Journal of Dairy Science最新文献

{"title":"Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BX-245-fermented milk alleviates tumor burden in mice with colorectal cancer","authors":"Chengcong Yang ,&nbsp;Musu Zha ,&nbsp;Lu Li ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Qiao ,&nbsp;Lai-Yu Kwok ,&nbsp;Dandan Wang ,&nbsp;Yongfu Chen","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25614","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25614","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Colorectal cancer (CRC) arises from the accumulation of abnormal mutations in colorectal cells during prolonged inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the potential of probiotic fermented milk containing the probiotic strain, <em>Bifidobacterium animalis</em> ssp. <em>lactis</em> BX-245 (BX-245), in alleviating tumor burden in CRC mice induced by azoxymethane and dextran sodium sulfate. The study monitored changes in tumor size and number, gut microbiota, metabolomics, and inflammation levels before and after the intervention. Our findings indicate that intragastric administration of BX245-fermented milk effectively modulated the intratumor microbiota, as well as the gut microbiota and its metabolism. We also observed a decreased relative abundance of intratumor <em>Akkermansia</em> in the CRC mice, while the intratumor <em>Parabacteroides</em> exhibited a significant positive correlation with tumor number and weight. Moreover, administering BX245-fermented milk significantly reduced gut barrier permeability, alleviated gut barrier damage, and increased serum IL-2 and IFN-γ levels compared with the ordinary fermented milk group. Collectively, our data suggest that administering probiotic fermented milk containing specific functional strains such as BX245 could result in a reduction in tumor burden in CRC mice. Conversely, ordinary fermented milk did not show the same tumor-inhibiting effects. The current results are preliminary, and further confirmation is necessary to establish the causal relationship among probiotic milk, changes in gut microbiota, and disease alleviation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 1211-1226"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multispecies pasture diet and cow breed affect the functional lipid profile of milk across lactation in a spring-calving dairy system","authors":"Renata Kostovska ,&nbsp;Gaetan Drouin ,&nbsp;Joaquín J. Salas ,&nbsp;Mónica Venegas-Calerón ,&nbsp;Brendan Horan ,&nbsp;John T. Tobin ,&nbsp;Tom F. O'Callaghan ,&nbsp;Sean A. Hogan ,&nbsp;Alan L. Kelly ,&nbsp;Laura G. Gómez-Mascaraque","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25462","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25462","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study compared the effect of 2 pasture-based feeding systems, namely a traditional perennial ryegrass (PRG) diet, and a recently introduced, more sustainable multispecies swards (MSS) diet, on the functional lipid profile of raw milk. In addition to the 2 pasture diets, the study uniquely examined the combined effects of breed, namely Holstein Friesian (HF) or Jersey Holstein Friesian (JFX), and lactation stage in Ireland, spanning from March to November. Bulk milk samples (n = 144 yearly) for the 4 groups examined were collected for 4 wk per each of the 9 mo specified. Changes in total fatty acid (FA) and triglyceride carbon number profiles were determined by GC with a flame ionization detector, and those in polar lipids (PL) content by HPLC–evaporative light scattering–MS. Based on multivariate analysis, both diet (34.0% contribution) and breed (19.1% contribution) influenced milk FA on a yearly basis; however, in early lactation there were no differences in FA profile between the groups. In middle lactation and late lactation (LL), the MSS diet increased proportions of nutritionally beneficial n-6 and n-3 PUFA in milk, including C18:3 n-3 (ALA), C18:2 n-6 (LA) and C22:5 n-3 (DPA). Although proportions of ALA and LA increased in MSS milks, the LA/ALA ratio remained around 1 for the 2 feeding systems, confirming the beneficial modulation of LA and ALA in milks from pasture-based diets. Particularly in LL, the milk of JFX cows tended to have increased de novo FA, compared with HF, suggesting implications for techno-functional properties of dairy products such as butter. The milk of PRG HF group showed improved health-promoting properties, with lower thrombogenicity and atherogenicity indices on a yearly basis. Regarding techno-functional properties, the PRG HF group resulted in higher oleic acid reflecting in lower spreadability index, suggesting that butter made of this group would be more spreadable, compared with the one made from the other milk groups examined. The triglyceride and PL profiles were mainly affected by stage of lactation. Overall, these results show the effects of cow diet, breed, and stage of lactation on milk lipid profile, with important implications for the nutritional and techno-functional characteristics of dairy products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 1261-1284"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Letter to the Editor: Need for postweaning data for dairy calves","authors":"A.F. Kertz","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25668","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25668","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 1159-1160"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143027528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of a nutritional immunomodulator in dry cows heat stressed with an electric blanket model","authors":"L.T. Casarotto ,&nbsp;L. Cattaneo ,&nbsp;K.M. Glosson ,&nbsp;B.D. Humphrey ,&nbsp;J.D. Chapman ,&nbsp;G.E. Dahl","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25878","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25878","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heat stress in