Business Notes Products

"Things are seldom what they seem; skim milk masquerades as cream" goes the line from Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore. But could skim milk pass for Coca-Cola? Well, maybe. Illinois-based Dairy Research, the development arm of the United Dairy Industry Association, says it has come up with a method of carbonating milk. The equipment to put the fizz in milk is still being modified, but if all goes well, the product could be in groceries by 1989. Researchers are testing a variety of flavors, from banana and peach to cola, and the carbonation process apparently masks milk's natural taste.

The work is part of an effort by the dairy industry, which has been hurt by overproduction, to boost sales. The industry thinks carbonated milk can win over young people who prefer the taste of Coke and other soft drinks. "This product provides us with an entry into the fun-drink area," says Dairy Research President Anthony Luksas. And from his point of view, only milk is the real thing.