New International Research Consortium Developed to Accelerate Research on the Nutrition Benefits of Dairy

Interest areas potentially include better understanding how major nutrients and other components in milk may provide benefits related to metabolic health and chronic diseases.

6/16/2011 --- Six dairy organizations from across the globe have announced the formation of the International Dairy Research Consortium for Nutrition and Health, a new partnership to accelerate pre-competitive research on the nutrition and health benefits of dairy. The founding partners, all of whom are significant funders of dairy research, are the Centre National Interprofessionnel de l’Économie Laitière (France), Dairy Australia, Dairy Farmers of Canada, the Dairy Research Institute (US), the Danish Dairy Research Foundation and the Dutch Dairy Association. Global Dairy Platform will serve as the secretariat. 

The Consortium will advance dairy nutrition and health research by identifying common goals with the largest potential to increase dairy demand. It then will align the knowledge and resources needed to advance those research goals rapidly and for broadest application. Interest areas potentially include better understanding how major nutrients and other components in milk may provide benefits related to metabolic health and chronic diseases. 

“Dairy nutrition research is at a critical point in that there is mounting evidence indicating that dairy’s benefits extend beyond good nutrition and may reduce risk of several major chronic diseases, but more research is needed to fully substantiate these claims,” said Gregory Miller, Ph.D., president of the Dairy Research Institute and executive vice president of the National Dairy Council. “Building international alignment through this Consortium will accelerate our ability to firmly establish newer benefits of dairy and its position as an essential part of a healthy diet.”

Consortium partners will conduct their first official meeting this August to begin identifying common research priorities and developing an integrated research plan.

“The formation of the Consortium is an exciting advancement for the global dairy sector,” said Donald Moore, executive director of Global Dairy Platform. “Global Dairy Platform is pleased to play the role of secretariat to help ensure that this critical work is focused and effective, and moves forward quickly.”