the dry period reduces yield and health in the next lactation. Previous work indicates that feeding OmniGen AF (OMN; Phibro Animal Health) mitigates the detrimental effects of heat stress. Electric blankets (EB) can induce heat stress in lactating cows, but EB have not been used with dry cows. The objectives of this study were to explore efficacy of the EB on cows during the dry period, as well as to examine the effect of feeding OMN to heat-stressed cows. We hypothesized that EB would increase body temperature in dry cows and OMN would ameliorate the effects of heat stress. Fifty Holstein cows were housed individually in a tie-stall barn upon dry-off ∼48 d before expected calving (223.7 ± 5 d carried calf) and cows were fitted with EB or no blanket (NB). Within EB and NB, cows were fed OMN (OMN; 56 g/d) or did not receive OMN (CON), which resulted in a 2 × 2 factorial of 4 treatments: NB-CON, EB-CON, NB-OMN, and EB-OMN. Throughout the dry period, DMI, water intake, and respiration rate (breaths/min) were measured daily, and rectal temperature was measured twice daily. After calving, all the cows were cooled and managed identically, and milk yield and composition were measured at each milking. Use of EB increased rectal temperature and respiration rate relative to NB regardless of diet; OMN treatment did not affect rectal temperature or respiration rate. Dry matter intake was reduced by over 1 kg/d with EB, and OMN feeding reversed this effect. Water intake increased with EB relative to NB, but OMN was without effect. Treatment did not affect gestation length. In early lactation, EB cows produced 6 kg/d less ECM relative to NB, and OMN reversed the effect on milk yield in EB cows. These data support the hypotheses that EB induce heat stress in dry cows and that OMN effectively mitigates the detrimental effects of heat stress in the dry period.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 2083-2089"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142811805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From block to shred: Understanding the factors influencing shreddability of mozzarella cheese","authors":"Gunvantsinh Rathod ,&nbsp;Suresh Sutariya ,&nbsp;Ram Kumar ,&nbsp;Praveen Upreti ,&nbsp;Prafulla Salunke ,&nbsp;J.K. Amamcharla","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25586","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mozzarella cheese is widely used for pizza applications, and it is generally shredded either in conversion plants or in pizzerias. The shreddability of mozzarella cheese is influenced by a variety of factors, and it is critical to understand how different mozzarella cheese types and storage conditions (temperature and age) affect this property. Three batches each of 3 types of mozzarella cheese (low-moisture mozzarella [LMM], low-moisture part-skim mozzarella [LMPS], and reduced-fat mozzarella [RFM]) representing 3 different fat levels were procured directly from a commercial manufacturer and stored at 2 different temperatures (1.67 and 4.44°C) and evaluated for shreddability at 2- and 3-wk storage. Shreddability parameters such as stiction (peak force) and work of grating were significantly affected by fat content and storage time, whereas the weight of the shred obtained after each cycle was significantly affected by fat content and storage temperature. Along with shreddability, other tests, such as texture profile analysis (TPA), wire cutting, stretchability, and dynamic shear rheology (DSR) were performed to understand their relationship with shreddability. Textural parameters were significantly affected by fat content and storage time, whereas wire cutting parameters were significantly affected by fat content, storage time, and temperature. Stretchability and dynamic shear rheology parameters were significantly affected by fat content followed by storage time and temperature. Further shreddability parameters, such as stiction and work of shear had a positive significant correlation, whereas the weight of shreds had a negative significant correlation with unmelt (TPA) and melt parameters (stretchability and DSR). Overall, fat content had the greatest effect on shreddability followed by storage time and temperature. Considering the high correlation of shreddability with other textural parameters, textural parameters can be used to predict shreddability of mozzarella cheese.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 1315-1325"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142611443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Consumer acceptance of protein beverage ingredients: Less is more","authors":"D. Rovai ,&nbsp;M.E. Watson ,&nbsp;D.M. Barbano ,&nbsp;M.A. Drake","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25679","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25679","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An array of ingredients is added to protein beverage formulations. These ingredients may not be desirable to consumers. Our objective was to determine consumer perception of ingredients in protein beverages. An online survey was conducted with protein beverage consumers (n = 405). Maximum difference scaling and projective mapping were applied to determine the relative acceptance of ingredients based on their functional role (protein source, sweetener, stabilizer, thickener). Subsequently, 4 120-min focus groups were conducted (n = 25 consumers). Survey data were evaluated by univariate and multivariate statistics. Consumer sentiment from focus groups was compiled and grouped based on themes that emerged across multiple focus groups. Consumers placed the highest importance on the amount of protein followed by protein type in protein beverages. Plant protein, whey protein, and milk protein were most appealing, whereas soy protein, collagen, and casein or caseinates were less appealing. Natural sweeteners (agave, monk fruit, cane sugar) were the most appealing sweeteners. Fibers and