LACTOSE CONTENT IN POWDERED MILK AND / OR MILK COMPOUND LACTOSE FREE

Abstract

Lactose is a disaccharide formed by glucose and galactose. Individuals with deficiency or absence of the enzyme responsible for the digestion of the lactose, “lactase”, are diagnosed as “lactose intolerant”. The marketplace provides, to this public, carb-free dairy products, regulated by the Ordinance number 135, from February 08, 2017, of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency, relative to special purpose products. Legally, lactose-free dairy products may contain the maximum of 0.1 g of the referred nutrient per 100 g or 100 ml of the final product while low lactose products may contain between 0.1 g and 1 g per 100 g or 100 ml of ready-to-eat food. Thus, lactose-free dairy products must meet the requirements for the permitted lactose content. The objective of this study was to evaluate the lactose content in powdered milk and/or lactose-free milk compounds. It was an experimental study performed at Faculdade Nossa Senhora de Fátima Science Laboratory, in the city of Caxias do Sul. The determination of lactose content occurred by means of methodology described by the Adolfo Lutz Institute and the data was analyzed descriptively. All the analyzed samples presented lactose content over 0.1 g per 100 g or 100 ml of the final product. All samples analyzed are in disagreement with current legislation for zero lactose type products, complying only the classification of low lactose type products.