Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Pinterest Twitter Instagram RSS Facebook
    Buy GO DAIRY FREE and EAT DAIRY FREE today!
    Go Dairy Free
    • Need to Know
      • Newbies Start Here!
      • Take the Challenge!
      • Dairy-Free FAQs
      • Latest News
      • Milk Allergies
      • Lactose Intolerance
      • Other Health Issues
      • Testimonials
      • Calcium Guide
      • Holidays & More
      • Best Books
      • The Community
    • Recipes
      • Recipes by Category
        • Alisa’s Recipes
        • Sarah’s Recipes
        • Appetizers
        • Beverages
        • Bread
        • Breakfast
        • Cheese Substitutes
        • Condiments & Dressings
        • Cream Substitutes
        • Desserts
        • Entrees
        • Kids Can Cook
        • Milk Substitutes
        • Pasta
        • Salad
        • Sandwiches
        • Sauces
        • Sides
        • Snacks
        • Soup
      • Full Dairy-Free Recipe Index
      • Gluten-Free Recipe Index
      • Vegan Recipe Index
    • Reviews
      • Dairy Substitutes
        • Butter
        • Cheese
        • Cream
        • Creamer
        • Dessert Toppings
        • Ice Cream
        • Ice Cream Novelties
        • Milk
        • Yogurt
        • More Kitchen Essentials
      • Sweets & Snacks
        • Protein Shakes
        • More Creamy Beverages
        • Snack & Protein Bars
        • More Snacks
        • Chocolate
        • Cookie Dough
        • Cookies & Brownies
        • Pies & Cakes
        • Pudding & Mousse
        • More Sweet Treats
      • Meal Makers
        • Baking Mixes
        • Bread Products
        • Breakfast Pastries
        • Cereal & Granola
        • Cheesy Pasta & Rice
        • Frozen Pizza
        • More Entrees
        • Dip and Spreads
        • Salad Dressing
        • Sauces
      • All Product Reviews
        • New Product Reviews!
        • Browse by Product Type
        • Full Review Index
        • Gluten-Free Review Index
        • Vegan Review Index
    • Grocery Guide
      • Alisa’s Dairy-Free Kitchen
      • Brands We Love
      • Dairy Substitutes
      • Dairy Ingredient List
      • Understanding Food Labels
      • No Dairy Product Lists
      • Ordering Specialty Foods
      • Best Grocery Stores
    • Eating Out
      • Fast Food Listings
      • Recommended Restaurants
    • My Books!
      • Go Dairy Free 2nd Edition (best seller!)
      • Eat Dairy Free 1st Edition (full color!)
      • eBooks & Printables
      • Book Supplements & Resources
    • About Us
      • Meet Us
      • Contact Us
      • Join Us
      • Work With Us
    Go Dairy Free
    You are at:Home»Ask Alisa»Non Dairy vs Dairy Free: Why One May Contain Milk

    Non Dairy vs Dairy Free: Why One May Contain Milk

    56
    By Alisa Fleming on January 16, 2020 Ask Alisa, In The News, News

    I originally covered the topic of non dairy vs dairy free over a decade ago, when I received the following question from a Go Dairy Free reader named Donna.

    I 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? If so, how can it be called non dairy if it contains milk and isn’t dairy free?

    The answer isn’t cut and dry, and has actually changed a little over the years. So I’m updating this post with the latest information, straight from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

    Non Dairy vs Dairy Free - Why One May Contain Milk (and how to avoid them!)

    Non Dairy vs Dairy Free: Why One May Contain Milk

    By definition, “non” means “not”, so we would assume that a non-dairy product would not contain dairy. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case due to some confusing labeling that the FDA permits.

    How the Non-Dairy Conundrum Began

    Many years ago, the FDA created a regulatory definition for the term non-dairy. It stated that a product labeled as non-dairy can contain 0.5% or less milk by weight, in the form of casein / caseinates (milk protein). The idea wasn’t to protect dairy-free consumers, but to prevent dairy consumers from mistaking very low-milk, dairy-like foods for dairy products.

    What Non-Dairy Means Today

    The FDA eventually retracted their official non-dairy definition, but they still have a general stance on what it means. A representative for the FDA provided the following “non-dairy response” to us in 2019.

    We do not have a definition for the term [nondairy]in our regulations for food labeling.  However, we do not consider the terms “nondairy” and “dairy free” to be equivalent.  We have interpreted the term “dairy free” as meaning the complete absence of all dairy ingredients including lactose, etc.  The term “nondairy” refers to products, such as nondairy whipped topping and nondairy creamers, that may contain a caseinate milk derivative.

    What Dairy-Free Means

    The FDA has never had a definition for the term dairy-free. As mentioned above, they have a general interpretation of the term, but they do not enforce or regulate it.

