Better Lactose Makes Better Lactose-Free Milk

I've found that few people with lactose intolerance know much of the history of lactose intolerance. For example, except for those few who read every word of my book, Milk Is Not for Every Body, even the best-informed American doesn't know the name Maxilact, although Maxilact was the first lactase product to be put on the market.

Maxilact is still being made, though now by a company that took over the firm Gist-Brocades mentioned in my book, the Dutch food ingredients manufacturer DSM.

And they're still working to improve lactase, judging by this press release.

Maxilact LGX is the new, breakthrough pure lactase enzyme from DSM Food Specialties. Created to reduce the off notes that can develop at the end of a lactose free product’s shelf life, Maxilact LGX also guarantees an even higher quality and clean flavour throughout the product’s lifespan than any other lactase on the market today. The first ingredient of its kind to deliver these benefits, Maxilact LGX is a pure and consistent lactase which offers the potential to extend the shelf life of premium low lactose milk products.

The latest addition to the Maxilact range of neutral lactase preparations, Maxilact LGX is isolated from the dairy yeast Kluyveromyces lactis. It hydrolyses lactose into two monosaccharides – glucose and galactose – and yields a naturally sweet, low lactose milk product. The product is developed in such a way that no detectable side activity is present to cause off flavour formation in lactose free milk. Using Maxilact LGX simply ensures an even cleaner taste – especially at the end of a product’s shelf life.

Ardy van Erp, Product Manager Dairy Enzymes, DSM Food Specialties, commented: "An increasingly broad consumer base is looking for low lactose and lactose-free products. Many people are adapting their diet with a view to improving their health and wellbeing. Individuals looking for ease of digestion and those with a lactose intolerance are embracing the low lactose trend – resulting in a growing market."

This sounds like very good news for those who drink lactose-free milks. Let's hope it's adopted by many milk processors soon.