❤️ Hypoallergenicity

Hypoallergenic means a lower risk of causing an allergy. For milk this usually refers to allergy to cow’s milk proteins. There are more than 20 such proteins; the most common allergens are caseins, lactoferrin, serum albumin and beta-lactoglobulin. The allergy affects 2–3% of babies and small children, and most children outgrow it by the age of ten.

In the milk of other species the protein makeup differs. Human and camel milk contain no beta-lactoglobulin, while cow’s milk has 3.2–3.3 g/l. Donkey milk has 6.4–10.3 g/l of casein against 24.6–28 g/l in cow’s milk; according to a 2020 review it is considered a possible substitute for moderate cow’s milk allergy, but this needs further research.

Still, “hypoallergenic” does not mean safe for everyone. The review’s authors say there is little basis to recommend other animals’ milk as a general substitute in allergy: goat’s, sheep’s, deer and buffalo milk often cross-react with cow’s milk. The NHS adds that goat’s milk formula is no less allergenic than cow’s and unsuitable for babies with this allergy. About 10–15% of children with cow’s milk allergy react to soya too (Wikipedia).

Special formulas use hydrolysed proteins, broken into small pieces so the immune system recognises them less well. According to the NHS, a doctor prescribes a formula with extensively hydrolysed proteins; a partially hydrolysed “comfort” formula is not suitable for this allergy. In 2016 the FDA approved a “hypoallergenic” claim for hydrolysed whey protein, although a meta-analysis the same year questioned it.

Why it matters to you. The word “hypoallergenic” on a package does not guarantee safety. If your child or you are allergic to milk, do not replace it with goat’s or sheep’s milk on your own: the substitute is chosen together with a doctor.