Consumers are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of the food they buy and consume. There is global interest in what sustainable diets of the future will look like and Australian research shows that dairy has an important role to play.
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“There is undeniable evidence that the world needs nutritious food options such as dairy. Increasingly, research is revealing that milk, yoghurt and cheese play a critically important role in a healthy sustainable diet,” said Melissa Cameron, human health and nutrition policy manager at Dairy Australia.
To safeguard the planet, there is a need to create ways of eating that are sustainable in the long-term. A sustainable diet considers not just the impact of food production on the health of the planet, but also nutritional value for human health, affordability, and adaptability to social, cultural and economic context.
Dairy products are nutritionally dense. They have a much lower carbon footprint and water intake than most packaged foods. In 2020, research from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) revealed dairy foods can be consumed as part of a high-quality, low greenhouse gas (GHG) diet.
Although plant-based beverages are growing as an alternative to dairy foods, the research found these foods were not adequate substitutes from a nutrition or cost perspective.
The full article is available in the latest edition of Food & Beverage Asia August/September 2022 issue. To continue reading, click here.
