According to the new dairy and imitation dairy products Regulation R260, one of the important changes is that the fat classes for milk have been redefined. The new fat classes will give consumers more choice when buying dairy products.
Regulation 260 stipulates a minimum protein content of 3% in milk, calculated for fat-free milk.
The carbohydrate (lactose) content of milk is typically 4.8%, but can vary between 4.7% and 5.0% across the different types of milk.
Yes, the redefinition of the fat-classes also affects other dairy products.
The changes are a result of factors such as technological advances, new product innovation due to research and development, and the need for aligning national legislation with international standards.
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries confirmed that Regulation R260, published in the Government Gazette on 27 March 2015, came into effect on 28 March 2016
The gold standard test for lactose intolerance would be a Hydrogen Breath test. The individual would be required to fast for a number of hours prior to the test being done. They would then breathe into a specific apparatus which would measure their baseline hydrogen output in their expelled breath. They would then be given a high lactose liquid to drink and measurement for hydrogen would be done at intervals and ascertained as to whether or not they are digesting lactose efficiently or not.
Milk allergy and lactose intolerance are two very different issues related to the same food stuff. Milk allergy is generally an immune response to the protein found in milk which results in the immune system being stimulated and a reaction results such as an itch, rash, nausea, vomiting and breathing problems depending on the severity of the sensitivity and the number of times the person has been exposed. In general, an immune reaction gets more intense and more severe the more exposures. This type of reaction can be life threatening.
No, it is not necessary to avoid dairy if you are lactose intolerant. International authorities such as the National Institutes of Health agree that most people who have lactose intolerance can eat small amounts of dairy foods without it causing discomfort.
