Q: Donna - I have a coconut milk powder and noticed it contains milk proteins. Does this mean it is a milk product? I also have a non-dairy creamer that has sodium caseinate (a milk derivative) and have noticed many other commercial brand non-dairy creamers with this ingredient. Does this make it still a dairy product?

A: Alisa – In short, yes, these products do in fact contain dairy and could be considered a milk / dairy product. This is an easily confused issue due to the labeling that the FDA permits. The following is an excerpt from my book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook, which should answer your question:

“The FDA has created a regulatory definition for the term non-dairy, but amazingly, it does not equate to milk-free. A product labeled as non-dairy can contain 0.5% or less milk by weight, in the form of casein / caseinates (milk protein). This is why you may spot non-dairy creamers, non-dairy whipped toppings, and other non-dairy products that note milk on the ingredient statement. This does not mean that all products labeled as non-dairy contain milk, but it is a word of warning to always read the ingredient statement.”

This definition only applies to the term “non-dairy.” The term “dairy-free” is not actually regulated – but oddly enough, this seems to make it more reliable. I have yet to find a product labeled as dairy-free that contains any milk ingredients (though it could happen – so read those ingredients!). Nonetheless, dairy-free products may still be at risk for cross-contamination with milk products during production on shared equipment – always verify ingredients and processes prior to consumption of any food product if trace amounts of milk (or other allergen) from cross-contamination may be a concern for you.

On your question about coconut milk powder, that is a very difficult product to find dairy-free. Though there are some brands of rice milk powder and soy milk powder that are made without any milk derivatives, most manufacturers of coconut milk powder do cut in a little bit of caseinate. Check Asian food markets carefully as there are a couple of imported brands of dairy-free / vegan coconut milk powder roaming around out there.

For more dairy-free Q&A topics, see our Ask Alisa Page.

Alisa Fleming is the founder of GoDairyFree.org and author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. In addition to her own dairy-free lifestyle, Alisa has experience in catering to the needs of various special diets, including gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free, vegan, and multiple food allergies.

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