There are few savory flavors consumers love more than cheese, and nothing provides the luscious mouthfeel, satiety, protein, and healthful nutrient density like dairy. Having weathered years of misguided negative assessment of the health and nutritional benefits of dairy, ingredients from these sources have enjoyed an upwelling of popularity not only due to their full, comforting flavor but as ingredients that also can help manage such conditions such as obesity and blood sugar imbalances, among others. Most whole dairy ingredients also provide a full complement of 20 amino acids, including the nine essential ones that can’t be made by the body and must come from food.

The inescapable popularity of cultured dairy has effectively put yogurt or kefir into the refrigerator of nearly every American home, with flavors branching out from the dozens of fruit flavors to include such treats as cappuccino, chocolate truffle, and cheesecake.

Eggs, especially, fall into the aforementioned category of ingredients once avoided but now “redeemed” as healthful. They experienced undue negative exposure for many years based on inadequate understanding of dietary cholesterol metabolism. Redeemed by science, eggs and the ingredients from them are now recognized for their unmatched versatility in nearly all categories of formulating, providing natural stability, emulsification, structure, and texture to baked goods. Rich in choline and lecithin, and vitamins A, B¹², and biotin, they also contain the most bioavailable protein of any food.

Cheese, too, is perfectly suited for a healthful diet. It’s a compact source of easily metabolized protein—typically around 40–60% of content—with remaining calories coming from a mixture of heart- and brain-healthy omega fatty acids, healthful saturated fats, and MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides). As with eggs, cheese is a rich source of vitamins A, B¹², D, and K, as well as the minerals calcium, phosphorous, and zinc. Some cheese are rich sources of probiotic bacteria. And recent research has suggested that certain cheeses can also act as prebiotic ingredients.

More consumers are discovering exotic, artisanal cheeses and adding them to their daily dining repertoire. Such cheeses increasingly appear as an ingredient in formulations. Manchego from Spain, Haloumi from Greece, Indian paneer all are becoming commonplace. The growing Hispanic community has brought a number of Mexican and Central American cheeses to the mainstream. Examples include asadero, queso blanco, coalho, cojita, queso fresco, queijo minas, and queso Oaxaca.

In this section, you’ll find detailed listings for suppliers of dairy, cheese/cheese ingredients, eggs/egg products and ingredients derived from them, as well as ancillary ingredients to support the development and manufacture of products using them. Click below for references by company name, headquarters, and website. And remember, we update these listings frequently, so keep checking back.

2023 | foodmaster.com