11 minute read
Lactose free dairy products emerge from specialist niche positioning to stake a claim in mainstream dairy aisle
DairyBUSINESS
TRENDS IN FORMULATING, PROCESSING, PACKAGING & CONSUMPTION OF DAIRY PRODUCTS
Lactose free dairy products emerge from specialist niche positioning to stake a claim in mainstream dairy aisle
By Catherine Wanjiku
Originally, milk was designed to be food for infants. In adulthood, the lactase enzyme that is necessary for breaking down lactose, the main type of sugar found in milk, turns off — meaning most adults are lactose intolerant (or "lactase nonpersistent,"). Baby food or not, milk is deliciously satisfying and contains a variety of important nutrients such as calcium and riboflavin, which are important for good health. We basically cannot not help ourselves and still continue drinking milk even in adulthood. However, 70% of the world’s adult population is not lucky enough to produce enough lactose. For the unlucky ones, just an hour of eating dairy foods like milk, cheese, or ice cream, is enough to cause some degree of digestive discomfort ranging from diarrhoea, painful gas, bloating, cramps,
and other stomach discomfort, making them grin from the thought of consuming dairy and its related products, despite of how much they might be craving them.
During the Fi Europe 2021 event, Tuula Tuure, Senior Research Scientist at Valio, raised her concern pertaining to the avoidance of foods that cause discomfort in one’s body saying, “One trend in digestive health is to avoid compounds and foods that cause discomfort, the freefrom trend. However, one cornerstone of a healthy diet is variety. If we leave out a whole food group from our diets, it may lead to insufficient intake of some nutrients.” The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concurs with this as it advocates that the only satisfactory treatment of lactose intolerance is a diet with reduced lactose content and not complete avoidance.
Alan E. Kligerman, a third-generation dairyman, could however not stand a life where a portion of the population is deprived of this super food. Kligerman teamed with chemist Virginia Harris Holsinger from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service to create a solution for the lactose intolerance. Holsinger developed a process whereby lactase from non-human sources, namely fungi, broke down a significant portion of the lactose in milk into simple sugars, glucose, and galactose. The research proved successful, as the majority of lactose intolerant people who consumed this modified milk were able to digest it with no problems.
Kligerman used his newfound knowledge to launch the pioneer lactose free milk product under Lactaid brand in the early 1980s. At long last, those sensitive to the lactose in dairy had a delicious solution. Four decades later, lactose technology has advanced, allowing millions worldwide to have access to the once niche product. It’s also no longer just milk, lactose free products from yogurts to cheese to dried milk products can be found today in almost every supermarket. Kligerman’s Lactaid continues to be a worldwide success, operating as a unit of Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Nutritionals division. The wide range of lower-lactose and lactose-free dairy products available in the market today ensure no consumer feels left out, allowing them to relish on the great taste and nutrition of real dairy products with ease.
THE TRICKS OF PRODUCING LACTOSE FREE MILK
Since Kligerman’s ground-breaking technology, different technologies have been developed to produce high quality lactose free dairy products. Of the many that exist, two are commercially viable. The first is ultrafiltration which entails physical removal of lactose, resulting in milk with up to 50% less total sugar. The second process, which is widely and commonly used by most processors, is the use of lactase enzyme, which cleaves lactose into two component sugars i.e., glucose and galactose, resulting in sweeter milk. Innovative dairy companies sometimes use both processes to produce milk with less total sugar, as well as a sweetness level that is closer to traditional milk.
With the use of lactase going vogue, leading food ingredients manufacturer have bootstrapped their research and development efforts, to avail sustainable solutions that enable dairy processors produce the highly sought lactose free products. Finnish manufacturer of dairy products,
Tuula Tuure, Senior Research Scientist at Valio
Valio, boasts of having a wide range of lactose free technology under its patent Valio Eila milk powders. Meanwhile, its competitor Royal DSM has advanced its portfolio of Maxilact lactases with launch of Maxilact Super, that cuts hydrolysis time by 33% and enables dairy manufacturers to create high-quality, clean-tasting lactose-free and sugar-reduced dairy. In China, IFF introduced Nurica enzyme early last year, which not only breaks down the lactose content but also results in production of dietary fibers in the form of Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS).
