The quality of dairy products is of the utmost importance to today’s consumers, and achieving high-quality dairy products requires a systematic approach that encompasses key testing criteria for raw, processing environment, in-process, and pasteurized dairy products, says Nicole Martin, Ph.D., of Cornell University’s Milk Quality Improvement Program. Among the 17 tests she recommends are Total Bacteria Count (TBC), explaining that high quality raw milk should have a TBC less than 5,000 cfu/mL.

Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters LLC, joins Dairy Foods for Episode 46 of the “Let’s Talk Dairy” podcast, where she discusses the latest trends in food service, how health and wellness is affecting trends, and the ways Gen Z and millennials are impacting the foodservice industry. She also addresses if food service at retail can be a lucrative additional revenue stream for dairy processors.

In October, Prairie Farms Dairy, Edwardsville, Ill., announced the acquisition of family-owned SmithFoods’ manufacturing facilities in Orrville, Ohio. Founded in 1938, Prairie Farms works with more than 600 farm families where it sources milk for its white and flavored milks, ice cream, cottage cheese and other dairy products. Founded in 1909, SmithFoods is a regional maker of dairy products, beverages and ice cream. The collaboration will strengthen the farm-to-table values embodied by both companies, they state.