Fluid Milk Products Research Articles

Lactation curves of Montbéliarde-sired and Viking Red-sired crossbred cows and their Holstein herdmates in commercial dairies

Lactation curves were estimated for Montbéliarde (MO) × Holstein (HO) and Viking Red (VR) × HO 2-breed crossbred cows and for MO × VR/HO and VR × MO/HO 3-breed crossbred cows and their HO herdmates from test-day observations in 7 high-performance herds that participated in a designed study. Cows calved from 2010 to 2017. Test-day observations from milk recording were used to fit the lactation curves of cows in their first 3 lactations. Lactations of cows were required to have at least 250 DIM and to have at least 6 test days ≤265 DIM. Lactation curves from random regression (RR) were compared for 305-d production (kg), peak production (kg), peak day of production, and production from 4 to 103 DIM (kg), from 104 to 205 DIM (kg), and from 206 to 305 DIM (kg) for milk, fat, and protein. Also, the persistency of production was compared. First-lactation versus second- and third-lactation cows were analyzed separately for both the 2-breed and 3-breed crossbred cows and their respective HO herdmates. Legendre polynomial RR had the best goodness of fit for the lactation curves compared with Ali-Schaeffer and Wilmink RR from the test-day observations of milk, fat, and protein production. For fluid milk production of first-lactation cows, the MO × HO 2-breed crossbreds were not different from their HO herdmates for any of the lactation-curve characteristics, except persistency. However, the VR × HO 2-breed crossbreds had less fluid milk production compared with their HO herdmates. For first lactation, the MO × HO 2-breed crossbreds had more persistency of milk, fat, and protein production compared with their HO herdmates. The first-lactation MO × VR/HO 3-breed crossbreds had more persistency of fluid milk production compared with their HO herdmates. For second and third lactations, both the MO × HO and the VR × HO 2-breed crossbreds had higher fat production compared with their HO herdmates. Furthermore, the MO × HO 2-breed crossbreds had more protein production (kg) in all 3 periods of lactation compared with their HO herdmates. Crossbred cows may have advantages over HO cows for persistency of production in high-performance herds.

Economic and environmental analysis of processing plant interventions to reduce fluid milk waste

With the increased awareness about the economic and environmental impact of food waste, many interventions along food supply chains have been proposed to mitigate food waste. Even though interventions used to target food waste usually revolve around logistics and operations management, we highlight a unique solution to address this issue, specifically for fluid milk. We target the intrinsic quality of fluid milk by evaluating interventions that will extend the product shelf life. We used data from a previous fluid milk spoilage simulation model, collected price and product information from retail stores, conducted an expert elicitation, and used hedonic price regressions to determine the private and social gains to the dairy processing plant when implementing 5 different interventions to extend shelf life. Our data suggest that the value of each additional day of shelf life is approximately $0.03 and indicate that increasing periodic equipment cleaning is the most cost-effective strategy for processing plants to achieve fluid milk shelf-life improvements, both from a firm's economic standpoint and from an environmental standpoint. Importantly, the approaches reported here will be valuable to help individual firms to generate customized facility and firm specific assessments that identify the most appropriate strategies for extending the shelf life of different dairy products.

Spatialized Life Cycle Assessment of Fluid Milk Production and Consumption in the United States

