Hosts catering for someone with coeliac disease
If you’re planning a barbecue for a group, ‘lactose-free’ isn’t enough when choosing milk for this guest. Look for a gluten-free claim on the packaging of the exact product.
Who is this choice for?
People looking to cut down on lactose
For a drink, sauce or marinade, compare the stated lactose content and pack size with the amount you plan to use. The products reviewed from Lactel, Candia, Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Auchan all state that they contain less than 0.1 g of lactose per 100 ml.
People who need to distinguish lactose intolerance from a milk allergy
Delactosed milk still contains milk. If the concern is an allergy to milk proteins rather than lactose, the ‘lactose-free’ claim alone isn’t enough to make this product a suitable choice.
What should you check?
Gluten-free certification and lactose content answer two different questions. Then choose a pack size that suits your recipes and consider whether you can keep the milk chilled once opened.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free evidence | Check the exact product for a ‘gluten-free’ claim or the Crossed Grain symbol. In the European Union, ‘gluten-free’ means a maximum gluten content of 20 mg/kg in the finished product, under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014. | I’m preparing a recipe for someone with coeliac disease and need to check the milk is gluten-free before adding it. Around 46% of consumers prioritise this assurance. |
| Lactose content | Check the stated lactose content and the ingredients list. The presence of milk still matters if the concern is an allergy to milk proteins. | For a drink or recipe, I’m looking first for milk with reduced lactose, without confusing it with a dairy-free product. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Pack size and storage | Choose a volume that suits your planned recipes and follow the storage instructions for the product you buy once it’s opened. | If I’m only making a sauce, I don’t want to open more milk than I need, and I want to be able to keep the rest chilled. Pack size and storage come first for around 18% of consumers. |
Common mix-ups to avoid
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Assuming ‘lactose-free’ means ‘gluten-free’
These claims relate to two different components. A short ingredients list is no substitute for a gluten-free claim on milk intended for someone with coeliac disease.
Before adding it to a sauce or drink, check the packaging of the exact product for a ‘gluten-free’ claim or recognised certification.
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Confusing delactosed milk with dairy-free products
The lactose-free milks reviewed contain milk: reducing the lactose doesn’t remove milk proteins.
If your guest has an allergy to milk proteins, don’t choose delactosed milk based only on its lactose content.
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Opening a large pack without planning for chilled storage
You may only need a small amount for a barbecue, and the stated storage times once opened vary between products.
Work out how much you’ll need before you buy, and plan to put opened milk back in the fridge, following the instructions on the packaging.
Brands to compare
The details below apply to the specific products listed, not every range from these brands. If you’re serving someone with coeliac disease, check separately for a gluten-free claim on the packaging you buy.
Lactel
The Matin Léger range includes lactose-free UHT milk, including a skimmed version and one with 1.2% fat.
- Lactel says Matin Léger skimmed contains less than 0.1 g of lactose per 100 ml. Its ingredients include milk and vitamin D.
- For this skimmed version, Lactel advises keeping it for 3 days after opening at a maximum of 6 °C. Its lactose content doesn’t tell you whether it’s gluten-free.
Candia
Candia+ is lactose-free milk with 1.0% fat, available in 50 cl and 1 L packs, among other sizes.
- Candia states that it contains less than 0.1 g of lactose per 100 ml, and lists milk and lactase among the ingredients.
- Once opened, Candia says to keep it for 4 days at between +1 and +6 °C. Check the product you choose separately for a gluten-free claim.
Carrefour Classic’
The Carrefour product reviewed is a 50 cl bottle of lactose-free UHT semi-skimmed milk.
- Its product information lists milk with 1.2% fat, lactase and vitamin D.
- The ‘lactose-free’ claim isn’t proof that this bottle is gluten-free. Check the packaging if it’s for someone with coeliac disease.
Délisse / E.Leclerc
The Délisse product featured by E.Leclerc is a pack of 6 × 50 cl bottles of lactose-free milk.
- The product information lists milk with 1.2% fat, lactase, vitamin D and less than 0.1 g of lactose per 100 ml.
- Separate bottles can make it easier to portion out what you need, but the pack format doesn’t prove that the milk is gluten-free.
Auchan
The Auchan product reviewed is lactose-free UHT milk sold in a pack of 6 × 1 L.
- Auchan lists milk, lactase and vitamin D, and states that the product contains less than 0.1 g of lactose per 100 ml.
- The product information says to use this milk within 5 days of opening and store it at a maximum of +6 °C. Check the packaging for its gluten-free status.
Joybuy products
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is ‘lactose-free’ milk also gluten-free?
No. ‘Lactose-free’ tells you about lactose, not gluten. For milk intended for someone with coeliac disease, check the exact product for a ‘gluten-free’ claim or recognised certification. In the European Union, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 sets the maximum gluten content for a ‘gluten-free’ claim at 20 mg/kg.
Is lactose-free milk suitable for someone with a milk protein allergy?
No. ‘Lactose-free’ doesn’t mean ‘dairy-free’. The Lactel, Candia and Carrefour products reviewed all list milk among their ingredients. If the concern is an allergy to milk proteins, their reduced lactose content doesn’t make them suitable substitutes.
What should I check if I’m using milk in a barbecue sauce or marinade?
Check the milk and every other ingredient in the recipe before serving it to someone with coeliac disease. A ‘gluten-free’ claim on the milk bottle alone doesn’t mean that a sauce or marinade made with other products is gluten-free.
How long can you keep lactose-free milk once it’s opened?
Follow the storage time and temperature given for the product you buy. Lactel advises keeping Matin Léger skimmed for 3 days at a maximum of 6 °C; Candia advises 4 days at between +1 and +6 °C for Candia+; and Auchan advises 5 days at a maximum of +6 °C for the product reviewed.