With the increasing number of plant-based products calling themselves “alternatives” to dairy, it is more important than ever to continue to highlight the important role that milk, cheese and yogurt play in a healthy and sustainable diet.
This is why Dairy Australia has partnered with CSIRO to develop a new nutrient profile tool that rates common foods on their ability to address nutrient gaps among Australians.
The findings reveal that milk, whether regular, reduced-fat or flavoured, is the cheapest way to address nutritional gaps in the Australian diet, compared to plant-based drinks.
While plant-based fortified beverages have performed well in terms of their environmental impact based on the metrics considered, their nutrient density was much lower than that of milk, pointing to significant trade-offs that need to be considered in any possible exchange of food.
This research will now be extended to consumers and health professionals through a large-scale campaign spearheaded by nutritionist and dietitian Dr. Joanna McMillan.
correct labeling
Another major issue that the dairy industry has been fighting over is the misuse of dairy terms and images in the marketing and labeling of plant-based beverages.
In 2021, Dairy Australia provided technical support to the Australian Dairy Industry Council (ADIC) to contribute to the Senate Inquiry into the definitions of meat and other animal products.
The results of the investigation were published last month and include recommendations for a regulatory framework, a review by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and new Food Standards Code of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) guidelines.
