The most important thing that every dairy intolerant person has to do while shopping is read the labels. Most labels will warn you if there is dairy in the product. Every country has different laws about labels. I have seen whey listed as an ingredient but without a dairy warning. This is why it is important to review the ingredient list every time. You cannot trust that the manufacturer has correctly labeled their product.
May Contain . . . Made In A Facility . . .
Another element of labels that cause confusion is when a product is labeled as “Made in a facility that handles products containing milk”. Or the equally scary “May contain traces of milk”. The language of the warning will vary but each will give you pause. We have even seen products labeled “Vegan” that contain a warning about dairy.
In our case, we tend worry less about if a product is “made in a facility that handles products containing milk”. We generally avoid products that “may contain traces of milk”. Each person with a dairy intolerance has to make their own determination of risk of warnings. One person may tolerate consuming a questionable product. Another may not. It all depends on the severity of their reaction to dairy.
To further complicate matters. Companies are doing their best to cover themselves from liability associated with people having allergic reactions to their products. Many seem to be erring on the side of caution with the label warnings.
Natural and Artificial Flavors
According to the FDA, “The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
Personally, I have no idea how the FDA justifies this broad category. Those of us with an intolerance to a given food or those with allergies to a certain food deserve to know exactly what is in anything we purchase. I generally tolerate “Natural and Artificial Flavors” in small doses. My intolerance to casein alpha s1 seems to allow small exposure for me.
People who have allergies to any of the “natural flavors” listed above should likely proceed with extreme caution when they see “natural flavors” on a label. It may be helpful to contact the manufacturer for more information. I would like for the FDA modify this to require disclosure of every ingredient in a product. This way consumers can make safe and healthy choices.
Find out more from the FDA at https://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm079311.htm