Lactose, natural sugar

Lactose, a carbohydrate and sugar found in milk, provides about four calories per gram and it is a well-known nutrient that promotes the absorption of calcium.

Origin of lactose

Food-grade lactose is produced from fresh, sweet whey. It is obtained by crystallizing a supersaturated solution of whey or permeate and drying it into a powder. Because lactose is digested much more slowly than glucose or sucrose, it is considered relatively safe for diabetics. It does not cause a sudden increase in blood glucose levels like other sweeteners, which gives it a nutritional advantage in the diabetic diets.

How it is produced

Special crystallization, milling, fractionation and sieving processes produce lactose types that differ in particle size and distribution. Types range from super-fine crystals to extra coarse. Lactose is commercially available in spray-dried and crystalline varieties.

Industries that use lactose

Lactose is used in a variety of food and beverage applications. The most common include bakery, confectionery, snacks, frozen desserts, diabetic products, diet products, infant formulas, baby foods, jams, sweeteners, instant powders, meat products, savory mixes, soups and sauces, beer and nutraceuticals.

If this content was useful to you, share it on your networks.

Reference:

Dairy Management Inc. Lactose Ingredients. 2005. https://www.thinkusadairy.org/assets/documents/Customer%20Site/C3-Using%20Dairy/C3.7-Resources%20and%20Insights/03-Application%20and%20Technical%20Materials/Lactose_Spec.pdf