U.S. Dairy is delivering on top trends at multiple conferences to serve up ideas for product developers to take advantage of the functionality, taste and nutrition that dairy has to offer. From clean label and reduced sodium to energy and globally inspired flavors, U.S. dairy ingredients have an important role in nourishing consumer-inspired foods and beverages seen throughout these events.

The value that U.S. Dairy brings was prominent during both the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2016 Food Expo  earlier this week and at last night’s announcement of the National Dairy Council’s (NDC) 5^th annual 2016 New Product Competition winners at the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) annual meeting in Salt Lake City, UT.

And the NDC student competition winners are…

The 2016 New Product Competition teams were challenged to develop an original product using dairy to promote physical or mental energy. Congratulations to the winning team of graduate students, Andy Lee, Jeff Hymes and Emily Stout and from North Carolina State University who created “Panikotta.” This dessert has a creamy honey vanilla base made with ultra-filtered whole milk, combined with 2% Greek yogurt and cultured non-fat dry milk. The protein content totals 10 grams per serving, an excellent and quality source. Mango fruit coulis and candied ginger bits are stored in the multi-compartment packaging for toppings that add a flavorful finish. Multiple U.S. dairy ingredients add value to this dish for an energizing evening (or morning) snack.

Second place went to Iowa State University for “Beyond the Bar” and third place was The Pennsylvania State University for “Hearty Heifers.” More details on the energy opportunity with U.S. Dairy and the three finalists’ product submissions can be found on ThinkUSAdairy.org.

U.S. Dairy throughout the IFT show

Three new prototypes and a multitude of U.S. dairy resources were on display at the USDEC booth, giving a detailed look at how U.S. dairy products and ingredients can help meet top international trends guiding consumer consumption, including:

• Simple, clean labels
• Weight management
• Healthy aging
• Globally-inspired flavor profiles
• Quality and quantity proteins

Focusing on healthy aging, a Yogurt Barley Soup featured at IFT contained milk protein concentrate and yogurt to total 13 grams of protein and permeate to reduce the sodium level. This prototype, along with others spotted on the show floor, demonstrated that the flavor, nutrition and functional characteristics of U.S. dairy ingredients make them a reliable and creative platform for innovative food development.

Easy access to U.S. dairy resources

Professionals from the foodservice and food and beverage industries left IFT with new ideas and opportunities to strengthen the marketability of their products. To follow-up with the trends and insights seen at IFT, or to discover ways U.S. Dairy can be incorporated into products, visit our IFT resources page.