Purpose: Understanding the main factors affecting the environmental impacts of milk production and consumption along the value chain is key towards reducing these impacts. This paper aims to present detailed spatialized distributions of impacts associated with milk production and consumption across the United States (U.S.), accounting for locations of both feed and on-farm activities, as well as variations in impact intensity. Using a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) approach, focus is given to impacts related to (a) water consumption, (b) eutrophication of marine and freshwater, (c) land use, (d) human toxicity and ecotoxicity, and (e) greenhouse gases. Methods: Drawing on data representing regional agricultural practices, feed production is modelled for 50 states and 18 main watersheds and linked to regions of milk production in a spatialized matrix-based approach to yield milk produced at farm gate. Milk processing, distribution, retail, and consumption are then modelled at a national level, accounting for retail and consumer losses. Custom characterization factors are developed for freshwater and marine eutrophication in the U.S. context. Results and discussion: In the overall life cycle, up to 30% of the impact per kg milk consumed is due to milk losses that occur during the retail and consumption phases (i.e., after production), emphasizing the importance of differentiating between farm gate and consumer estimates. Water scarcity is the impact category with the highest spatial variability. Watersheds in the western part of the U.S. are the dominant contributors to the total water consumed, with 80% of water scarcity impacts driven by only 40% of the total milk production. Freshwater eutrophication also has strong spatial variation, with high persistence of emitted phosphorus in Midwest and Great Lakes area, but high freshwater eutrophication impacts associated with extant phosphorus concentration above 100 µg/L in the California, Missouri, and Upper Mississippi water basins. Overall, normalized impacts of fluid milk consumption represent 0.25% to 0.8% of the annual average impact of a person living in the U.S. As milk at farm gate is used for fluid milk and other dairy products, the production of milk at farm gate represents 0.5% to 3% of this annual impact. Dominant contributions to human health impacts are from fine particulate matter and from climate change, whereas ecosystem impacts of milk are mostly due to land use and water consumption. Conclusion: This study provides a systematic, national perspective on the environmental impacts of milk production and consumption in the United States, showing high spatial variation in inputs, farm practices, and impacts.

Effect of Ozone Treatment Exposure Time on Oxidative Stability of Cream Milk

AbstractMilk cream is a fluid milk product comparatively rich in fat, in the form of an emulsion of fat‐in‐skimmed milk, obtained by physical separation from milk, and widely used in the food industry. This study aims to evaluate the consequences of ozone treatment exposure time on lipid oxidation of milk cream, using peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) methods. Ozonation process significantly affects PV and TBARS value (P < 0.05), in particular, the lipid oxidation increases with the ozone exposure time. The color characteristics (L*, a*, and b* values) of milk cream samples are also affected by ozone treatment (P < 0.05); the decrease of color parameters can be related to carotenoids degradation due to ozone treatment.Practical applications: Although ozone treatment is an extremely useful method to reduce the microbiological load of foods, the duration of ozone treatment is a key factor to determine the capacity of the ozonation process to balance microbial and chemical quality of foods.

Evaluating Paenibacillus odorifer for its potential to reduce shelf life in reworked high-temperature, short-time fluid milk products

Rework is a common practice used in the dairy industry as a strategy to help minimize waste from processing steps or errors that might otherwise render the product unsaleable. Dairy processors may rework their high-temperature, short-time (HTST) fluid milk products up to code date (21 d) at a typical dilution rate of ≤20% rework into ≥80% fresh raw milk. Bacterial spores present in raw milk that can survive pasteurization and grow at refrigeration temperatures are often responsible for milk spoilage. However, the potential impact of growth and thermal resistance of organisms in reworked product has not been investigated. Our objective was to characterize growth, sporulation, and thermal resistance of Paenibacillus odorifer under conditions representative of extreme storage conditions (time and temperature) of reduced fat (2%) and chocolate milk to evaluate whether product containing rework would have a reduced shelf life. Commercial UHT-pasteurized 2% milk and chocolate milk were independently inoculated with 4 strains of P. odorifer at 1 to 2 log cfu/mL and stored at 4°C and 7°C for 30 d. Changes in P. odorifer cell densities were determined by standard serial dilution with spread plating on tryptic soy agar with yeast extract and incubation at 25°C for 48 h. Spore counts were determined following thermal treatment at 80°C for 12 min. Thermal resistance of a cocktail of P. odorifer in milk was determined after treatments at 63°C for 30 min and 72°C for 15 s. Strains of P. odorifer grew rapidly at 7°C and reached a maximum cell density of ~8 log cfu/g in both 2% and chocolate milk within 12 d. All strains grew more slowly at 4°C and had not reached maximum cell density by 21 d. With extreme temperature abuse (25°C, 24 h), P. odorifer will sporulate in milk; however, thermally resistant subpopulations, including spores, did not develop in milk at 4°C until after stationary phase was achieved (>24 d). Vegetative cells of P. odorifer were verified to be sensitive to pasteurization (>7 log reduction); therefore, P. odorifer would not be expected to contribute to reduced shelf life of fluid milk products containing rework, even with extended storage before rework.

