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Cheese science conference
The World Dairy Summit in Auckland, New Zealand, will feature a two-day conference on cheese science co-organised by the International Dairy Federation and the Dairy Industry Association of Australia (DIAA). The presentations will offer scientific investigations with practical application, and will appeal to cheese manufacturers and researchers.

New, innovative cheese-manufacturing processes on both a small and large scale, designed to make cheese more efficiently, will be presented. An overview of traditional European cheese-making practices will also be presented.

Manufacturing cheese is just the start – ripening characteristics and novel methods of spoilage control are also important and will be addressed at the conference. Current research focuses on the interface between health, structure and flavour of dairy products. The latest research will be featured on how structure and cheese microbiology impact upon flavour. Presentations will also be given on cheese as a means for probiotic bacteria, and on bioactive peptides produced during cheese ripening. In the context of increasing consumer attention to low-salt products, the conference will hold a forum to discuss the technology of low salt cheese. For more details and the full conference programme, visit the events website at www.wds2010.com

Sustainable dairy farming
Agriculture plays a crucial role to provide clean fuel within a managed global but changing climate according to a recent IDF bulletin entitled Environmental issues at dairy farm level. Main and complex environmental challenges at dairy-farm level and possible solutions are being presented in this new IDF survey. The global dairy sector and the IDF has placed environmental considerations at the top of their priorities. The IDF is taking a proactive approach to support sustainable agriculture by identifying best practices and sharing international experiences. The objective is to ensure the production of safe and high-quality nutritious dairy food for human consumption, in harmony with the environment.

There are a number of examples from around the world that show how dairy-farming is working to improve its environmental footprint.

One tool facilitating access to best initiatives is the IDF website www.dairysustainabilityinitiative.org, which is open and available to all. In parallel, the IDF will soon release a carbon footprint map to calculate a dairy product’s carbon footprint.

Global review on animal health
The delegates at the recent general session of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) approved the new list of countries and zones that had applied for official OIE recognition of their status with respect to one or more of four priority diseases: bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), foot and mouth disease, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and rinderpest.

The organisation reiterated the aim that it shares with FAO, namely to be able to declare that rinderpest has been eradicated worldwide in 2011.

For any enquiries on any of these items or any other IDF-related items, ­contact Edu Roux at the SANCIDF office at 0128435701 or 082 338 7820 or e-mail edu.roux@agriconnect.co.za.