Oatly, Lactose intolerance and cow’s milk protein allergy

On this page you can read about the following subjects. Click below to go to a section:

• Lactose intolerance
• Cow's milk protein allergy

Fortified plant-based dairy alternatives are an important product group which help to fulfil nutritional requirements of consumers who cannot or do not want to consume dairy and meat products.

Fortified plant-based alternatives to dairy products are increasingly featuring in the milk and dairy group within authorities' dietary recommendations offering strong evidence for their scientific support.

Dietary recommendations vary from country to country, it is therefore prudent to check these. However, they typically advise that fortified plant-based drinks (including oat drinks like Oatly) can be used from six months of age to mix with foods and on cereal but should not be given as the main milk drink until the child is at least 12 months of age.

All Oatly products are totally dairy-free, meaning they are free from lactose and milk protein. They are also soya-free. Furthermore, most of our non-organic oat drinks are fortified with vitamins and minerals to ensure that these important nutrients are not missing from the diet.

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE

People with lactose intolerance have difficulty digesting the sugar lactose, which is found naturally in milk. This intolerance is due to an absence or reduction in the amount of the enzyme lactase (lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH)). 

Lactose intolerance affects between 15 and 100% of the adult population depending on ethnicity. 

Symptoms typically include gastrointestinal reactions such as diarrhoea, flatulence, stomach bloating and cramps, but can also include systemic symptoms like headache and loss of concentration following the consumption of food or drink containing lactose. As lactose intolerance does not involve the immune system, it is not classed as an allergy. 

In normal digestion, lactase in the small intestine breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose. However, in a person with lactose intolerance, the imbalance between the amount of lactose consumed and the capacity to produce lactase (to hydrolyse the lactose) causes distinct symptoms: 

• The presence of the undigested lactose in the intestines carries an osmotic load, drawing in water and electrolytes, increasing transit time, and causing loose stools and diarrhoea. 
• Undigested lactose that passes into the colon is fermented by bacteria, which produce fatty acids and gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane. These fatty acids and gases cause the well-documented symptoms of flatulence and bloating. When gas production is sufficient to cause stimulation of the intestinal nervous system, abdominal cramps also result. 

Restriction of lactose can be achieved with lactose-free dairy foods, plant-based dairy alternatives and the addition of a lactase enzyme supplement to products that normally contain lactose. 

People with lactose intolerance vary as to how much lactose they can tolerate. In some people, a dash of milk in a cup of tea or coffee will cause symptoms, while others can tolerate considerably more lactose. Some dairy products have lower lactose than others; for example, some yogurts and cheeses may be tolerated well by people with lactose intolerance. People should be encouraged to determine their own level of tolerance. 

Whether restriction is temporary or permanent, the advice given by the health professional should include information on a lactose-restricted diet while also ensuring nutritional adequacy.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ THE UK RESOURCES:

Read Issue 7 of the e-newsletter ‘The Oatly Way’, which has a feature article on Lactose Intolerance.