DuPont Nutrition & Health has announced a substantial investment in a laboratory that serves the North American cheese industry.

In addition to expanded physical space at the Kansas City metro area lab, new equipment has been installed, including three bio fermenters to simulate external pH control starter production, an incubator for growing cultures, a cheese vat for making cheese, and two environmental cabinets for ageing cheese. Previously, testing at the facility was limited to a lab environment.

With these upgrades, the company says the facility is now equipped to test cultures in real world environments, as well as to manufacture and age cheese.

“This expansion of our research and development capabilities brings us closer than ever to our customers and enables us to innovate in collaboration with them,” said Roald Mason, director of Dairy Sales, North America. “These improvements not only allow us to optimize our current cultures offerings and tailor them to our individual customers, but also equip us to develop new retail and finished products.”

DuPont also has added two professionals to its cheese industry innovation team who have combined more than 35 years of extensive experience in the cheese industry. Brian Bartholomew joined the DuPont cheese innovation team as senior applications specialist and James Musetti joined in the application technologist role.

“These moves reinforce our commitment to the cheese and dairy industry,” said Cathy Miller, director of Innovation, North America. “For years, cheese makers and others in the dairy industry have relied on the DuPont Danisco brand of ingredients. Today, our customers continue to rely not only on our broad portfolio of ingredients, but also our unique knowledge, experience and innovation capabilities to advance their business and stay at the forefront of ideas.”