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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 JP9UNG02kup+gske6Z8rmTEmoaZze8r4oo0cs4pXJRa64JurZCdOi+PZshR9Wk5o
 2PMFGWurHeXGiEoLEAQrqw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001136262-03-000005.txt : 20030515
<SEC-HEADER>0001136262-03-000005.hdr.sgml : 20030515
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030514174245
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001136262-03-000005
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030514
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030515

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DEAN FOODS CO/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000931336
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ICE CREAM & FROZEN DESSERTS [2024]
		IRS NUMBER:				752559681
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2515 MCKINNEY AVENUE LB 30
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1200
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75201
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2143033400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2515 MCKINNEY AVENUE LB 30
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1200
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75201

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	SUIZA FOODS CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19941013

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GRAFFUNDER HERMAN L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001136262
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-12755
		FILM NUMBER:		03700416

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2515 MCKINNEY AVE
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1200
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75201
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2143033400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2515 MCKINNEY AVE
		STREET 2:		STE 1200
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75201
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-14</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
<issuer><issuerCik>000931336</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DEAN FOODS CO/</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>DF</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001136262</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GRAFFUNDER HERMAN L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President, Morningstar Foods</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>17.125</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7251</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfO
wnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>44.5444</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2751</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Non-Qualified Stock Option </value></securityTitle><conversionOrExer
cisePrice><value>17.1250</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-06-04</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-06-04</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></direct
OrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>37.19</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-01-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2688</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>37.19</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-06</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-01-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2688</va
lue></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2688</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>37.19</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-01-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>75312</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>37.19</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDat
e><value>2004-01-06</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-01-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>75312</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>75312</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Deferred Stock Units</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-01-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionC
oding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>46000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-07</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-01-07</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>46000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>46000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The shares of common stock subject to the Option shall vest ratably in three equal increments commencing on the first anniversary o
f the grant date.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The reporting person has received an award of Deferred Stock Uniits (&amp;quot;DSUs&amp;quot;) which is a right to receive shares of common stock of the Issuer in the future, subject to the terms and conditions of the DSU Award Agreement.  The DSUs vest annually, on a prorata basis, over a five-year period.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Herman L. Graffunder</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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