The Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center (MDFRC) held its annual meeting on July 31 and August 1stin Minneapolis, Minnesota. This meeting invites the Operational Advisory Committee (OAC) members, faculty, and students to evaluate and score dairy foods research proposals for potential funding. The Center’s OAC comprises the MDFRC director, associate directors, representatives from Dairy Management Inc., Midwest Dairy, dairy producers, and industry sponsors. This group is responsible for recommending overall policies, program goals, and research plans and objectives. During the event, the OAC connected with students from South Dakota State University, Iowa State University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Kansas, the University of Missouri, and the University of Nebraska-Lincon, seeking funding for research proposals that educate about dairy and builds trust among farmers and consumers.
The two-day meeting began with a social gathering and a poster display of all proposed projects. These posters are a good visual outlining the projects, helping the OAC begin to understand the project framework. The OAC can also ask students questions during this time. Student researchers gave a 20-minute explanatory PowerPoint presentation on their proposed project on day two. The OAC then provided feedback on critical needs, objectives, research plan, budget, and project duration. They also recommend additional ideas and funding needs for students to consider. The review process is designed to be interactive and provide an opportunity for feedback and modification to enhance the project.
After careful consideration, four projects were selected for 2025 funding. The chosen projects are as follows.
Control of Fungal Growth to Extend Shelf Life of Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese: Impact of Packaging Film coated with Natural Antifungal Compounds (Iowa State University)
Air that enters vacuum-packed cheese through pinholes or loose seals allows mold to grow, resulting in cheese spoilage. To prevent mold growth and extend the shelf life of intact cheese, a coating could be created to protect the inner surface of the packaging film with a layer containing a novel combination of food-grade antifungal compounds.
Development of biosensors for calcium, sodium, and potassium measurement (South Dakota State University)
Minerals, particularly calcium, significantly influence product functionality and vary based on the matrix and processing conditions. Currently, no rapid method exists to measure calcium levels, directly impacting the quality of milk beverages, cheese, and other dairy products. Developing biosensors for mineral detection is essential for improving quality and functionality control during production.
Develop and validate rapid and alternative methods for scorched particles in dairy powders (University of Minnesota)
Spray drying for manufacturing milk powders is very popular in the dairy industry. One of the critical properties is the number of scorched particles in the finished powders. According to the American Dairy Products Institute, scorched particles are aggregates of visibly distinct, colored Maillard reaction products caused by heat in the drying process. The lack of available filter pads for testing burnt particles in dairy powders makes it challenging to ensure product quality. Finding other types of filters and rapid testing methods is essential to identify and manage scorched particles in powders, ensuring that US-produced dairy products, especially in the Midwest region, remain safe and meet the highest quality standards.
Physical and chemical inhibition of color formation in permeate powders (University of Minnesota)
Lactose-containing permeate powders tend to turn brown during shipping to meet export market demands. The browning of permeate powders will be systematically investigated, focusing on physical stability and chemical reactivity as influenced by composition, temperature, and water activity. Samples from industry partners will be analyzed in tandem with model systems. Processing and formulation methods to prevent or reduce the browning will be evaluated.
Midwest Dairy would like to extend a special thank you to our Executive Director, Dr. Jayendra Amamcharla, and Associate Directors Prafulla Salunke and Kumar Mallikarjunan for all their hard work and support in making the MDFRC Annual Meeting a success.