# Dairy Product Consumption and Preferences of Polish and Taiwanese Students--NPD Case Study
Thus, in 2004, Poles consumed 4.6 liters of milk per person, whereas in 2018, the figure was only 2.94 liters of milk per person. In the case of yoghurt, however, the situation is reversed. In 2004, Poles consumed 0.35 kg of yoghurt per person, while in 2018 yoghurt consumption increased to 0.52 kg per person. The consumption of butter and cheese and curd is the most stable among Poles. Poles consume 0.37 kg of butter and 0.87 kg of cheese and curd per person per month [5]. For the consumption of dairy products in Asia, it is worth referring to historical analyses that indicate a tradition of fermented milk consumption in South Asia and various Asian regions, while changes occurred after the Second World War, when the most consumed dairy products were fresh milk or imported milk powders [3]. Asians are generally lactose intolerant [3], which to some extent affects the consumption of dairy products in Asia, including Taiwan. The problem of lactose intolerance, resulting from the physiological loss of lactase activity [6], is becoming increasingly common worldwide [7; 8], whereas large variations in lactose intolerance are evident between regions [8]. Lactose intolerance is estimated to occur in 30% of adults in Poland [6; 7]. Based on a meta-analysis by [PERSON] [8], the estimated prevalence of lactose malabsorption syndrome in Poland was as high as 43% and in Taiwan was 88%. More and more lactose-free and lactose-reduced dairy products are available on the market to meet consumers' needs [7]. Among dairy products, yoghurt is the most popular fermented milk drink [9; 10; 11]. Despite its lactose residue, it is considered by most consumers around the world to be an excellent source of nutrients and health-promoting ingredients [12]. Many studies have proven the increased digestibility of lactose in yogurt compared to milk and other dairy products without live bacterial cultures, and therefore it does not cause discomfort in people with lactose intolerance [13]. According to [PERSON] et al. [14], moderately increasing the daily intake of yoghurt, cheese and other dairy products, especially low-fat dairy products, can help prevent type 2 diabetes (T2 DM). Furthermore, a study conducted by [PERSON] et al. [15] on a group of middle-aged Koreans suggests that by consuming dairy products on a daily basis we can protect ourselves from developing metabolic syndrome, particularly abdominal obesity. Yogurt is considered a functional product due to its properties [9; 10]. As defined by [PERSON] and co-authors [16], \"A food can be regarded as functional if it is satisfactorily demonstrated to affect beneficially one or more target functions in the body, beyond adequate nutritional effects, in a way that is relevant to either improved state of health and well-being and/or reduction of risk of disease. A functional food must remain food and it must demonstrate its effects in amounts that can normally be expected to be consumed in the diet: it is not a pill or a capsule, but part of the normal food pattern\". In Asian countries, the promotion of coffee and tea with milk, along with yoghurt, has undoubtedly had an impact on increasing the consumption of dairy products [3]. There is an upward trend in the consumption of dairy products as Asian consumption patterns and diets become more westernized [17]. In addition, the growing consumer interest in functional food [18] has led food manufacturers to pay more attention to designing functional foods that meet consumer expectations and preferences. In the design process of new food products, a very important stage is to verify whether the designed product meets the needs of the consumer before it is commercially available [18; 19; 20]. The high proportion of consumers with lactose intolerance in Taiwan and Poland (88% and 43%, respectively) [8], cultural differences [3], availability of raw material [2] and high prices of dairy products, especially in Taiwan compared to Poland, may influence lower consumption of these nutritionally valuable products.