Dairy free products

[Cloudberry]

My milk allergy has really been giving me trouble lately so it's time I switch back to a (cow) milk free diet. I have lived with the allergy most of my life and have been able to tolerate small amounts of milk in my food but not any more, the symptoms are really quite severe and I've decided to return to a very strict diet avoiding cow's milk completely.

My dilemma is that I am unable to determine which margarine products are completely dairy free and also which cheeses might be suitable. For example, I'm wanting to make cheese and spinach filo triangles but couldn't find out which of the feta cheeses in the supermarket were made from sheep (or goat) milk rather than cow milk. My allergy is to cow milk so I can have sheep and goats milk products. I'd also like to know about milk free bread products too if possible.

Can anyone shed some light on either which brands would be suitable and/or the words to look for?

Tonight we tried the Ingman Tofu Line chocolate tofu ice cream and it's so great! even if you're not allergic to milk you should try it! I've tried lots of different tofu icecreams over the years and it was the best I've ever had http://www.erimenu.fi/tuote/Ingman%20Ic ... 00,75%20L/

[Upphew]

couldn't find out which of the feta cheeses in the supermarket were made from sheep (or goat) milk rather than cow milk.

If it is feta then it is sheep/goat and from Greece. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feta#Certification

[Rosamunda]

The Sunnuntai margarine in the SILVER packet is vegetarian (no animal fats or protein)
http://www.sunnuntai.fi/modules/system/ ... =1&C=37193

You can double-check their other products on that site too.

As for ice-cream... may I suggest Pappagallo sorbets as a nice alternative (sometimes) to Tofu. Mango, Raspberry and Lemon are available in S_Market in the 0,9 litre tubs.

http://www.pappagallo.fi/Items.aspx

Fazer also has all the ingredients of all their products available on-line in English: (Wienernougat products are milk-free)

http://www.datahotelli.com/fazermakeise ... ecialDiet=

For bread, Fazer has the ingredients on the bag (or on their webpages). For the stores with in-house bakeries you can ask the people working there, they all have a book containing the ingredients of all the products baked on the premises. I seem to remember than most bread is milk-free in Finland. Processed sliced loaves might be a problem but they aren't so nice anyway!!!

[EP]

When feta is goat milk one it says so on the package: "valmistettu vuohenmaidosta". The word is vuohenmaito as a contrast to "lehmänmaito". Anyway, nowadays the cheese cannot be called feta (like upphew said) if is not made of goat milk. A few years ago there were fake fetas made of cow´s milk, but EU forbade the use of name "feta" if cheese is not made of goat (or sheep) milk.

[Rosamunda]

But I would be very careful, if your immune system is on high alert you could easily develop an allergy to other milk proteins as they are all quite similar. Not everyone who is allergic to cows' milk is able to drink sheep and goat milk. I think you should steer clear of all dairy for a few weeks and then when all the symptoms have disappeared gradually try some Feta, but keep notes of the brands you try so you can quickly identify which ones cause a problem.

Just because Feta is made with goats milk doesn't mean it is totally free of cows' milk protein. If it is made in the same factory as other cheeses (highly likely if you are buying a well-known brand) then it is probably contaminated with cows milk in small quantities.

[Cloudberry]

When feta is goat milk one it says so on the package: "valmistettu vuohenmaidosta". The word is vuohenmaito as a contrast to "lehmänmaito". Anyway, nowadays the cheese cannot be called feta (like upphew said) if is not made of goat milk. A few years ago there were fake fetas made of cow´s milk, but EU forbade the use of name "feta" if cheese is not made of goat (or sheep) milk.

Great, that's good to know because I was 'reading' the package and it looked like it just said pasturised milk (didn't specify what kind of milk) and I did check at least four or five of them. Knowing the key words to look for will be great. Of course, if someone can just tell me which brands that would be even better but I'll have another go tomorrow and see what I can work out. I just hope they don't also contain some cow's milk whey protein or something.

But I would be very careful, if your immune system is on high alert you could easily develop an allergy to other milk proteins as they are all quite similar. Not everyone who is allergic to cows' milk is able to drink sheep and goat milk. I think you should steer clear of all dairy for a few weeks and then when all the symptoms have disappeared gradually try some Feta, but keep notes of the brands you try so you can quickly identify which ones cause a problem.

Just because Feta is made with goats milk doesn't mean it is totally free of cows' milk protein. If it is made in the same factory as other cheeses (highly likely if you are buying a well-known brand) then it is probably contaminated with cows milk in small quantities.

That's a good point. When I was diagnosed (at the age of 9 or 10) I was told that I was only allergic to cows milk and cows themselves so was free to have goat and sheep milk products (back then you couldn't get soy except in powdered form and only frozen or powdered goat milk). But it could be that my allergy is changing and I will keep that in mind re the milk proteins. Of course it will just be easier to avoid all animal milks and by products which is likely what I will do but I just bought everything to make the spanikopita and I really want to make it now! i'll get that Sunnantai margarine product - hopefully it is a good substitute for 'buttering' the filo sheets.

What about regular butter substitute/margarine? which is the best (buttery tasting) milk free brand? I'm assuming the Sunnantai silver packet is the foil wrapped marg not the tub one? or does it also come in a tub for regular use?

[Upphew]

What about regular butter substitute/margarine? which is the best (buttery tasting) milk free brand? I'm assuming the Sunnantai silver packet is the foil wrapped marg not the tub one? or does it also come in a tub for regular use?

According to wikipedia http://www.keiju.fi/www/page/1968 is used in hospitals when milk free product is needed.

[Rosamunda]

I think Flora and Becel are also milk-free. The Becel tub says lactose-free and it is vegetable fat... so I guess it doesn't contain milk (even though it doesn't say maidoton on the box). But I wouldn't cook with them, I don't think they should be heated.

You could use a neutral cooking oil for the filo pastry, like rapeseed oil.

[am I Finnish yet?]

Also, here is the vegan league in Finland: http://www.vegaaniliitto.fi/ there are some lists of vegan products there.

Keiju margarine with the dark blue on the package, 80% fat or the lighter blue with 60% fat should be dairy free, but you'd better double check.

Also, if you do a google search, I bet you can find a list of things to look for in ingredient lists that are or might be from dairy sources. Again, info geared to vegans might be helpful too.