Lactose intolerance is a widespread dietary problem globally, primarily caused by a lack of sufficient lactase in the gut. This lactase enzyme is unable to completely break down lactose in dairy products into glucose and galactose, leading to discomfort such as bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The advent of lactase has fundamentally solved this problem – it specifically catalyzes the hydrolysis of lactose, converting it into easily absorbed monosaccharides, allowing lactose-intolerant individuals to successfully ingest high-quality protein, calcium, and other nutrients from dairy products. As a valuable biological enzyme, lactase's role extends far beyond improving the dietary experience, demonstrating significant efficacy in multiple fields and driving the upgrading and innovation of related industries.
Dairy Processing: Low-lactose milk powder is one of the most mature applications of lactase. The high lactose content in traditional milk powder poses a barrier to consumption for lactose-intolerant individuals, particularly affecting the nutritional intake of infants, the elderly, and other special groups. By adding lactase during milk powder production, lactose can be broken down in advance during processing, producing low-lactose or lactose-free milk powder. This type of milk powder not only retains the nutritional balance of regular milk powder but also effectively reduces the risk of intestinal discomfort, meeting the dietary needs of specific populations. It has become an important sub-category in the milk powder market and is widely favored by consumers.
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Yogurt: Similarly, it achieves a dual improvement in quality and suitability. During conventional yogurt fermentation, lactic acid bacteria can break down some lactose, but some residue remains. Adding lactase not only further reduces lactose content but also increases the sweetness of yogurt due to the formation of glucose and galactose, reducing the need for added sugar and aligning with the trend of healthy eating. At the same time, lactase also optimizes the texture and mouthfeel of yogurt, making the product easier for the body to digest and absorb, expanding the consumer base for yogurt and providing technical support for the diversified development of the yogurt industry.
Frozen dairy products such as ice cream: The application of lactase also demonstrates unique advantages. Lactose has low solubility at low temperatures and easily forms ice crystals in ice cream, affecting the smoothness of the texture. Lactase catalyzes the hydrolysis of lactose, producing glucose and galactose that lower the freezing point of the product, effectively inhibiting ice crystal formation and maintaining a smooth and delicate texture in ice cream. Furthermore, low-lactose ice cream can meet the consumption needs of people with lactose intolerance, further expanding the market space for frozen dairy products.
Confectionery: The application of lactase provides a new direction for innovation in milk candy products. Traditional milk candy uses lactose as one of its main ingredients, but lactose has a low sweetness, and some people may experience gastrointestinal discomfort after consuming it. Using lactase to hydrolyze lactose into high-sweetness monosaccharides not only increases the sweetness of milk candy and reduces the use of sweeteners, but also reduces the risk of lactose intolerance. At the same time, the hydrolyzed products can improve the flavor and texture of milk candy, making the product more competitive and helping confectionery companies expand into a wider market.
Pharmaceuticals: In clinical nutrition, it is often added to foods for special medical purposes to provide easily digestible nutritional support for patients with lactose intolerance and those recovering from surgery, ensuring their energy and nutrient intake. In addition, lactase can be used as a pharmaceutical excipient to improve the solubility and stability of some drugs, thereby enhancing their bioavailability. Meanwhile, with the deepening of biomedical research, the potential value of lactase in areas such as gut health regulation is being continuously explored, injecting new vitality into the pharmaceutical industry.
Lactase not only solves the dietary problems caused by lactose intolerance but also promotes product upgrades and innovative development in related industries. In the future, with the continuous advancement of biotechnology, the application scenarios of lactase will be further expanded, and its value in safeguarding human health and meeting diverse consumer needs will be more fully realized.
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