Abstract
Lactose intolerance (LI) is the symptomatic condition that characterizes subjects unable to digest lactose. The main solution consists of reducing or eliminating lactose from one’s diet, and so dairy products, particularly cheeses, are often the first foods excluded. The purpose of this study is to contribute to this topic by creating an updated list of naturally lactose-free (NLF) cheeses. Twenty-five PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) cheeses were selected and analyzed to determine their lactose content. At the same time, interviews with the PDO quality control consortia were carried out to understand which parameters are involved in lactose reduction, based on the cheeses’ product specifications. The analytical techniques used here for lactose determination are the most sensitive (HPAEC-PAD and LC/MS-MS), given their low limit of quantification (LOQ) of less than 10 mg/kg. The majority of selected PDO cheeses resulted in a lactose content less than the LOQ. Because of the high variability allowed in PDO cheeses’ operative conditions, it would be better to case-by-case examine the PDO cheese specification and declare the product as NLF after repeated analysis. The results of the chemical determination of this research allowed to draw up a very useful list of PDO cheeses for both consumers and nutritionists that could be identified as NLF.
Highlights
Lactose intolerance (LI) is the symptomatic condition that characterizes those individuals who are unable to digest lactose into glucose and galactose, due to a partial or total deficiency of the enzyme lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH)
Emmentaler Protected Designation of Origin label (PDO), Fontina PDO, and Gorgonzola PDO, which have a quite short ageing period (50–120 days), are not recommended by nutritionists and less-purchased by consumers with LI even if their lactose content is less than the limit of quantification (LOQ < 10 mg/kg), which is one hundred times below the limit issued by the Italian Health Ministry (
It was observed that Gorgonzola PDO is not usually acquired by consumers with LI nor advised by nutritionists (Figure 2a,b), even if its consortium reported that the lactose content in Gorgonzola is well below the ministerial limit to define a cheese as “naturally lactose-free” (
Summary
Lactose intolerance (LI) is the symptomatic condition that characterizes those individuals who are unable to digest lactose into glucose and galactose, due to a partial or total deficiency of the enzyme lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH). The percentage of lactose-intolerant people is around two-thirds of the world’s population, with a wide variation based on the geographical areas and countries, whereas, in Italy, it is estimated an overall frequency of about 50% of the Italian population [4,5]. In populations with a high prevalence of primary lactase deficiency, the disorder normally appears around 2 years of age, while other populations with a lower prevalence show the first symptoms between 11 and 14 years. Because of the difficulties in investigation and clinical diagnosis on toddlers, reports that focus on the clinical symptoms of lactase deficiency evident before 2 to 3 years of age are often susceptible to subjectivity. At the best of our knowledge, very few data are available in the
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