    However, the FDA does state that labeling must be truthful and cannot be misleading. Consequently, consumers should be able to initially assume that a dairy-free product is made without dairy ingredients. You must then read the ingredient label to be sure. If you see the term dairy-free on a product that contains any type of milk in the ingredients, you are urged to notify the company and contact the FDA.

    Remember that these labels address ingredients, not processes. If you are dealing with a severe milk allergy or other highly sensitive dairy concern, you must also contact the manufacturer to discuss their processes. The term dairy-free typically refers to the ingredients themselves, not the processes and potential allergen cross-contamination in manufacturing.

    Non-Dairy Products are Often Dairy Free

    Contrary to the FDA wording in their response above, most products labeled as “non-dairy” are in fact dairy-free by ingredients. Many companies choose to use the term non-dairy instead of dairy-free for a variety of reasons. Some say this label is more familiar and less intimidating to consumers. Others fear liability from using a “free from” term of any kind.

    The “non-dairy” products that most often contain a small amount of casein (milk protein) are foods that we would think of as “dairy” products, like whipped toppings and creamers. Even then, most of the new “non-dairy” toppings, milk beverages, and creamers are made without any dairy ingredients. As time goes on, we’re seeing the terms non-dairy and dairy-free used more interchangeably.

    Non-Dairy Foods and Allergen Labeling Laws

    Although the term “non-dairy” may be misleading, food manufacturers cannot “hide” dairy in the ingredients. Our friends at the FDA shared this somewhat convoluted explanation of the requirements with us, but hopefully, you get the gist.

    When foods characterized on the label as “nondairy” contain a caseinate ingredient, the caseinate ingredient must be followed by a parenthetical statement identifying its source.  If the manufacturer uses the term “nondairy” on a creamer that contains sodium caseinate, it must include a parenthetical term such as “a milk derivative” after the listing of sodium caseinate in the ingredient list.  (Reference: 21 CFR 101.4(d)).

    In addition, milk and ingredients derived from milk such as casein (a milk protein) are major food allergens.  Federal law requires the source of sodium caseinate to be indicated in the ingredient statement of a label, e.g., “sodium caseinate (milk).”  Alternatively, the source of this ingredient may be indicated in a contains statement immediately after or adjacent to the ingredient statement, e.g., “Contains: milk.”

    Tips for Finding Dairy-Free Non-Dairy Products

    Look for Trusted Brands – Read ingredients, check websites, and call if necessary to find reliable dairy-free companies. Over time, you will probably find some beloved dairy-free companies that consistently provide you with the foods your craving. For those tricky non-dairy foods, I do have a Dairy-Free Coffee Creamer Guide and a Dairy-Free Whipped Topping Guide.

    See the Dairy-Free Signs – To save time, scan packaging for labels that elude to a truly dairy-free product. As shown on the image of So Delicious Dairy Free CocoWhip Topping below, “dairy free” can be a good indicator, especially if it’s in the brand’s name! The Kosher Parve certification also denotes a product made without dairy. Finally, a product should not be labeled as “vegan” (though mistakes have happened) if it contains any dairy. When you spot what looks like a winner, double check the ingredients, and if needed, contact the company to inquire on their allergen processes.

    Non Dairy vs Dairy Free - Why One May Contain Milk (fortunately, this brand doesn't!)

    For More Dairy-Free Living Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!

    Go Dairy Free 2nd Edition - The Ultimate Guide and Cookbook for Dairy-Free Living with Over 250 Recipes!

    Alisa Fleming
    • Website

    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

    Related Posts

    The Best Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin and Allergies - dairy-free, gluten-free, plant-based, with vegan options

    The Best Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin and Allergies

    Kiki Milk Reviews & Info - dairy-free, plant-based milk alternatives made with pure, clean ingredients and natural nutrition. Kid-friendly and adult loved. Comes in single serves and multi serves

    Kiki Milk adds MacNut Milk to their Pure Plant-Based Selection

    The Best Dairy-Free Protein Bars Taste Test - Top Choices for every dietary need and craving

    The Best Dairy-Free Protein Bars Taste Test

    56 Comments

    1. John McCarthy on June 8, 2016 3:53 pm

      Now I know why “alcohol free” actually means non alcohol beer is actually .5% alcohol, with the blessing of the FDA, and those who think otherwise are wondering why they get a buzz from drinking a six pack! Why is this tolerated?

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on June 9, 2016 11:16 am

        Old school laws – there are far too many of them!

