Is butter really back? Well, industry is adding it back into products...
Dairy fat is back, according to the US Dairy Export Board.
“We’re feeling very positive because of the nutrition research over the past few years that suggests butter does not cause cardiovascular disease or contribute to it,” senior vice president for Southeast Asia at the US Dairy Export Council Vikki J. Nicholson-West told FoodNavigator at this month’s IFT in Chicago.
“We are learning that milk fat is not bad for health and it has a place in the daily diet. The consumer trend away from trans fats and the move back towards whole foods has led to a resurgence in butter, which is a whole food.”
“Milk and butter also taste great and have good functionality and applications,” Nicholson-West added, and processed food manufacturers were taking note and reacting to the consumer trends.
“Food service outlets like McDonald’s are now adding butter back to their menu and their products,” she said.
In 2017, total US dairy exports were worth $1.7 billion (€1.45bn) in sales. Its top export markets are Mexico, Southeast Asia and China.
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