Childen's Hospital Boston 300 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 355-6000
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My Child Has:
Milk Allergy Diet
Programs that treat this condition
Allergy Program   Growth and Nutrition Program  
General guidelines for milk allergy:
The key to an allergy-free diet is to avoid giving your child the foods or products containing the food he/she is allergic to. The items that your child is allergic to are called allergens.

A milk allergy is an abnormal response of the body to the proteins found in cow's milk. Milk allergy is most common among infants and young children. Milk and milk products are found in many foods. Obvious forms of milk are cream, cheese, butter, ice cream, and yogurt. Milk and milk products may also be hidden sources in commonly eaten foods. In order to avoid foods that contain milk products, it is necessary to read food labels.

Important information about avoiding milk and milk products:
  • The words non-dairy on a product label indicate it does not contain butter, cream, or milk. However, this does not necessarily indicate it does not have other milk-containing ingredients.
  • The Kosher food labeled pareve or parve almost always indicates food is free of milk and milk products. A D on a product label next to the circled K or U indicates the presence of milk protein. These products should be avoided.
  • Processed meats, including hot dogs, sausages, and luncheon meats, frequently contain milk or are processed on milk-containing lines. Carefully read all food labels.
How to read a label for a milk-free diet:
  • artificial butter flavor
  • butter, butter fat, buttermilk
  • casein
  • caseinates (ammonium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium)
  • cheese, cottage cheese, curds
  • cream
  • custard, pudding
  • ghee
  • Half and Half
  • hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, protein, whey, whey protein)
  • lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate
  • lactoglobulin
  • lactose
  • milk (derivative, protein, solids, malted, condensed, evaporated, dry, whole, lowfat, nonfat, skim)
  • nougat
  • rennet casein
  • sour cream
  • sour cream solids
  • whey (delactosed, deminderalied, protein concentrate)
  • yogurt
Other possible sources of milk or milk products:
  • brown sugar flavoring
  • caramel flavoring
  • chocolate
  • high protein flour
  • lactic acid starter culture
  • margarine
  • natural flavoring
  • Simplesse
Check labels constantly. Manufacturers change product recipes.
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X The information on this website should not be taken as medical advice,
which can only be given to you by your personal health care professional.
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