Milk Producer - April 2010 - (Page 46)

THEBACKFORTY By Sharon Laidlaw Good news for dairy industry U.S. researchers believe fewer people are lactose intolerant than previously thought D airy product consumption in the U.S. may have just been given a boost. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), almost 25 per cent of Americans who claim to have lactose intolerance may, in fact, be able to digest milk. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products. Normally, an enzyme called lactase breaks down these sugars so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. People whose bodies do not produce enough lactase can suffer from nausea, gas, cramps and other digestive problems within 30 minutes of eating or drinking lactose-rich foods. The rate of American adults affected by the condition varies by race and age. Many people think they are lactose intolerant and thus avoid milk products, but no one really knows whether they are damaging their health, said an NIH panel of specialists. Some studies show people who think they are lactose intolerant actually can digest the sugar, and the NIH panel worried people who completely avoid dairy products miss an important source of calcium and vitamin D, nutrients important for bone health. “A lot of people who think they have lactose intolerance don’t,” said panel chairman Dr. Frederick Suchy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. “They may have other conditions, or they may just need to consume smaller amounts of dairy products. Whether they are truly lactose intolerant or not, it is important they 46 | April 2010 | MilkPRODUCER Some studies show people who think they are lactose intolerant can safely consume small amounts of milk products. meet recommended intakes of calcium and other essential nutrients.” According to a study by Dairy Farmers of Canada, the colon adapts to continued exposure to lactose, which reduces symptoms. The prevalence of lactose intolerance “is grossly overestimated,” DFC states. A number of strategies have been proposed to prevent dietary deficiencies in people who are lactose intolerant. These include consuming small amounts of lactose throughout the day, combining lactose-containing products with other foods, increasing tolerance by gradually increasing dairy intake over time, eating low-lactose dairy products and using probiotics. The Institute has called for more research into lactose-restricted diets across ages and ethnic groups to better quantify their health impact. Meanwhile, the lactose-free dairy product market is growing rapidly. U.S. demand for lactose-free milk has increased by 20 per cent per year since 1997, according to NIH research. Blood test may help detect true milk allergy A blood test to differentiate children with milk allergy who may be able to tolerate baked milk products and those who have a serious allergic reaction to any form of cows’ milk could be in the offing, a new study reports. Previous research found up to 75 per cent of children with milk allergy can tolerate heated milk, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “With this blood test, we hope to be able to tell which cows’ milk allergic children will be able to tolerate milk in baked products,” says study co-author Dr. Hugh Sampson.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Milk Producer - April 2010

Milk Producer - April 2010
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
DFC Policy
Industry Roundup
DFC Promotion
Industry Initiative
Research
Applied Science
Ruminations
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

Milk Producer - April 2010