She did scientific research into making a dairy product go further and years later was more famously given a dairy-related nickname following a controversial decision. Who is she and what was the exact nature of her research?

Watchkeeper

She is Margaret Hilda Thatcher, the "Milk Snatcher" who when Education Secretary ended the provision of free milk for schoolchildren. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/15/newsid_4486000/4486571.stm Before entering politics she used her chemistry degree in the laboratory of J Lyons Ice Cream, being on the team which investigated how to introduce more air into ice cream so that it remains soft when frozen. http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/softicecream Sep 12 09, 7:32 PM

gmackematix

Yay Watchkeeper. In the 1940s the Lyons Lady did a research paper on "fat extension" called "The elasticity of ice cream" showing how much air could be added to ice cream before it collapsed. This ultimately led to the soft Mr Whippy type soft ice creams that are indeed made largely of air. Moving from cold air to hot air, she then entered politics. As Education Secretary in 1971, cuts had to be made and she showed the lady's not for churning by cutting free milk provision. She later admitted this was a bad political decision. Ironically, under the system of free enterprise she helped to establish, soft ice creams have suffered from the emergence of higher quality brands such as Haagen Dasz and Ben & Jerry's. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/30/ice-cream-van-business Sep 13 09, 7:26 AM