What are symptoms of dairy allergies?
A dairy allergy is the immune system’s response to one or more of the proteins found in cow’s milk. Dairy products are one of the most frequent food allergens. Although most individuals develop a milk allergy as infants, it can also be acquired later in life. While two to three percent of all infants have milk allergies, by the age of four, 60 percent will have outgrown their milk allergy, and by age six, 80 percent. Some, however, never outgrow it. How does a dairy allergy develop? Many protein allergens contained in cow’s milk can cause allergic reactions. Casein and whey are the two main components. Casein is the curd that forms when milk is left to sour, while the watery part that’s left after the curd is removed is the whey. Casein accounts for 80 percent of the protein in milk, and is the prime allergen found in cheese. The harder the cheese, the more casein it contains. Whey accounts for the other 20 percent of milk, and contains two major allergenic proteins – alpha-lactalbumin
