Areas of Research

1. Optimizing cheese for conversion functionality (slicing, shredding) especially at shorter storage times 
2. Optimizing cheese for flavor (artisan flavor in large scale operations) based on composition, coagulants, adjunct cultures 
3. Utilization of co-products such as salt brine, permeate, acid whey, hydrolyzed permeate, lactic acid, biopolymers in foods, including bars, baked goods and ice cream* 
4. Using Next Gen techniques to improve enumeration and understanding of microbes related to probiotics, dairy food safety and cheese ripening, also quality and safety of dairy products. *
5. Technologies for increasing solids content prior to drying 
6. Interactions between milk proteins and flavor particulates (eg. cocoa, coffee) in high temperature beverages 
7. Using fractionated milk (including innovative technologies) for manufacture of cheese, skim milk powder, protein products, peptides. 
8. Factors that influence the quality of organic milk and/or milk from small sized dairy farms 
9. Development and/or evaluation (fatty acid profile, flavor) of lipases obtained from non-animal sources for use in cheese 
10. Understanding development of flavor (bitterness) or quality defects in cheese and role of adjunct cultures  
11. Clean label solution to reduce astringency in high protein dairy products 
12. Providing methods and resource for quantitative and qualitative analysis of galacto-oligosaccharides *
13. Interactions of milk components (protein, calcium, etc) with mineral and vitamins in nutrient/protein fortified foods and effects on nutrient absorption *
14. Combining non-thermal technologies to increase shelf life of dairy products 
15. Efficient milk-fat fractionation and/or optimizing butter manufacturing protocols to enhance functionality of flaked bakery products 
16. Stability of protein and protein-lactose complexes (rapid method for evaluation) formed by heat denaturation 
17. Clean label ingredients and related consumer sensory science (e.g., to replace stabilizers in ice cream) 
18. Modified whey proteins for enhanced functionality - Solubility, Foaming, Gelation 
19. Technology for converting cheese into slurries without using emulsifiers 
20. Controlling lactose during drying to prevent stickiness in spray dryers - increase permeate utilization 
21. Reducing Mallaird browning during higher temperature storage of milk powders 
22. Protein analysis by MID-IR 
23. Including student projects related to engineering such as PLC, automation, lean manufacturing. 
24. Functionality of milk soluble protein after microfiltration of skim milk. 

* Indicates a priority that lies in multiple pillars

1. Utilization of co-products such as salt brine, permeate, acid whey, hydrolyzed permeate, lactic acid, biopolymers in foods, including bars, baked goods and ice cream.*
2. Using Next Gen techniques to improve enumeration and understanding of microbes related to probiotics, dairy food safety and cheese ripening, also quality and safety of dairy products.*
3. Bioactivity of GMP - validation of bioactivity (anti-inflammation), absorption in humans, and bifidogenic properties.
4. Providing methods and resource for quantitative and qualitative analysis of galacto-oligosaccharides *
5. Interactions of milk components (protein, calcium, etc) with mineral and vitamins in nutrient/protein fortified foods and effects on nutrient absorption *
6. Physiological functionality of milk soluble protein after microfiltration of skim milk.

* Indicates a priority that lies in multiple pillars

1. Evaluate field practices and quantify soil organic carbon storage for each practice (e.g. cover cropping, no till).
2. Evaluate the GHG emissions and economic impacts from various manure storage and handling practices (Compost, harrow, slurry pits, bedding pack, dried manure) and develop uniform protocols for measuring emissions consistently across manure handling practices.
3. Evaluate mitigation strategies for open lot dairies’ GHG emissions including handling practices, application of viable amendments, adding value with technologies for dry manure, enhancing soil carbon, temperature impacts, and seasonal influence of scraped vs flushed feed aprons on emissions.
4. Enteric methane measurements on a commercial dairy utilizing real-time sensors and the connection to rumination technology.
5. Measure and collect data for crediting manure nutrients to determine nutrient availability after manure application including development of a tool for combining fertilizer recommendations with prediction of nutrient availability.
6. Update crop fertilizer guides and recommendations for all traditional crops and non-traditional crops. Develop crop fertilization guides and improve nutrient, especially nitrogen, application recommendations.
7. Enhance and inform tools/models to measure baseline GHG emissions with the ability to quantify practice effects and on-farm practice changes - combined with least emissions and best practices for the money (ROI).
8. Cross-vent/free-stall barns: evaluate the practices of handling liquid manure and what mitigation strategies are the most effective.
9. Evaluate best practices for covered lagoons and storage tanks including economics of storm water elimination, energy savings, and timing of lagoon water applications.
10. Cow nutrition including excess nitrogen impact on GHG, forages impact on enteric GHG, grazing influence on carbon storage in the soil and overall GHG footprint, ensiled feeds impact on enteric GHG, precision feeding and feed additives.
11. Feeding cows by-products from other agricultural industries to reduces landfill GHG, change rations for emissions improvement, and identify by-products not currently utilized with a focus on enteric methane.

1. Gallon jug innovation for both shape, function, and improved labeling