        Reply
        • Brb Harper on August 7, 2021 9:36 pm

          You are providing great information. When I ask people if something they brought to a potluck has dairy in it, I get “Oh, you’re lactose intolerant…!” No, due to the casein protein thickening mucus, as well as puddings, etc., I will have a sinus infection started THE NEXT MORNING! (Tiny sinus drainage holes, it seems.) Thank goodness for discovering a homeopathic remedy years ago for dairy problems. But I do now read labels very carefully. (And I grew up on a dairy farm! I thought my sinus problems were from all the hay dust back then!)
          Keep the good news coming!
          Bev H

          Reply
          • Bev Harper on August 7, 2021 9:45 pm

            My phone changed my name – Bev

            Also, for those with casein problems, the casein in goat milk is somehow different from cows milk. I do not have a problem with it.

            Reply
            • Alisa Fleming on August 8, 2021 11:11 am

              Yes, in some studies, they’ve shown that about 40% of people who are allergic to cow’s milk are not allergic to goat’s milk.

      • TEE TEE on November 24, 2021 6:48 pm

        LOOK I WENT ON FOUR DIFFERENT WEBSITES THAT HAVE VEGAN BEERS. SOME ARE A 100% ALCOHOL FREE AND SOME ARE NOT. BUT I CAN SAY FOR SURE THAT ALL THE BEERS LISTED ON THESE FOUR WEBSITES ARE 100% VEGAN. THE WEBSITES ARE: barnivore.com bbcgoodfood.com (THIS WEBSITE GIVES A REVIEW OF VEGAN BEERS THAT HAVE BEEN TASTED/TESTED) vegan.com (LOOK UNDER THE SUBHEADING FOOD, THIS GIVES A VEGAN BEER GUIDE AS TO WHERE TO BUY VEGAN BEERS) livekindly.co (LOOK UNDER LIFESTYLE ONCE ON THAT PAGE THEN LOOK UNDER HOME & LIVING, THEY ALSO HAVE A VEGAN BEER GUIDE AS WELL).

        Reply
    2. Laura on June 8, 2016 12:31 am

      Great advice can i ask as well some of you might be able to help i have noticed when checking alot of products it would say powdered milk is this the same as dairy. (Such as soups noddles gravy crisps etc. I cant get answers like at my local shop they do a dairy free cake the cream is dairy free however the cake itself has powdred milk….. any advice would be great. Thanks in advance

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on June 8, 2016 8:01 am

        Hi Laura, powdered milk would typically be dairy milk unless otherwise specified.

        Reply
    3. Pingback: Ecos Virgin Coconut Creamer (Dairy-Free Review)

    4. Pingback: Draw the Dairy-Free Demographic - KaTom Blog

    5. Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog on May 31, 2016 6:07 am

      This is really great info. Unfortunately some people don’t even know that Lactaid is real dairy and I’ve seen a blogger promoting “Dairy Free” ice cream made from Lactaid ? Not that Lactaid is bad, I think it’s great and I use it for certain recipes since my daughter is lactose intolerant and not allergic to dairy but the lack of knowledge can be dangerous…

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on June 1, 2016 9:01 am

        Yikes, that is bad! Hopefully I can spread better understanding one post at a time 🙂 Thanks Sharon!

        Reply
    6. Nutrimom on May 27, 2016 1:33 pm

      Very great information (as always!) especially because people can be easily confused.

      Reply
    7. Linda @ Veganosity on May 27, 2016 12:49 pm

      I get so angry when I see a non-dairy label and then look at the ingredients and see that their is indeed dairy in the product. Not only is it deceptive, it’s dangerous for people with allergies. Thanks for the great post.

      Reply
    8. Ralph on May 27, 2016 7:42 am

      For those who really do need to be dairy free this is devastating news. It is nearly as bad as the discovery that some products contain traces of peanuts because they were processed through the same equipment without thorough cleaning.

      I suppose that the difference is that having an intolerance to dairy probably won’t kill you where an intolerance to peanut certainly can. I may be wrong in that so please correct me if I am.

      My friend is dairy intolerant but she resolves the issue by making her own non-dairy milk which she learned about on this site http://alternativechefkitchen.com/milk-summary/ . According to her the rice milk is the best and she knows that there is no cross contamination or any trace of dairy products in her milk.

      Thanks for a helpful article.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 27, 2016 2:01 pm

        Hi Ralph, actually milk is one of the top 3 IgE allergies, too, so there are many people who can have anaphylaxis to dairy just as someone with a peanut allergy. Sadly, there have been many reported and publicized deaths due to milk allergy. Problems with milk extend far beyond lactose intolerance. Non-dairy products are typically lactose-free, but may contain milk protein (caseinate), which is the top allergenic protein. Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
      • Jane Rimmer on July 4, 2020 1:25 pm

        You are confusing several terms that do not mean the same thing – intolerance and allergy. A lactose intolerance is not the same as a milk allergy.
        I have never heard of a peanut intolerance. It is a peanut allergy.

