Low-fat milk shakes a source of nutrients.

The results are in. Adults love the taste of reduced-sugar, low-fat milkshakes developed by USDA/ARS scientists (Dairy Products Research Unit, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038). The shake for the new millennium is a remake of the low-sugar shake developed in the 1970s for USDA's school lunch program. The new shakes have less than half the sugar and about 10% of the fat of commercial shakes.

The concept of a low-sugar, low-fat shake was probably ahead of its time two decades ago. Now, however, since the introduction of low-fat cheese into the school lunch program and a push toward more nutritionally balanced foods, the shake's time may have finally come for schools, healthcare institutions and foodservice operations.

Late last year, the ARS opened its doors to about 600 youngsters for a taste-testing of the chocolate shakes, which are more like soft-serve ice cream. The children weren't crazy about the shakes. They indicated they were not sweet enough, that there was an aftertaste, and that the shakes tasted like cereal. But after getting the kids' opinions, ARS took the shakes for another test, this time with adults aged 22 to 52. The adults thought they were just sweet enough and tasted better than other dietary shakes.

The goal is to provide a dessert that contains the same nutrients as an 8-ounce glass of chocolate milk. But it's easier to provide cartons of milk than milk shakes because schools need a milk shake machine or soft-serve machine and someone to operate it.

A hard-pack version of the shake would be easier for schools to manage, but there's a difference in formulating soft-serve and hardened ice cream. Ultimately, researchers want to create a product for young children that is healthful and great-tasting.

The scientists are trying to reformulate the shakes and eliminate the cereal flavor. The ARS is working with a cooperative research and development agreement partner, Devine Foods Inc. (Philadelphia, PA), to modify the shakes and further develop them as a commercial product. The shakes are based on ARS technology and contain Devine's proprietary composition, which reduces fat and calorie content and adds fiber and nutrients.

The fiber content ranges from 2% to 2.2%, which qualifies the shakes as a good source of fiber. A 10-ounce shake has as much calcium, vitamins and minerals as a serving of milk. It has fewer calories. One more benefit: The shakes are significantly lower in lactose, which is good news for those who are lactose-intolerant. The shakes should be available to consumers in the near future, we're told.

Further information. Richard Konstance; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone].