The application of ultrasound to conventional dairy processes has the potential to provide significant benefits for the dairy industry such as energy savings and improved product properties. In recent years, the physical and chemical effects of high-intensity ultrasound in liquid and solid media have been extensively studied. Specific dairy processing applications such as emulsification, crystallisation, inactivation of microbes, functionality modifications and fat separation that harness the physical forces of ultrasound are highlighted in the present review.