Polishing Up Dairy's Health Halo

Although most consumers buy dairy products, questions about their healthfulness have prompted some to cut back or turn to dairy alternatives. Makers of dairy products are working hard to address some of consumers’ concerns about dairy with the rollout of new and reformulated products.

According to an economic impact study by the International Dairy Foods Association, no oil/less oil is the fastest-growing claim on dairy products, driven by the margarine/spreads category. Claims related to no trans fats, low sugar, animal welfare, lactose-free, and easier to digest are also common. Ultra pasteurized is a new entry into the list of top 10 claims.

Black Diamond offers lactose-free natural cheeses in bars, shreds, slices, and snacking forms such as its Cheestrings Ficello.

Perhaps most importantly, milk is a powerhouse of naturally occurring functional ingredients—from lactoferrin to bioactive peptides, which offer benefits such as boosting immunity, promoting sleep, supporting bone health, and enhancing cognition, according to studies from the Dairy Foods Research Centers.  

In addition, in another product category, thanks to recent changes in federal label guidelines, egg producers like Pete & Gerry’s are including the term “healthy” on their labels. Happy Egg Co.’s Vitamin+ Free-Range Eggs have 10 times more vitamin D and two times as much biotin and folic acid as regular grade A eggs, the company says. New Barn Organics markets Regenerative Organic Pasture-Raised Eggs.

Wilcox Family Farms use portable chicken coops, which it moves weekly, to give its birds access to fresh grass and to contribute to soil health. Wilcox also introduced a version of its popular omega-3 eggs produced by free-range chickens whose diets are free of soy. Elevated Delights Quail Eggs are new from Westfield Egg Farm.

There’s also good news on the environmental front. Data from the not-for-profit group CABI confirms that by 2030, the California dairy sector will reduce methane emissions to a level that is 40% below 2013 levels.ft