FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Janice Kayser

(262) 993-3768

jkayser@bader-rutter.com

IFT2013 U.S. Dairy Ingredient Innovations Address Global Consumer Demands

U.S. Dairy Export Council® brings new ideas to Chicago show highlighting dairy's value for today's food and beverage manufacturer

Arlington, Va., May 2, 2013 - Focusing on the latest opportunities to meet global consumer demands, the U.S. Dairy Export Council® (USDEC) will highlight ways that U.S. dairy ingredients can deliver innovative solutions during the 2013 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo, July 13 to 16 at McCormick Place South, Chicago. USDEC will provide valuable insights to help formulators develop products that meet consumer needs as they relate to weight management, healthy aging, sodium reduction and simple ingredient labels.

Visitors to USDEC's Booth #1565 will discover how, through dairy producer checkofffunded activities and affiliated organizations, USDEC connects industry with valuable resources from the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® , Dairy Research Institute® , Dairy Management Inc.^TM and National Dairy Council® , which provide expertise in dairy nutrition, product and application research. Experts will be available to answer questions and provide information.

With an emphasis on breakfast and snacking, prototypes developed for this year's show will cover the following trends:

• Protein throughout the day - More evenly spaced-out, higher-quality protein diets may help achieve optimum nutritional benefits including weight management and healthy aging. Prototypes to be highlighted include a chilled yogurt espresso, vegetable dumplings, a mint "protini" mixer and soft pretzels.

• Sodium reduction - As people become more aware of how much sodium they consume, a great-tasting, reduced- sodium option is appealing. Permeate, naturally derived from milk, helps formulators achieve salty flavor characteristics while displacing salt to keep sodium content down - as demonstrated through the soft pretzels and lower-sodium dumpling sauce.

• Simple labels - Dairy ingredients not only offer nutritional value but also provide recognizable labels for increasingly discerning consumers - the mint protini prototype keeps it simple.

Highlighting dairy-related presentations at IFT

Be sure to mark your calendar for a number of dairy-relevant educational sessions:

Sunday, July 14

10:30 a.m.: Structure and Function of Dairy Proteins: Exploring New Technological and Health Benefits Symposium

10:30 a.m.: On-going Efforts by the Industry on Sustainable Practices, and Effect on our Lives from Farm to Table Panel

Monday, July 15

1:30 p.m.: Expanding Bioactive and Functional Food Ingredients Derived from Milk Fractionation by the Dairy Industry

Tuesday, July 16

8:30 a.m.: New Tools to Understand Impact of Processing on Milk Powders: Quality and Functionality Symposium

1:15 p.m.: Health Benefits and Label Claims for Probiotics: So Close Yet So Far?

1:15 p.m.: Agricultural and Food Efficiencies in Sustainable Nutrition and Health

For more information about the market, product and nutrition research and application resources provided by the U.S. Dairy Export Council, visit InnovateWithDairy.com, usdec.org or email techsupport@innovatewithdairy.com.

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The U.S. Dairy Export Council® (USDEC) is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Funded primarily by the dairy checkoff program through Dairy Management Inc., the mission of USDEC is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products. USDEC accomplishes this through programs in market development that build global demand for U.S. dairy products, resolve market access barriers and advance industry trade policy goals. USDEC is supported by staff across the United States and overseas in Mexico, South America, Asia, Middle East and Europe.

The U.S. Dairy Export Council prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, disability, national origin, race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs, marital status, military status, and arrest or conviction record.