Estimating market power for the Chinese fluid milk market with imported products

AbstractMarket power exercised by large dairy brands is an important policy concern in China, while imported milk players have not received enough attention. In this paper, we construct a New Empirical Industrial Organization (NEIO) model to estimate the market powers of fluid milk products. Our results indicate the Chinese fluid milk market is imperfectly competitive where the top three domestic brands own strong market power, but there is no evidence to justify the existence of market power for the imported milk. It might be due to the high price elasticity of demand, inefficient sales channels, and entry barriers of imported fluid milk. In terms of policy implications, the government needs to create a more competitive market for the whole dairy industry. Overseas suppliers also need to improve their competitiveness by optimizing their sales network and enhancing consumers' brand loyalty. [EconLit Citations: Q13, L66, L52].

Implicit Values of Functional Attributes in Fluid Milk Products: Hedonic Analysis of Korean Fluid Milk Market

Competition in the Korean milk market is being intensified with the emergence of a variety of product-differentiated milk. The purpose of this study is to measure implicit values of functional attributes of fluid milk products in Korea, which is a representative example of product differentiation. Hedonic price analysis and households’ milk purchase data were employed for this study. Our findings suggest that Korean consumers have a high value for lactose-free property (25.4% price premium) over conventional milk. This reflects the fact that many Korean adults have lactose intolerance and the lactose-free properties can help digest milk without negative symptoms. In addition, the estimated price premium for the calcium-fortified attribute was positive but a little higher over the base case at 2.4% level. In the case of vitamin fortification, it was found to have a negative value (-34.6%). Our results are expected to be useful for the milk industry to make decisions about the investment, production, or pricing strategy.

Review on the Role of Dairy Product Processing and Preservation in Food Security of Ethiopia

Ethiopia holds large potential for dairy development, the sector is not developed to the expected level. The objectives of this paper were to provide organized information on different types of dairy product processing, preservation and the role of dairy product processing and preservation in food security in the country. Milk production systems can be classified into three based on their location: urban, pre-urban and rural milk production systems. Urban dairy production system is placed in cities and towns, with small or no access to grazing land and small feeding conditions which focus on the production and sale of fluid milk, using the available human and capital resources. Pre-urban milk production is developed around city areas. Another types of dairy production system is the rural dairy system, which includes pastoralist, agropastoral and mixed crop–livestock producers, mainly in the highland areas. There are four main methods used to process milk that are suitable for small-scale operation: Cooling fresh milk to extend the shelf life by a day or two, or freezing it. Heating milk to destroy both contaminating micro-organisms and naturally occurring enzymes that change the flavor of milk. Making the milk acidic to slow down or food poisoning bacteria, Reducing the amount of water in milk products to slow down or prevent the growth of bacteria are some Examples. Also, dairy production used for human consumption and it has great role in food security of the country. Keywords : Ethiopia, dairy production, food security DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/110-02 Publication date: September 30 th 2021

Soy Consumption, but Not Dairy Consumption, Is Inversely Associated with Fatty Acid Desaturase Activity in Young Adults.

