline Scholarship and the VA Food and Beverage Association award. Earlier in the year, she received the Archa Vaughan , Jr. Scholarship and the Gamma Sigma Delta Junior Scholarship. Jamie Clark received the Paul Large – Outstanding Transfer Student Award. Amanda Boswell was presented the W.F. Collins Scholarship. She previously received the Charles W. Wampler, Sr. Scholarship. The VA Dairy Tech Society Dairy Products Evaluation Awards went to Amanda Boswell , Vanessa Brown, JaeHee Hong (PhD candidate) , Mark Kline (MS candidate) , and Bethany Osborne. JaeHee Hong also received the Virginia Dare Award, and Mark Kline was presented the Faculty Award for Outstanding Graduate Student. Brian Stanek received the Harvey Scott Outstanding Graduating Senior Award. He previously received the Cyrus H. McCormick Scholarship and was recognized as the Alpha Zeta Outstanding Senior for FST. Ashley Zekert received the Carolina-VA Dairy Products Assn. Academic Acheivement Award. Earlier in the year, she was presented the William R. Powell Scholarship. Mariel Fajer-Gomez, Ashley Gray, Hannah Holsinger, Mark Mason, Jessica Ruedisueli, Lauren Stewart, Tyler Thompson, and Souli Thong were recognized for outstanding achievement. Ashley Gray received the Reese McCormick, Sr. Scholarship earlier this year. Angela Hartman (PhD) was presented the Phyllis G. & Reginald H. Nelson Award. National/Regional Awards: Katie Robbins and Mary O'Bryan were presented IFT Scholarships. Earlier, Mary O'Bryan received the John R. Dawkins Scholarship. Food Science Graduate Student Wins Award John Koontz, a Ph.D. candidate in VA Tech's Department of Food Science and Technology, won the Italian Packaging Awards Paper Writing Competition for 2006. John was one of eight students selected in a national competition sponsored by The Italian Trade Commission, along with the Italian Association of Automatic Packing and Packaging Machinery Manufacturers and the Institute of Packaging Professionals . In mid-June, John will take an all expenses paid trip to Italy to experience, first hand, the innovation and quality of Italian packaging technology. He will visit leading Italian manufacturers of packaging machinery and equipment as well as numerous cultural sites throughout Italy . Congratulations John! HOT TOPICS AND DAIRY ISSUES Dairy Packaging uses Gas Additive Sweden-based Ecolean has incorporated a controlled atmosphere packaging system (CAPS) into its existing Ecolean filling system for pasteurized products. CAPS offers the liquid food industry a new method to extend shelf life and improve safety by adding a protective gas into the package during the filling cycle. The filling system uses hermetically, factory presealed packages, and the combination of the hygienic package, an opening/filling/resealing 2.4 second cycle and a controlled flow of protective gas will guarantee consistent quality of the filled product. Ecolean packages are 40% calcium carbonate. Polymers are used only as the binding agent. The Ecolean packaging is used by manufacturers of fresh milk, yogurt, cream, kefir and other fermented products, and liquid eggs. Sheep's Milk Healthy Sheep's milk has a higher content of essential vitamins and minerals than cow's milk. Products made from sheep's milk may appeal to consumers searching for more healthy alternatives and better sources of vitamins and minerals. Although cheese made from sheep's milk (Roquefort, Pecorino, Romano and feta) is relatively well known, sheep's milk is not nearly so popular in its fresh form due to seasonal availability. According to market analyst Mintel, non-cow milks (sheep and goat) currently have a 0.8% share of the white milk market value. The market is growing – not because of the healthy profile (the higher fat content of the milk is actually a drawback), but because non-cow's milk contains less lactose, which makes it more suitable for people with a perceived intolerance. Data from the British Sheep Dairying Association for whole sheep's milk compared to cow's milk: Sheep's milk versus Cow's milk (respectively): Fat content 6.7% compared to 3.8% Riboflavin 4.3 mg/l compared to 2.2 mg/l Thiamine 1.2 mg/l compared to 0.5 mg/l Niacin 5.4 mg/l compared to 1.0 mg/l Pantothenic acid 5.3 mg/l compared to 3.4 mg/l Biotin 5.0 mg/l compared to 1.7 mg/l B6 0.7 mg/l compared to 0.5 mg/l B12 0.09 mg/l compared to 0.03 mg/l Biotin 5.0 mg/l compared to 1.7 mg/l Folate 0.5 mg/l compared to 0.5 mg/l Calcium 162-259 mg/100g compared to 110 mg/100g Sheep's milk is also higher in phosphorous, sodium, magnesium, zinc and iron. The greater concentration of nutrients in sheep's milk occurs because of its total solids content – 18.3%, compared to the 12.1% of cow's milk. David Baker, owner of Styles Farm in Southwest England has been making ice cream from sheep's milk for the past 18 years. Sheep's milk has a higher fat content than cow's milk, and initially, Baker was adding vegetable fat to bring the level up. Last year, he stopped adding the vegetable fat and introduced a product made only from the whole sheep's milk. The fat level is too low for it to be called “ice cream” because to be labeled as such, the product must have a fat content of at least 5%. He calls his creation Slim Ewe, and in a recent blind-tasting, three out of four people said they preferred it to regular ice cream. Baker adds 6% sugar, natural stabilizers and emulsifiers and says he expects the product to be a hit with people looking for a low-fat, natural, but still tasty alternative to other desserts. Although it seems that there's a market for fresh products using sheep's milk, at the moment only small producers like Styles Farm are tapping into it. For instance, Willow Hill Farm in Vermont started producing sheep's yogurt to feed their dogs. But after it proved to be a hit at a local farmer's market, they began offering it for human consumption too. They've been very successful. And Styles farm is doing so well, that it had to enlist the services of another farmer who milks 1000 sheep. They sell around £1m each year and expect to grow considerably larger.
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