During the Brazzale Science Center Conference, The New Era of Milk and Dairy Products, held in June, high-profile scientists and researchers met to take stock of a specific need: to strengthen knowledge on the nutritional aspects of milk and dairy products, observing these products through the eyes and tools of scholars.
Starting from the provocation launched by Roberto Brazzale, Does the truth make us omnivores?the meeting in Thiene was an opportunity to explore two crucial topics: nutrition and sustainability .
On the environmental front, experts agree in defining the carbon neutral cow”: in fact, it carries out a circular activity, emitting the carbon and its compounds that it has captured from the atmosphere. And dairy products, also considering their nutritional density, are the most environmentally efficient. Furthermore, as explained Thanawat TianjinDirector of the Animal Production and Health Division (Nsa) of FAO: “It is necessary to consume animal proteins because vegetable proteins alone are not enough to ensure a healthy diet”. An indispensable food, therefore, that nourishes 6 billion people in the world. We are heading towards the future: how can we lead the dairy sector towards a new era? It is necessary to set new production logics and follow new paths that require the freedom of action, efficiency and speed of companies and their brands. Among the needs, the need to overcome the current nutritional label that reduces very rich and complex foods to a few macro-elements, ignoring the “matrix effect” of everything we eat and offering trivialized data. The consumer, after all, does not have the appropriate tools to use to make the choices necessary for a healthy diet.
“Every year, in the world, there are almost 100 million more mouths to feed. From 2020 to 2050, we will need to produce more food, respecting resources. How can we satisfy this demand? The solution, even to climate change, is sustainable intensification”: the plenary report by Piercristiano Brazzale, President of Fil-Idf, opens the conference interventions.
Spotlight also on thefarm. What is the future that awaits this sector? According to Professor Thomas the Greater of theUniversity of Milanits evolution will pass through genetic improvement, which has already changed a lot in recent years in terms of fats and proteins contained in milk. The best strategy to improve irrigation efficiency and business and land management, according to Professor Maggiore, would be the creation of business networks made up of specialized operators. “
“Today without sustainability economic, farms are closing, as is happening. And social sustainability, on the consumer side, means producing quality products at a reasonable price. EU agricultural policies, on the other hand, are affecting food security. Agriculture is considered the ‘big polluter’ but this is not the case: not only is it carbon neutral but it is carbon positive, that is, it absorbs more than it emits, after having captured it with photosynthesis”, explained Professor Luigi Mariani, of the University of Brescia, in his speech.
Ivana Gandolfi, R&D – Scientific area of Parmalat, focused on the nutritional aspects. “The new era of milk and dairy products for a healthy and sustainable diet for all involves each of us and asks us to look far ahead: we do not eat the single nutrient but the food as a whole”.
Professor Germano Mucchetti, from the University of Parma, also addresses the issue of plant-based : “Cheese is the first example of sustainability because it was created to preserve milk, selectively concentrating its nutrients, increasing its nutritional and energy density, unlike what happens with plant-based products, which are often ultra-processed”. Professor Mucchetti then focused on the need for cheeses to adapt promptly to market changes, which require freedom, speed and production flexibility.
Space also for packaging: Marinella Vitulli, Technical and General Manager of the Food Contact Center in Pistoia, highlighted the rules to be respected in Italy and Europe and the most important aspects regarding the different materials that can be used, with an in-depth technical report that analyzed cases, problems, studies and controls.
The speech by Professor Fernando Tateo, scientific director of BSC, focused on the need to adopt a new technique in food marketing, revealing the effort that many actors are making with the interest of improving. “The BSC center was born to also offer a new way of communicating scientific information about the product”.
Moreover, as Elisabetta Bernardi, biologist, nutritionist and well-known TV face, explains, “Man, since whenwho consumes milk, has obtained great benefits because it is a very complete food from a nutritional point of view, with excellent quality. All observational studies demonstrate, for example, the link between its consumption and bone health. It is rich in vitamin D, which is found in few foods, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and vitamin A”. Bernardi’s speech, entitled ‘Winning with milk’, then focused in particular on the decisive role in hydration and in the recovery of nutritional elements in athletes: “Milk and dairy products, for those who practice sports, intervene in bone health, rehydration and energy recovery. The nutrients that the body needs in this phase are different, and are often summarized in the ‘Rule of the three Rs‘: rehydrate, recharge and rebuild. And milk and its derivatives respond to all three needs.
Overall, animal foods contribute 18% of calories and provide 38% of the world’s protein. diets today considered low impactenvironmental act, which reduce the consumption of animal products, lead to a real problem of macronutrient deficiency like zinc, calcium, iodine, vitamins A, D and B12. And there is an important relationship between milk consumption and longevity”.
Tag: Brazzale Science Center, Brazzale SpA, BSC, Elisabetta Bernardi, Fernando Tateo, Fil-Idf, Germano Mucchetti, Ivana Gandolfi, Luigi Mariani, Marinella Vitulli, Parmalat, Piercristiano brazzale, Roberto Brazzale, Thanawat Tiensin, Tommaso Maggiore