Home > FAQ > Lactose Intolerance

You can now buy our products via our new secure e-commerce portal.  Buy Cheese Now!

Those who are lactose-sensitive or lactose-intolerant may think they have to give up the great taste of cheese (along with the calcium and protein it provides). But as it turns out, that's not true.

"The fact is, most people with lactose sensitivity can eat many kinds of cheese in average portions without the discomfort they may experience from consuming milk or other dairy products," says Nancy Fletcher, Vice President of Communications for the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB). According to dairy products scientists, this is because most cheeses that are hard (aged) or soft-ripened either contain no lactose or contain it in such small amounts that it does not affect the majority of lactose-sensitive people, notes Fletcher.

Cheeses that are completely or nearly free of lactose include natural hard cheeses, such as Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gouda and Mozzarella (low-moisture, part skim), soft-ripened cheeses, like Brie, and aged very hard cheeses including Asiago, Romano and Dry Jack. The CMAB does advise people who are lactose-sensitive to refrain from eating fresh cheeses such as Mozzarella (water-packed), Ricotta and Mascarpone due to their levels of lactose.

The explanation for this is that during the cheese making process the whey (the liquid portion of milk) is separated from the curd (the solid components) and most of the lactose is removed with the whey. As the cheese ages, the small amount remaining is utilized by the good microbes already present in the cheese. Most hard cheeses are aged from several weeks to several months, ample time for any remaining lactose to be removed.