Principal Food Scientist,
Cargill Texturizing Solutions
Our dairy customers are frequently asking us how we can help them deal with rising input costs while continuing to produce the great tasting, high quality products that their customers expect from them. Here at Cargill, we're gearing up to showcase and roll out some innovative and great-tasting cost-containment solutions at this Fall's International Dairy Foods Association International Dairy Show in Atlanta Sept. 19 to 21. We hope to see you at our exhibit (booth #839), where we'll be demonstrating some of these food-processing solutions. Following are some of the cool things we've been working on lately that can help our dairy customers optimize their costs:
Gelatin-free yogurt: Gelatin prices have nearly doubled in the last year due to competition from hide tanners, while starches from corn, tapioca, and potatoes have risen substantially as well. To help our dairy food manufacturing customers remain competitive in the face of these price pressures, we've added to our line of Vitex® AYS systems. Gelatin free Vitex® stabilizers, which feature modified food starch and hydrocolloids, are a cost-effective alternative to gelatin without affecting the flavor or texture of yogurt. Consumers get the same creamy product that they expect.
Greek yogurt without the need for mechanical separation: Consumer demand is increasing for these high-protein yogurts, but the capital investment of the separator necessary to remove whey can deter manufacturers. Incorporating modified food starch, milk solids and pectin, our Vitex stabilizers allow manufacturers to enter the Greek yogurt market with no additional capital investment.
Reduced-solids, full-fat sour cream: Cargill's CitriTex® functional systems utilize citrus pulpfiber to replace high-cost solids, supplying the expected viscosity and water-binding properties without affecting taste or texture.
Reduced-fat, reduced solids sour cream: Again, our CitriTex blends work to replace high-cost solids, in sour creams with less fat and fewer calories while maintaining great taste and creamy texture.
Faster vat set times for cottage cheese: Cargill's Dairyland® Direct MAX GRO™ 970 cultures provide fast, consistent set times for cottage cheese. The reduction in set time allows faster vat turnover. These cultures also have a large rotation to help combat phages and reduce losses from slow and dead vats. The combination of Lactococcus lactis and Lactococcus cremoris cultures in MAX GRO™ provides maximum activity and good moisture retention, which may increase cottage curd yield as well.
Our customers already have great-tasting products; at Cargill, it's our job to make sure they stay that way while we help them remain competitive in an increasingly crowded marketplace. We have a lot in store for you at the dairy show. See you there!
Joe Klemaszewski, MS, is a Principal Food Scientist at Cargill Texturizing Solutions. He has been with Cargill for more than 7 of his 22 years in the industry.
