CHEMISTRY BEHIND LACTOSE INTOLERANCE AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PRODUCING LACTOSE FREE DAIRY ALTERNATIVES

Lactose, or milk sugar, is the most essential and essential carbohydrate found in mammalian milk. Aside from fat and protein, it is the most important component of milk solids in cow's milk. Due to low levels of intestinal lactase, also known as lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH), a β-D-galactosidase present in the apical surface of the intestine microvilli, around 70% of the global adult population is lactose intolerant. This might be brought on by the adult loss of intestinal lactase, a disorder caused by a recessive autosomal gene that varies in racial populations in humans. These days, a lot of goods are sold to people who are lactose intolerant as dairy substitutes. A lactose-free diet is a crucial part of treatment for people with lactose intolerance thus those who are impacted must avoid certain dairy foods and non-dairy items that have lactose. To mitigate lactose sensitivity and enhance human health and well-being, lactose-free dairy products are suggested as substitutes. Probiotics and fermented dairy products have been shown in recent research to alter the metabolic processes of the intestinal microbiota and perhaps reduce lactose intolerance symptoms. According to studies, sweet kefir has a microbial diversity that is comparable to that of typical milk kefir, suggesting that it could be a viable probiotic substitute. Nonetheless, it has been demonstrated that sweet kefir contains probiotic qualities, including the ability to adhere to mucosa by penetrating its lumen and allow microorganisms to colonize the mucosa. Thus, clinical investigations have indicated possible health effects such immunomodulation, anticancer, anti-obesity, inhibition of inflammatory agents, decrease of oxidative stress, and antibacterial activity. Plant based milk has recently been developed with sorghum seeds, sesame seeds, cantaloupe seeds. The highest fat contents were found in coconut milk, sesame milk, and cantaloupe seed milk respectively.