Novozymes Develops Tool to Make Daily Production of Lactose Free Products Easier

30 Nov 2015 --- Novozymes is introducing a device and concept that - in just a few seconds - makes life a little bit easier for dairy producers. The LactoMonitor is developed to be used as an everyday tool in the dairy business. The solution has been nominated for an innovation award at FIE 2015 in Paris.

Many people, especially in Latin America, Africa and Asia, are lactose intolerant. Solutions like Novozymes’ Lactozym Pure, enable dairy producers to produce lactose-free milk, cheese, and ice cream that are digestible by everybody, and with the new LactoMonitor tool the daily production of lactose free products will be made even easier.

“The LactoMonitor is a small device that helps dairy producers measure whether the lactose in the milk has been broken down in the production process – an essential step in the production of lactose free products,” says Flurina Schwander, Industry Technology Specialist at Novozymes.

“As a supplier we need to deliver excellent service and innovative solutions to the market, and the LactoMonitor is just one way of showing that we are dedicated to the process of making lactose free products and want to help, wherever we can,” says Martin Lindegaard, Regional Marketing Manager, Novozymes. The device is currently being rolled out to dairy customers globally and the feedback has been good. “They see it as a convenient and accurate tool in their production,” Martin Lindegaard says.

Lactose hydrolysis occurs when the lactose in milk is broken down to glucose and galactose, until there is no more lactose left in the milk. The process is catalyzed by Lactozym Pure, and it’s an important step in the production to monitor the process.

“Our customers can use the LactoMonitor to quickly measure the levels of glucose in the milk, and this way check whether the process has been effective: The more glucose, the less lactose in the milk,” Flurina Schwander explains. This measuring process is usually complicated and time-consuming if done using traditional lab testing, and it often requires lab equipment and personnel with technical backgrounds.

Although the LactoMonitor cannot fully replace advanced measuring methods to check whether the final product is lactose free, it’s an easy tool to use during the production process to check if the lactose is being broken down.

“Anyone can use the monitor, and you can measure the milk on the spot in a few seconds. That’s why it’s valuable for customers, especially for some in emerging markets who may not have access to advanced lab equipment,” Martin Lindegaard says.