Why Alter Milk Composition?

There are multiple reasons to alter milk composition. This paper delineates and discusses the processing, economic, regulatory, marketing, dietary, and future trends affecting alteration of milk composition. The ability to divide milk into various components creates a multitude of products that can be used as ingredients in both food and nonfood manufacturing. In almost every use, there are competing products from nonmilk sources. Economic and marketing factors will dictate the success of any product derived from milk for which the milk composition has been altered. In reviewing future trends, it is always dangerous to predict how markets could change and what the possible response of the dairy industry to such trends might be. A number of current trends, if they continue, may bring important changes both in the production and manufacturing sides of the industry.