Milk Allergy Diet
This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you have regarding a medical condition. Your provider will offer referrals or treatment plans based on your specific condition or diagnosis.
General guidelines for milk allergy
The key to an allergy-free diet is to stay away from foods or products containing the food to which you are allergic. The items that you are allergic to are called allergens. Milk allergy is most common among infants and young children. Common forms of milk are cream, cheese, butter, ice cream, and yogurt. Milk and milk products may also be used as ingredients in many other foods. To stay away from foods that contain milk and milk products, you must read food labels.
Important information about not consuming milk and milk products
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) is a law that requires U.S. packaged foods to state clearly on the label if they contain milk. Labeling may include the word milk within the ingredient list, for example, "whey (milk)," or it may include a "Contains: milk" statement after the ingredient list.
The word "nondairy" on a product label means it does not contain butter, cream, or milk. But the food may have other milk-containing ingredients.
Kosher foods are labeled with a circled K or U. These foods may also have the word "pareve" or "parve." This means the food is free of milk and milk products. A D for dairy on a product label next to the K or U means the product contains milk or milk products. Stay away from these products.
Processed meats often contain milk. These include hot dogs, sausages, and lunch or deli meats. Carefully read all food labels.
Lactose-free milk still contains the milk protein. Avoid lactose-free milk and milk products.
How to read a label for a milk-free diet
Always read the entire ingredient label to look for milk. Milk ingredients may be in the ingredient list. Or milk could be listed in a “Contains: milk” statement after the ingredient list. Stay away from foods that have any of the following ingredients:
Artificial butter flavor
Butter, butter fat, butter oil
Caseinates (ammonium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium)
Cheese, cottage cheese
Cream
Custard, pudding
Ghee
Half and half
Hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, protein, whey, whey protein)
Lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate
Lactoglobulin, lactoferrin
Lactose, lactulose
Milk
Derivative, protein, solids, malted, condensed, evaporated, or dry
Whole, low-fat, nonfat, skim
Goat's milk and milk from other animals
A2 milk
Nisin
Nougat
Recaldent
Rennet casein
Sour cream or sour cream solids
Whey (delactosed, demineralized, protein concentrate)
Yogurt
Other possible sources of milk or milk products
Other sources of milk or milk products include:
Brown sugar flavoring
Caramel flavoring
Chocolate
Flavorings (natural and artificial)
High protein flour
Lactose
Luncheon meats, hot dogs, sausages
Margarine
Simplesse
Important points
Foods that don't contain milk could be contaminated during manufacturing. Advisory statements are not regulated by the FDA. They are voluntary. These include labels such as "processed in a facility that also processed milk" or "made on shared equipment." Ask your healthcare provider if you can eat foods with these labels. You may need to stay away from them.
Some foods and products are not covered by the FALCPA law. These include:
Foods that are not regulated by the FDA
Cosmetics and personal care items
Prescription and over-the-counter medicines and supplements
Toys, crafts, and pet foods
When you are eating out
Always carry 2 doses of epinephrine medicine, such as epinephrine autoinjectors or nasal sprays. Make sure you and those close to you know how to use it.
Wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace with your allergy information.
If you don't have epinephrine, talk with your healthcare provider. Ask if you should carry it.
Always read food labels.
In a restaurant, food may be cross-contaminated with milk. Alert the server to your milk allergy.
Always ask about ingredients at restaurants. Ask even if you have eaten the food in the past and even if it's a restaurant you've eaten at before. The restaurant may change its recipes.
Don't eat at buffets with milk. This reduces your risk for cross-contaminated foods from shared utensils.