Casein Not in All Sodium

I received this email the other day.

Concerning pre-packaged luncheon meats. I was told, maybe incorrectly, that "salts or sodium can have hidden Casein in them." I can't find an answer so far on the internet. I hope you can help me.

Here is a list from one package: sodium phosphates, sodium ascorbate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite, potassium lactate, sodium diacetate.

I replied:

The answer to your question is that casein salts will always be listed that way, as sodium caseinate or calcium caseinate or even, though rarely, potassium caseinate. The sodium part doesn't matter for dairy allergies. (It does if you have high blood pressure and need to avoid sodium, but that's a different issue.)

Caseinate will always be listed. And modern labeling laws require that any product that uses casein say it is a milk product or a milk derivative. Caseinate can't be hidden.