Lactose Hydrolysis in Dairy Products

Lactose is the major disaccharide present in milk. Metabolism of lactose requires lactase which is present in the brush border of epithelial cells of the small intestine. Deficiency of this enzyme leads to malabsorption of lactose and fermentation of lactose occurs in gut which results in various gastrointestinal disorders. Around 70% of the world population suffers from lactose intolerance. Such individuals face difficulty in consumption of milk and milk products. This has led to a great demand in market for the milk products which are either low in lactose or lactose free. Major advances have been made in the production of lactose-free dairy products through lactose hydrolysis processing methods. Most of the books available on lactose hydrolysis in dairy products were published from 1970-1990. Awareness on lactose intolerance has increased in past one decade and development of new strategies to address this issue are progressing at rapid rate. There is a great need for consolidated information representing all aspects of lactose hydrolyzed dairy products. Lactose Hydrolysis in Dairy Products addresses the significance and application of lactose hydrolyzed products from production to consumption. It mainly emphasizes the basic principles that are essential to understand the concept of lactose intolerance and the various processes utilized for production of lactose-free dairy foods. Methods such as enzymatic hydrolysis, membrane processing and fermentation are covered in full. Further coverage includes alternative approaches to combat lactose intolerance, conversion of lactose to other bioactive derivatives and their health effects and the regulatory aspects and the main challenges and potential solutions for the production of lactose hydrolyzed products.