Lactose-Free Dairy Innovation High-Temperature Processing for Better Tolerance

Lactose intolerance affects up to 65% of the world’s adult population, making lactose-free dairy products increasingly important. A new enzymatic process from International N&H Denmark offers an innovative method for reducing lactose content in dairy products through high-temperature processing, potentially improving both tolerance and taste.

The Problem

Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk and dairy products. Many people, particularly adults, lack sufficient lactase enzyme to digest lactose efficiently, leading to digestive discomfort, bloating, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. This lactose intolerance affects approximately 65% of adults worldwide and is particularly prevalent in Asian, African, and Hispanic populations. While lactose-free dairy products are available, current production methods often involve expensive enzyme additions, careful processing controls, or fermentation, all of which can affect taste, texture, and nutritional composition. Consumers often report that lactose-free products taste different or less satisfying than conventional milk and dairy. Additionally, current methods have limitations in how thoroughly they can reduce lactose while maintaining product stability and shelf-life. Dairy manufacturers seek more efficient, cost-effective methods to remove lactose at commercial scale while preserving the natural taste, texture, and nutritional quality of dairy products. The ideal solution would work at temperatures used in standard dairy processing, simplifying production and reducing costs.

What This Invention Does

International N&H Denmark has developed an enzymatic process specifically designed to reduce lactose at high temperatures – conditions typically used in dairy processing such as pasteurization and sterilization. The method employs carefully selected enzymatic catalysts that work efficiently in high-temperature environments, allowing lactose hydrolysis to occur during normal processing steps. The high-temperature approach offers significant advantages. By performing lactose reduction during normal thermal processing, the method avoids the need for separate enzymatic treatment steps, reducing complexity and cost. The high temperatures help inactivate microorganisms – as in standard pasteurisation – while simultaneously reducing lactose content. The process can achieve substantial lactose reduction levels, producing products suitable for lactose-intolerant consumers. The enzymatic approach preserves the natural composition and nutritional profile of dairy products better than alternative methods. By hydrolysing lactose into simple sugars (glucose and galactose) at the enzymatic level, the process maintains taste and nutritional properties while improving tolerability. The method is compatible with existing dairy processing equipment, enabling relatively straightforward implementation in existing production facilities.

Key Features

High-Temperature Enzymatic Processing. Specialized enzymes work efficiently at elevated temperatures used in standard dairy processing.

Integrated Process Step. Lactose reduction occurs during pasteurization or sterilization, eliminating the need for separate enzymatic treatment.

Substantial Lactose Reduction. The method achieves significant reduction in lactose content, suitable for lactose-intolerant consumers.

Preserved Product Quality. Enzymatic hydrolysis maintains the natural taste, texture, and nutritional composition of dairy products.

Scalable Implementation. Compatible with existing commercial dairy processing equipment, enabling cost-effective implementation.

Who Is Behind It?

International N&H Denmark ApS is developing this innovation with inventors Not disclosed in specification. The company is based in Denmark. This patent application is a divisional of an earlier filing, indicating ongoing development and refinement of the core technology over multiple patent generations.

Why It Matters

The global lactose-free dairy market is growing at approximately 8-10% annually and exceeded USD 12 billion in recent years. This process innovation could provide dairy manufacturers with a more economical pathway to produce lactose-free products, improving profit margins while potentially enabling broader market penetration. Reduced production costs could make lactose-free options more price-competitive with conventional dairy.

Patent classifications span dairy science (A23C 9/127), food processing (A23L 5/20), industrial enzymes (C12N 9/38), and chemical processes (C12P 19/12, C12P 19/14). This reflects the innovation’s positioning at the intersection of food science, enzymatic biotechnology, and industrial chemistry.

---

AU 2026201364 was published in the Australian Official Journal of Patents on 19 March 2026 and is open for public inspection. Patent applications represent inventions that are sought to be protected and do not necessarily reflect commercially available products.

Related Concepts

Lactose intolerance results from insufficient production of lactase, the enzyme that cleaves lactose into glucose and galactose in the small intestine. Without adequate lactase activity, undigested lactose ferments in the colon, causing bloating, cramps and discomfort. The condition affects the majority of adults worldwide, making lactose-free dairy a major and growing consumer category.

Conventional lactose-free milk production requires adding microbial lactase as a separate processing step. Integrating enzymatic lactose reduction into existing high-temperature stages such as pasteurisation streamlines manufacture, reduces cost and preserves the natural sensory qualities of dairy products.