Fluid milk consumption has declined for decades while consumption of nondairy alternatives has increased. A better understanding of why consumers purchase fluid milk or nondairy alternatives is needed to assist increased sales of milk or maintain sales without further decline. The objective of this study was to determine the extrinsic attributes that drive purchase within each product category. The second objective was to determine the personal values behind the purchase of each beverage type to give further understanding why particular attributes are important. An online conjoint survey was launched with 702 dairy consumers, 172 nondairy consumers, and 125 consumers of both beverages. Individual means-end chain interviews were conducted with fluid milk consumers (n = 75), plant-based alternative consumers (n = 68), and consumers of both beverages (n = 78). Fat content was the most important attribute for dairy milk followed by package size and label claims. Consumers of fluid milk preferred 1 or 2% fat content, gallon, or half-gallon packaging, conventionally pasteurized store-brand milk. Sugar level was the most important attribute for plant-based beverages, followed by plant source and package size. Almond milk was the most desirable plant source, and half-gallon packaging was the most preferred packaging. Means-end chain interviews results suggested that maintaining a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle was important to all consumer groups. Lactose free was an important attribute for plant-based alternative consumers and consumers of both dairy and nondairy. A distinguishing characteristic of those who only drank nondairy plant-based alternatives was that plant-based beverages contributed to a goal to consume less animal products, beliefs about animal mistreatment, and perceived lesser effect on the environment than fluid milk. Unique to fluid milk consumers was that fluid milk was perceived as a staple food item. These results suggest that the dairy industry should focus on the nutrition value of milk and educating consumers about misconceptions regarding dairy milk. Future beverage innovation should include the development of lactose-free milk that is also appealing to consumers in flavor.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) elicits estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent physiological sequelae and estrogen-like biochemical effects on the ER in the mouse uterus. These in vivo observations indicate that EGF may elicit some of its actions by activation of the ER. The effect of peptide growth factors on activation of a consensus estrogen-responsive element was assessed in a strain of Ishikawa human endometrial adenocarcinoma cells with negligible levels of ERs, as determined by Western blot and [3H]estradiol binding, and in BG-1 human ovarian adenocarcinoma cells, which contain abundant ERs. EGF and transforming growth factor-alpha induced transcriptional activation of a consensus ERE in an ER-dependent manner in both cell types. Transcriptional activation by the growth factors was inhibited by ICI 164,384, an ER receptor antagonist, and neutralizing antibodies to the EGF receptor. Immunodetection of the ER in BG-1 cells demonstrated that receptor levels were not induced by transforming growth factor-alpha vs. untreated cells. ER deletion mutants containing amino acids 1-339 and 121-599 were transfected into Ishikawa cells. The 1-339 mutant was more active in inducing transcription after EGF treatment than the 121-599 mutant. Estrogen only stimulated transcription in the presence of the 121-599 mutant, while 1-339 was inactive. Interestingly, synergism between a physiological dose of estrogen and peptide growth factors was observed. The presence of cross-talk between EGF receptor and ER signaling pathways suggests that interactions between growth factors and steroid receptors may modulate hormonal activity influencing normal and aberrant function in mammalian cells.

Protein beverage consumption by Americans has increased in recent years. Coupled with this increased consumption is an interest in natural sweeteners. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensory properties of naturally sweetened ready-to-mix (RTM) whey protein beverages using 3 temporal methods and to formulate a natural noncaloric sweetener blend that could be added to RTM protein beverages to provide sweetness while still appealing in flavor to consumers. Iso-sweet concentrations of sweeteners (sucralose, sucrose, fructose, stevia, monk fruit) in RTM vanilla whey protein beverages (25 g of protein/360 mL of water) were established using magnitude estimation scaling and 2-alternative forced-choice testing. Temporal sensory profiling was then conducted on each beverage by a trained panel using time intensity, temporal dominance of sensations, and temporal check-all-that-apply. These findings were used to formulate natural sweetener blends that closely matched the temporality of sucrose-sweetened RTM vanilla protein beverages for consumer testing. One sugar-free blend (25% stevia/75% monk fruit) and 1 reduced-sugar blend (25% stevia/25% monk fruit/50% fructose) were selected for consumer testing (n = 150 consumers) in addition to 3 control RTM beverages containing sucralose, stevia, or monk fruit. Two distinct consumer clusters were identified. The label-conscious segment of consumers preferred beverages sweetened with natural blends when primed. The flavor-driven segment of consumers conceptually preferred naturally sweetened beverages but preferred sucralose-sweetened beverages when primed. An all-natural label claim was most preferred across all consumers. Application of these findings to commercially produced RTM protein beverages aids in the development of naturally sweetened protein beverages with reduced calories and desirable sensory properties and highlights the importance of label claims to consumers overall but to a label-conscious segment of consumers in particular.

Modulation of steroid receptor-dependent transcription by extra- cellular ligands represents a novel mechanism of steroid receptor regulation. We have assessed the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha), and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) on transcription from consensus estrogen response elements (ERE) in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive BG-1 human ovarian adenocarcinoma calls. EGF, TGF alpha, IGF-I, and estradiol (E2) enhanced transcription in a dose-dependent manner using either a strong or a minimal promoter, and ICI 164,384, a specific ER antagonist, inhibited these responses. Combinations of E2 with TGF alpha or IGF-I induced synergistic activation of transcription from an ERE, whereas as additive response was observed with combinations of IGF-I and TGF alpha of EGF. Tetradecanoyl 12-phorbol 13-acetate (TPA), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, stimulated ERE-mediated transcription, and this effect was inhibited by ICI 164,384. Bisindolylmaleimide, a relatively specific inhibitor of PKC, completely antagonized TPA-induced transcription, but did not affect the response to TGF alpha, IGF-I, or E2. The combination of TPA with E2 in transcriptional synergism was inhibited by ICI 164,384; conversely, the combination of TPA with either TGF alpha of IGF-I elicited a response only equal to the maximal TPA response. Thus, peptide growth factors elicit ER-dependent transcription independently of PFC; however, there may be a common mechanistic component, as saturation of response was observed. Finally, activation of ERE-dependent transcription in Chinese hamster ovary cells by IGF-I was observed in the presence of a mutant receptor that lacks estrogen-binding activity. The effect of both IGF-I and E2 were dependent on the ability of the ER to bind to DNA. IGF-I elicited only weak transcriptional activation in the presence of a deletion mutant that lacked the entire A/B domain; however, synergism between IGF-I and E2 was observed with this mutant. Therefore, ligand-independent activation of ER-dependent transcription by IGF-I is predominantly mediated through activation function I by a mechanism distinct from that of E2.