Abstract #201

# 201
How fair is Fairlife?
Sarah Genest*1, Cathleen C. Williams1, 1Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.

Coca-Cola is now distributing a new dairy product called Fairlife. It is milk that has 50% more protein, 30% more calcium, and half the sugar of regular milk. It is also lactose free. Recently, the consumption of soft drinks as well as milk has been declining. In the past 10 years, consumption of soft drinks has decreased 20%. Since 1970, consumption of milk has decreased by 37%. Coca-Cola believes that the recent interest in healthier food and drinks will drive consumers to buy Fairlife milk. A Coca-Cola executive even stated that she believed that Fairlife milk would make it “rain money.” Milk is composed of water, fat, lactose, protein, and vitamins and minerals. Fairlife makes milk with more protein and calcium and less sugar by using cold filtration. The milk is pasteurized at a higher temperature than regular milk, but for a shorter time period. Then the cold filtration is used to separate the components of milk based on their molecular size. After this is completed, a larger ratio of protein and calcium are added into the milk. Lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose is also added. This ensures that Fairlife milk is lactose free. Fairlife was created by Sue and Mike McCloskey. They founded Select Milk Producers which is made up of family-owned farms. Their motto is “from grass to glass.” They grow crops and formulate their own cow feed. The cows used to produce milk have freestanding stalls and are protected from harsh weather conditions. After the milk is collected, it is then loaded on Fairlife trucks and it brought to the plant in Michigan with only milk from that one dairy. It is processed and bottled in the same plant and then distributed to stores nationwide.

Key Words: cold filtration, milk, Fairlife