DAIRY COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA'S FUNCTIONAL FOODS TASK FORCE MEETS ON LATEST NUTRITION ISSUES

Dairy Products Maintain Strong Position Within Functional Foods Movement

SAN DIEGO - May 20, 2008 - The growing popularity of products containing probiotics and prebiotics, increased use of nutrition symbols on food labels, and a national effort to limit sodium intake are among the top nutrition and food issues impacting the dairy industry today, according to Dairy Council of California's Functional Foods Task Force.

The 14-member task force, which recently held its 9th annual meeting in San Diego, is made up of industry experts representing dairy research, product development, marketing and education. The group met to help the dairy industry stay abreast of dairy's position within the functional foods movement - an effort to encourage consumption of more foods that provide a health benefit beyond their basic nutrients - and to address obstacles to dairy food consumption.

"Various areas of dairy research, public policy, regulations and consumer perceptions that impact dairy were addressed," said Lori Hoolihan, Ph.D., R.D., nutrition research specialist, Dairy Council of California. "We determined that dairy maintains a strong position within the functional foods movement, particularly with its content of whey protein and its association with probiotics and prebiotics. We also dentified some areas where the industry might face some challenges."

Highlights from the meeting include:

Probiotics and prebiotics - Products containing probiotics are being sought out by consumers for such health benefits as improving digestive health, enhancing immunity, reducing the risk of certain cancers and easing symptoms of lactose intolerance. To date, however, the use of the terms "active cultures" and "live bacteria" is poorly regulated and can be abused. The lack of definitions around these terms could result in a backlash if the consumer loses trust in these labels. Prebiotics - food ingredients that promote the growth of some probiotics - are also getting consumer attention, although consumers need to be educated about their health benefits and food sources.

The dairy industry will benefit by clearly communicating the benefits of probiotics and prebiotics, and using the terms correctly and consistently. Ideally, synbiotics - which contain both probiotics and prebiotics - will be developed and marketed as a way to reap the benefits of both.

Labeling - A number of retail outlets across the country are developing and using nutrition labeling systems on food products to help consumers make healthy food choices. The criteria are based on foods' healthy and unhealthy components. Unfortunately, this labeling approach forces consumers to look at individual foods as "good" or "bad" rather than the healthfulness of their overall diet. Also, the task force noticed that each system uses different criteria to categorize foods, which will lead to consumer confusion. The labeling systems are both an opportunity and a challenge for dairy products.

Non-fat milk and yogurts receive high nutrition rankings, while cheeses, ice cream and higher-fat milks fare worse because of their calorie, sodium and saturated fat content. The task force urges the dairy industry to provide balance by encouraging a whole-diet approach to optimize health and prevent chronic disease.

Whey Protein - New research is uncovering a role for whey protein in weight management, specifically by increasing satiety. As little as one cup of milk may control appetite and reduce the total number of calories consumed at a meal. The task force sees whey protein as a promising area for the dairy industry where dairy-related research should be supported.

Sodium - Health organizations such as the American Heart Association and American Medical Association are pushing public health efforts to limit sodium intakes among consumers to reduce blood pressure. Research, however, suggests that reducing sodium is known to benefit only a certain percentage of our population. In addition to these public health efforts, the Center for Science in the Public Interest is asking the Food and Drug Administration to take salt off the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list, which would make it more difficult to use as a food additive.

Considering cheese contains a significant amount of sodium per serving, this may be a challenge for dairy. School lunch programs are being asked to reduce the amounts of fat and sodium in cheese by 50 percent by 2025, which may impact taste.

Overall, there remain significant opportunities for developing and marketing dairy products. With the variety of dairy products already on the market shelves, the task force recommends marketing products to specific lifestyles with the mantra "there is a dairy food for everyone." "The task force also recommends focusing on health and wellness messages, and fostering partnerships with other industries to help carry these messages," said Hoolihan. "Clear and positive communication will always bode well for dairy."

Functional Foods Task Force members include: Bill Aimutis, Cargill Inc; Robert Beausire, Glanbia Nutritionals Inc; Donna Berry, Dairy & Food Communications Inc; Roger Clemens, USC School of Pharmacy; Constance Francis, GTC Nutrition; Cary Frye, International Dairy Foods Association; Tom Gruetzmacher, Land O'Lakes Inc; Kyle Jensen, Hilmar Cheese; Nicholas Melachouris, whey protein consultant; Polly Olson, Davisco; Joe O'Donnell, California Dairy Research Center; Mary Ellen Sanders, Dairy and Food Culture Technologies; and Phillip Tong, Dairy Products Technology Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

The task force meets annually to discuss the latest research on the health benefits of functional foods. Dairy Council uses the information in its outreach to the dairy industry, consumers through its Meals Matter Web site (www.mealsmatter.org) and in its nutrition education
materials distributed through educators and health professionals. To find out more about the recent meeting and the topics discussed, please contact Lori Hoolihan at Hoolihan@dairycouncilofca.org .