Past research using hepatic rat microsomes showed that soy protein suppressed delta-6 desaturase activity (D6D) compared to casein (a dairy protein). The effects of soy and dairy on desaturase pathway activity in humans remain poorly investigated. The objective of this analysis was to investigate the association between soy and dairy consumption with plasma fatty acids and estimate the desaturase pathway activity in a multiethnic Canadian population of young adults. We analyzed data from men (n = 319) and women (n = 764) previously collected for the Toronto Nutrigenomics and Health Study. Food frequency questionnaires and plasma fatty acids were assessed. Relationships between soy and dairy beverages and food consumption with estimated desaturase activities were assessed by regression models and by grouping participants according to beverage and food intake data. Weak inverse associations (p ≤ 0.05) were found between soy consumption and the overall desaturation pathway activity, specifically D6D activity. When participants were grouped based on soy and dairy consumption habits, omega-6 LC-PUFAs, as well as various estimates of the desaturase pathway activity, were significantly lower in individuals consuming soy (with or without dairy) compared to individuals consuming only fluid milk and dairy products. In conclusion, soy consumption, not dairy consumption, appears to suppress desaturase pathway activity.

Consumer perception of the sustainability of dairy products and plant-based dairy alternatives

Plant-based dairy alternative beverage sales have increased in recent years. Plant-based dairy alternatives often advertise on a platform of sustainability and environmental commitment. To successfully position and market dairy products in this competitive environment, dairy companies must understand the consumer definition of and importance placed on sustainability, as well as communicate sustainability information effectively. The objective of this study was to characterize consumer perception of the sustainability of milk and dried dairy ingredients and their respective plant-based alternatives. Focus groups and 2 online surveys were conducted. In the first survey, maximum difference scaling was used to rank the importance of specific dairy product attributes to sustainability, along with an exercise in which respondents selected whether a fluid milk or protein powder product was sustainable. A follow-up survey included 2 exercises in which respondents selected whether generic dairy products or dried dairy ingredients were sustainable, natural, healthy, trustworthy, or ethical. Over half of dairy product consumers reported that they looked for sustainability-related information. Consumers who purchased both plant-based dairy alternative and dairy products placed a higher self-reported importance on sustainability than those who purchased dairy products only. Focus group and survey maximum difference scaling results identified 5 key attributes for sustainability: minimal carbon footprint/greenhouse gas emissions, few/no preservatives, animal happiness and welfare, and simple/minimal ingredients. Plant-based dairy alternatives followed by fluid milk and protein powders were considered more sustainable than dairy products, but package type and organic status also played a role in consumer sustainability perception. Product labels were the most common source of sustainability information, although consumers also sought information on websites affiliated and unaffiliated with dairy companies. There was cognitive overlap among the terms sustainable, natural, healthy, ethical, and trustworthy as they relate to dairy products, but consumers used the terms distinctly. Consumers perceived differences in these terms between general categories of dairy as well as among products in a specific dairy category. Dairy companies may be able to differentiate themselves by helping consumers make these choices by simplifying sustainability-related messaging and by maintaining open, transparent communication regarding sustainability.

The role of heat treatment in light oxidation of fluid milk

Light-oxidized flavor (LOF) resulting from photooxidation of riboflavin following light exposure is one of the most common off-flavors in fluid milk. The sensory perception of LOF has been studied extensively in high temperature, short time pasteurized (HTST) milk, but few studies have evaluated ultrapasteurized (UP) milk. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of heat treatment in the development of LOF in UP fluid skim milk. Skim milk was processed by HTST or by direct steam injection (DSI-UP) and subsequently exposed to 2,000-lx light-emitting diode light for various times. Sensory properties were monitored by descriptive analysis and threshold tests, and volatile compounds were evaluated by solid phase microextraction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Dissolved oxygen and riboflavin were determined at each time point using an oxygen meter and ultra-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector, respectively. The entire experiment was performed in triplicate. Typical cardboard and mushroom flavors (LOF) were detected by trained panelists in HTST milk after 3.5 h of light exposure. In contrast, LOF was not detected by trained panelists in UP milk until 36 h of light exposure. Similarly, the best estimate threshold for LOF from untrained consumers (n = 101) was higher for DSI-UP milk (61.0 h) than for HTST milk (15.2 h). Milks with LOF were characterized by higher relative abundance of the lipid oxidation compounds hexanal and heptanal. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and riboflavin concentrations decreased with increased light exposure time, and the decrease was slower in UP milk compared with HTST milk. Initial DO concentration was investigated as a possible influence in LOF development because DSI-UP milks had lower initial DO concentrations than HTST milks. However, follow-up evaluations of deaerated HTST milks suggested that DO was not a significant factor in LOF development. These results demonstrate that UP milk is less sensitive to LOF than HTST milk, possibly due to sensory masking effects or antioxidant effects of volatile sulfur compounds. An enhanced understanding of light and storage effects on milks will assist with best practices when transporting and displaying fluid milk products for sale.

