Lactose, as the word itself suggests, is a substance found in milk. More precisely, it is the sugar that milk contains in its natural composition. This sugar is digested by the human body thanks to the presence of the enzyme lactase in the organism, which is capable of breaking down lactose into glucose and galactose. In some cases, however, this enzyme is lacking, and lactose intolerance therefore manifests itself. This can happen in preschool age or even in adulthood, in which case it is called "secondary intolerance," and it could even resolve itself over time.
The majority of cheeses contain high percentages of lactose, being milk derivatives. Parmigiano Reggiano is one of the few exceptions.
Can someone who is lactose intolerant eat Parmigiano Reggiano?
The answer is yes. Parmigiano Reggiano does not contain lactose. The only minimal trace of milk sugars is galactose, in an amount of less than 0.01 g per 100 g of product. This is such a low amount that it can be safely considered negligible.
But why does Parmesan, a cheese produced using only 3 ingredients including milk, not contain lactose? The answer lies in the Parmigiano Reggiano production process. In fact, during the aging phase, the milk present in Parmigiano Reggiano completely loses its lactose. More precisely, within 6-8 hours after cheesemaking, very numerous colonies of lactobacilli develop within the milk and transform lactose into lactic acid. The same fate befalls galactose: within 24-48 hours it is completely eliminated.
The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium also conducts scientific research that confirms this behavior: by analyzing Parmigiano wheels at different stages of aging, it has been found that the lactose content in wheels aged from 1 to 36 months is over 100 times lower than the amount of lactose recorded in other cheeses.
In all samples analyzed by the Consortium, in any case, the lactose value is well below the detection limit of the method: for this reason, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO is considered completely safe even for those who are lactose intolerant.
One important clarification: Parmesan is lactose-free and can therefore be ingested by people with lactose intolerance. The situation is different if we are talking about milk protein allergy: in this case, it is not a difficulty in digesting lactose, but a real allergy, which causes all the typical symptoms of food inflammation, and for this reason, Parmesan is not safe for those who suffer from this condition.
A final curiosity concerns the benefits that lactose intolerant people can derive from consuming Parmigiano Reggiano: a portion of Parmesan, or 50g of cheese, provides about 650mg of calcium, which is difficult to ingest easily with other foods that are not milk derivatives.