Other producers of lactase enzymes in the market include Chr. Hansen, Novozymes, among many others. from different brands exists in the market supported by a steady supply of solutions from dairy ingredients suppliers. According to Mintel, product launches with some type of a lactose claim added up to 6% of all dairy launches in 2009. A decade later, the share is already over 12%. Euromonitor International’s analysis has projected that the dairy category is expected to reach US$10.1 billion by 2022. The highest share of lactose free products tends to be in product categories where there is presence of established dairy alternatives i.e.,
milk and yoghurt. According to the market research, lactose free milk is projected to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6% from 2017 to 2022 while lactose-free yogurt is forecasted to exhibit growth of 6.8% during the same period.
Taking advantage of this growth trend are players such as Kenya-based Bio Food Products and state-owned New Kenya Cooperative Creameries, who dominate the dairy isles of the
East African nation with lactose free milk offerings. In West Africa, The Coca-Cola Company owned CHI Limited, launched Hollandia Lactose Free Easy to Digest Milk in Nigeria. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Lancewood satisfies the dairy cravings of its customers with its low fat, lactose free yoghurt coming in three flavours i.e., plain, strawberry and tropical fruit.
The international scene is dotted with innovative launches from a raft of companies such as General Mills which extended the portfolio of its market-leading Yoplait yogurt brand with four Lactose-Free variants in early 2012, while Danone's market-leading Activia yogurt brand has now been extended with a lactose-free option in a number of European markets, including Germany and Scandinavia. Likewise, in New Zealand, the Anchor dairy brand has been extended to include two lactose-free alternatives under the Zero Lacto Blue and Zero Lacto Trim ranges. Other players in this space include Amul Dairy and Provilac from India, Italian Granarolo Group, New Zealand based Fonterra, Swiss multinational Nestle and CocaCola owned Fairlife brand, among others.
While the majority of lactose free launches are in drink milk and yoghurt,
KEY NUMBERS
1980
THE YEAR LACTOSE-FREE DAIRY PRODUCTS WERE FIRST INTRODUCED TO THE US MARKET
DAIRY BRANDS EXCITE CONSUMERS WITH WIDE ARRAY OF LACTOSEFREE PRODUCTS
A wide array of lactose-free products
YOGURT CATEGORY HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST SHARE OF LACTOSE FREE PRODUCTS
other categories, such as cheese, ice cream and butter are also growing. Beckon Ice Cream from Boston is a newly launched brand that offers a lactose-free premium ice cream made from real milk and cream. It differentiates itself from the plethora of dairy-free alternatives in the freezer aisle by conveying to lactose-sensitive ice cream lovers that they can have real dairy ice cream.
However, it is important to note that there are a number of dairy products that contain very little or no lactose,
and these are generally well-tolerated by people that are intolerant to lactose. According to the National Library of Medicine, some cheeses naturally have low lactose levels due to the nature of their production. In Gouda cheese, for example, the production process includes a curd washing step to lower the lactose content. Such cheeses already have relatively low lactose content, even without ripening. In other cheeses, the lactose content is only lowered due to the action of lactic acid bacteria during ripening. This is mostly true for hard cheeses such as Parmesan, Cheddar or Swiss cheeses. Young/fresh cheeses may, however, still contain sufficient lactose to result in a reaction among lactose-intolerant people, depending on the amount that is consumed. Another dairy product that is low in lactose is butter. During butter production, most of the water-soluble components in milk, including lactose, are removed, thereby reducing the lactose content in it.
Despite the two product categories being naturally low on lactose, Cultured foods brand Good Culture, recently rolled its first lactose-free line comprising of sour cream and cottage cheese made with five ingredients: milk, cream, sea salt, live and active cultures, and lactase enzyme.