Spilt Milk: COVID-19 and the Dangers of Dairy Industry Consolidation

Consolidation came later in the dairy industry than in other agricultural sectors. A long history of dairy farmer cooperatives owned by their farmer members and vertically integrated to produce and distribute fluid milk and cheese products staved off industrialized farming and horizontal consolidation. But by 1990, advances in technology and a change in antitrust regulation enabled investor-owned firms like Borden Dairy and Dean Food as well as large farmer cooperatives like DFA, Prairie Farm and Land O’Lakes to dominate the industry. Consolidation and the pursuit of economies of scale led to two inflexible and separate supply chains in dairy – one serving retail markets for consumers, the other serving commercial markets for institutional customers. The COVID-19 pandemic and economic lockdown revealed the lack of resilience and risks in a system dominated by a few large actors. Viable reforms in the dairy industry that limit the domination by powerful actors can achieve resilience and improve the ability of the dairy industry to respond to disruptions.

Aflatoxin M1 Contamination in Fluid Milk Products, in Khartoum State, Sudan

Aflatoxin M1 Contamination in Fluid Milk Products, in Khartoum State, Sudan

Risk-based assessment and criteria specification of the microbial safety of wastewater reuse in food processing: Managing Listeria monocytogenes contamination in pasteurized fluid milk

Intense pressure on water resources has led to efforts to reuse reclaimed processing wastewater for cleaning purposes in food processing plants. The milk industry produces considerable amounts of wastewater, which can be used for cleaning of equipment after appropriate treatment. However, due to naturally occurring microbiological contamination in raw milk, the wastewater is often contaminated, and therefore the reuse of reclaimed wastewater is perceived as risky. This study aims to quantify the risks of Listeria monocytogenes infection and associated disease burden when wastewater reclaimed from milk processing operations is used in cleaning-in-place (CIP) systems for pasteurized fluid milk production following a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) approach. Furthermore, this study aims to inform risk-based tolerable limits for levels of contamination in CIP water based on a public health target of 10−6 DALY per person annually. The suggested model investigates the passage of L. monocytogenes throughout the fluid milk chain, from receipt of raw milk at the plant to the point of consumption and covering storage in receiving and storage tanks, pasteurization, and storage at retail and at home. Risk and disease burden estimates are simulated for general (younger than 65 years), elderly (65 years and older) and pregnant population subgroups. Additional scenarios covering the effect of using clean water, using water with different levels of contamination and using reclaimed wastewater modeled as recovered from cheese whey after membrane filtration (reclaimed water scenario) are considered to estimate a risk-based limit of contamination and simulate a real-life example. The tolerable limit of contamination in CIP water was estimated as −2 log10 CFU/mL to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable subgroup, pregnant women, while higher limits were estimated for the elderly and general subgroups. Under the reclaimed water scenario, the annual number of listeriosis cases was estimated as 3.36, 5.67, and 0.15 for the general, elderly and pregnant population subgroups, respectively, while in the clean water scenario, the estimates were 3.33, 5.56 and 0.15, respectively. In both scenarios, the DALY estimates were lower than the tolerable limit. The results indicate that reclaimed water can be an alternative to potable water for CIP applications.

