The Future of Milk; Guests: Eve Pollet, Dairy Management Inc.; Dr. John Lucey, University of Wisconsin- River Falls; Dr. Rafael Jimenez-Flores, Ohio State University; Dr. Jim Aldrich, CSA

Eve gives an overview of current and future consumer trends where dairy can play a role. Functional foods, health and wellness, high protein foods, fermented and cultured foods, women’s health, brain health, and aging are all part of the mix. (7:26) The panelists discuss the healthfulness of saturated fats, the resurgence of butter, milk’s bioactive compounds, and how best to reach the public about the health benefits of dairy. (10:41) Eve talks about marketing to Gen Z consumers, who are motivated by novelty. How do we reimagine a food that’s been here for thousands of years? What new ways can we talk about it? What ways can we optimize dairy science and research to show up in generative systems like ChatGPT? (20:34) The group then tackles the topic of lactose. Lactose and honey are the only two sugars not made by plants. Why is it lactose that is in the milk of mammals? Dr. Jiminez-Flores thinks lactose is a dark horse in dairy and we have much yet to discover about it. He notes that some milk oligosaccharides are not digested by babies, but are used by bacteria in the development of a healthy microbiome. Dr. Lucy notes that dairy also contains peptides that have been found to reduce hypertension. The group also delves into how dairy products can be part of preventative health care. (23:53) Do consumers perceive dairy products to be minimally processed? Eve explains that dairy is perceived as a clean, fresh food. Given the current trend to reduce additives and food dyes, she sees potential for dairy food science innovation in this area. Dr. Aldrich talks about the glycemic index of lactose-free milk. (38:13) The panelists agree that dairy has a great upcycling story to tell. Converting fiber into milk and meat and feeding non-human grade byproducts are just two examples. Eve notes that younger consumers care about sustainability, but there’s a huge “say-do” gap: 76% of North American consumers identify as caring about conscious and sustainable practices, but less than 40% actually act on those values when making purchases. The panel also notes that whey is another great upcycling story. Dr. Jiminez-Flores emphasizes how important consumer trust in science and research is, and how we are currently experiencing a loss of that trust. (45:48) Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (1:01:01) Please

You can listen to The Future of Milk; Guests: Eve Pollet, Dairy Management Inc.; Dr. John Lucey, University of Wisconsin- River Falls; Dr. Rafael Jimenez-Flores, Ohio State University; Dr. Jim Aldrich, CSA online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The Future of Milk; Guests: Eve Pollet, Dairy Management Inc.; Dr. John Lucey, University of Wisconsin- River Falls; Dr. Rafael Jimenez-Flores, Ohio State University; Dr. Jim Aldrich, CSA is an episode from Real Science Exchange by Balchem Animal Nutrition & Health.

This episode is 01:07:56 long.

This episode was published on Dec 16, 2025.

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