• An overview of changes in the consumption of dairy products across Europe since the late 1970s
• Information about the type of dairy products that EU countries commonly consume
• Why dairy products are important  to our diet
• Modifications to the nutrient content of dairy products
   

Dairy foods have been a traditional part of the European diet for centuries. Goats and sheep initially provided the milk for drinking and for the production of other dairy products. However, as more was learnt about successful husbandry of cattle, and mechanization was brought in, cattle began, and continue, to provide the majority of the milk which is now consumed in Europe.

Technological advances have also led to better quality milk being produced (e.g. improved taste, appearance and microbiological safety).   Advances in our knowledge of food technology and chemistry have also led to the production of new varieties of dairy products, for example France alone produces over 365 varieties of cheese. The wide range of options now available no-doubt accounts for the increase in cheese consumption across many European countries, as figure 1 illustrates.

Data indicate that those countries who consume the largest quantities of cheese tend to consume the lowest quantities of milk.   The Finnish consume the largest quantity of milk per person, and have done since these data sets began (1977).

Figure 2. Milk consumption (kg), per person per year

Figure 2 illustrates that since 1977 the average consumption of milk per person per year across Europe has risen slightly in some countries (e.g.  Belgium, Germany), but declined in others (e.g. UK, Ireland, Austria). The significant changes in the trend of milk intake are thought to be due to changes in the method of data collection, rather than actual changes.

Unlike the relatively steady trend in milk consumption amongst the EU countries, there is no clear trend in butter consumption. In 2003, the French consumed the most butter, per person per year, although this was not the case in 1977 when Finland and Ireland consumed larger quantities. However, consumption has declined in these countries, along with the UK and Sweden. Few countries (only Germany, Austria and Spain) indicate any increase in consumption per person since 1977. Although in 1993/94 there was an increase in the amount of butter consumed per person per day in a number of countries, consumption soon declined to levels below those reported in 1977.  Once again, this is thought to be due to anecdotal changes in reporting, rather than genuine changes in consumption.

Trend data are a useful way to plot changes in the consumption of food products over time. Changes in the ‘market’ or interventions to encourage, or discourage, the consumption of foods can sometimes be reflected through these trend data. For example, figure 3 reflects the decline in butter consumption in the late 1980s, which could be attributed to increased public awareness of advice to cut down on saturated fat intake. Modifying the diet to produce an intended change (e.g. a reduction in saturated fat intake) will inevitably affect the intake of other nutrients, and it is therefore important that the implications of changes to the diet are tracked.  In order to do so, up to date information on the nutrient composition of foods needs to be available from food composition databases.  To ensure valid and reliable data on the nutrient composition of foods are available for use across Europe, an EU funded project entitled EuroFIR is aiming to develop a comprehensive, coherent and validated food composition databank for use across Europe. Availability of the EuroFIR database will help to ensure that food composition data used in the tracking of dietary trends are reflective of the variation in the nutrient composition of foods that exists across Europe. In some instances (such as milk as outlined in the table below) this variation is minimal and in these circumstances it may be difficult to know whether variations in nutrient composition are genuine, or whether they are an artifact of measurements.   EuroFIR is also working to ensure that a consistent approach is used to measure the nutrient composition of foods, to minimise measurement variations.

Why dairy products are important to our diet

The table above outlines some of the nutrients found in milk. Other dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, provide similar nutrients in varying quantities. In particular, dairy products are a source of calcium and can make a significant contribution to an individual’s protein, vitamin and mineral intake. For example, in Ireland, milk and dairy products contribute 34% of calcium, 11% of protein and 6% of folate intake respectively (Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance, 2001).

Modifications to food products

Over the past 30 years manufacturers have been introducing new products to the market which offer a healthier nutrient profile than the original product.  The most appropriate foods for modification are those that contribute large amounts of the less desirable nutrients (e.g. saturated fat), and that are commonly consumed in large quantities by the whole population. Modification of these foods will have the greatest impact on health. In Europe, milk products are ideal foods to target as they meet both of these criteria: for example in the UK, milk and milk products contribute approximately 24% of dietary saturated fatty acids, and are consumed by 96% of the population (Henderson et al. 2003).

In the UK, the modification of dairy products since the 1980s has proved very successful in reducing intakes of saturated fat. For example, the switch from whole-milk to semi-skimmed for many consumers has meant that the proportion of saturated fat in our diet from liquid milk has reduced from 16.8% in 1981 to 13.5% in 2000. However, it should be noted that whilst the consumption of whole milk and butter has declined, consumption of cream has increased (see figure 4 below). As figure 1 indicates, cheese consumption has also increased, and therefore, although consumers have made a conscious decision to reduce their saturated fat intake from liquid milk, their overall intake from dairy has increased, due to a change in the types and quantity of these foods consumed.
 
Figure 4. Cream and butter consumption amongst those countries consuming the largest quantity of butter (kg) per person per year