THERE IS a growing trend away from dairy products like sweetened condensed milk to non-dairy, soya-based products, says Food and Nutrition Consultant Dr. Heather Little-White.

This is reflected in the marketplace where last year, milk processor Nestle JMP Jamaica Limited recorded a seven per cent downturn in sales of condensed milk and a six per cent decrease in sales of fresh milk. This has forced the company to suggest lowering the amount of milk bought from local dairy farmers by 3.4 million litres, prompting the recent protest by the Jamaica Dairy Farmers Federation.

On the other hand, Lasco Distributors, known for their soya based flavoured products, has had an increase in consumer usage of their products.

"It's a question of price," said Nestle JMP Limited's general manager, Jimmy Rawle." Powdered milk is much cheaper in terms of the pocket."

Dr. Little-White agreed.

"Apart from being health conscious,when you go down to lower income groups, cost is a factor,"she said.

In the case of Lasco Distributors, Dr. Little-White pointed out that their products were fairly inexpensive and "the fact that they(the products) are soya based gives it a plus."

Dr. Little-White also said that there were health reasons for the trend.

"A lot of people are lactose intolerant, hence they switch to soya based milk and milk powder," she said. "If a person is lactose intolerant, he or she cannot digest milk."

She explained that the milk industry was further affected by the explosion of non-dairy liquid based products like Soy Fresh and rice based products. In addition, doctors often recommend that patients with common respiratory problems such as with sinuses, allergies and asthma, stay away from milk.

"If there is a health problem, that is the choice you're going to make," Dr. Little-White stated.

Mr. Rawle pointed out that such products also have the advantage of being stored longer so persons would not have to worry about spoilage after a few days.

Dr. Little-White and Mr. Rawle also espoused the benefits to be gained from sweetened condensed milk, especially as it relates to brain and body development.

"It definitely has a place. For example, condensed milk provides energy. For children especially, it provides a good carrier for other nutritious food (because) it is accompanied by things like milo and ovaltine which have important nutritional value,"explained Dr. Little-White.

She encouraged the drinking of cows milk because, like condensed milk,it contains a number of nutrients beneficial to the body.