Lactose
Lactose is the natural sugar in milk, also used as a carrier in tablets and powdered foods.
- Used in
- Food ingredient
- Role
- Dairy
Also listed as
Contains / relevant to
- Lactose: Relevant to people avoiding lactose. Milk sugar, listed separately from milk protein.
- Milk & dairy: May be relevant to people avoiding milk & dairy. Milk protein and milk-derived ingredients, including whey and casein.
- Vegan: Not vegan: IngrediLens flags it as an ingredient of animal origin.
What to look for on labels
- On prepacked food in the EU and UK, milk must be emphasised in the ingredient list (usually in bold). Lactose always comes from milk, so it is emphasised on the label or written with its source, for example “lactose (milk)”.
- In the US, a major food allergen (milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, sesame) must be named in brackets after the ingredient or in a “Contains:” line under the list.
- Lactose-free does not mean milk-free: a lactose-free product can still contain milk protein.
Questions and answers
Is lactose dairy?
Yes. Lactose is the natural sugar in milk, also used as a carrier in tablets and powdered foods.
Is lactose vegan?
No. Lactose is of animal origin, so IngrediLens flags it for a vegan diet.
Related
- Milk powder (milk solids)Milk powder is dried milk, also listed as milk solids, and it contains both milk protein and lactose.
- Whey (whey protein)Whey is the liquid part of milk left after cheese making; whey protein is the milk protein fraction taken…
- CaseinCasein is the main protein in milk, also sold as caseinate (sodium or calcium caseinate).
- Hidden names for milk on food labelsGuide
- Is whey dairy? Whey and casein on labelsGuide
- How to read allergen labels on food (EU, UK and US)Guide
Sources
Lactose is milk-derived; residual milk protein is possible.
- EU Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information, Annex II (allergens)
- IngrediLens ingredient database (names, flags and notes shown on this page)
Label information, not medical advice. This page describes how an ingredient is named and labelled and how IngrediLens flags it; it cannot tell you whether a product is safe for you. Always read the label on the product itself and follow the advice of your doctor, allergist or dermatologist. If someone shows signs of anaphylaxis, use their adrenaline auto-injector if they have one and call emergency services.
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