Main sources and parental educational level differences in intake of vitamin D in Finnish preschool children

AbstractIn Finland the recommendation for the use of vitamin D supplement is a daily supplement throughout the year for all children. It is also recommended that fluid milk products and fat spreads are fortified with vitamin D. The purpose of this study was to provide up-to-date data on children's dietary and supplemental intake of vitamin D. We also examined educational level differences in the intake and sources of vitamin D.A cross-sectional study on the diet in Finnish 3–6-year-old preschool children (the DAGIS Study) was carried out in 2015–2016. Children were recruited in preschools in Southern Finland and in the Southern Ostrobothnia Region (n = 864). The parents reported child's supplement use (brand name, dose, frequency of use) during the last month and their own education level. The highest parental education level (PEL) was used in analysis. Parents and preschool personnel also filled in a 3-day food record for the child. A part of the families also kept an additional 2-day food record, which we sent to capture seasonal variation in the diet. In this analysis we included children (n = 794) with data for supplement use and at least 1-day food record. We calculated dietary intake based on the Fineli food composition database and created a dietary supplement database. We used Kruskal-Wallis test for statistical analysis.Most of the children in all PELs used vitamin D supplements (low 77%, medium 85%, high 85%). Dietary supplements covered almost half of the total intake in all groups (low 42%, medium 48%, high 47%, p = 0,087). The main dietary sources of vitamin D were fortified fluid milk products, fortified fat spreads and fish dishes. A higher proportion of vitamin D was obtained from fish dishes in families with higher PEL (low 4.3%, medium 4.5%, high 6.1%, p = 0.005), but otherwise there were no differences in the proportions of the main sources. The vitamin D intake from diet and supplements was lowest in families with low PEL but the total intake of vitamin D was adequate in all groups (low 18.3, medium 20.7, high 20.7 μg/day, p = 0.001).The use of vitamin D fortified fluid milk products and fat spreads and the vitamin D supplementation seem to ensure adequate vitamin D intake in all children, regardless the level of parental education.

PENERAPAN TEKNIK MARMET UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PRODUKSI ASI PADA IBU POST PARTUM DI RUMAH SAKIT TK III 04.06.02 BHAKTI WIRA TAMTAMA SEMARANG

Breast milk is the best food for babies, because breast milk contains nutrients and all the nutrients with the amount and composition needed by the baby. one of the obstacles in the process of lactation on the first day is the mother does not produce enough breast milk or the baby does not want to suck so that the mother does not want to breastfeed the baby. Way that can be done to increase milk production is by doing the technique marmet. This case study aims to illustrate the increased production breast milk in post partum mothers after nursing with marine techniques in hospitals Bougenville Room TK III 04.06.02 Bhakti Wira Tamtama Semarang. The type of this research is descriptive by using case study approach method. Subjects in this study were two patients with postpartum mother with criteria of primiparous mother, postpartum mother who breastfeeding, mother who is willing to be respoden, babies performed nursing. The analysis was measured based on an observed sheet of fluid milk production. the results of case studies show an increase in milk production from a score of 12 categories not smooth to score 19 categories smoothly on subject I and score 13 categories not smooth to score 20 categories smoothly on subject II. Recommendations need to be consistent nurses in taking action marmet techniques to increase milk production in primipara mother.

Identification of small molecule flavor compounds that contribute to the somatosensory attributes of bovine milk products

Compounds that contribute to the somatosensory flavor profile of bovine fluid milk products were investigated. Sensory descriptive analysis defined five main attributes that consisted of “mouthcoating, astringent/drying, fatty texture, dairy mouthfeel, and tingling/irritation” sensations. Utilizing multi-dimensional LC sensory guided fractionation, compounds with these attributes were selected, purified and subsequently identified by LC/MS as orotic acid, pantothenic acid, hippuric acid, and p-cresol sulfate. Quantitative analysis of the four compounds across skim milk, low fat milk and whole milk indicated the concentrations were not significantly different; however, they were significantly lower in cream. Sensory recombination milk model analysis of each compound at endogenous concentrations of fluid milk indicated all compounds were sensory active. Furthermore, using a 2-AFC sensory test, skim milk spiked at two-fold higher concentrations of the 4 compounds had a significantly “creamier, fuller body” when compared with skim milk itself (α = 0.01).