starches were more appealing than gums (carrageenan, gellan gum). Stabilizers were the least desirable class of beverage ingredients, with sodium and potassium phosphates the least desirable. In regard to the package of a protein beverage, consumers placed the greatest importance on recognizable ingredients and plain language. Consistent with survey results, consumers in focus groups expressed skepticism and feeling overwhelmed by all of the ingredients on the label of protein beverages. Protein was their primary desire and the presence of sweeteners was acceptable, but they did not desire additional ingredients. There is an opportunity to increase the acceptance and competitiveness of dairy protein beverages by reformulating beverages to include fewer and more familiar ingredients. Functional proteins, such as those derived from dairy, may have opportunities to exclude undesirable ingredients (stabilizers, thickeners) from the label.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 1392-1407"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142611511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Staphylococci and mammaliicocci: Which species are important for udder health on organic dairy farms?","authors":"C.E. Jeffrey ,&nbsp;P.R.F. Adkins ,&nbsp;S. Dufour ,&nbsp;J.W. Barlow","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25320","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25320","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Variation in species distribution and diversity of staphylococci and mammaliicocci (SaM) causing intramammary infections in dairy cattle is associated with different management practices. Disparate selective pressures on organic dairies could potentially result in population differences of these mastitis-causing bacteria. The species-specific effect on quarter SCC of SaM for a population of certified organic dairies has not been described previously. The current study presents data from a longitudinal study of 10 certified organic dairy farms. The objective was to estimate how quarter milk somatic cell count (qmSCC) varied as a result of infection with the most frequently isolated SaM species. Aerobic culture of quarter milk samples to identify IMI was conducted in parallel with determination of qmSCC. A linear hierarchical repeated measures mixed model was used to estimate qmSCC for quarters with an IMI caused by a given SaM species, compared with culture-negative quarters. The model included DIM at time of sampling to adjust qmSCC estimates for each SaM species. The final dataset consisted of 648 quarters with an IMI due to 10 different SaM species and 1,972 culture-negative quarters. <em>Staphylococcus chromogenes</em> was the most frequent species, followed by <em>S. aureus</em>, <em>S. haemolyticus</em>, and <em>S. simulans</em>. A large amount of variability was observed in the SCS for culture-negative quarters and those infected with many SaM species, especially <em>S. chromogenes</em>, <em>S. haemolyticus</em>, <em>S. simulans</em>, and <em>S. aureus.</em> Somatic cell score was significantly higher in quarters infected with <em>S. agnetis</em>, <em>S. aureus</em>, <em>S. chromogenes</em>, <em>S. devriesei</em>, <em>S. haemolyticus</em>, <em>S. hyicus</em>, <em>S. simulans</em>, <em>S. warneri</em>, and <em>S. xylosus</em> compared with culture-negative quarters. The highest cell count was for quarters infected with <em>S. warneri</em>, followed by <em>S. aureus</em>, <em>S. agnetis</em>, and <em>S. hyicus.</em> The relative distribution of various SaM species and their effect on qmSCC in this population of small to midsize organic farms was similar to previous studies. Although the increase in qmSCC was modest for most SaM species observed, the widespread prevalence of these intramammary pathogens could potentially contribute to sizable increases in bulk tank SCC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 1807-1823"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142851913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stage-specific milk yield losses and associated sweating, respiration, and rectal temperature responses under varying temperature-humidity index thresholds in lactating and dry cows","authors":"P.A. Tu ,&nbsp;Y.H. Yeh ,&nbsp;Y.H. Chen ,&nbsp;J.W. Shiau ,&nbsp;T.Y. Lin ,&nbsp;Thomas Banhazi ,&nbsp;M.K. Yang","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25392","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25392","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heat stress (HS) may result in changes in the behavior, endocrine system, and physiological characteristics of dairy cows, and it may even lead to death in severe cases. As the effects of global warming have become more notable, the prevalence of HS has increased among dairy cows. Therefore, comprehensive strategies, including not only cooling measures but also dietary adjustments and genetic improvements for heat tolerance, are required to help these animals regulate their body temperature and avoid HS. In addition, detecting HS signs is essential for both lactating and dry cows to ensure appropriate interventions. The temperature-humidity index (THI) is a widely used tool for evaluating the effects of HS on livestock. Because the physiological state of cattle significantly influences their responses to HS, it is imperative to establish specific THI thresholds for both lactating and dry cows to implement appropriate cooling regimens and optimize animal welfare. In this study, we used the THI to investigate the relationship between rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR), and sweating rate (SR) in lactating and dry cows. We also explored the relationships between milk yield at different lactation stages and THI thresholds. The results indicated that lactating and dry cows had different THI thresholds based on their immediate physiological responses. Compared with lactating cows, dry cows had higher THI