MISSISSIPPI STATE--The dairy products judging team at Mississippi State University is the “cream of the crop,” placing third overall in the national 90th Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest.

The six-member team also took second in ice cream and cottage cheese evaluation, and third in cheddar cheese.

In the contest, team members judged eight samples each of six types of dairy products: ice cream, milk, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, butter and yogurt. Professional judges scored each product first, and the student contestants followed. The student whose score came closest to the judges' scores won. Both individuals and teams were eligible for prizes.

Dairy products are judged on flavor, body and texture characteristics.

Team members were MSU undergraduate students Demarcus Carter of Philadelphia, Miss; Jasmyne Gillham of Brownsboro, Texas; Dustin Cantrell of Starkville; and alternates Athenais Boeffard of Starkville and Brian Goodale of Collierville, Tenn.; and graduate student Guilherme Cury of Starkville. The competition was held at the Kraft Technology Center in Glenview, Ill.

Carter, a senior majoring in food science, nutrition and health promotion, placed first in the cheddar cheese contest, third in the ice cream contest and second in all products. He received the Everett Byers Memorial Award and was invited to serve as judge at the 2012 World Championship Cheese Contest to be held in Wisconsin.

These aren’t the first big wins for the MSU dairy products judging team. Teams from MSU have been competing in the national contest since the 1920s and have won 13 national championships.

The team is coached by food science, nutrition and health promotion adjunct professor William Gillis and research associate Julie Wilson.