Factsheet of the IDF N°49/2026: Understanding lactose: From digestion to health outcomes
Milk, cheese, yoghurt, and other fermented dairy products are nutrient-dense foods that provide a wide range of essential nutrients. As part of this nutrient-rich matrix, dairy products contain lactose, a carbohydrate and the natural, intrinsic and unique sugar in milk. Dairy products contribute significantly to intakes of key nutrients such as calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B12, […]
Factsheet of the IDF N°48/2026: IDF Dairy Cattle Welfare Forum: Key Insights from the 2025 Meeting
The Third IDF Dairy Cattle Welfare Forum was convened on October 17, 2025, in Santiago, Chile, as a pre-conference event to the IDF World Dairy Summit. The Forum brought together leaders responsible for developing or implementing dairy cattle welfare assurance programs to exchange experiences, discuss shared challenges, and explore future directions for strengthening animal welfare assurance across global dairy […]
Factsheet of the IDF N°47/2025: Executive Summary of IDF Country Updates – December 2025
Members of the IDF Standing Committee on Dairy Policies and Economics and the Standing Committee on Marketing updated market results and conditions in 16 counties for the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in the previous year, or the most recent period starting from January. These countries represent over half of the […]
Factsheet of the IDF N°46/2025: Campylobacter spp. and dairy products
What is Campylobacter? Campylobacter is a genus of Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, spiral-shaped, microaerophilic bacteria. They are widely distributed in warm-blooded animals including cattle, pigs, sheep and poultry. The main route of transmission to humans is food associated, including cross-contamination of other foods during handling, e.g. raw meat (especially poultry), undercooked foods, as well as via raw or contaminated milk. Although there […]
Factsheet of the IDF N°45/2025: Control of Chlorine and Hypochlorite Residues in the Dairy Chain
Chlorine-based products are widely used in both dairy farming and dairy processing as effective cleaners, sanitizers, and teat disinfectants. The use of chlorinated products in premilking disinfection practices in the form or teat dips or sprays, or in equipment sanitation without a post-rinse final sanitizing step, can potentially contribute to residues in milk. Also, if […]
Factsheet of the IDF N°44/2025: Executive Summary of IDF Country Updates – July 2025
Members of the IDF Standing Committee on Dairy Policies and Economics have updated data related to market results and conditions in 19 countries for the 2024 calendar year, and developments during early 2025. These countries represent over half of the world’s milk production, and an even larger share of world trade in dairy products. Cite […]
Factsheet of the IDF N°43/2025: From protein transition to food systems transition: Dairy’s holistic role in sustainable food systems
The factsheet analyses the narrow focus of the so-called “protein transition,” which emphasizes replacing animal proteins with plant alternatives, often overlooking broader impacts. It showcases the need for a broader “food systems transition” approach that balances health, environmental, cultural, and economic goals. Dairy is showed as a key contributor to sustainable diets due to its […]
Factsheet of the IDF N°42/2024: Executive Summary of IDF Country Update 2024
Members of the IDF Standing Committee on Dairy Policy and Economics and the Standing Committee on Marketing updated market results and conditions in 18 counties for the recent 6-month period to June 2024 (or most recent) compared to the same period in the previous year. These countries represent over half of the world’s milk production, […]
Factsheet of the IDF N°41/2024 : Feed additives: A focus on reducing enteric methane emissions
This factsheet has been withdrawn.
Factsheet of the IDF N° 40/2024: Developing Evidence-Based, Food-Based Dietary Guidelines: Critical Contributions of Dairy
The purpose of this factsheet is to provide context and rationale for addressing the evolving recommendations surrounding dairy in global Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG). It highlights the importance of including nutrient-dense foods, specifically dairy foods, in FBDGs based on credible scientific evidence. Cite this content as: International Dairy Federation. (2024). Developing Evidence-Based, Food-Based Dietary Guidelines: […]
