Cornell food scientists work closely with New York milk producers, processors, and regulators to ensure manufacture of safe and wholesome dairy products.

Milk is New York’s leading agricultural product, accounting for over one-half of the state’s total agricultural receipts. NYS milk production in 2006 had a value of $1.6 billion. NYS is third in the nation in milk production. Despite the fact that U.S. milk production reached a record high in 1998, fluid milk products have not enjoyed a relative overall increase in share of consumption within the past decade. The long-term economic viability of the state’s dairy industry is at least partially dependent on the quality of the consumer products manufactured. Previous work demonstrated a direct correlation between milk flavor and milk consumption. Children consumed 30 percent less milk in school districts that received poor quality products than children in districts that received high quality products. Nationally, fluid milk products account for about 18 percent (greater than 17 billion lbs) of edible food lost by retailers, the food service industry and consumers. Product removal from the market due to product reaching the sell-by date on the label is a major contributing factor to food losses. As NY is an important manufacturer of fluid milk products, programs designed to protect and improve the quality and safety of these dairy products are economically important to the state.

The Milk Quality Improvement Program, which is funded by New York State (NYS) dairy farmer check-off dollars, was established in collaboration with the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets to provide a multi-pronged, non-regulatory, educational approach for improving dairy product quality. Cornell food scientists sample and evaluate the microbiological, sensory, and chemical characteristics of fluid milk and cottage cheese products manufactured in processing plants throughout New York State, and provide timely and direct feedback, including plant visits for targeted trouble-shooting, to enable product quality improvement by each plant. In collaboration with the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Cornell University food scientists have developed multiple educational programs for dairy industry processing and regulatory personnel, including the New York State Certified Milk Inspectors, Processing Plant Superintendents, and Dairy Product Specialists. Cornell also coordinated programs for dairy industry professionals through the New York State Cheese Manufacturers’ Association, the New York State Association for Food Protection, the American Dairy Science Association, and the International Association for Food Protection.

Through coordinated research and outreach strategies, the Milk Quality Improvement Program has monitored and contributed to measurable improvements in fluid milk and cottage cheese quality and product shelf life extension in NYS. Cottage cheese shelf-life has been dramatically extended from approximately three weeks to more than 2 months. Cottage cheese sales have increased, which ultimately has made our state products more competitive in the marketplace. Specifically, in 2007, the Milk Quality Improvement Program worked with 29 fluid milk processing plants in NY/PA/NJ/ME/NH/MA/VT/CT. Each plant was visited two times, and more than 300 raw and processed product samples were collected. Over 4,500 individual analyses were conducted on samples, and rapid feedback on relative plant ranking and processed product quality throughout shelf-life for all products was provided to each plant. The dairy extension team organized, conducted or participated in a total of 50 workshops/conferences/in-service events during 2007, attracting more than 3,300 participants.

Food quality improvement

New York State Milk Promotion Advisory Board (dairy check-off commodity dollars)