Tips for Managing a Milk Allergy

Baking

Fortunately, milk is one of the easiest ingredients to substitute in baking and cooking. It can be substituted, in equal amounts, with water or fruit juice. (For example, substitute 1 cup milk with 1 cup water.)

Some Hidden Sources of Milk

• Deli meat slicers are frequently used for both meat and cheese products.
• Some brands of canned tuna fish contain casein, a milk protein.
• Many non-dairy products contain casein (a milk derivative), listed on the ingredient labels.
• Some meats may contain casein as a binder. Check all labels carefully.
• Many restaurants put butter on steaks after they have been grilled to add extra flavor. The butter is not visible after it melts.

Commonly Asked Questions

Is goat milk a safe alternative to cow milk?
Goat's milk protein is similar to cow's milk protein and may, therefore, cause a reaction in milk-allergic individuals. It is not a safe alternative.

Can I rely on kosher symbols to determine if a product is milk-free? The Jewish community uses a system of product markings to indicate whether a food is kosher, or in accordance with Jewish dietary rules.

There are two kosher symbols that can be of help for those with a milk allergy: a "D," or the word "dairy," on a label next to "K" or "U" (usually found near the product name) indicates presence of milk protein, and a "DE" on a label indicates the product was produced on equipment shared with dairy.

If the product contains neither meat nor dairy products it is "pareve" (parev, parve). Pareve-labeled products indicate that the products are considered milk-free according to religious specifications. Be aware that under Jewish law, a food product may be considered pareve even if it contains a very small amount of milk. Therefore, a product labeled as pareve could potentially have enough milk protein in it to cause a reaction in a milk-allergic individual.

Do these ingredients contain milk?

We frequently receive calls about the following ingredients. They do not contain milk protein and need not be restricted by someone avoiding milk:

Calcium lactate Lactic acid (however, lactic acid starter culture may contain milk) Calcium stearoyl lactylate oleoresin Cocoa butter Sodium lactate Cream of tartar Sodium stearoyl lactylate Resources Available from FAAN