Sep 15 2011 --- Three whey hydrolysate products from Arla Foods Ingredients have qualified for an EU-approved health claim related to the reduction of milk protein allergy risks. The approval confirms the hydrolysates’ suitability for infant formula aimed at the growing number of infants with milk protein allergy.

Today some 2-3% of infants in developed countries are allergic to the proteins in bovine milk, with an even higher percentage in the allergy risk group. To maintain a protein intake necessary for infant growth and development, whey protein hydrolysates are widely used due to the low content or absence of epitopes – the areas on proteins that trigger allergic reactions in humans.

Arla Foods Ingredients’ extensive hydrolysates Peptigen IF-3012, IF-3080 and IF-3090 performed successfully in the Acute Systemic Anaphylaxis (ASA) test. As a result, all three meet the requirements of the “nutrition claim related to reduction of risk to allergy to milk proteins”, as defined by the European Commission Directive 2006/141/EC Annex IV.

The ASA test is performed on guinea pigs, the animal of choice for predictive sensitisation tests for several decades.