Significance of lactose in dairy products

Abstract

Lactose represents a significant proportion of the solids content of a number of dairy products, and so it is not surprising that the properties of lactose can play a significant role in determining the properties of such products. For example, in milk powder, particularly skimmed milk powder, controlling the crystallisation state of lactose can be key to ensuring storage stability and optimising later rehydration properties, while problems such as grittiness or sandiness in concentrated systems like ice cream and sweetened condensed milk can result from the uncontrolled crystallisation of α-lactose. In addition, the significant proportion of lactose-intolerant consumers in many regions of the world has driven a demand for lactose-reduced or -free products, and a range of processes have been developed to meet this demand. In this chapter, key dairy product-related aspects of the properties of lactose, in particular the commodities mentioned here, will be reviewed and discussed in a number of short sub-chapters.