Market power and farm‐retail price transmission: The case of US fluid milk markets

AbstractIn this paper, we seek to understand the impact of market competitiveness on the degree of asymmetric price transmission and associated welfare implications. We estimate a kinked Almost Ideal Demand System for fluid milk products in 18 US metropolitan areas. By conducting an asymmetric price transmission test, we find that cities with less competitive food retailing tend to exhibit asymmetric price transmission. The degree of price asymmetry and associated welfare loss are decreasing in market competitiveness. Our welfare analysis suggests that the welfare loss due to asymmetric price transmission is large in terms of the percentage of milk expenditures. The potential is for substantially higher future welfare loss given the ongoing consolidation in the food retailing industry. [EconLit citations: L11, Q11]

Vitamin D Fortification of Fluid Milk Products and Their Contribution to Vitamin D Intake and Vitamin D Status in Observational Studies-A Review.

Fluid milk products are systematically, either mandatorily or voluntarily, fortified with vitamin D in some countries but their overall contribution to vitamin D intake and status worldwide is not fully understood. We searched the PubMed database to evaluate the contribution of vitamin D-fortified fluid milk products (regular milk and fermented products) to vitamin D intake and serum or plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status in observational studies during 1993–2017. Twenty studies provided data on 25(OH)D status (n = 19,744), and 22 provided data on vitamin D intake (n = 99,023). Studies showed positive associations between the consumption of vitamin D-fortified milk and 25(OH)D status in different population groups. In countries with a national vitamin D fortification policy covering various fluid milk products (Finland, Canada, United States), milk products contributed 28–63% to vitamin D intake, while in countries without a fortification policy, or when the fortification covered only some dairy products (Sweden, Norway), the contribution was much lower or negligible. To conclude, based on the reviewed observational studies, vitamin D-fortified fluid milk products contribute to vitamin D intake and 25(OH)D status. However, their impact on vitamin D intake at the population level depends on whether vitamin D fortification is systematic and policy-based.

Identification and characterization of fluid milk consumer groups

Consumption of fluid milk has steadily declined over the last few decades. Understanding the attributes of fluid milk products that are attractive to specific consumer groups may provide a sound basis for education and marketing to encourage increased dairy consumption and reverse the downward trend. The objective of this study was to identify the attributes of fluid milk that specific consumer groups find attractive and attributes that suggest a higher purchase likelihood. An adaptive choice-based conjoint (ACBC) survey was designed to assess attributes of fluid milk. The ACBC survey included Kano, importance, labeling identification, and beliefs questions to determine the key attributes that dictated consumer purchase and consumption. Self-reported purchase habits and attitudes for organic food products were also collected. Attributes in the ACBC exercise included fat content, package type, shelf life, and label claims. Maximum difference scaling was used to rank the importance of attributes in fluid milk that affected purchase. Maximum difference scaling was also used to rank qualities and issues associated with organic milk that were most motivating for those who identified as organic milk consumers. Results were analyzed by univariate and multivariate statistics. A total of 1,163 fluid milk consumers completed the survey, and of those, 434 were regular purchasers of organic milk. The ideal fluid milk from conjoint analysis was 2% milkfat, organic, packaged in a plastic jug, conventionally pasteurized, and contained no additives or label claims. The belief that "organic milk is healthier" was the most important motivator for purchases of organic milk, followed by the beliefs that "organic milk production encourages ethical treatment of animals" and "organic milk production supports local farms and farmers." Conjoint importance scores of all fluid milk consumers showed that milkfat content was the most important attribute, followed by flavor, package size, and price. For all milk consumers, designation as organic was ranked as the 8th most important of 14 attributes. Evaluation of these results on both aggregate and individual levels suggest that fluid milk consumers are not a homogeneous consumer group and that underlying consumer groups are led to purchase decisions by specific product features or expectations.