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By: Valerie Tobias | Marketing Coordinator, Dairy Connection Inc. I'm a Generation X-er who's lived in Wisconsin most of her life. I don't remember NOT having easy access to cheese curds, whether the fresh or fried varieties. If you're not from around here, or the Midwest in general, you may not have had the opportunity to imbibe on fresh, warm cheddar curd, hours or less from the vat. The tell? It squeaks if it's fresh. No squeak and you've got Wisconsin-style fury on your hands, gosh dernit. I …

By: Bill Rufenacht | Technical Specialist, Dairy Connection Inc. One of the more prevalent problems we see in dairy products is the appearance of unwanted yeasts and molds. Spoiled products account for as much as 30% of the food waste in the US according to the FDA. Yeast and mold contamination is responsible for a major portion of that waste. Consumers tend to shop with their eyes first, making it unlikely that a package with visible mold will ever be purchased. About Yeast and Mold Although y …

By: Bill Rufenacht | Technical Specialist, Dairy Connection Inc.If you use cheese-coating as part of your process, you may be aware that it has been a challenge in recent years to source a high-quality, consistently available cheese coating supply that arrives with an acceptable Best Use By date. Our original supplier imported infrequently enough to make usable shelf life unlikely. Since trans-Atlantic shipping was via freighter, it was common for product to be delayed even longer during t …

By: Bill Rufenacht | Technical Specialist, Dairy Connection Inc.YoMix© ABY-2C is a yogurt starter culture blend manufactured by IFF (International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc.). This culture is a workhorse for many Dairy Connection customers. Given proper fermentation conditions, ABY-2C will consistently produce a mild tasting, thick-bodied yogurt in five to six hours. It is usually on the short list of cultures that we recommend for trial to clients who may be new to yogurt manu …

By: Bill Rufenacht | Technical Specialist, Dairy Connection Inc.Let’s take a look at bioprotective cultures. These are a group of cultures that can be added to a fermentation along with starter cultures, with the purpose of preventing the growth of spoilage or other undesirable organisms, as well as contributing positive attributes to your finished product. They are designed not to impact the acidification rate of your fermentation or make any pronounced flavor contributions to your produc …