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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179307-08-000108.txt : 20080514
<SEC-HEADER>0001179307-08-000108.hdr.sgml : 20080514
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080514165617
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179307-08-000108
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080512
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080514
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080514

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:	DEAN FOODS CO/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20011221

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

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BERNON ALAN J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001136257
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-12755
		FILM NUMBER:		08832504

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		DEAN NORTHEAST, LLC
		STREET 2:		124 GROVE STREET
		CITY:			FRANKLIN
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02038
		BUSINESS PHONE:		214-303-3400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2515 MCKINNEY AVENUE
		STREET 2:		SUITE 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>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-05-12</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000931336</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DEAN FOODS CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001136257</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BERNON ALAN J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4301 BELCLAIRE AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75205</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
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                <value>Common Stock</value>
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            <transactionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            </postTransactionAmounts>
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                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
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                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
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            <expirationDate>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
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            <transactionDate>
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            </underlyingSecurity>
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                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
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            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.6821</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-01-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>273122</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
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                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy-DV000251)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.6821</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-01-13</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>128231</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>128231</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy-NQ004887)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.6821</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-01-13</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2832</value>
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            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2832</value>
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                    <value>D</value>
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                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
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        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy-NQ004462)</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.6821</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-01-13</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1329</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1329</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy-DF005345)</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>30.1121</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-02-12</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>47741</value>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>47741</value>
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        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy-DV000250)</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>30.1121</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-02-12</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>22414</value>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22414</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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                    <value></value>
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        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy-NQ005340)</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>30.1121</value>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-02-12</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2259</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2259</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy-NQ000263)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>30.1121</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-02-12</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1061</value>
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                    <value>1061</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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                    <value></value>
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        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Transaction is pursuant to a 10b5-1 Plan, dated December 12, 2007, between the reporting person and Bear Stearns &amp; Co., Inc., acting as agent, to permit the orderly disposition of a portion of the reporting person's holdings of the Issuer's common stock, par value $0.01 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares of common stock subject to the Option vest ratably in three equal increments commencing on the first anniversary of the grant date.  Pursuant to a separation agreement between Mr. Bernon and the Issuer, the options will expire on September 2, 2008.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The shares of common stock subject to the Option became fully vested on September 28, 2007, pursuant to a separation agreement between Mr. Bernon and the Issuer, and the options will expire on September 2, 2008.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Alan J. Bernon by Angela B. Miro, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-05-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----