dairy

Nelson-Jameson had the chance to sit in with our friends from DSM, producers of the Delvotest line of products, at the World Dairy Expo this Fall in Madison, Wisconsin. This massive show, bringing the dairy farm world together, is a great chance for us to talk with customers and work right alongside our strategic partners at DSM. Delvotests, for those that may not know, are an industry mainstay for testing for antibiotics in milk, a key concern for dairy farmers, milk procurement facilities, and beyond.

The topic of tetracycline drugs dominated the conversations with our customers this year at the booth, due to the recently enacted pilot program for the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) focused ontesting for tetracyclines. We were able to assure customers that they could relax…as Delvotest already takes care of tetracycline concerns,

Nelson-Jameson, Inc. and DSM are proud to announce a new Delvotest® Antibiotic Residue Tests website! Geared towards meeting the needs of dairy farmers, dairy labs, and artisan/farmstead operations, the site features information on an array of kits, troubleshooting tips, and order links.

As part of our mutual commitment to food safety, Nelson-Jameson, Inc. and DSM sought to create a site where users in the Americas could learn more about the dangers of antibiotic residues in milk and how to most effectively select and utilize Delvotest® products to both protect the public health and the economic vitality of their dairy/cheese operations.

To check out the Delvotest® site you can click here, enter “nelsonjameson.com/delvotest” into your web

Nelson-Jameson, Inc. began as a dairy-centric business almost 70 years ago and, while we’ve since branched into all sectors of the food and beverage processing industries, we still consider ourselves experts in all-things-dairy.

Global dairy consumption is expected to grow by 36% in the next decade, largely driven by emerging markets. To satisfy this demand and other culturally-based needs, consumers and processors are looking beyond the traditional dairy cow to other milk-producing animals such as camels, goats, sheep and buffaloes.

If you haven't noticed trans fats have become a prominent public health enemy, with "No Trans Fat!" and other related sayings gracing the cover of many food products out there. The reason? A trendy health fad? Not quite.

The AP reports: "Trans fats are widely considered the worst kind for your heart, even worse than saturated fats, which also can contribute to heart disease. Trans fats are used both in processed food and in restaurants, often to improve the texture, shelf life or flavor of foods."

The growing concern about trans-fats has recently been addressed by the FDA. According to the BBC, "The FDA is opening a 60-day consultation period on the plan, which would gradually phase out trans fats" qualifying that: "The ruling does not affect foods with naturally occurring trans fats, which are present in small amounts in certain meat and dairy products."

In the food industry, we have heard many voices demanding, “Protein!” Protein definitely is an important topic when it comes to nutrition. Proteins are a necessary and important part in the functioning and repair of the body. In addition, protein has received a lot of attention in the diet world. Protein-rich diets are popular with consumers that may be looking to lose or maintain their weights, as protein can make you feel full longer throughout the day.

With such benefits, it can be easy to see why consumers are enamored with this powerful, potent “P.”  Still, there are some important qualifiers that need to be taken into account when focusing on protein in the diet.

First, generally, protein intake is far from

The publication of the USDA’s “Why Are Americans Consuming Less Fluid Milk?   A Look at Generational Differences in Intake Frequency” this May has lead to frank discussion in the dairy industry. Citing a ‘“slow continuous shift downward’ in milk drinking since the 1940s,” the report analyzes the causes and potential effects of this downward trend. The trend has been especially felt significantly in the last several decades: “Since 1970 alone, per capita fluid milk consumption has fallen from 0.96 cup-equivalents to about 0.61 cup-equivalents per day”.

So, what is going on here?  The authors point to several issues that have energized this trend including the following: frequency of consumption, a diversified marketplace, and generational differences. In regards to frequency, Americans “have become less apt to drink fluid milk at mealtimes, especially with midday and nighttime meals, reducing the total number of consumption occasions.” Part of the reason the frequency has decreased is due to an expanding array of beverage options that are out there for the average consumer.

Milk has been displaced by the consumption of energy drinks, sodas, juices, tea, coffee, etc. The current market offers a wide selection of beverages, choices, and purported claims. For younger consumers this variety and choice is something they have always known, unlike older consumers who remember fewer choices and a lack of access to Taurine-infused energy drinks, iced teas, iced coffee drinks, chocolate soy milk, etc.

Compared to a few years ago, food safety fears in China have surged among consumers. The 2008 melamine/infant formula scare that killed several and sickened approximately 300,000 has been a cornerstone for this growing concern. Chinese parents have taken to other methods to procure formula for their children since, including the following: importing of brands from outside of the country, smuggling, obtaining via the mail, and even as featured in the New York Times, instructing friends, family, and others to bring home formula back from their international vacations.

As one Chinese mother said