An initiative from the International Dairy Federation, the hub would list nutritional knowledge about the role of fresh dairy milk for school students across the world.
Dairy Connect chief executive officer Shaughn Morgan said that the economic and social benefits of healthier children and young adults far outweighed the cost of free fresh school milk.
“Milk’s ingredients and nutrients differ from popular non-dairy options like almond, cashew or soy drinks,” he said.
“Not all non-dairy options have the same nutrients as those in milk.
“Milk also contains vitamin A to help maintain a healthy immune system, and calcium and vitamin D, that work together for bone strength.”
Mr Morgan said milk is considered the top food source for calcium, potassium and vitamin D, three of the four nutrients of public health concern that many Australians, including children, most lacked in their diets.
“More than 90 per cent of the population falls short of the recommended three daily servings of milk and milk products,” he said.
The interactive online hub would bring together important information on the role of milk and dairy products in healthy diets produced by sustainable food systems and the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
The hub would provide case studies and data to assist those wishing to implement school milk programs in their countries and would be an invaluable source of information for those who wanted to learn more about school milk programs worldwide.
The IDF said the Global School Milk Knowledge Hub, would be launched early next year.
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