UW-Madison Student Develops Quick-Cool Milk Pouch

Friday, April 23rd, 2021 -- 8:01 AM

(Wisconsin State Farmer) Cold milk has long been offered alongside a lunch or snack in elementary schools.

According to the Wisconsin State Farmer, over the years, the vessel for that milk has remained the same, a traditional paper carton. Since those milk cartons require refrigerated storage and are far from beloved by students, both schools and the dairy industry have identified the need for another option to encourage milk consumption.

To help address this need, Caroline Lunning, a UW–Madison undergraduate studying food science, partnered with three other students to develop an innovative design for a shelf-stable, quick-cool milk pouch.

With support from an industry mentor, the team submitted their concept to the UW Dairy Innovation Hub Student Challenge.  That issue was just one of a variety of industry challenges addressed by the Dairy Innovation Hub Student Challenge.

Dairy is an important agricultural sector in Wisconsin, generating $43.4 billion annually for Wisconsin’s economy. It’s been a tough stretch for dairy farmers lately, who have received low prices for their milk for the past many years.

And the industry has also been struggling with changing consumer preferences. Fluid milk consumption has been down, yet the demand for other dairy products, such as cheese, has increased.

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