MPC Imports

(Click on the above chart to enlarge. MT means "metric ton which equals 2204.6 pound.)

Quite consistently, both dairy farmers and the public are told there is a surplus of milk. There is, however, a fly in the ointment of the argument – imports, particularly of milk protein concentrate (MPC).

At this point the government is continuing to buy and store nonfat dry milk (NFDM). MPCs, are in most cases interchangeable with NFDM.

MPCs, as they are now used, are technically an illegal ingredient, since MPCs has no GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status. FDA, continues to ignore their own regulations in this regard. After all, there is money being made on the product.

A quick search of U.S. Patent and Trade Office reveals 171 patent applications when the two terms , “milk protein concentrate and cheese” are entered.

Throw some MPCs and anhydrous milk fat into the caldron, heat, stir and with very little difficulty a product is obtained which the public will buy thinking they have purchased cheese.

Essentially, MPCs are a means to fool some of the people all the time.

If MPCs and caseins were not imported into this country, the government would not have one pound of NFDM in storage. Without NFDM in government hands, the convenient argument of surplus milk could not be made to appear plausible. Additionally, farm milk prices would have to be higher.