Long-term acceptance of low-lactose milk

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Gastroenterology
• Nutrition

Background:

• Lactose intolerance affects a significant portion of the population, leading to digestive discomfort.
• Traditional dairy consumption can be limited for individuals with lactose intolerance due to adverse symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and acceptance of low-lactose milk in individuals with and without lactose intolerance.
• To compare symptom profiles between low-lactose milk and unmodified cow's milk.

Main Methods:

• Low-lactose milk was produced using yeast lactase.
• A double-blind study involved 31 volunteers (16 tolerant, 15 intolerant) consuming 500 ml of low-lactose milk twice daily for one month.
• Subjects also consumed unmodified milk on three occasions, with symptom recording during baseline and testing periods.

Main Results:

• Low-lactose milk demonstrated excellent acceptance among all participants.
• No significant symptom differences were observed between tolerant and intolerant groups when consuming low-lactose milk.
• Unmodified milk induced severe symptoms exclusively in lactose-intolerant individuals.

Conclusions:

• Low-lactose milk is a well-accepted alternative for individuals with lactose intolerance.
• This product enables increased intake of nutritious dairy for those with lactose intolerance, minimizing or eliminating symptoms associated with regular milk.