The house of milk
Arla has declared that we are about to enter the decade for dairy. It is backing this assertion with measures to increase its future resilience that essentially provides consumers every reason to purchase dairy products.
Consumers are becoming more aware of health and sustainability, and expect the food they eat to meet those standards.
According to Graham Wilkinson, a senior director at the brand, he says that both farmers and processors have learned lessons from the challenges of the past few years, with contingency plans in place for extreme weather and supply chain disruption.
What’s more, recently, Arla Foods unveiled a five-year strategy to cement its commitment to sustainable dairy production.
This is a very positive move. Plus when you factor in Arla Foods Ingredients developing technology to unlock infinite innovation for the dairy sector, the farming co-op is seeing what’s possible and what might be commercially feasible for the future.
The technology, which the company describes as ‘revolutionary’, separates milk into its different protein components, opening up possibilities for scientists, nutritionists and health professionals to create next-generation dairy products.
The patented method, termed milk fractionation, allows the selection of specific pure milk proteins, for example, casein and serum whey proteins, for specialised nutrient-specific foods.
Arla believes that it would take infant formula and sports products to the next level, as well as products catering to other vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with medical nutrition needs.
Industry needs progress like this. It drives invention and reinvention of processes, and is one way to ensure the best possible ideas for dairy and other food products to different customers.
After what Mr Wilkinson said, this is an opportunity for the dairy industry to raise the profile of its products and how dairy products can be a force for good in terms of alleviating some of the challenges in health and nutrition.
- Rodney Jack, editor, Food & Drink Technology.
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