Dean Foods (DFODQ) 10-K 2008 FY Annual report

EXHIBIT 32.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

In connection with the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Dean Foods Company (the “Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2008, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Gregg L. Engles, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to my knowledge the Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

/s/ Gregg L. Engles

Gregg L. Engles

Chairman of the Board and

Chief Executive Officer

February 24, 2009