        Reply
        • Alisa Fleming on July 4, 2020 1:48 pm

          I think many people use the term “intolerance” to describe non-IgE reactions. In reality, you are correct – non-IgE reactions, like those that can occur with conditions like EE, are still an immune response, and are thus an allergy. But since these types of reactions can be delayed, and don’t involve anaphylaxis as often as IgE-mediated allergies, many people call them “intolerance.” With these conditions, people often don’t react noticeably at lower levels of the allergen (but sometimes they do!), so they might not worry about traces as much. I have come across many people (and am related to one) with non-IgE allergies to peanuts through eosinophilic conditions. Food and our reactions to them is a confusing topic indeed!

          Reply
    9. Kristina on May 26, 2016 6:17 pm

      such important information – thank you for sharing this!

      Reply
    10. The Vegan 8 on May 26, 2016 3:18 pm

      Wow, talk about so darn incredibly frustrating and confusing! I swear, it seems hardly any products can truly be trusted. I swear, dairy is the one thing that sickens me and scares me the most too. Great post!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 26, 2016 7:19 pm

        It really is unbelievable!

        Reply
    11. Jessica @ Nutritioulicious on May 26, 2016 9:10 am

      Great post on an important issue Alisa. Food labels are so tricky. The whole <.5% or less than .5 g as it pertains to certain other foods is very tricky. I have had to educate people on that with regards to Trans fats too.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 26, 2016 11:27 am

        I hadn’t even thought about all of the cross-over of this type of labeling. That must be so frustrating for nutritionists and dietitians like you Jessica!

        Reply
    12. Jenn on May 26, 2016 6:23 am

      Wow, this actually makes me kind of angry. And it starts with the FDA…that regulation should be changed to 0% if they want the label. It’s misleading for sure and the brands shouldn’t be doing it, but you can’t really fault them for making the sketchy guidelines work for them. And we wonder why consumers are so confused on what’s truly constitutes as healthy food.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 26, 2016 7:14 am

        I couldn’t agree with you more Jenn. It’s very frustrating and really makes no sense at all!

        Reply
    13. Wendy on May 26, 2016 5:37 am

      This is such great information. And wow….that Coco Whip. MUST FIND IT! 🙂

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 26, 2016 7:14 am

        Yes, you must Wendy! It’s sold in the freezer section 🙂

        Reply
    14. Aimee on May 26, 2016 3:16 am

      I actually never knew this! I hear “non dairy creamers” and assume it means dairy-free. Good to know!

      Reply
    15. Laura on May 25, 2016 5:04 pm

      Great article and so informative Alisa. Thanks for sharing your knowledge:)

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 26, 2016 7:15 am

        Thanks Laura, I do my best 🙂

        Reply
    16. Julie @ Running in a Skirt on May 25, 2016 4:09 pm

      Oh wow! That is so tricky! Thanks for the education– I’d hate to feed that to someone who is allergic.

      Reply
    17. Becky Striepe on May 25, 2016 3:37 pm

      This is so interesting! I’ve always wondered why non-dairy creamers can contain milk. A couple of times, this has caused awkwardness, when well-meaning family or friends picked up non-dairy creamer for me that I had to turn down.

      Reply
    18. Elizabeth DiBurro on May 25, 2016 2:31 pm

      I see this question pop up on Facebook groups all the time! Now I can send this link to inform them. Thanks for doing the research and helping educate!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 25, 2016 3:21 pm

        It really is such an odd thing. Happy I can help!

        Reply
    19. Pingback: Deconstructed Banana Cream Pie Parfaits (Quick & Easy!)

    20. Pingback: So Delicious Dairy Free CocoWhip Whipped Topping (Review)

    Newer Comments →

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Go Dairy Free - The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance and Casein-Free Living
    Dairy-Free Carrot Cookies Recipe - like little bites of carrot cake! Great for tea, coffee, Easter, Christmas, spring, or summer treats.

    Carrot Cookies like Heavenly Little Bites of Carrot Cake

    Non-Dairy Calcium: Getting the Most from Dairy-Free Calcium Supplements - A helpful guide to help you meet your requirements.

    How to Choose the Best Dairy-Free Calcium Supplements

    Enjoy Life FoodsFames Chocolates. From Brooklyn with loveEat dairy free bookChocolate Emporium
    Go Dairy Free is the leading website for information on the dairy-free diet. We share dairy-free recipes, product reviews, news, recommendations and health guides to aide those with milk allergies, lactose intolerance or a general need or desire to live without dairy. Dairy-free does include milk-free, lactose-free, casein-free and whey-free, too! We also offer ample resources for gluten-free, soy-free, food allergy, vegan and paleo diets. Please note that ingredients, processes and products are subject to change by a manufacturer at any time. All foods and products should be considered at risk for cross-contamination with milk and other allergens. Always contact the manufacturer prior to consumption. Disclaimer - All Rights Reserved - Privacy Policy Go Dairy Free © 2005-2022 Fleming Marrs Inc.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.