The Lactose-Free Market Is Entering a New Phase and Challenging Dairies

The technical requirements of lactose-free products vary according to their intended use. In sweet products, lactose hydrolysis increases perceived sweetness, allowing formulators to reduce the amount of simple sugars by 15% to 20% in yogurts, flavoured dairy drinks and chilled desserts while maintaining the expected level of sweetness.

That effect is more difficult to manage in savoury products. Requeijão, cream cheese, fresh Minas cheese, butter and cream are expected to have neutral or slightly salty profiles, so sweet notes can affect the sensory characteristics consumers associate with them. The measures cited for controlling the result include adjusting the hydrolysis rate, modifying sodium chloride levels and using lactic cultures.

These requirements mean that lactose-free production cannot rely on replicating one process across all dairy categories. In requeijão and soft cheeses, the formulation must retain the product’s established characteristics while offering an option for consumers with digestive sensitivity. The expansion into products with greater added value therefore places greater emphasis on the details of each dairy matrix.

Ready-to-drink protein beverages present an additional formulation challenge. Products combining lactose-free status with a high protein content must keep caseins and whey proteins dispersed, without sedimentation or syneresis, while preserving a fluid and creamy texture. The protein range cited for these drinks is 15g to 25g per serving.

For cream and whipping bases used in confectionery and cooking, performance during preparation is also part of the product requirement. The formulation must preserve whipping capacity, air incorporation, known as overrun, and emulsion stability. A product may have an appropriate taste but still fail to deliver the function expected by consumers or by the food-service sector.

The category has also changed its position in retail. Placing lactose-free products beside conventional versions, rather than limiting them to areas for special diets, increased their visibility and brought them into contact with consumers who do not necessarily have a restriction. Earlier sensory problems that contributed to rejection were also reduced. Packaging has followed this change, with the benefit communicated clearly on the front panel to help shoppers identify the products in self-service stores.

The source describes this development as a shift from a category associated mainly with a specific need to a broader range of products used occasionally by different consumers. For dairies, the stated requirement is to preserve the taste, texture, stability and functional performance expected from each derivative while applying lactose-free processing. The article was produced by eDairyNews using information published by Aditivos & Ingredientes.