Dr. Chao Wu Named Recipient of the 2026 ADPI C. Earl Gray Award of Merit
April 27, 2026
ELMHURST, IL – The American Dairy Products Institute (ADPIAmerican Dairy Products Institute More) is proud to announce that Dr. Chao Wu, Director of Product Research at Hilmar, has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2026 C. Earl Gray Award of Merit in recognition of his outstanding contributions, leadership, and innovation within the global dairy ingredients industry.
The CCarbon More. Earl Gray Award of Merit is one of ADPI’s highest honors and is presented to individuals who have made lasting and significant contributions to the dairy products industry.
With more than 35 years of experience in dairy science and ingredient innovation, Dr. Wu has played a transformative role in advancing dairy protein technologies and applications. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in the development and commercialization of protein-enriched wheyLiquid obtained from cheese manufacture. More ingredients that support global nutrition markets, including early-life, medical, and adult nutrition.
Dr. Wu currently serves as Chair of the ADPIAmerican Dairy Products Institute More Technical Committee and Co-Chair of the Standards Committee, where he has provided exceptional leadership in advancing technical standards and scientific rigor across the dairy industry. His work has been especially influential in establishing standards for whey proteinProtein in milk that remains in water phase after casein precipitates. More hydrolysates and in the WPPCWhey protein phospholipid concentrate More Infant GRASGenerally recognized as safe More initiative, helping to strengthen the foundation of today’s global dairy protein ingredient marketplace.
“Dr. Wu exemplifies the spirit of scientific excellence, collaboration, and industry stewardship that this award represents,” said Patti Smith, President and CEO of ADPIAmerican Dairy Products Institute More. “His contributions have shaped not only ingredient innovation and standards development, but also the broader advancement of dairy nutrition worldwide.”
Since joining Hilmar in 1998, Dr. Wu has led collaborative research efforts focused on the nutritional and functional benefits of dairy-derived specialty ingredients. Prior to Hilmar, he served as a Senior Scientist at New Zealand Milk Products. He earned both his M.S. in Food Science and PhA measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a material. The pH scale ranges from 0 (acid) to 14 (alkaline) with 7 considered neutral. pH is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions and is defined as the negative log of the hydrogen ion concentration. More.D. in Agricultural Chemistry from the University of California, Davis.
In addition to his industry leadership, Dr. Wu has maintained strong partnerships with universities and research institutions across the United States and China, supporting advancements in cognition, medical nutrition, rapid response nutrition, and early-life nutrition research. He has also contributed extensively to organizations, including USP and AOAC International.
Widely respected throughout the dairy community for his technical expertise, humility, and mentorship, Dr. Wu has helped inspire the next generation of dairy scientists while advancing innovation across the global dairy ingredients sector.
Dr. Wu was formally recognized during the 2026 ADPIAmerican Dairy Products Institute More Annual Conference on Monday, April 27.
Contact:
Beth Holcomb, VP of Communications & Membership
bholcomb@adpi.org | 630.530.8700 x228
