Lactose free milk

People who are lactose intolerant, can't completely digest lactose (the sugar in milk). When they drink milk or eat some kinds of cheese, whipped cream or other dairy products they can get diarrhea. In the Netherlands 1 in every 20 people is lactose intolerant. Outside Europe this is a lot higher and can reach 80%. With the help of enzymes lactose can be split into galactose and glucose, two sugars that lactose intolerant people can digest.

At the university of Groningen you can make lactose free milk. You can also test the glucose concentration in your milk. If you want to do this, you can fill in our form.

Interesting research questions:

• Is there no lactose at all in lactose free milk? Or just a little bit? How much?
• How can you efficiently produce lactose free milk? Which temperature, pH and concentration of enzymes works best?
• Does the milk taste different after splitting lactose in glucose and galactose? Can you think of a way to maintain the 'normal' milktaste?
• Can you make other diary products of lactose free milk such as pudding?
• Why are more people in Europe and the US lactose tolerant than in other parts of the world?

More information:

• BBC Good food lactose intolerance
• Dairy council lactose intolerance
• NHS Choices lactose intolerance