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Allergy: Food- Cow's milk allergy /
Cheese, butter and yoghurt
01 In Brief
Children diagnosed with cow's milk allergy are advised to avoid all dairy products. When dairy is reintroduced, your doctor may advise to start with cheese, yoghurt or butter. Ever wondered why sometimes a child with cow's milk allergy can tolerate some hard cheeses, some types of yoghurt and small amounts of butter?
02 What Do I Need To Know?
CHEESE and COW'S MILK ALLERGY
Milk contains two proteins: casein and whey. Casein proteins are primarily in the curd of the milk, which is the hard portion of milk that forms when it curdles. Curd is the portion of milk that is used to make cheese. Whey is the portion of the milk that remains liquid after it curdles. Casein proteins don’t cause adverse reactions in most people, unless they’re allergic to the protein.
Casein is heat stable and is the main protein in cheese and the harder the cheese the more casein is formed. Hard cheese is the best cheese for children with whey allergy.
Ricotta cheese is made from whey protein.
CHEESE and LACTOSE INTOLERANCE
For some people who have determined they are only lactose intolerant,and not allergic cheese can be eaten. This is because lactose is primarily in the whey, not the curds. When cheese is being made (with the exception of some soft cheeses that contain whey, like Ricotta) the whey (liquid) is discarded and the lactose goes with it.
Curds still have a little bit of lactose, but not much. As cheese ages and loses moisture and becomes hard, there is even less lactose left in the curds. The longer a cheese is aged and the harder texture it has, the less whey and hence lactose remains. Some people who have trouble digesting lactose can eat cheese that has been aged to a hard texture.
YOGHURT and COW'S MILK ALLERGY
Yogurt is made from pasteurised milk and milk powder which is then homogenised and pasteurised. The milk mixture is pasteurised at 185 F (85C) for 30 minutes or at 203 F (95C) for 10 minutes. The milk is then fermented by adding starter cultures which convert lactose in the milk to lactic acid which aids to the setting of the yoghurt. Whey protein is denatured by the heating process and the lactic acid. That's possibly why some yoghurts can be tolerated better by other children with cow's milk allergy.
Check what milk is added. Is it cow or goat's milk.
Not all yoghurt is equal, as some brands contain artifical sweeteners, artifical colours, sugar, high fructose, corn syrup and thickeners. Full fat yoghurts is the best for young children and the fewer ingredients the better. Fruit and pectin with fruit is better than artifical ingredients. Plain, full fat yoghurt with home added fruits is the healthiest.
BUTTER and COW'S MILK ALLERGY
Butter is the fat of milk and is made by churning cream, and while casein is still present it is typially less than 1gm per 100 gm of butter. As only small amounts of butter are consumed at a time, the amount of cow's milk protein consumed is less. It is typically pure milk and may have salt added. You should always check your labels in case the food manufacturer has put in some additives which may include cow's milk.
03 I Want To Know More
- Dairy Australia
The information is not intended to take the place of medical advice.
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Last updated: 16/11/2013 by Dr Liz Hallam