CurdNerds

The National Farmers Union, an organization formed to "sustain and strengthen family farms and ranch agriculture," has released a response to the FDA's proposal to change the definition of milk. Now the last time I checked, the definition of milk was pretty straightforward: "A whitish liquid containing proteins, fats, lactose, and various vitamins and minerals that is produced by the mammary glands of all mature female mammals after they have given birth and serves as nourishment for their young." The FDA, however, is proposing to amend the definition of milk, at least as it relates to cheese production. They want to provide for the use of ultra-filtered and non-fat milk in the manufacture of cheese.

Ultra-filtered milk is basically concentrated milk proteins; most of the minerals, lactose and vitamins are removed via filtration. From the NFU's website:

Ultra-filtered and nonfat milk would be defined as a raw or pasteurized milk or nonfat milk that is passed over one or more semi-permeable membranes to partially remove water, lactose, minerals and water-soluble vitamins without altering the casein-to-whey protein ratio of the milk and resulting in a liquid product. Ultra-filtration removes minerals including calcium and magnesium and certain vitamins. The process of ultra-filtration chemically alters milk and decreases its nutritional value.

It's one thing to make a "cheese product" out of ultra-filtered milk, which in itself seems to be unappetizing if not completely unhealthy. But it's a whole other thing to then call this product "cheese" as if it bore any resemblance to real cheese made from real milk.