Lactase — Hidden Processing Agent — Is It Vegan?
Also known as: Beta-galactosidase, Lactase enzyme, Lactozym
Vegan
No animals or animal-derived substances are involved in producing this agent.
Not required on labels
Not required to appear on final product labels when used as a processing aid. Lactose-free products typically carry 'lactase enzyme added' or 'lactose-free' on packaging.
Source
Produced by microbial fermentation — primarily from Kluyveromyces lactis (yeast) or Aspergillus oryzae (fungus). Also present naturally in the human small intestine and in some animal sources. Commercial food-grade lactase is microbial.
Used In
Lactose-free dairy milk production (breaks lactose into glucose and galactose), lactose-free yoghurt and cheese production, reduction of crystallisation in sweetened condensed milk, dietary supplement tablets for lactose intolerance.
How to Avoid
No need to avoid — lactase is vegan. The dairy product processed with lactase is not vegan, but the enzyme itself is.
Editorial Notes
Lactase is the enzyme that breaks lactose (milk sugar) into its component sugars. Lactose-free dairy products are not vegan — they are dairy products treated with an enzyme to be suitable for lactose-intolerant consumers. From a vegan standpoint, lactase is a vegan-produced enzyme used to process a non-vegan product.