Chemical Analysis of Value Added Dairy Products and Their Quality ...

Chemical Analysis of Value Added Dairy Products and Their Quality AssuranceIntroduction:Prospects of Value Addition ThroughFunctional IngredientsG. R. PatilDairy Technology Division, NDRI, KarnalIn recent years, there has been a vast and rapidly growing body of scientific data showing thatdiet plays an important part in diseases. Diet is thought to contribute to six of the 10 leading causes ofdeath. Nutrients and nonnutritive food components have been associated with the prevention and/or treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, andosteoporosis. Up to 70% of certain cancers may be attributed to diet. As the data supporting the roleof diet in health promotion and disease prevention continue to mount, it is likely that the quantity ofenhanced foods will expand substantially. There is an increasing demand by consumers for qualityof life, which is fueling the functional foods revolution. Functional foods are viewed as one optionavailable for seeking cost-effective health care and improved health status. Moreover, the large babyboomersegment of the population is aging and considerable health care budget in most country isfocused on treatment rather than prevention. Thus, the use of nutraceuticals in daily diets can be seenas means to reduce escalating health care costs that will contribute not only to a longer lifespan, butalso more importantly, to a longer health span. Development of functional food products will continueto grow throughout the 21 st century as consumer demand for healthful products grows.The exploding area of functional foods and probiotics shows considerable promise to expandthe industry into new arenas. Both convenience and better for you attitudes are selling. Consumersclearly believe in the concept of functional nutrition, or specific association between foods/nutrientsand health functions. They are interested in foods that boost the immure system, reduce the risk ofdisease and enhance health, which consumers self-prescribe for themselves and their families. Hence,there are clear opportunities to offer consumers dietary alternatives to medical solutions. Theseopportunities, however, will be highly consumer driven and success will ultimately be dependentupon defining your segment and knowing your target group.The markets of traditional dairy products are increasingly getting overcrowded and our futuresuccess will depend on our ability to provide innovative products, which consumers want and need.Whatever the innovation - products, processing method or packaging - it should meet the real consumerneed. We know today’s families want “grab-and-go” convenience. They are also concerned aboutnutrition and health. Different ages and demographics want different things. Therefore, investment atthis level is essential if we are to respond rapidly to customers who are increasingly demanding new anddifferent taste experiences from products that are also competitively priced. Thanks to advancementsin technology, researchers have shown that specific components of milk, as well as ingredients canbe readily added to dairy products, which contribute to health and wellness, and assist consumerswith feeling balanced and satisfied. There is a golden opportunity for dairy marketers to formulateinnovative products to meet consumers’ needs and to effectively market the product’s value. Newvariants of sweets can be developed. Dairy products containing health-promoting ingredients may bedeveloped and promoted. Host of ingredients with health benefits are available for value addition ofdairy products. Some of these issues are discussed hereunder.Functional ingredients for value additionFunctional nutrition is a broad topic, and covers many ingredient categories. The functionalcomponents used in formulation of these formulated foods are given in Table 1.10