LACTOSE FREE PRODUCTS NOT LIMITED TO DAIRY OFFERINGS
The opportunities created by demand for lactose free products are not limited to dairy industry alone. Lactose free has potential to expand to all food categories which include milk as an ingredient such as chocolate and baked goods. According to Innova, about 1.2% of newly launched bakery products carry a lactose-free claim, and this has grown an average of 5% a year over the past five years. The world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, Barry Callebaut, launched its first lactose-free milk chocolate in 2012. Prior to that, Brunberg Oy, Finland’s oldest confectionery factory, introduced a lactose free milk chocolate bar made with Valio Eila lactose free milk powder in 2007.
The lactose-free dairy product launches have been a welcome treat to the lactose intolerant individuals. However, its attributes have also appealed to a broad swathe of consumers. In 2016, DSM undertook an international survey that revealed, 82% and 73% of consumers in China and Colombia respectively agree that lactose-free dairy
CONSUMERS IN A DSM STUDY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD INCREASE THEIR CONSUMPTION OF LACTOSEFREE PRODUCTS IF THEY WERE REDUCED IN FAT AND SUGAR.
Packaging AFRICA EXPO
A SPECIAL PAVILLION AT: AfmassFOOD EXPO
The Future of Food in Africa
WWW.AFMASS.COM
Meet & Network with the leading manufacturers and distributors of food storage, processing, engineering and packaging technologies from across the World at the Packaging Africa Expo. Discover the latest market trends for your next project in Africa.
Food Processing Equipment & Supplies • Packaging Equipment & Supplies • Packaging Materials • Engineering, Refrigeration & Cooling Technologies • Printing & Labelling Solutions • Quality Control & Food Safety Solutions • Food Storage & Serving Solutions • PLUS MANY MORE . . . .
is healthier than regular dairy. Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights notes, “It is clear that the free-from sector is set for further growth, with interest continuing to spread from those diagnosed as specific allergies and intolerances, to the self-diagnosed and those with a more general interest in health and wellbeing. The on-going development of a greater range of products with a high-quality image and a good-taste profile is helping this along.”
Consumers, in DSM study, also indicated that they would increase their consumption if lactose-free dairy was reduced in fat and sugar. Manufacturers have since responded to this clarion and have started releasing to market single products that align to several current food trends. For instance, in 2018, nearly half (45%) of all lactosefree UHT milk launches were mineral/vitamin fortified. One example is the new lactose-free reduced fat milk from H-E-B Organics which contains added vitamins A and D. It is sourced from cows raised on organic feed, with no artificial growth hormones or antibodies. In Africa, Chi Limited unveiled its Hollandia Zero Yoghurt last year with unique benefits of zero added sugar, zero artificial sweeteners & zero lactose. It is also a low-fat drinking yoghurt.
NEED FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION FROM MISLEADING POSITIONING
In a bid to quickly appeal to consumers, manufacturers support their lactose-free positioning with straightforward on-pack messaging, like calling out the ease of digestion, aimed at appealing to a broader segment of consumers, beyond just those with lactose intolerance. The FDA, however, does not define the terms “dairy free,” “milk free” or other “absence” claims, except for “gluten free.” It highlights that absence claims are voluntary statements used to provide information to consumers to facilitate the avoidance of a food ingredient or a food component because of food allergies, food intolerances, religious beliefs, or dietary practices such as vegetarianism or other non-nutrition related reasons.
However, industry stakeholders are calling for provision of truthful claims and modes of proof. “There is a need for a simple, rapid, precise or accurate test method to detect lactose in finished products, as well as a rapid check during processing. Current methods to detect lactose are timeconsuming and require extensive sample preparation, highly trained personnel and sophisticated instruments,” said Sonia Patel, dairy food application scientist, Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center.
Heeding to this call, Chr. Hansen in 2016 introduced LactoSens, a new lactose testing kit that enables processors determine the residual lactose level in low lactose and lactose-free dairy products in minutes and in an affordable way. Meanwhile, early last year, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) approved new analytical test methods for measuring levels of lactose in milk and milk products being sold in the market.
Improved testing and labelling, growing awareness of the problems associated with lactose intolerance and technical developments are allowing for the production of better-tasting products. The sector is now trying to emerge from its specialist niche positioning to increase its appeal to a wider audience in the mass market and there is every indication that it is clearly succeeding FBA
