MILK ALLERGY
MILK ALLERGY
Resource Center: Milk Allergy
A milk allergy is one that children will commonly outgrow in their early childhood. That being said, this allergy affects about 2.5% children under 3 years of age.
But what if I need to use Milk for Baking or Cooking?
Milk is luckily one of the ingredients that is easiest to substitute in baking and cooking. If you cannot use milk, you can use water or fruit juice at a 1:1 ratio (ie: you can use 1 cup of juice or water to replace 1 cup of milk)
Where you may find unexpected Milk:
- Cross-contamination through deli slicers: many times they are used to slice both cheese and meat.
- Casein, a milk protein, is present in some types of canned tuna fish. Be cautious.
- Casein is also present in many non-dairy products. It is usually listed on labels; make sure to read before you eat!
- In particular, meat products may use casein as a binder.
- When eating in restaurants, make your waiter aware. Many chefs will use butter on steaks and rice AFTER cooking to provide flavor, and it is not visible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is goats milk a possible substitute for cows milk?
Unfortunately, the proteins in goat’s milk are similar to the proteins in cow’s milk. It is not a safe alternative to those who suffer from a milk allergy.
What formulas are recommended for children with a milk allergy?
Many times the recommendation is for extensively hydrolyzed, casein-based formulas. These formulas render the protein less allergenic because it has been extensively broken down. Alimentum® and Nutramigen® are both examples of casein-hydrolysate formulas.
If the child with a milk allergy is not also allergic to soy, your allergist may also recommend a soy-based formula.
When should a child be weaned off of formula?
This will depend entirely on the child’s current diet. Many physicians will recommend a milk-free formula well past the age of one year for children on restricted diets due to the fact that they are an excellent source of necessary nutrients.
Do these ingredients contain milk?
Frequently, offices receive calls about a number of ingredients. The following ingredients do not include any milk proteins and do not need to be restricted by someone avoiding milk:
- Calcium lactate
- Cream of tartar
- Cocoa butter
- Oleoresin
- Lactic acid (however, lactic acid starter culture may contain milk)
- Stearoyl Lactylate
- Sodium lactate
- Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Contact Us
1030 St. Georges Avenue, Suite 200
Avenel, New Jersey 07001 [map]
In the “Eastern Dental Building”
(p) 732-636-8844 (f) 732-634-3498
njallergy@gmail.com
Office Hours
- Tuesdays (1:00pm - 6:00pm)
- Thursdays (1:00pm - 6:00pm)
We accept same-day appointments (based on availability).