thresholds for RT, RR, and SR. In addition, cows in early-, intermediate-, and late-lactation stages under thermoneutral conditions produced significantly more milk than did those under mild, moderate, and severe HS conditions, indicating that milk yield losses occur under HS conditions. Taken together, these findings provide valuable insights into how HS can be mitigated in subtropical dairy farms. For lactating cows, implementing cooling measures is recommended when the THI reaches 66 to 67, whereas for dry cows, waiting until the THI reaches 73 is recommended. Milk yield losses may occur when lactating cows are under HS conditions. Therefore, appropriate cooling measures should be implemented at accurate THI thresholds to ensure optimal animal welfare for both lactating and dry cows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 2023-2035"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142611012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The quality and technological parameters of milk obtained from dairy cows with subclinical mastitis","authors":"Magdalena Zalewska ,&nbsp;Paulina Brzozowska ,&nbsp;Magdalena Rzewuska ,&nbsp;Ewelina Kawecka-Grochocka ,&nbsp;Daria M. Urbańska ,&nbsp;Tomasz Sakowski ,&nbsp;Emilia Bagnicka","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25346","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25346","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mastitis is one of the most common diseases in dairy cattle. It significantly reduces milk quality and yield, thus incurring economic losses for farmers. This study investigates the impact of various bacterial pathogens on the SCC, milk composition, and technological properties of milk samples from 302 clinically healthy Polish Holstein-Friesian cows kept under intensive rearing conditions. Of the 462 milk samples analyzed, 85.06% were contaminated with bacteria. The majority were coagulase-negative staphylococci (52.60%). <em>Escherichia coli</em>, <em>Streptococcus dysgalactiae</em>, and <em>Streptococcus uberis</em>, (Group 4) and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> and <em>Streptococcus agalactiae</em> (Group 5), collectively considered major pathogens, were identified in 16.66% of samples; their presence was associated with higher SCC levels. Additionally, contamination with <em>Staph. aureus</em> or <em>Strep. agalactiae</em> had prolonged clotting time, adversely affected curd and whey quality, with curd yield remaining unaltered. Bacterial contamination did not appear to significantly affect the yield of milk or its main components, namely protein, casein, lactose, fat, TS, solid nonfat, free fatty acid, or citric acid. Although pH, freezing point depression (FPD), and acidity also remained unaffected by bacterial contamination, they were significantly influenced by herd-year-season of calving and herd-year-time of sampling interaction effects. The results indicate that the presence of bacteria causing subclinical mastitis negatively influences milk processing potential. However, fixed linear regression indicated that the number of colony-forming units (cfu/mL) only had a significant influence on FPD and clotting time, and as such, the number of bacteria in a sample did not influence milk yield or quality during subclinical chronic mastitis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 1285-1300"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142611021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extrinsic attributes that drive consumer purchase of block mozzarella","authors":"K. Homwongpanich ,&nbsp;M.E. Watson ,&nbsp;D. Rovai ,&nbsp;H. Eshpari ,&nbsp;M.A. Drake","doi":"10.3168/jds.2024-25618","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jds.2024-25618","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Consumer demand for cheese continues to increase with mozzarella being one of the primary cheeses in the United States. The objective of this study was to understand the effect of extrinsic attributes on consumer desires for block mozzarella cheese. An online survey was conducted with mozzarella consumers (n = 437). Adaptive choice-based conjoint and Kano modeling were used to determine the importance of attributes applicable to block mozzarella. Maximum difference scaling was applied to further quantify the appeal of 23 label claims or messages. Subsequently, 2.5-h immersive qualitative focus groups were conducted (n = 28 consumers) that included mozzarella usage occasion discussion, naming identification, block mozzarella sorting, label discussion, and group tasting. Survey data were evaluated by univariate and multivariate statistics. The ideal block mozzarella for consumers was made from whole milk, had a firm texture or shreds well, block or bar shape, with a resealable package and farmer-owned labeling. Milkfat amount and label claims were the most important attributes (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) across all consumers from conjoint analysis. Consumers found “produced without added hormones,” “made with milk from our pasture-raised cows,” and “made locally” to be the most appealing label claims. Consumer segmentation identified a natural cluster (n = 243) which assigned high utility to claims such as “all natural” and “organic” while the flavor cluster (n = 194) assigned high utility to “established business for more than 75 years” and “#1 in Italy.” Melt was a must-have attribute for mozzarella consumers while easy to shred and slice was a performance attribute. Block mozzarella is generally a price-driven product, except for special occasions where consumers seek out block mozzarella that they perceive to be of higher quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":354,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Dairy Science","volume":"108 2","pages":"Pages 1380-1391"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142611537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}