Participants in the Global Dairy Platform milkfat workshop last April set the following objective: “Maintaining/increasing dairy food consumption by improving the health perceptions of milkfat”. To achieve this objective, the group identified four strategic aims:

• Develop quality science to improve milkfat’s image
• Translate the science into motivating external messages
• Increase advocacy to maximise the impact
• Strengthen industry collaboration to increase effectiveness

The first step in delivering the strategic plan was to conduct a baseline review of where we currently stand on dairy fat with cardiovascular and other disease biomarkers. While some of the background work was delivered at the meeting by the invited speakers, a much more detailed review of the current science was required to discover the gaps and the activities required to fill the gaps.

Therefore, work is progressing on the following:

• Establish the differences between milkfat and the mix of fat acids it contains, as well as saturated fats;
• Identify the true relationship between milkfat and LDL cholesterol;
• Review the scientific relationship between milkfat and metabolic syndrome;
• Establish the interrelationship between some of the disease biomarkers, protein and carbohydrate content of the diet.

The scientific review is due to be delivered on 1 August 2007. Once accepted, the next stage will be to seek agreement on how to fill the gaps in current knowledge and how the science can be translated into motivating messages. An update on progress will be reported to the GDP Annual Meeting on 1 October 2007 in Dublin, Ireland.